A Vintage Baby’s Bonnet to Knit

One of the joys of being a part of PieceWork is getting to dig into vintage materials. These older patterns almost speak a different language and leave many things open to the judgement or interpretation of the knitter. This offering from Miss Watts’s elusive book on knitting, netting and crochet is for a baby’s bonnet that includes a unique way to knit a feather trim. Even though the title states the book is illustrated, there are only three photos in it! Luckily, the bonnet is labeled as P.1 in the following image. The bonnet, we believe, is made up of the crown, the curtain, and the feather.

The illustration on the frontispiece of the New Illustrated Knitting, Netting, and Crochet Book by Miss Watts published in London in 1845. Clockwise, from upper left: Knitted baby bonnet, knitted “Cardinal Cape for a Little Girl,” and crocheted “Fish Napkin.”

A Knitted Baby’s Bonnet

These instructions might take a bit of experimenting as they are worded exactly as they appeared in the 1845 publication.

Honey-comb in two colors. One ounce of white and pale blue Berlin wool in half-ounce skeins, as joins spoil the appearance of the work; two needles, pointed at both ends, No. 13, and a bonnet shape to cover with the work are required.