Flash! Mostly Naked Savior of the Universe!

West Point Collar pattern from “Clark’s O.N.T. Crocheted Neckwear”, 1935

Dale Arden has every reason to look perturbed here. After all, she’s an intelligent capable woman saddled with an interstellar hero who’s continually distracted by his interstellar libido. Heck, Flash Gordon decided that Dale was his one true love within hours of meeting her, when he was supposed to be focused on something a wee bit more time sensitive.

Or as Dale declared in the 1980 film, Flash Gordon:

“Flash, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!”

For the complete pattern (and more snark!):

West Point Collar no. 2015

Sure, Clark’s wants you to believe that this pattern was inspired by the West Point Military Academy, but I offer these two pieces of evidence for your consideration:

A famous West Point graduate, in a uniform that barely resembles this pattern. (Can you guess who he is?)

Flash and Dale, c. 1935, shilling for Union Carbide.

Okay, neither outfit is a dead ringer for the pattern. However, when I look at this so-called West Point collar, what springs to my mind is not the prestigious, but earth bound, West Point Academy. Nope, it’s thrilling adventures in Outer Space!

As Union Carbide Plastics Representatives, of course.

Materials: Clark’s O.N.T. Knit-Crochet, 2 balls each of White and color 25 Crystal Blue. Milward’s steel crochet hook No. 2.

Fun factoid: In 1866, George Clark invented the first cotton thread suitable for use in a sewing machine. He called it “Our New Thread” or O.N.T. for short.

So every time you make a pattern with Clark’s O.N.T. you’re literally crocheting a piece of history!

No pressure.

Front: Using thread double, 1 strand of Blue and 1 of White, ch to measure about 16 inches. 1st row: S c in 3rd ch from hook, * ch 1, skip 1 st, s c in next, repeat from * across. Ch 1, turn. 2nd row: Skip 1st ch-1 and s c in next s c. * Ch 1, s c in next s c, repeat from * across. Ch 1, turn. 3rd for 5th rows incl: Same as 2nd. 6th row: Work s c and ch 1 for 4 times, then ch 6, skip 3 s c’s of previous row, s c in next (for buttonhole). Continue across to within 7 s c from end, and make another buttonhole. Continue as before until work gradually comes to a point. Fasten off. Make back the same, but omit buttonholes.

Have you guessed who the cutie in the cadet uniform was yet? No?

Perhaps this will help:

Yep, it’s President “I Like Ike” Eisenhower!

Who, as it happens, was President of the United States when the Soviets launched the Space Race, thereby bringing us back to...

Flash! A-ah!

Collar: Ch to measure 14 inches. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, * ch 1, skip 1st st, s c in next. Repeat from * across, ch 1, turn. 2nd to 9th rows incl: S c in 1st s c. * Ch 1, s c in next s c. Repeat from * across. Ch 1, turn. 10th row: Work to within 1 inch from end of previous row, ch 1, turn. 11th to 17th rows incl: Same as 2nd. Break off. Fold collar at 10th row and whip across straight end. Stitch down short end to longer piece. (The extra inch allows for overlap.) Attach White at lower edge and work a row of s c’s along both edges (working as a rnd).

Sure, Dale was stuck playing second banana to Flash “Girl Crazy” Gordon, but there were compensations for a healthy young lady in her position.

There was mostly naked Flash, and...

More mostly naked Flash!

Next rnd: * S c in next s c, ch 6, s c in same s c. Repeat from * around. Work the same edging on the 2 sides of the front and back. Cover 2 large round buttons with s c in White and sew to inside of back piece to correspond to buttonholes in front. Then whip collar to front and back pieces as in illustration. At the right side, leave about an inch between the front and back pieces in whipping them to collar. Sew snaps to collar.

Still, I’m sure Dale would have preferred to dispense with all the gratuitous whip stitching in this pattern.

Ouch!

Click here for the printable pattern.