Happy Mother's Day!

Knitted Bed Jackets from “Gifts, Knitted and Crocheted”, 1946

I’m very worried about this new mother. Sure, she seems happy, and normally I’m very much in favor of lounging around in bed in pajamas. But this woman is smiling ecstatically at a six-month sized bed jacket – and there’s no six month old child anywhere to be seen!

Is she really a mother? Or is her baby just a figment of her imagination?

The truth is this wannabe mom is a victim of 1940s patriarchy. This poor woman was raised to believe her only value was in her ability to procreate, but she has no man or turkey baster to call her own! So, it’s no surprise that her mind has finally snapped under the pressure. Tomorrow she’ll be taking her empty stroller down to the park, where she will steal the first baby she sees and take it home to clothe in fussy hand-knits.

Thankfully, today she’s content to lay in bed, admiring her imaginary offspring.

“Isn’t she just the best behaved baby you ever saw? Why, she never cries!”

For the complete pattern (and more maternal snark!):

Knitted Bed Jacket
No. 4801
6 Months Size

Before you begin, ask yourself these important questions first. Are you expecting a baby? Or are you making this pattern for someone who is?

If you answer no to both, you need to immediately march up to a man and demand that he do his manly duty by procreating with you and/or your friend. Once this important initial step is completed, only then can you safely begin knitting frou-frou matching mom and baby bed jackets, confident that soon you will experience the blissful happiness that only motherhood can bring.

Materials Required – AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY “DAWN” INFANT’S WOOL, ARTICLE W5

2 – 1 oz. Balls White.

1 – 1 oz. Ball Blue or Pink.

1 Pair each Bone Knitting Needles No. 2 and No. 6.

Bone Crochet Hook No. 2.

1 ½ yds. Ribbon.

Back of Yoke. With White on No. 2 needles cast on 66 sts and k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row.

Otherwise known as six rows of stockinette stitch. But remember, it’s important to be very, very clear when writing instructions for new mothers or moms-to-be.

Otherwise they might snap and run amok.

Pick up Blue and k 4 rows. Repeat these 10 rows for pattern. Work even until there are 4 White and 4 Blue stripes.

Next Row. With White work across 20 sts, bind off next 26 sts for back of neck and continue work on last 20 sts. Work 5 more rows even, then cast on 16 sts at neck edge. Attach Blue and continue in pattern until there are 8 blue and 9 White stripes from beginning, bind off. Attach White at neck edge and working across the 20 shoulder sts. p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, cast on 16 sts for other half of neck front, p 1 row, attach Blue and work same as opposite front, bind off.

On right side of work with Blue pick up and k 80 sts across the back, then k 3 more rows, break Blue.

Attach White, change to No. 6 needles and start open work pattern, k 1, * yarn over twice, k 1, repeat from * across row.

2nd Row. K 1, * drop the 2 yarn overs from needle without knitting them, k 1, repeat from * across row.

What’s that? You don’t believe new mothers are prone to suddenly losing their minds?

Clearly you have no idea just how much stress mothers were under in the 1940s.

And we modern mothers complain about the pressure to produce a perfect little genius. So what if we go broke purchasing all the necessary Baby Einstein products and enrolling them in pre-pre-school science class? At least we don’t have to cope with glowing, radioactive super-babies, shooting planes, trains and automobiles out of their giant floating heads!

3rd and 4th Rows. K across row. Repeat these 4 rows 8 more times, then k 4 rows, bind off loosely.

Right Front. With Blue and using No. 2 needles on right side of work pick up and k 44 sts across row, k 3 more rows even, break Blue.

Attach White, change to No. 6 needles, and work open work pattern same as back, then k 4 rows even, bind off loosely.

Work other front in same manner.

Sleeves. With Blue on No. 2 needles cast on 28 sts and k 4 rows.

Attach White, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row.

With Blue, k 4 rows, fasten yarn and continue sleeve with White. With same needles k 1, * yarn over twice, k 1 and leave on left needle, yarn over twice, k in back of same st and slip off needle, (this is an increase) yarn over twice, k 1, repeat from * across row, do not increase in last st. Change to No. 6 needles and continue open work pattern same as jacket without any more increases until sleeve measures about 7 inches completing a pattern, bind off. Sew underarm seams. Sew sleeve seams and sew sleeves in position.

With White, work a row of s c up right side of yoke, around neck and down opposite side of front yoke, break yarn.

Attach yarn at neck and work a row of double knot sts around neck as follows:

* Draw up a ¼ inch loop on hook, yarn over and pull through ch, s c in single loop of st, draw up ¼ inch loop on hook, yarn over and pull through ch, s c in single loop of st (double knot st) skip 1 st, s c in next st. work a double knot st, s c in next s c, repeat from * around neck, break yarn. Work a row of double knot sts around cuffs of sleeves in same manner. Finish with ribbon bows as illustrated.

What’s more, mothers were literally slaves to every whim of their giant Post-War Boomer babies.

Knitted Bed Jacket
No. 4802
Small, Medium and Large Sizes

Materials Required – AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY “DAWN” INFANT’S WOOL, Article W5.

1 oz. Balls.

Small Size – 8 Balls of any Pastel Shade and 1 Ball White.

Medium Size – 9 Balls of any Pastel Shade and 1 Ball White.

Large Size – 10 Balls of any Pastel Shade and 2 Balls White.

1 Pair Bone Knitting Needles No. 2.

1 Pair Bone Knitting Needles No. 6.

Bone Crochet Hook No. 2

1 ½ yds. Ribbon.

Gauge. Yoke – 7 sts = 1 inch.

Directions are given for Small size. Medium and Large sizes are given in brackets.

Back of Yoke. With Color on No. 2 needles cast on 94 sts (100 – 106) and k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row. Pick up White and k 4 rows. Repeat these 10 rows for yoke pattern. Work even until there are 5 Colored (5-6) and 5 White (5-6) stripes.

Next Row. Work across 30 sts, (32 – 34) bind off next 34 sts (36 – 38) for back of neck and continue pattern on last 30 sts (32 – 34) for shoulder. Work 1 stripe in Color, 1 in White and 1 in Color. With Color cast on 18 sts (22 – 26) at neck edge. Attach White and continue in pattern until there are as many stripes in front as in back, bind off and work other side to correspond.

So, one can hardly blame the 1940s mother for wanting to run screaming from the house. Or parking her child unattended in a pram outside the supermarket, in the optimistic hope that a childless woman might come along and steal him away.

On right front with No. 2 needles and White yarn, on right side of work, pick up 60 sts (63 – 66) and k 3 rows, break yarn. Attach Color, change to No. 6 needles and start open work pattern.

1st Row. K 1, * yarn over twice, k 1, repeat from * across row.

2nd Row. K 1, * drop the 2 yarn overs from needle without knitting them, k 1, repeat from * across row.

3rd and 4th Rows. K across row. Repeat these 4 rows for pattern. Work 1 more pattern. At the end of the 4th row of last pattern, cast on 7 sts for underarm and continue pattern until work measures about 11 inches (12 – 13) from underarm completing a pattern. K 4 more rows and bind off loosely. Work left front to correspond.

Back. With No. 2 needles and White yarn, on right side of work, pick up 120 sts (126 – 132) and k 3 rows, break yarn. Attach Color and work 6 rows of pattern.

Next 2 rows cast on 7 sts at the beginning of each row and continue pattern until back measures the same as the front finishing with K 4 rows.

Thank goodness, Dr. Spock appeared in 1946 to give harried mothers much needed guidance.

Oh no, he’s being devoured by a rabid pack of babies!

Oh, the humanity!

Sleeves. With White and No. 2 needles, cast on 40 sts (44 – 50) and k 4 rows. With Color, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row. With White, k 4 rows, fasten White and continue sleeve with Color. With No. 2 needles k 1, * yarn over twice, k 1 and leave st on left needle, yarn over twice, k in back of same st and slip st off needle (this is an increase), yarn over twice, k 1, repeat from * across row. Do not increase in last st. Change to No. 6 needles and continue open work pattern (without anymore increases) until there are 20 patterns (21 – 23) or sleeve is desired length to underarm. Work 2 rows of next pattern.

Next 2 rows bind of 7 sts at the beginning of each row. Continue pattern, decreasing 1 st at the beginning of every 3rd and 4th row of pattern until 28 sts remain. Bind off remaining sts 2 at a time.

So, be kind to your mother, today. She survived raising you!

Click here for the printable pattern.