This is a bit old, but I was weeding out the images file on my computer this morning and realized I'd not posted these yet. They are from the late "Home Fires" -- yes, it's been cancelled -- which I watched sort of half-fascinated, because Blitz-era England is one of my fascinations, and half-guiltily, since it was not a little soapy at times. I do love Francesca Annis, though, in just about anything.
Part of these photos, I admit, are for the aprons and pinnies as much as for the knitting, though! Above we have the ladies of the village out blackberrying -- Pat on the right (Claire Rushbrook) has a fairly typical cardy in a basketweave stitch. Each of the women has a different yet very typically-1940s apron, Erica (Frances Grey) a wrap-around, Frances (Samantha Bond) a scoop-neck, and Pat a full one, probably H-back but we can't see this.
An apparently favorite slipover worn by the butcher's son with the overprotective mother (Will Attenborough and Claire Price respectively), who has presumably knitted it herself. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand not wanting to send your son off to shoot and be shot at, but she's a bit mad about it at the same time. She herself has an interesting raglan-sleeved cardigan in a rather lovely sea-foam green.
Curiously, Frances's apron seems to have no ties, which I think would be fairly annoying, with it dragging in things.
An absolutely bang-on perfect 1940s pullover in chevron stripes on the blind Isobel (Gillian Dean). If looks could kill, the entire Luftwaffe would have simply dropped stone-dead from the skies at this glare from Mrs. Cameron (Francesca Annis).
A very pretty green lacy cardigan worn by Kate (Rachel Hurd-Wood). I think her sister Laura (Leila Mimmack) is also wearing a knitted cardigan of some sort, but in this picture it isn't quite clear.
The man we love to hate, the thoroughly-nasty Bob Simms (Mark Bazeley) in another perfectly-period slipover, this one a classic faded Fair Isle.
Sarah (Ruth Gemmell) has this very pretty cardigan in the famous King Charles brocade stitch, accented presumably with embroidered flowers inside lines of the diamonds at the front.
The wardrobe for this series is really excellent -- full marks, especially for including lots of period-looking knits!
And if you like the soundtrack, it was composed by Samuel Sim, with the haunting title track sung by Synergy Vocals, and for the time being at least, you can listen to the whole album on YouTube --
Oh man! I haven't watched this yet. More reason to do it.
Posted by: Mary Lou | August 13, 2016 at 09:50 AM
This totally passed me by! I wonder who does the knitting for this type of series?
Posted by: Toffeeapple | August 13, 2016 at 11:54 AM
Searching for a clue to my question I found this lovely site:
http://thevintagepatternfiles.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/1940%27s
Patterns from 1800 onward!
Posted by: Toffeeapple | August 14, 2016 at 02:26 AM
Cancelled? Oh blast, I must rewatch...
Posted by: wendy | September 08, 2016 at 04:17 AM
One of my favorite series!!! Eager for season two this year.
Posted by: tanya | January 12, 2017 at 04:40 PM
In the photo of Laura and Kate, Laura is wearing Golden Eagle # 478. I tracked it down this morning at http://www.fab40s.co.uk/Ladies4.html
~ Bridget
Posted by: Bridget Curran | October 23, 2017 at 08:29 AM
Here is a better photo of Laura's cardigan, to go with Bridget's excellent detective work!
https://i0.wp.com/www.4ye.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/webANXhomefiress1ep3.jpg?resize=640%2C360
Posted by: Jeanne | October 23, 2017 at 09:31 AM
I thought it would be impossible, but I have now also tracked down Kate's lovely green cardigan! It's Bestway 1027 (Leaf Stitch Jumper), also available at the Fab40s website. I zoomed in to examine the detail, and it's definitely the right pattern. Now I need to track down Sarah's cardigan with the diamonds and embroidered flowers and I'll be completely happy, and will have enough patterns to keep me busy for the next few months.
~ Bridget
Posted by: Bridget Curran | November 14, 2017 at 12:29 PM
I'm even more impressed with the costume designers' work now -- either they have used extant period garments or have used period patterns to make new ones. Either way, Lucinda Wright and Howard Burden deserve a round of applause!
And well done, Bridget!
Posted by: Jeanne | November 14, 2017 at 04:10 PM
If the garments were knitted for the show, they've done an excellent job of avoiding making them look new. They look lived-in and authentic. It is indeed very impressive and they do certainly deserve some applause!
I'm still on the prowl for more of those patterns. But I haven't started knitting anything yet. I'm still knitting like mad to use up most of my stash before I start on my Home Fires knits.
Posted by: Bridget | June 01, 2018 at 09:55 AM
Julie Summers, author of the book on which "Home Fires" is based, has a blog, and wrote here --
http://www.juliesummers.co.uk/blog/2016/04/27/fur-fashion-and-friction/
about clothing from the series and during the war years.
This link --
http://www.juliesummers.co.uk/blog/tag/home-fires/
is to all of her posts tagged "Home Fires".
Posted by: Jeanne | June 01, 2018 at 10:27 AM