I just couldn't resist sharing this amazing knitting pattern I unearthed today whilst sorting through box after box of stuff.
This is the Bill Oddie Knitting Sweater pattern. Knitted in EMU wools 'Tripleknit' a pure wool yarn and featuring the pure new wool logo proudly on the front. If any one doesn't know Bill Oddie, he was one of a trio of comedians known as The Goodies who graced the screens of the BBC for many years combining slap stick, general silliness and songs. The other two Goodies were Tim Brook Taylor and Doctor Graeme Garden. There is still an official Goodies fan site and for anyone who wants a true taste of just how great the Goodies were/are, the BBC are apparently showing an episode from the show on Saturday night as part of the BBC 2 birthday celebrations.
But back to the jumper pattern. Unfortunately the wonderful new wool logo is written out in long hand. Here is an example of one of the rows:
K 24 (26, 29, 31, 34, 36, 39) A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 1A, 2B, 1A, 2B, 5A, 2B, 2A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 3A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 25 (27, 30, 32, 35, 37, 40) A. Something that really is quite simple suddenly seems quite complex and long winded when written out like this.
It states on the front cover of the pattern that Bill wore the jumper in "Thank your lucky stars" which was a TV pop show which ran from 1961 to 1966 so I assume the pattern is from sometime between these years. Most interestingly of all though is on the bottom of the pattern is the following:
"For further instructions please listen to 'The Knitting Song' (Parlophone R5346)" Did Bill sing a song about knitting on Thank Your Lucky Stars? The answer is Yes he did! In 1965 he released 'The Knitting Song' on Parlophone records, and here it is:
7 comments :
Ha! And dare I say that I half like the song?
I love the song! Thanks for sharing the pattern too - would not have recognised Bill Oddie if he hadn't been named. He's had much more facial hair in recent decades, surely? Glasses too.
I worked for Emu Wools design office back in 1986 and had to read those patterns out verbatim so they could be checked for typos - had to beat watching paint dry as the dullest task ever!!
I would never have recognised that as Bill Oddie, and I love the Goodies! How different he looks.
Do you have many more celebs lurking in your pattern pile?
Oh I know that feeling only too well Caroline! But it has to be done. Whereabouts was Emu HQ?
He does look very different! Although the song could have been a Goodies number. I've got quite a lot of celebrity knitting patterns - ill try and post them as I find them :)
That song also appeared on the radio show "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again", a sort of joint forerunner to Monty Python and The Goodies and quite a lot of other comedy. Among other highlights was the Julie Andrews tribute song.
There were also some knitting related sketches on the show
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