Sweater Icelandic Nordic or other?
- Thread starter Diana Montanino
- Start date
The Vintage Vendeuse
VFG Member
It looks quite like this one, which is Ralph Lauren:
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
Wow! Very interesting -thank you!
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
Do you think it’s a copy? Hard to tell since there’s not a label.. :(
It's not the same sweater - compare the top of the sleeves, and the slowflake motifs, above the deer, and at the transition from light to dark background on the RL - yours doesn't have these.
So yes, I think it's a copy.
Jonathan
VFG Member
Ralph Lauren was/is a copyist/stylist. His minions are at all the vintage shows and auctions buying stuff to knock off - and they have been doing that since the 1970s, so I suspect your sweater is an older version - 1940s/50s? (What happened to that Canadian collector who collected vintage sweaters...)
i agree, i think YOURS is an original, as Jonathan says @ RL design team tactics.
Jonathan, that collector is no longer with us.
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
Thank you all-so what origin is it, English Icelandic , Nordic? Something else? I am gong to post this in my store and just curious of what I should its origin is, I know its hand knit.....
Picture knitting is not traditional in any region, so you can't really nail it to a particular cultural knitting style.
That said, it's probably more Nordic/Scandi than anything else. It's not Scottish/Fair Isle in style. It's not like the Icelandic lopi sweaters which is what most people think of as Icelandic, but there are older Icelandic traditions that I don't know so well.
The body of the sweater, with a simple repeating motif, is similar to Norwegian 'lice' pattern - though lice pattern is usually a single stitch making a dot of the different colour, rather than a small motif. The purpose is to add the extra stranded thread for warmth, without giving the knitter too much to think about.
But really it's a stranded knit picture sweater, not a Norwegian sweater.
The body of the sweater, with a simple repeating motif, is similar to Norwegian 'lice' pattern - though lice pattern is usually a single stitch making a dot of the different colour, rather than a small motif. The purpose is to add the extra stranded thread for warmth, without giving the knitter too much to think about.
But really it's a stranded knit picture sweater, not a Norwegian sweater.
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I just bought this book, found it in a secondhand shop, so give me time, and I'll be able to tell the difference between Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Faroe Islands and Icelandic knitting styles!
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The Vintage Vendeuse
VFG Member
Another vote for your sweater being the "original" that RL based their style on. 
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
@Retro Ruth -Thank you so much!! I appreciate you taking the time to research and giving me great information on this sweater!
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
@The Vintage Vendeuse Yes that's a great selling point!
You're welcome. Knitting is my thing!
Aha! @Diana Montanino
I've found the original pattern. I knew there must a knitting pattern for this somewhere. Which means it's home made, as I suspected.
It was published in 1953, in a pattern booklet called Doreen Sweaters Scandinavian Designs. The author/designer was Nell Armstrong.
So, Scandi-inspired as I thought, with the trendy picture knitting used alongside traditional motifs.
Here's the booklet. The cover sweater is more traditional, and uses the 'lice' stitch I described above.
More information here: https://freevintageknitting.com/patternbook/sweaters-scandinavian-designs-vol103
I've found the original pattern. I knew there must a knitting pattern for this somewhere. Which means it's home made, as I suspected.
It was published in 1953, in a pattern booklet called Doreen Sweaters Scandinavian Designs. The author/designer was Nell Armstrong.
So, Scandi-inspired as I thought, with the trendy picture knitting used alongside traditional motifs.
Here's the booklet. The cover sweater is more traditional, and uses the 'lice' stitch I described above.
More information here: https://freevintageknitting.com/patternbook/sweaters-scandinavian-designs-vol103
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plousia
Registered Guest
Aha! @Diana Montanino
I've found the original pattern. I knew there must a knitting pattern for this somewhere. Which means it's home made, as I suspected.
It was published in 1953, in a pattern booklet called Doreen Sweaters Scandinavian Designs. The author/designer was Nell Armstrong.
So, Scandi-inspired as I thought, with the trendy picture knitting used alongside traditional motifs.
Here's the booklet. The cover sweater is more traditional, and uses the 'lice' stitch I described above.
More information here: https://freevintageknitting.com/patternbook/sweaters-scandinavian-designs-vol103
Nice sleuthing!
fabulous, Ruth!! 
and wonderful sweater, Diana!
and wonderful sweater, Diana!
Diana Montanino
Registered Guest
OH MY GOSH @Retro Ruth ! I am so appreciative you have no idea! And so cool!! and @The Vintage Merchant thank you! I literally bought this for $3!! I would not even know where to price it at since it seems to be a (maybe) rare sweater! I found with three others at the church thrift shop where I frequent. The knitting is insane to me who does not even know how to sew haha, but I am learning!