How We Used to Live and a Fund-Raising Quiz

Okay, next week we have Bank Holiday Monday and vintage day in The Piece Hall - a celebration of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, under the title How We Used to Live. In a weak moment I promised to wear my sixties mini, which might have been a mistake - I think I was about fifteen years younger last time I wore it - so I'm hoping I'm not going to be the only one making a fool of myself (sorry, I mean dressing the part).

Anyway, at Three Bags Full we're having a Retro Knitting Quiz based on those old sepia-tinted A5 size patterns everyone's mum used to use. I might even find a few to display on the day. Proceeds will go to The Mayfield Trust, which used to be known as Calderdale Mencap.

Here are the questions in case you'd like to give them some thought in advance...


1. Back in the days when 4ply was the most popular knitting yarn for children’s clothes, what kind of weight was Quickerknit?

2. Wool used to be sold in ounce balls. How many would you need to knit a scarf taking 300g?

3. In the old days we knitted on needle sizes such as 9s and 7s or 10s and 8s. If a 1960s pattern requires one pair of size 11s and one pair of size 9s, which modern needle sizes would you use?

4. What did the abbreviation ‘P & B’ refer to?

5. What was an angel top?

6. If a pattern cost 6d in 1959, what was the price in decimal money?

7. What might a pram set have consisted of?

8. Can you remember what was made under the Queen Bee brand?

9. What does the abbreviation ‘w.f.’ mean?

10. Which wool company made Majestic 4 ply?

Not too difficult, eh? There's a 100g hank of Fyberspates Scrumptious DK for the winner.