Vintage Kid's Clothes: I Have a Thing for Sweaters

I'm seem to be on a theme here. It must be vintage week!

Don't you just love a baby or a small child in a sweater? A little cardigan, all buttoned up snug and sweet? Sweat shirts seem to be much more popular these days.

I understand.

They are sturdier. Sometimes warmer. You don't seem to mind as much when your little boy drops it in the mud.

But I'm still partial to sweaters.

I dream of being able to knit them myself. Hand knit sweaters for my babes? Oh bliss.

Alas, I think I am going to have to devote quite a bit of time to learning to knit. I don't seem to be a natural. So it is on the back burner right now.

Good thing I have a healthy supply of vintage sweaters to get me through.

I started my vintage sweater collection in Scotland. I was there on a mission trip. Aaron and I had been married just one year. We took 25 teenagers to do a work project. It was quite an adventure.

Occasionally, my friend Angela (the other assistant leaser)and I would get a break from cooking for the 30 member team and go into town. It was a tiny town called West Kilbride, on the Firth of Clyde. There wasn't much to do in town. But there was an Oxfam--the British thrift store. And in the Oxfam, oh heavens!, we found lots and lots of vintage sweaters. Many were hand knit by sweet little Scottish grandmothers.

They were 50 pence. That was like, a couple of dollars. Or less. I really can't remember. But cheap. And so, so cute.

We each bought an armful.

You will remember, Aaron and I had just celebrated our first anniversary. Babies weren't on the near horizon. Angela didn't even have a boy friend! But we didn't care. We simply could not pass up those sweaters.

Since then, my collection has grown. My Mom gave me some of my own sweaters when Lilly was born. That red one was mine.

I love that she wears the sweaters I once wore. I think my mom loves it even more.

Mom gave me some more delicious, vintage sweaters when the children's store she worked at went out of business. They had stock they bought out from another, older store that went out of business. If you're from Fallbrook, you know the Westerner. (I tried to find a picture on the web. Couldn't. Oh how I wish I would have take a picture of that favorite store of my childhood. Remember the penny candy?)

These sweaters were so old, they still had the hand written tags on them. Sweaters were priced for $1.50.

I love all of them

I even have some boy sweaters. Like this sweet little number right here. Boy sweaters are harder to find. I had a few white ones both boys wore when they were babies, and toddlers. Every one always thought they were girls.

What? Boys can't wear sweaters?

These sweaters will be eat another thing I pack away for my kids' kids. I am really not a pack rat, I promise.

I only save the good stuff.

Do you have any vintage favorites?