Book Review: Molly Ann's Message

Yes, this one's a rerun. When I pulled down all those old posts with the outdated information and broken links, and said some of them would be coming back, this was one of the posts I meant.

Book Title: Molly Ann's Message

Author: Edith Mary Gunderson

Date: 1953

Publisher: Moody Bible Institute

Length: 128 pages

Quote: "I'm to tell Grandpa that you sent me to tell him God's love, and Mamma's love."

Molly Ann is an orphan whose grumpy Grandpa never sees visitors, but always sends out food for beggars. Although an atheist, he intends to be just as good and kind as a Christian. Knowing she has a short time left to live, Molly Ann's Mamma has rented a room near Grandpa's house and died there, leaving Molly Ann to throw herself on Grandpa's mercy by wandering out to his house alone, dusty enough to look like a beggar.

Everyone wants to comfort Molly Ann by giving her pets, and her bond with one of these pets will eventually impress Grandpa so much that he joins the church...but, for those who think that even a real oldfashioned Sunday School book should have a little suspense, I won't explain how.

And this is a real oldfashioned Sunday School book, with the paper, not cardboard, binding, red-and-blue line drawing on the front cover, and all, just the way people currently over age 55 remember the genre. If you've missed these flimsy but well-intentioned books and wanted to share one with a child, here is one for you.

I enjoyed these books mostly in grade two...because that was the first year I was exposed to them. (Teachers were no longer allowed to pray in school but they were allowed to display Sunday School books for free reading and give them to students as souvenirs, and a couple of mine had extensive collections.) Vocabulary words like "union depot," "poultry," "procession," "rebuked," and "mantelpiece" may be unfamiliar to some second grade readers. Some of my sixth grade classmates still enjoyed some of the Moody Bible Institute's Sunday School books, but my guess would be that Molly Ann will appeal most to primary school readers.

Faded Ribbons Jacket (with a Beanie)

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

We wish Tori had photographed these two separate items separately, but we understand the time constraints under which she volunteered to snap these pictures.

 

About the sweater

 

In real life the colors remind me of sour candies--blueberry, grape, lemon, green apple, cherry...What shows as white on this computer is pale yellow in real life. The stripes are textured and give the sweater a strong vertical grain, almost like corduroy.

 

Size: Medium woman's (5'3"-5'7"; 40")

 

Material: 55% Red Heart acrylic, 45% miscellaneous including cotton and mohair

 

Care: Machine wash and dry carefully

 

Credits: "The 'Faded Ribbons' design appeared in Knitter's magazine...sorry, further details are not available. The original sweater was knitted with two handpainted yarns in different color combinations. This one was knitted with one Red Heart acrylic multicolor yarn and lots of scraps that harmonize with the colors, including scraps from the Hand-Painted Jacket."

 

[Update: It was the Spring 2008 issue of Knitter's magazine. The designer was Simona Merchant-Dest, who designed it as a pullover with a long, snug ribbed waist.]

 

Price: $50 + shipping

 

About the cap

 

Size: Small

 

Material: acrylic

 

Care: Machine wash and dry

 

Credits: "This is a basic beanie, the kind every knitter knows how to make. Cast on 72 stitches to make this size in this kind of yarn, knit 1" in garter stitch and 3" in stockinette stitch, then shape a round top to fit close to the head. I have made several of them. They take little time to make and little time to sell. If this one's sold before readers respond to the web page, I can make more of these beanies in any color. There could be one to match any sweater if I have enough yarn left. The price on the beanies is always $5--regardless of what they're made of--the profit on acrylic beanies offsets the loss when somebody asks for one made of a luxury material."

 

Price: $5 + shipping

 

Click here to buy the sweater or the cap.

Rock Creek Jacket

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

 

In real life the colors are orange, yellow, and warm gray (not blue--the camera seems to be picking up the blue tone in that lovely old brocade chair). The two front sides are the same length, in real life. That pink-and-blue thing that shows on the front is a skein band containing the manufacturer's care instructions for the blended-fiber yarn.

 

Size: Large woman's (5'6" to 6"--sleeves may stretch; 44")

 

Material: Wool/acrylic blend

 

Care: Washing as wool is recommended, but instructions for machine laundering are attached

 

Credits: "A box of yarn from a wool shop's going-out-of-business sale included this distinctive boucle yarn and, tucked in with it, a paper containing four Paris fashion patterns printed in French only. At the time I didn't have a dictionary of foreign knitting terms, but just puzzled it out by the numbers and the picture on the pattern. This jacket was designed just for this yarn."

 

Click here to buy it for $90 + shipping.



Hand-Painted Jacket

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

 

This short, bulky jacket is knitted in two hand-painted wool and mohair yarns from Cherry Tree Hill. It's recommended especially for those who want to avoid adding bulk below the waistline (we meet quite a few of these people in real life). Although fluffy, light, and lacy, it's very warm.

 

Size: Woman's large (5'3-5'10", 42")

 

Material: 50% pure wool, 50% wool-mohair blend

 

Care: Hand wash gently; dry flat

 

Credits: "The design appeared on the cover of Knitter's magazine."

 

PK: Which issue, and who designed the sweater?

 

"I don't know. I've misplaced the magazine and don't see it on Amazon."

 

Frugal tip for readers who knit: Always buy Knitter's magazine. Back issues actually gain value on Amazon.

 

Click here to buy the sweater for $180 + shipping.

Big Turkish Carnation Jacket

Hand knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

Size: Large woman's (5'6-6', 44-48")

Material: Mixed; 80% acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "In 1991, the Turkish Carnation Jacket in Glorious Knitting was the most challenging thing I'd knitted. Someone saw it and asked me to knit one just like it, only extra-large, for a big, tall woman who liked things oversized. I thought changing the gauge would have that effect. It did, with a few extra effects--the sleeves came out just long enough for a tall woman with no cuffs at all, just a gathered edge at the wrist, and the shoulders are wide. Although it matched the intended wearer's measurements, it was not the one (of a batch of sweaters that had been requested for her to choose from) that she ended up buying. It's just too big for the average woman, so it's still waiting for the right person to wear it."

Click here to buy the sweater for $65 + shipping, or to buy a copy of Glorious Knitting for $5 + shipping (includes $1 for Kaffe Fassett or the charity of his choice).

Granny Squares Liberal and Conservative

Hand Crocheted by Anonymous

Photo by Victoria Cooley

In real life, the yellow squares in this pet blanket are a bright crayon yellow, and the blanket is a square rather than a trapezoid.

Size: About 2' x 2'

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: This pet blanket consists of granny-square patches crocheted by what might be described as a liberal and a conservative approach to crocheting. (The outer squares have smaller, tighter stitches.)

Click here to buy it for $20 + $5 shipping.

Baby Bootees

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life they're black.

Size: 6-12 months

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry carefully (in a bag--don't let them get caught in the machinery!)

Credits: "These are just basic baby bootees knitted in blanket-weight yarn. The pattern is in Leslie Linsley's Quick and Easy Knit and Crochet."

Click here to buy the bootees for $5 + $5 shipping, or Quick and Easy Knit and Crochet for $5 + $5 shipping.

Cabled Vest

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

Oops! You can tell Tori's not a knitter...she photographed the cables inside-out! In real life this seamless waistcoat has deep armholes and ordinary-looking cables. The color is charcoal grey.

Size: Fits up to 40", up to 5'8"

Material: brushed acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "This was a Knitter's quick-and-easy project."

Click here to buy it for $20 + $5 shipping.

Chickens Cardigan

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life the sweater is a bright, glossy, Christmas-y green. (It would be easier to wear year-round if it were the color I'm seeing on this computer.)

Size: 34-36" bustline, 5'3"-5'6"

Material: base yarn acrylic, contrast colors mixed

Care: machine wash and dry

Credits: "This is a version of the famous Chickens Cardigan from Maine Island Classics by Chellie Pingree and Debby Anderson. Since I used a slightly lighter yarn, and the armholes on these sweaters tended to be designed for slim people anyway, I widened the armholes and dropped the shoulder line. There aren't any more of those buttons--someone insisted on them, then didn't buy the sweater presumably because three buttons weren't enough. I can substitute plain buttons for an extra $5."

Click here to buy the sweater for $36 + $5 shipping, or to buy Maine Island Classics for $5 + $5 shipping.

Brother Turn Around Pullover

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life this one's beige and brown, even if it looks gray on your screen.

Size: 34" chest, 5'2"-5'6"

Material: Wool-Ease, a wool and acrylic blend

Care: Hand wash and dry flat for best results; manufacturer says it can be machine-laundered carefully

Credits: "This was one of many variations Lily Chin suggested on a pattern she called 'Family Turn Around' in Knitter's magazine for Winter 1996. Requests for a selection of things boys could wear prompted me to use neutral colors and more 'traditional' styling. A girl or woman could wear it too, but in that 'family' of patterns this is the brother."

Click here to buy the sweater for $50 + $5 shipping.

No Smoking Jacket and Stocking Cap

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life the sweater and cap are a bit more colorful than they look on this browser. The yarn is a creamy white with red, blue, and yellow flecks.

Size: Large (fits size 48", 6' or taller)

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "The jacket was a variation on a Knitter's pattern called a 'Smoking Jacket.' The idea behind the name was that, about a hundred years ago, a 'smoking jacket' was an actual man's style. Since this sweater is acrylic, which melts at high temperatures, it's definitely recommended for NONsmokers. The cap is just a basic, longish stocking cap to roll up to the length and fit you like."

Click here to buy the jacket for $50, the cap for $5, plus $5 for shipping either or both.

Sheaf of Corn Jacket

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

The color of this one shows up differently when I look at the screen from different angles. In real life it's what Lion Brand called "sienna"; it's as close as I've seen in the fashion world to the color of red cedar heartwood.

Size: 36" bust, 5'3-5'8"

Material: Brushed acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "This jacket is a substantially altered version of the 'Sheaf of Corn' sweater from Pat Menchini's Beatrix Potter Knitting Book. (If you don't get the title, remember that in the U.K. 'corn' means 'grain,' usually wheat or barley.)"

Click here to buy the jacket ($45 + $5 shipping) or The Beatrix Potter Knitting Book ($10 + $5 shipping includes $1.50 for Pat Menchini).

Peacock Pullover

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life the main color of this sweater is a vivid peacock blue. The contrast yarns at the edges are variegated. The sleeves are standard full-length sleeves. The borders are meant to roll.

Size: Medium woman's (38-42" bustline, 5'6"-5'8")

Material: Cotton

Care: Machine wash; dry flat to preserve shape and color

Credits: "This is a variation on one of the designs in Lorna Miser's Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting. It's been out for a year or two but is still in print, so let's steer people to Amazon to buy it new, to show respect."

Click here to buy the sweater for $45 + $5 shipping.

Pastel Tabard

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

In real life the colors might be a little brighter than they look in this browser, but not much; they're a mix of beige, cream, white, and baby pastels.

Size: One size fits all (adults)

Materials: Mixed fibres with about 50% natural fibres; lots of mohair

Care: Hand wash and dry flat recommended; machine wash at your own risk

Credits: "The stitch pattern here comes from the 'Hudson's Bay' super-chunky wool tunic in Kristin Nicholas' Knitting the New Classics. Of course, a tunic is not a tabard. The difference is that the tabard is drapey, like a shawl, rather than chunky, and is open at the sides. You'd throw it over your head like a poncho."

Click here to buy either the tabard ($120 + $5 shipping) or a copy of Knitting the New Classics ($5 + $5 shipping, including a $1 payment to Kristin Nicholas).salolianigodagewi@yahoo.com

Bramble Stitch Pullover

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

The colors show up pretty true in this browser--cool, muted shades of rusty red, denim blue, leaf green and white. Cool enough tones to wear with a white shirt and denim jacket.

Size: Up to 40" bust, 5'3"-5'8"

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "This is a variation on a design from Annette Mitchell's Country Diary Book of Knitting. It's made in a bunchy, lacy stitch, on the same principle as thermal-textured underwear--it 'breathes' yet also traps warm air when worn under a windbreaker, denim jacket, or trench coat."

Click here to buy either the sweater ($ + $5 shipping), or (if available) a copy of The Country Diary Book of Knitting ($15 + $5 shipping).

Basic Vest

Hand Knitted by Gena Green

Photo by Victoria Cooley

Size: Medium, unisex Knitting Made Easy

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "This was a sample of the easy beginners' projects in Barbara Aytes' Knitting Made Easy. If you're not a raw beginner, you can make it in one day."

Click here to buy either the vest ($20 plus $5 shipping) or the book ($5 plus $5 shipping) from this site.

Scallops Cardigan

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

Size: oversized--up to 50" bust/chest, 5'6"-6'+

Materials: base wool, contrasts mixed fibres

Care: hand wash and dry flat

Credits: "The stitch pattern was printed as a Tahki ad supplement in Vogue Knitting, Winter 2000-01. I used vintage Berroco Curlama wool yarn, discovered at a charity store, as the base and lots of leftover yarns as the contrasts."

Click here to buy the jacket for $120 + $5 shipping.

Pastels Jacket

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

Size: Fits up to 36" petite; recommended for size 30-32"

Materials: Mixed fibres, 75% natural fibres

Care: Hand wash and dry flat

Credits: "This is a variation on a pattern that appeared in Knitter's magazine, K46 (Spring 1997)."

Click here to buy the jacket for $60 + $5 shipping.

Yellow Sands Cardigan

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

Size: 36" bust, 5'4"-5'8"

Materials: cotton base, contrast colors mixed fibres

Care: machine wash and dry, or dry flat

Comments: "This is the sweater that matches the Yellow Sands Afghan. Basic pattern, free-form knitting. There's a matching cap, not shown."

Click here to buy it for $30 (sweater) + $5 (cap) + $5 shipping. (If you buy multiple items at one time, shipping will be recalculated based on total weight and distance, possibly saving you money.)

Goldenrod Pullover

Hand Knitted Sweater by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

(Showing the sleeve detail makes the sleeve look disproportionate. The sleeves are long--too long for a "petite" wearer--but not all that long. Although Gena doesn't launder sweaters before they're sold, we guarantee that the tiny spot you can see in the middle picture will wash out.)

Size: 32-34" bust, 5'6"-5'10"

Materials: 100% premium acrylic

Care: machine laundry safe

Comments: "This was an update of a Vogue Knitting pattern reprinted by Christina Probert."

Click here to buy it for $20 + $5 shipping.

Middle School Girl's Jacket (Update)

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

The color on this browser is just a little more grey than the sweater is in real life. It's two shades of a color most women would describe as a greyish green rather than a greenish grey...recommended for drawing attention to green-grey-blue "Irish" eyes.

Size: Girl's size 12 or petite woman's size--30-32" bust, 5'-5'4"

Material: Acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "This is a version of a girl's jacket shown in Alice Starmore's rare classic, Children's Knitting from Many Lands. Differences in the finished look were created by using a different yarn. Acrylic doesn't 'block' flat, so this version flares slightly below the V-shaped yoke."

Click here to buy the jacket for $18 + $5 shipping. If you want to buy Children's Knitting from Many Lands, currently it's available only for collectors' prices: $35 + $5 shipping includes a $4 payment to Alice Starmore.

(Update: It's been sold.)

Byzantine Pullover

Hand Knitted by Gena Greene

Photos by Victoria Cooley

Size: 48" bust/chest, 5'8"-6'

Materials: acrylic

Care: machine laundry safe

Credits: This is one of two variations Gena Greene knitted on the "Byzantine" pullover from Sue Bradley's Stitches in Time (click here to buy the book from this site).

Click here to buy the sweater for $30 + $5 shipping.