Knitting Spool Outfit No 2

The Knitting Spool Outfit No2

is made by the American Toy
Works - Fifth Avenue, NY
USA
I could find very little about
the toy company (ATW) other than
the address is the same for many
other toy companies.
Nothing came up on the
internet and my two reliable
sources -
Encyclopedia of Children's
Sewing Collectibles by
Darlene J. Gengelbach
and
Toys A to Z by
Mark Rich
offered no historical
information at all.
However, there are also
two other sets made
Embroidery and Needlework Set No1
and Sewing Set No3.
All three sets have the same
graphics and according to
Darlene J. Gengelbach,
they are circa 1920's.


My Knitting Spool Outfit box came to
me, literally in pieces -
and I am glad that someone kept them
together so that I was able to
reassemble the entire box back to
it's semi-former glory.


In the box we find an instructional
sheet for different stitches using the
spool knitter - but it is by
Parker Bros. so it is not
the original leaflet.



The red spool knitter is a well
formed woodturned shape with
four staples and spring coil
to hold the yarn, and the red loop
tool also has a woodturned
handle.
Some time in the future when
I am better organised at home,
I want to do a comparison of the
spools of this type and the loop
tools found with them. (Those
that still have their loop tool.)
I hope that information
may come to light in future
regarding the "American
Toy Works" toy company.

The above book is really a fantastic look
at Children's sewing collectibles and a
worthwhile purchase if you love vintage
sewing (.... as I do!).



∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

Back to Nancy!

As I keep saying, there are so many questions
regarding vintage spool knitters.
If you find them without a box, how are you to
know who, where and when the
spool knitter was made?
The spool knitters themselves give you very little
answers as to their maker or origin.
The knitting Nancies of Spears Games' are perhaps the
most recognisable spool knitters.
Then when you come across what look like later versions
of the "Nancy in the skirt", there are more
questions that arise.
Are they simply copying the style? Are they authorised
makes? Where were they made? And so it goes on......
If anyone has any of these later versions in their
original boxes, I would dearly love to hear from you.
If anyone has any definite information at all about these,
could you please let me know?

Above is a vintage Knitting Spool Outfit. We have a lot of
information here on the box BUT there is no date.
We can only take an estimated guess here and the
only thing to go by is the style of the illustration on
the top of the box.
The knitting "looms" to create the flat
"play-horse" reins are very simply made. Nothing to
suggest great style here. Sadly there are no
instructions with the box, so nothing there to give
you any clues. I would guess at 1920's for the approx.
date for this set according to the style of the children's clothes.
But it is hard to say if this illustration was following the fashion
of the day or if it was just a "comical decoration" (for want
of a better description), for the box.

I am open to suggestions here, any information, any
one willing to discuss this further. Hopefully, we can
learn something.

Below is the lid close -up.