Knitting Advent Calendar day 2: Eastenders knitting collection

Here's the other treasure I found - Eastenders patterns! Bet you can't wait. Now I'll have to warn you that I have actually never watched either Emmerdale or Eastenders, particularly not in the 80's. So my amusing comments will probably be limited to making guesses at possible storylines based on people's facial expressions!

Another round of the Horrendous Knitting Patterns from the 80's Advent Calendar (HKPft8AC)

For this year's Advent Calendar, I have some knitwear inspired by classic British soap operas for you. First up, the Emmerdale Farm Knitting book. Did you know that there was actually a range of knitting yarns made in Yorkshire called Emmerdale Yarns? The manufacturer is the producer of this pattern book.

Knitting Advent Calendar 24: Marilyn Monroe

Happy Christmas - here's Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn herself was a knitter, as seen in the film "Let's make Love". She's not wearing a very interesting sweater here, but she's wearing the hell out of it.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Knitting Advent Calendar 23: V-back sweater.

Another 80's Bomb before we get to the glamorous final. I don't even know where to begin here. The baggy elephantine sleeves, the huge back cleavage which will surely cause the shoulders to slide off all the time, the nasty oversize lace, or the "skirt" made from a plastic table cloth. Oh 80's, we don't miss you.

Knitting Advent Calendar 22: Dorothy Lamour

This is by far my most favourite sweater of the book. Boatnecked and beaded, now this is how you do glam knitwear.

Bill Gibb thinks that she looks "not dissimilar to today's pop star Madonna". I don't see it.

Knitting Advent Calendar 21: Greta Garbo

What the book calls "Le Style Garbo" is maybe a bit more rustic on the average lady, but I do like the honeycomb pattern here.

Knitting Advent Calendar 20: Peggy Cummins

Mr Gibb describes this as "one of the more sensual sweaters of the book". I think it's just the prominent boobs, not so much the sweater!

Knitting Advent Calendar 19: Jennifer Jones

This oversize sweater looks strangely modern! Also very cosy.

Couldn't find any fascinating facts about her but she seemed to be cast as "asian" quite frequently. Sounds like a few of the ladies in this book fell into that "exotic" category purely because they had dark hair. Hum.

Knitting Advent Calendar 18: Chevron Boy

This guy is a wonderful example of the non-gender-normative upbringing of children in the 80's. I'm still not convinced whether it's a boy. The bravery of mixing Tartan with this herringbone pattern, as well as playing on a space hopper in weather that requires gloves - admirable!

Knitting Advent Calendar 17: Virginia Mayo

There's something rather "Sound of Music" about this one, probably the German style hat and jacket - but the jumper is also rather folky. Cute!

Knitting Advent Calendar 16: Lana Turner

Well, she's a feisty one! I'm slightly scared.

Today's favourite Wikipedia fact is that she accidentally had an affair with a real life gangster in her 30's, and once had such a violent argument with him that her teenage daughter intervened and stabbed him to death! So - best not to mess with her.

Knitting Advent Calendar 15: Jean Harlow

The original Blonde Bombshell wearing a supremely itchy-looking polo shirt.

Knitting Advent Calendar 14: Robert Taylor

This needs no comment other than to state this man's birth name: Spangler Arlington Brough. Considering this together with the case of Archibald Leach, it seems like a lot of playground bullying is a good prerequisite for becoming a hollywood heartthrob.

Knitting Advent Calendar 13: Jane Greer

According to the description in the book, Jane Greer was often cast as a "villainess". Based on this picture, I imagine her to play a department manager at John Lewis who won't give you a refund on this scarf you bought for your wife just because she didn't like the pattern ("too much like a 7up advert").

Knitting Advent Calendar 12: Chinese Sweater

A wonderful bit of 80's baggy ninja chinoiserie! I'm not sure if the balaclava is part of the pattern.

Knitting Advent Calendar 11: Adele Jergens

I love this thing! Crazy belly baring fuzzy sweater! Sexy scandi lady!

Knitting Advent Calendar 10: Cary Grant

Cary Grant! A local boy. Born Archibald Leach in Bristol, and went to the same primary school as my boyfriend (although not at the same time)! Sporting a classic cricket sweater here. I really find it hard to take a sport seriously that has its own knitwear.

Knitting Advent Calendar 9: Jane Wyman

This is one of my favourites - see those three lines on her chest? Those are cigarettes! With shiny red thread for the glowing ends. The epitome of glamour.

I love her charm belt too, with her initials in it (Jane Wyman Reagan I guess - she was married to Ronald R once).

Knitting Advent Calendar 8: Loretta Young

Loretta Young, actress and TV personality - too classy to be amusing.

Knitting Advent Calendar 7: Judy Garland

Ah, Judy Garland! Gay icons have changed a lot since. Don't think Lady Gaga would be seen dead in this.

So if you look very closely, you can see that the fluffy bit is not a stole, but in fact the sleeves of this cardigan! Very cute.