Figure 1.--Paton's was a knitting magazine in Australia. Magazine may not be the best description. Their publications are little books or pamflets. This cover suggets shows sleeveless seaters, presumably the booklet had patterns for swaeters. I am not positive, howevr aboutwhat was in the booklet. he publication was undated, but looks like the early 1950s.

Paton's was a knitting magazine in Australia and it also had a sister publication but I have to get more information on the second magazine. Magazine may not be the best description. Their publications are little books or pamflets. They are numbered, but not dated. The first magazine featured wool patterns or knitting diagrams for mothers who wanted to knit interesting jumpers, pullovers, vests (waistcoats), cardigans, and other garments. We note these patterns in the 1950s, but are not positive just when Paton's began publishing or for how long they continued publishing. Actually Paton's and Baldwin's was a British company which established an Australian subsisary. Thus while the publication shown here was printed in Australia, we are not sure if the images andpatterns are Australian or British. These patterns often included intricate designs that sometimes appealed to the children and always appeled to mums and grandmothers. An Australian reader comments on the illustrations for the knitted garments, "Boys usually had their hair cut short back and sides with or with out oil or Breelcream, combed up cowlick or parted or combed back like an early Elvis style. Often the magzine had photogrphs from a picnic, school, church outing or in the garden (back yard) at play or at the zoo. Boys were normally dressed in many types of shorts or trousers. There were patterns for knitted shorts for the youngr boys, but most of the batters were for jumpe (sweaters)." We do know that Patons & Baldwins was publishing knitting books in the 1940s and almost certainly in the 1930s. We note, for example, the P&B book Knitting Made Easy published in 1940. Paton' appears has cntinued to operate into the 1980s, but we are not sure what their current status is.

The Company

Actually Paton's and Baldwin's was a British company. It was initially a British manufacturer of knitting yarns. Presumably the company began publishing books and patterns to help stimulate yarn production. The company also established an Australian subsisary. Thus while the publication shown here was printed in Australia, we are not sure if the images and patterns are Australian or British images. They may me material workdup in Britain and just printed locally. We do not know if there were any specifically Australian patterns.

Publications

Paton's was a knitting magazine in Australia and it also had a sister publication but I have to get more information on the second magazine. Magazine may not be the best description. Their publications are little books or pamflets. They are numbered, but not dated. The first magazine featured wool patterns or knitting diagrams for mothers who wanted to knit interesting jumpers, pullovers, vests (waistcoats), cardigans, and other garments. We also note "how to" publications on knitting. Paton's also published individual patterns, but I am not sure when that began.

Chronology

We note these patterns in the 1950s, but are not positive just when Paton's began publishing or for how long they continued publishing. These patterns often included intricate designs that sometimes appealed to the children and always appeled to mums and grandmothers. We do know that Patons & Baldwins was publishing knitting books in the 1940s and almost certainly in the 1930s. We note, for example, the P&B book Knitting Made Easy published in 1940. Another publication was Introducing machine knitting (No. 202), 1977. Paton' appears has continued to operate into the 1980s, but we are not sure what their current status is.

The Illustrations

An Australian reader comments on the illustrations for the knitted garments, "Boys usually had their hair cut short back and sides with or with out oil or Breelcream, combed up cowlick or parted or combed back like an early Elvis style. Often the magzine had photogrphs from a picnic, school, church outing or in the garden (back yard) at play or at the zoo. Boys were normally dressed in many types of shorts or trousers. There were patterns for knitted shorts for the youngr boys, but most of the batters were for jumpe (sweaters)."

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Created: September 15, 2002
Last updated: 5:05 PM 7/6/2010