My partner was searching for a pattern the other day and realised just how many knitting patterns used cameras a props, usually to add a bit of masculine imagery to the men’s jumper patterns. I’ve added a gallery of a dozen examples to the site, see if you can identify any of the more obscure cameras we couldn’t! My thanks to Timothy Campbell for his help on this. I have resisted the temptation to add humorous captions to any of them. It wasn’t easy in some cases…
1 The couple leaning against the two tone Ford Zodiac estate on the Ariel pattern are showing off their vee-necked jumpers, but he is also appearing to mansplain the strange object around his neck, “It’s a camera dear.” Indeed it is, a nice new Pentax Spotmatic. I still have my first SLR which was one of these bought second-hand at college, lovely camera.
2 A slightly later black bodied Pentax (with a nice zoom lens) is on show on the Bronte pattern, where the two cardigan clad guys are on a his and his trip to London – although that might just be a studio backdrop.
3 Relaxing at home in the Forties, the two blokes in the bright knitted Emu brand wool waistcoats are discussing what looks like a stereo camera. This turns out to be a Wirgin Edixa stereo camera, which dates this to the early 1950s.
4 As befits his age, the lad in the blue Emu has a basic Brownie Reflex camera, suitable for home use. I really like the Emu logo on the pattern, slightly updated for the Sixties. I’ve not been able to identify the camera in the third Emu pattern 5, shot against one of those large stone pattern wallpaper designs of the period.
6 The fellers in the Hermit pattern seem to have just nipped out of the yarn factory for their cover shoot. One of them is holding a light meter, the other a medium format Rollieflex, a very popular 120 camera for reporters in the 1960s.
7 Fag in one hand, another lightmeter can be spotted on the Lister Lavenda pattern, which seems to have been shot in the photographers own studio, with an unidentified large format portrait camera in the background.
8 The Marriner pattern SLR camera is hard to confirm as their gloves and mittens obscure quite a lot; which is quite fitting as the pattern seems ideal wear for budding spies. Mind you, I’ve found mittens very useful for photography when out and about in colder months.
9 The pattern maker Regency Wools at last allows for the fact that women photographers existed, but the camera remains a mystery.
10 Again a twin lens camera on the Robin pattern remains unknown, though the photo is a gem. Amanda Laine did a lot of patterns for Robin in the Fifties.
11 That is possibly a Bronica medium format camera on the second Robin pattern, quite a nice bit of kit, mostly used for studio work. A similar model appears on the Sirdar pattern 12, with the cover star acting the part.
13 The last camera pattern looks a bit Pentax-like again, with the studio set up to look like an exotic holiday destination, but boyfriend is pushed out of focus by the actual photographer.
easyontheeye2.wordpress.com 