Pullover, it's Captain Hastings!

When I first started doing posts on the wardrobe of Captain Hastings a little over 2 years ago I good-naturedly complained that, unlike many of Miss Lemon's outfits including that ubiquitous bow cardigan, I (or rather those in the family with the requisite skills, i.e. mother) couldn't knit the good Captain's numerous 3-piece suits and other similar ensembles.  Although the second episode to receive my attention, Murder in the Mews, did feature two items of clothing that could be more easily recreated it wasn't until recently that I was able to have something similar made up in the same style.  Those two items were the lovely jumpers sported by Captain Hastings during the golf course scenes and later at the dénouement (as seen above and below). 

Rather than put mater to the trouble of knitting both I settled on the idea of having the shawl-collar one (above) in the colour of the golfing one.  As her pattern collection already contained just such a [modern] design it made even more sense and so the Captain Hastings Combination Jumper was born.  Last week it was delivered and these pictures are the result:

I'm afraid even one of Hastings' much-coveted suits wouldn't imbue me with half of his stylishness and ease (although I can easily do "vague and confused"!) but as my first real attempt to replicate the Captain Hastings "look" I'm not at all disappointed.  It might be a slightly chunkier knit than the ones worn by our favourite chap and, as it was pointed out to me, the armholes' positioning differs slightly (mainly a result of the modern pattern, although I don't deny the effect would be lessened if I were a bit more heavier-set!) but overall - and seeing it next to the screen shot of the same design - I think it's very close.  It doesn't show up very well in these pictures (I really need to think about getting a new camera) so you'll have to take my word for it that the colour is almost an exact match for Hastings' first jumper - much more a burnt umber hue than the coral that seems to have come out in the photos. 

Now all I need is a golf course/London flat and a Belgian 'tec with whom to investigate crimes and I'm away, eh?!

In the meantime, I have just this afternoon got off the 'phone with the creator of this garment who tells me that she has found a '50s pattern almost identical to the golfing jumper.  Perhaps that, in the grey of Captain Hastings' shawl-collar example, will become a suitable companion piece.  Certainly with the recent haul of '30s/'40s patterns we picked up I hope to have some more knitteds to show you in the future.



The Captain Hastings posts will also continue, of course, with The King of Clubs next in line when I get a quiet moment (and, ladies, where have the Miss Lemon posts gone?  I'm almost missing that cardi!).