How to wear or redesign (post-) sixties knitwear and crochet?

[wahine]

Hello Ladies!
I need your help with two items I recently got from my grandma.
On Christmas, she came up with two self made pieces of her wardrobe: a knit white and turquoise cardigan and a crocheted light beige and silver sparkle dress. I forgot to ask when she made them, but they're definitely both (post-) sixties. Anyway, since they're handcrafted, I want to keep them and wear them if possible.

I have no idea how to wear the cardigan, it's so wide and has no shape at all really. But I love the colors and the mother of pearl buttons and the fact that she used 4 different sorts of wool and about 8 different knitting patterns for it.

Any ideas how to wear it? As it is, it looks like eighties style (which it might be) - how can I transfer it to a fifties look? I never altered knitwear - can it be sewn like fabric?

The dress is sort of cute - a delicate flowery pattern over a matching ivory lining. The wool has a little silver glitter in it that can't be seen in the pics. It's a typical 60s design - sort of squarish, too short, and not at all flattering on anyone bigger than Twiggy. I washed it and hung it which made it an inch or so longer. But it's still too short and I'm also not happy with the glitter collar trimming, the sleeves, and the overall shape (straight/baggy).

I think about replacing the glitzy collar trimming with straight black, maybe velvet, and wear it with a black belt, gloves and shoes to make it look at least a bit more fifties - sort of this (sorry for the shoes):

What can I do about the sleeves and the skirt length?
Any ideas what to do with this?
Alternatives how to wear it?

 

[Marla]

Even thought the cardigan is of a later date, it resembles the casual-wear cardigans in my 1958 Vogue Knitting Book. You could wear it unbuttoned with casual sportswear, which doesn't require clothes to be tightly fitted. I'm picturing it worn over a jersey-knit top, with a pleated skirt, and saddle shoes with socks.

 

[sheeplady]

Could you add something like a ruffle around the bottom of the skirt? I am not thinking a gathered ruffle, but like a band of black velvet that is about 5 inches with slits (on your left and right) in either sides so it's not so tight you can't walk.

The other option I can think of is if you crochet, crochet a nice larger motif out of black thread to tack on, or try to copy the motif. You could back tack on it with some almost-matching fabric as to the slip part of the dress (so it is over white) or just tack it on so you are still bare legged. I think if you used the black, even if the new slip material doesn't quite match the cream, it will look like part of the dress.

 

[BoPeep]

I think the dress is adorable and sheeplady's idea of adding a velvet band to the hemline would be wonderful!! I love the black trim at the neck, and I think the sleeves are okay as is.

 

[wahine]

Marla, that sounds like a nice idea, especially since I wouldn't have to make any alterations. Never thought of wearing it with saddlebacks (maybe because I don't have any yet), but it sounds really nice! I thought about combining it with white capri pants (which I have) but that would be only a compromise. A pleated skirt is another idea. Plus, I always wanted saddle shoes - now, this is the excuse to get some!
(that is, if I'll be ably to find any that are affordable for me)

sheeplady's idea to add a velvet band sounds nice and easy to do. I can crochet a bit but I don't think I'd be able to copy the pattern in a million years. I might ask my grandma, but I don't think she will remember how she did it (she's 92, now).