Knit Woolens (RETIRED)

[QNPoohBear]

This outfit was worn by Kirsten in the book Changes for Kirsten and the short story “Kirsten Snowbound”. Originally released in 1988 as Hand-Knit Woolens, later changed to Knit Woolens, retired with 2009 archival.

Mama knitted Kirsten's sweater, hat, and mittens in traditional Scandinavian patterns out of natural wool sheared from black and white sheep. She’ll need them when she walks the trap line with Lars. Knit with wool-blend yarn.


The sweater set is one of the early hand knit ones. It is nearly impossible to get on Kirsten because the sleeves are very tight and inside the strings get tangled on her fingers. The hat is too small and doesn't fit her head. The mittens are cute and attached to a string so she doesn't lose them. However, the mittens also have too many loose strings inside and are hard to get on because of that and lack of moveable fingers! The pewter buttons on the sweater are the absolute best part. The sweater is authentic right down to the last detail. It looks just like some real ones I have seen. This set is made from real wool yarn.

A-

Set tagged 1988







Mittens




Inside mitten

[lei3]

Of all my issues with hats, I did not have a problem with this one. I loved this sweater set so much, my grandmother got the for girls set for me! Because this is real hand knit wool, when I put it on Kirsten, her fingers would catch every thread. I have to flip the sleeves up to get it on without any problems.

*A*

[Megan]

I love this set except for the fact that all the buttons came off!! I re-sewed them and it looks as cute as ever. A- for button problems
-Megan

[Wickfield]

I agree with the others - the threads make for difficult dressing, and the buttons are sewn on VERY LOOSELY, however they get bonus points for being so detailed. A-

Kirsten rocking her sweater and hat:


Some more pictures of the Mattel set:

[Laurel]

hope these help! Mine are around 20 years old, faded and delicate feeling. I am actually thinking about getting a new set to use, and store these. They are one of the most precious things AG made in my opinion.

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[EofA]

This is one of the iconic Kirsten sets that I don't think any collection should be without. Mine is circa 93-95 and thus has seen its share of play. The stringy insides are nothing I'd want a young child to be messing with. But it still looks fab on Kirsten, despite some gaps here and there in the knit. I ended up getting a hat from a lot on eBay since my original was lost, which I am guessing is from a different manufacturing era as evidenced by a tighter weave to the threads. That is only noticeable upon close examination. I've also seen different mitten sets over the years, but they are all very consistent in color and pattern despite 20 years of manufacturing and moving away from being hand knit.

This is truly a fabulous set and a must-have for any Kristen collector. A- for durability issues, and not a great choice for young children.

[samlizziesmom]

I was unsure about this item but bought in anyway so my PM Kirsten would stay "warm". lol

And it is so Cute! I agree, this is a MUST for anyone planning on Kirsten or her items. Her hands did get kind tangled in the sleeve, but if you careful, you should not have problems. So, probably not best for younger collectors, without guidance anyway. Mine is current '09, and I was worried about the buttons and weave. All seemed tight to me. I think there may have been some slack in the buttons, but I don't feel I need to re-sew them tighter.

This really does look cute open or closed! Overall I give an A+.

UPDATE 5/14/2020
My links died so I took an updated pic with one of my dolls real quick. She's in modern dress so this set is also a great winter addition to a modern collection. This truly is a timeless set.

[Colonial Rose]

I have the 1989 Pleasant Company machine-knit version of this set. The sweater is a nice knit in black and off-white that looks very much like the undyed wool it is supposed to be and buttons down the front with little silver coloured buttons. I have a bit of trouble getting it on over long sleeves and the pattern means there are a lot of threads inside the sleeves that can catch dolly fingers. It apparently came with instructions at one point showing how to get it on the doll easily but I don't have those. The mittens are black and white checks on one side and black with white people (on mitten has a girl, the other a boy) on the other and are attached by a black cord that runs down the arms of the sweater. They have no thumbs and I didn't really manage to get them onto my doll's hands, but they look cute hanging there by their cord. The hat has a pom pom on top and matches the rest of the set and it fits on the doll's head well. The whole set just looks warm and cozy. I have seen the Mattel version of this in person and didn't like it as much, but it was still a nice set and something I would have gotten if I hadn't already had this set. A

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[avrey97]

When I found out Kirsten was being archived, I knew that the only item I could not miss out on was this set.

The buttons on my set were not loose at all, and I had no troubles putting the sweater on, providing I put the mittens on first. The hat is a touch big on Jess's head, but I don't mind since it looks adorable regardless.

A+

[Cat]

I wasn't sure about getting this set because it felt too pricey but now I'm so glad I did! I know I can sew the winter dress, but not these knits.

Like many people have said, the fingers get caught in the strings of the sleeves.
Molly wearing them:


They are of course great with Kirsten's pretty dresses but they work for modern girls as well! Very much in style today.

[Trapicia]

This is the one set from Kirsten's collection that I have always wanted, even before I got Kirsten. Due to the pending archival, I recently bought the Mattel version of this set. It is very tight on my pre-Mattel Kirsten, and I can barely button it over her winter outfit. (I think my Kirsten is unusually plump though.) It fits my Mattel Kit easily. It is very pretty set and it is well-made.

I considered searching out a pre-Mattel version until my Mom helped me appreciate it, when she said it is more realistic that her clothes don't fit perfectly, as she is basically a poor immigrant and would have worn the same sweater for several years. She looks adorable in it, and I have no difficulty keeping the hat on.
Style and Quality: A
Fit: C

I am editing to add that I did get a Pre-Mattel set, tagged 1989, hand knit, in a lot of items I purchased on Craig's List, so now I can compare the two versions. The older set is much more loosely knit, with many loose threads inside. The yarn is noticeably "scratchier" than the newer set. It seems to be considerably larger, but it may not have started out that way; it may be due to stretching over the years. The buttons on the newer version are a more nickel or "bronze" (more of a yellow cast) grey color compared to the older ones, which are more silvery-greyish or pewter. The newer set seems to be of a sturdier knit and more likely to better hold up over time. The older one is fairly misshapen and the pattern in the knit is sort of blurring.

[agl ♥]

I really love this set! It is very cute! I had a little trouble with the buttons and "stringy inside", but otherwise it is lovely. The sweater is great, and so are the mittens. The hat has a huge pile of fluff on the top, which I find adorable, and funny!

I'll add pictures once my winter outfit arrives (its on backorder!)

I give this set an A-

[LinneaAnne]

The easy way to get the sleeves on the doll without getting fingers caught on the sleeves is the roll the sleeves up before putting it on her. I'll try to take a picture to demonstrate here soon.
This is a beautiful set, and a must-have in my opinion. It is such a beautiful Scandinavian design, and really looks lovely on the doll.

[mollygirl1944]

This an absolutely beautiful and well-made set. Mine is new (just recieved it yesterday!); it is very soft, so I'm not sure if it is still made of wool yarn. The buttons are sewn on well and I don't have any fit problems, except for the hat. But, unlike the previous posters, my hat is really big instead of really small! I falls over Laura's eyes if I pull it all the way down! I give this whole set an A+ (even with the abnormaly large hat!) because it is so well-made and cute!

[miouna31]

I've been meaning to review this but have been hesitant since I don't have the hair ribbons that go with the winter outfit and I think the woolens and the top and skirt look too perfect together to be worn apart for long! (The hair ribbons are currently being held hostage by my mom who is insisting that I wait to get them until my husband and I come to their house for Christmas.)

My set is from 1989 hand-knit in China. It has lots of the long threads inside that are just perfect to getting caught on Kirsten's fingers. I remember always being a mite bit frustrated trying to get it on her but then loving it once it was on. The colors on mine still look new. The strings on the gloves always seemed a little short to me and made it difficult for her to wear her arms straight at her sides, so she didn't wear those as much as the sweater. As others have stated, the hat is very tight, although with some tugging, I can get it on her head. She has also not worn this piece as much because it was tight and it would smush her already long bangs down and flatten them. I don't like it when hats do that to me, so I always figured she didn't like it either!

One problem that I have had that others haven't mentioned is that the sleeves on my sweater recently split about 1/4 of the way up along the seam. I was able to easily hand sew the two sides together and you can hardly tell, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Altogether, I give this set an A, despite the issues. It is just so cute and perfect for the doll and her story. If you don't have it, I recommend getting it!

(I'll post pictures ASAP, even without the ribbons!)

[vflo]

Here is a picture.



I love it, especially that is hand made.

[rosieangel]

I have the Mattel version of the set! I'm pretty sure that it is NOT made from actual wool; the yarn is soft and smooth and has a certain "slippery" feeling that reminds me a bit of the cotton/ramie sweaters I wore as a child. It's still absolutely adorable, though. I also agree that it is quite tight on my PM Kirsten. I've been hesitant to try and close the cardigan out of fear of popping a button.

The hat fits my Kirsten just fine! I think it looks so cute on her. The mittens are also quite sweet, but, as I didn't have that handy guide to dressing her that was so kindly posted here, I couldn't quite figure out how to get them onto Kirsten's hands without making her look silly. So you get to see them on her lap.

[sailormolly]

I bought this set in 2009 after Kirsten's retirement was announced. I too have had problems with her fingers getting caught in the yarn. But now I carefully wad up the sleeves sort of like the PC instructions suggest. I haven't had any problems doing it that way. I haven't had any problems with the hat fitting right.

Kirsten sledding by Elizabeth, on Flickr

SailorMolly

[Deleted]

I found a decent priced set on eBay. It is the original hand knit version, copyrighted 1989. Like the pictures of the original version, mine is black and off-white in colour. The material seems stretchy, or that could be just from the fact that it is secondhand. I had no problem getting the hat on Kirsten. Again like others, strings inside of the sleeves kept getting caught on Kirsten's fingers.

Overall, I really like the set, since Changes for Kirsten was probably my favourite book of hers after her Meet story. It reminds me a lot of knit items my grandmother used to make for me (not this detailed, but the overall feel). I can just imagine tossing on her skating outfit coat and scarf on top of this, and she really will be set for the Buffalo winters, haha.

Grade: A

Edit: Pics added.

[Buckingham Alice]

This is one of my favorite sets. It's so detailed and pretty, but practical and not at all fussy. My set is Mattel, but it feels very nice and soft. Kirsten always looks so cozy when she wears it. I like that the hat is roomy enough to allow her milk maid hairstyle, but not big enough to slip off. The buttons on my set do feel loose, but luckily none have fallen off.

Solid A. I had to leave off the plus because of the difficult of doing up the buttons.

[cymbre]

Detailed hat pictures and info for knitters

The brim is ribbed (it looks funny on mine but I think it's just stretched out k1p1) -- about 4 rows. The checkerboard squares are 3x3 with the yarn carried behind of course (as you can see). From the perspective of the outside of the brim (which becomes the inside of the hat) you have the checkerboard section, then a row of black purling, then about 8 rows black stockinette, then it switches to 6 rows of the back of stockinette still black (ie right side of stockinette from the outside) before the pattern starts.

[12kizuna]

There are so many great reviews of this set already, but I thought I'd add my own pictures anyway.



Kirsten's mittens are attached by a long string that goes through her sweater so she doesn't lose them. The underside is a checkerboard pattern and the top of the mitten has a picture of a girl. There are no thumbs in these mittens. They are so cute and cozy-looking.



Like everything else I put on Kirsten's head, her hat pushes her bangs into her eyes. It looks so warm, and I love the huge black yarn pompom!



The pattern of the sweater is so beautiful. Her fingers like to get caught in the loops on the inside when you try to put the sleeves on, so be careful! When closed, you can't see the beautiful waist detail on her winter skirt, which is kind of sad. She looks snug as a bug in a rug, though!!



I give this set an A+! It goes beautifully with the rest of Kirsten's winter gear, and I would love to have a set of my own! It is so sweet, and has so much detail.

[keeperofthepast]

These hand knit woolens are beautiful made. The little pewter buttons are so appropriate. These were one of the first outfits my daughter's Kirsten received and they are it the same shape as 27 years ago. A+++