The archives: Japanese knit turtleneck

Ca. 1988. I loved this fabric. I bought it at Liverpool, big department store in the D.F. back when it still sold fabric and merceria. The label said it was from Japan, and that sounded so exotic, so high tech! The fabric itself has a very nice hand, it is stretchy but holds its shape very well. Plus I love stripes.

I used a pattern from Prima, a pattern magazine very much like Burda. A very simple mock turtleneck, no darts in front, all the shaping came from the side and center back seam. It also has a zipper, but I didn't know invisible zippers existed back then, so it doesn't look pretty.

The shape was very flattering on me and I wore it to death. I am wearing this top in my yearbook photos for my senior year in college. So even after 5 or 6 years I still thought it was one of my best pieces!


Incredibly after all that wear, and the corresponding cycles in the washer and dryer, it still looks passable. Though not great, and hence I'm retiring it. All this years I couldn't bear to let it go, but making this page allows me to say goodbye. I'll give it to the charity shop, and who knows, maybe someone else will also get much joy out of it.