• The crochet hook is used only for making a chain for the neck tie, you can use any hook about the right size (2.25mm - 3.25mm).

• Stitch patterns are provided in both written and charted form.

In 2007 when I wasn’t yet in business (but Vintage Purls was my online persona for a blog and general online crafty activities), I bought a second-hand book to add to my collection: Knitting From the Netherlands, Traditional Dutch Fishermen’s Sweaters by Henriette van der Klift-Tellegen. An english translation of a book originally published in 1983, it is full of wonderful old photographs showing the knitwear of various regions and provides charts of many of the designs used on these sweaters. It’s really a very time and culture specific stitch dictionary. One image in the book stood out to me - a photo of a young man taken in a studio, he is wearing his finest things, including a beautifully textured jersey. I’m not sure exactly why this particular image stood out so much, but stand out it has, ever since.

Finally I decided I was going to produce a design inspired by this image, not a sock since as a canvas they are pretty small. And it struck me that I’d like to do a hot water bottle cover. I know that hot water bottles have fallen out of favour in these modern times. But really I think we’ve forgotten how comforting they are. And I could see so clearly the translation of this sweater into a cover for a hottie. It’s not an exact reproduction of the stitch patterns used in the original jersey - modifications had to be made for size and shape, but I certainly feel it is a lovely little tribute.

The name of the young man in the picture has been lost to time, he hailed from Pernis, a village which is now part of Rotterdam.

This pattern debuted in the Vintage Purls Winter Sock Yarn Club 2014.