The Adventures of an Urban Socialite

I was all set to write a clever post about this cool new design site– then I looked out my window. There’s literally a foot of snow out there.* I should have been clued in when I woke to the sound of my crazy neighbors shoveling (hey, they’re crazy… just because they’re shoveling, doesn’t necessarily mean there’s snow out there, if you catch my drift). Anyway, I know some people looooove this time of year. You, know, the first snow fall and everything. Personally I spend this time wondering why I took the MA bar instead of Florida’s.

On days like this there’s nothing I want to do more than cozy up in a warm sweater, drink coffee and watch the snow fall from the comfort of my warm house. Looking for that perfect sweater? Try Ohio Knitting Mills.

Founded by Harry Stone in 1928, the Ohio Knitting Mills grew to become one of the country’s largest knitwear producers, and was at the center of Cleveland, Ohio’s thriving garment industry. Three generations of the Stone-Rand family ran the Mill for 76 years, producing knitwear for iconic department stores from Sears to Saks, and revered labels like Pendleton, Van Heusen, and Jack Winter. The Ohio Knitting Mills took up an entire city block, and employed up to 700 workers. Their products ranged from the sublime to the everyday, and from 1947 -1974 the mill’s production and creativity were at a peak- knitting up caps, capes, sweaters, shirts, vests, dresses, and pants with bold colors, inventive patterns, quality materials, innovative techniques and a good dose of a strong Midwestern work ethic. After World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage. Five decades later, this archive had grown into a vast collection of remarkable design artifacts, representing mainstream fashion from the classic 40’s, fab 50’s, swinging 60’s, and funky 70’s. We’ve opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship.

With crazy patterns, solid craftsmanship and a wee bit of nostalgia, Ohio Knitting Mills will have you bundling up in style… who knows, you may even be inspired to build a snowman and drink hot chocolate afterwards!

* My boyfriend informs me that its more like an inch of snow… but it looks and feels like a foot to me so I’m gonna go with that.