Vintage crochet - successes and failures

In my previous post on vintage crochet, I said I'd show some of the problems I've faced coping with vintage patterns.
I've been fascinated by gloves for a while now, and there are a number of vintage crochet glove patterns available.  I also gained a few crocheted examples in my amazing haul of vintage auction gloves that I mentioned in my last post.

Crocheted gloves from the auction.

The glove patterns suffer from the common problems - no real gauge given. The yarns are out of manufacture, and it is difficult to research equivalents. The size it is intended to make isn't often stated, and they have the loosest of instructions for larger or smaller sizes, usually written in two sentences at the very end of the pattern, where it is easy to overlook.

I tried a few glove patterns before I got as far as a thumb. One required me to make a very long chain and then join ensuring it didn't have a twist, which I find tricky, and after three attempts to start those ones I'd just crocheted three möbius strips.  With another I have no idea what size hook and thread it wanted, because my attempts either made such long starting wrist measurements that it would go round twice, or wouldn't get near it. I'd look at the small attempt, try a larger yarn - and suddenly be swimming in glove. Hmm. I still like the way that glove is supposed to work, so I want to make it work. 

Finally went back to a long chain start but worked it in foundation chain, which made keeping it from twisting significantly easier. 

Once that hurdle was cleared, the rest of the wrist and palm part of the gloves was simple. The thumb wasn't too hard, although I'm not sure I like the finished shape. But the fingers!

Vintage glove pattern, take one. Made from leftover baby hat cotton.

Oh, the fingers. The first one turned out ok: although it didn't fit well, it looked the right proportions. I'm still not exactly sure what went wrong with the weirdly misshapen tube that is the second finger. 

Patterns without a fixed gauge are far easier, and I've had more success with them - such as this crocheted jabot.

Crocheted Jabot from vintage pattern

Much happier with this!