Trauma teddy knit for red cross our teddies provide comfort and help take peoples minds off their worries. I posted even more patterns from this historic knitting book here in 20. Knitting was one way for the home front to help the war effort. Its made as a double layer so you can pull it over your head.
American red cross patterns were published by multiple american pattern companies, while in the u. One set of standardized patterns specified a colourcoded stripe at the top of each sock in order to indicate the size. World war i american red cross poster urging sockknitting. Aug 10, 2014 the red cross delivering the tanned sheepskins for volunteers to stitch together, using three sheepskins per vest. The american red cross arc was involved with providing comforts for foreign relief and u. The best noncommercial example ive found is the british red cross pattern book and its rather intriguing cap scarf. Sock knitting and the great war effort joybilee farm diy. The red cross developed the first nationwide civilian blood program in the 1940s and we still provide more than 40% of the blood products in this country. Sep 05, 2017 the red cross provided patterns so volunteers could knit walking casts and helmet liners. Michigans ww1 centennial news report january 2016 knit your bit. Today, as throughout our long history, the red cross depends on generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the american public to support our lifesaving services and programs. The korean war in the 1950s was the last war where australian wool was seen as a.
Wwi and world war ii wwii coordinated through the american red cross arc and the navy league to create needle crafted items. I recently found this link and wanted to pass it on to those of you who have someone in the family who likes to knit. Celebrities of all sorts picked up their needles for the cause. Red cross branches distributed yarn, advertised the need for knitwear, and distributed standard patterns for the most needed items. To fill this gap, the american red cross began a national knitting campaign. C, like a straight sock with a hole b, ribbed with a chest flap a, ribbed about the neck with extra ribbing about the face.
You can help american red cross beginning with americas entry into world war i, the american red cross launched a massive campaign to have the home front knit wool articles for the armed forces on campaign in europe. During world war ii, knitting served as one of the more prevalent ways individuals on the home front could support the war effort. All items are handmade from the original wwi patterns. Here is the helmet a that i knitted from the original wwi pattern in gray wool. The wool brigades of world war i, when knitting was a. Red cross knitting continued unabated throughout the war, a homespun production line that stretched from house to house, and from seattle to the soldiers fighting overseas. Aug 17, 2004 world war i american red cross poster urging sock knitting. Wwi scarves and socks handmade wwi and wwii reproduction. These volunteer knitters belonged to a red cross unit called the production corps that also produced bandages and sewn garments such as pajamas for veterans and civilian hospitals. To custom order yours or if you have any questions, please contact me. Red cross knitting continued unabated throughout the war, a homespun production line that stretched from house to.
Great war, wwi, reproduction scarvesmufflers and socksstockings. At the beginning of the war, people just werent very good at knitting. Jul 19, 2010 these volunteer knitters belonged to a red cross unit called the production corps that also produced bandages and sewn garments such as pajamas for veterans and civilian hospitals. These patterns were published in the july 1917 modern priscilla needlework magazine. Trauma teddies are lovingly handcrafted knitted, stuffed, sewn together and labelled by red cross members and volunteers all over the country. The wartime spies who used knitting as an espionage tool. Most of these are so basic as to barely need a pattern like the garter stitch scarf. What we did during the war the red cross did everything from nursing and air raid duty to searching for missing people and transporting the wounded. I have quite a few of the american red cross knitting pamphlets from both world wars, as well as a mimeograph sheet and the associated envelope from the memphis chapter of the arc for knitting socks that was issued by the arc in 1931, so it looks as though these volunteer efforts werent restricted to just the war years. The popular weekly magazine life even featured a cover story about the initiative entitled how to knit. In this guest blog post, gena writes about the knitting, sewing and quilting efforts of women on the home front during world war ii to support the red cross and the war effortand how local newspaper articles about these women provide good information for your family history searches.
Groups such as the imperial order of the daughters of the empire, womens institutes, church committees, and countless numbers of smaller women s organizations hosted knitting bees, knitting teas and knitting showers. In the summer of 1917 the american red cross went into the knitting business and launched a massive campaign on the home front. The red cross took a leading role in promoting knitting and coordinating efforts, as they had in world war i. Knitting propaganda wwii center for knit and crochet. Here is another photo of my knitted reproduction of the red cross society helmet a from the great war. What a great idea, though certainly one for the machine knitters. See more ideas about knitting, red cross and knit art. Jul 26, 2017 national archives 20802186 women knit at the red cross knitting booth while waiting for their trains at new yorks grand central station, 1918. Knitting was one of the most common forms of help for women to provide, and this activity was so popular that newspapers throughout the state and country would publish photographs, patterns, meetups and information on how to get supplies. National archives 20802186 women knit at the red cross knitting booth while waiting for their trains at new yorks grand central station, 1918. Gena philibertortega is a genealogist and author of the book from the family kitchen.
Mar 10, 2009 during the first world war, the american red cross provided yarn and instructions to knitters all over the us, to encourage them to knit gloves, hats, vests, socks, etc, for the men in the military. Uk dk wool usa light worsted australia 8plyknitting needles. Women from all over the country, from college students to grandmothers, promised to knit for sammy. Wartime crochet with attitude, part i october 30, 20 wednesday, october 30, 20. Today, knitting is still an active part of the red cross support for veterans. If you would like to reproduce a pattern in something like a guild newsletter, please ask. An american red cross knitting class during world war one. These items were mostly knitted but also sewn, quilted, and crocheted for, or in support of, the military, wounded, allies. Monarch knitting company was one of canadas largest textile firms. Fixit to ensure quality control, particularly for removing knotted yarn inside the sock, and for checking to see that the toes had been grafted properly.
After the war, many circular sock knitting machines were used in rural. The red cross supplied knitted comfort items for these soldiers, who were also encouraged to knit as occupational therapy. I have been knitting to the ww2 red cross patterns for the last several years, but havent tried the wwi knitting yet. Remembering the great things the red cross did during the. So without further ado, i present to you my favorite knitting patterns from 1918. Military knitting patterns were designed to be compatible with soldiers and sailors uniforms and were required to be knitted in olive drab or navy blue. Hjs studio is a fiber art studio offering handspun, handwoven one of a kind items. If you havent read the faq for each pattern type, please do so, even if youve used these patterns before. When she wasnt sewing treasure bags, ann curtis made hotwaterbottle covers. University of washington student geraldine gilbert knitting two socks at once for world war i soldiers, 1918. Wwi scarves and socks handmade wwi and wwii reproduction knits. First off, of course, is service wear, or knitting patterns for soliders.
Organized by the red cross, sweaters, socks etc were knitted and sent to the soldiers in the war by men, women and. National archives20802186 when the german authorities carefully unraveled such a. Please dont make these projects for sale, or copy the patterns to sell. Jan, 2009 i have quite a few of the american red cross knitting pamphlets from both world wars, as well as a mimeograph sheet and the associated envelope from the memphis chapter of the arc for knitting socks that was issued by the arc in 1931, so it looks as though these volunteer efforts werent restricted to just the war years. Without the means to wash or dry clothing, new clean socks were greatly needed by soldiers in an effort to ward against trench. Their pattern magazines afforded wartime families the opportunity to sew their own clothing from scratch or recycled fabric, while still staying trendy. Organized by the red cross, sweaters, socks etc were knitted and.
Official red cross patterns exemplify the volunteer production of clothing and medical supplies that formed part of the war effort. The american red cross has always been at the vanguard of the knitting movement for the u. Free knitting pattern ww2 services woollies lavenda 802 this is one of my favourite wartime knitting patterns for the services. Hour after hour, knitting needles clicked and scissors snipped in communities across the uk. Showing support for the great war with knitting needles. This is helmet a, which is the model preferred by the red cross society, although models b and c are also accepted. In canada, all knitting was collected and distributed by the canadian red cross. When the united states officially entered the great war on april 6, 1917, it had been raging in europe since the summer of 1914. I love the artwork and the cheerful chappies on the front cover, and thought some of you might like it too. In total, the red cross estimates that 370 million knit items were produced between 1917 and 1919. Below is a listing of ww2 red cross reproduction knitting patterns for ww2 reenactors afghan childs knitted suit childs sweater brooks type childs sweater toddler pack gloves mans coat sweater mans socks mans vneck sweater, sleeveless muffler navy iceland sweater watch cap womans vneck cardigan wristlets courtesy of the estate of ray and anita sexton.
Handbook of wool knitting and crochet, includes knitting patterns for the red cross from 1918. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Great war knit and crochet reproductions for reenacting. The knitting campaign, and the propaganda that fueled it, proved to be successful all around. Wwi caps and balaclavashelmets handmade wwi and wwii. Knitting socks with needles took about a week, and the red cross allowed 21 days for a handknitter to complete her socks before demanding the yarn back, to be given to another knitter. Free knitting patterns including this blue tit bird. Michigans ww1 centennial news report january 2016 knit. Knitted comforts british red cross society organizations assembling comfort packages included a label to show that it had been produced by their group rather than the government. Wwii civilian knitting instructions canadian red cross. More items will continue to be added as i work through the rest of my patterns. May 10, 20 vintage wwi red cross hand knit bandage, civilian war effort.
Without the means to wash or dry clothing, new clean socks were greatly needed by soldiers in an effort to ward against trench foot which was rife in the cold, wet mud of the trenches. Today is veterans day and it is also the 1 year anniversary of when i started this blog. The red cross provided patterns so volunteers could knit walking casts and helmet liners. While those knitting for charity come from throughout the community, every trauma teddy must pass a strict quality inspection before distribution. Cross hands garter stitch red cross wwi effort hand knitting design inspiration jerusalem nursing. Collections of knitting patterns in book form were produced in britain, canada, australia, new zealand and the united states. Women used them to create the comforts and supplementary supplies that made up a central component of canadian red cross war work. Apr 10, 2017 american red cross historical poster with the message.
American red cross ww1 pattern hand knitted balaclava. An international army of knitters the national archives blog. This craft book included a long list of womens war charities in canada, and patterns for every conceivable garment for men and women in. Free vintage knitting patterns from american red cross. National archives20802186 when the german authorities carefully unraveled such a sweater, the story went, they found the wool thread. Vintage wwi red cross hand knit bandage, civilian war. Vintage wwi red cross hand knit bandage, civilian war effort. Women from all over the country, from college students to grandmothers, promised to. During the first world war, the american red cross provided yarn and instructions to knitters all over the us, to encourage them to knit gloves, hats, vests, socks, etc, for the men in the military. The red cross delivering the tanned sheepskins for volunteers to stitch together, using three sheepskins per vest.
Jun 01, 2017 an american red cross knitting class during world war one. Army knit clothing from 1911 to 1918 wwi us militaria. This is undertaken by red cross trauma teddy coordinators. The arcs publishing of knitting patterns became more organized with numbered including revision numbers and dated patterns on individual fliers. Knitting propaganda wwi center for knit and crochet.
May 21, 2014 at the beginning of the war, people just werent very good at knitting. Our primary role was to help the naval and military medical services treat sick and wounded sailors and soldiers. Although scrap metal was collected and melted down for the war effort, steel knitting needles were exempt, since they were considered too valuable. Mar 28, 2009 in the summer of 1917 the american red cross went into the knitting business and launched a massive campaign on the home front. The red cross and other relief organizations put out an urgent request for knitted goods of all kinds to help fight the war. Here is another of the basic red cross scarves i knitted along with a pair of the red cross wristlets. Volunteers stitched laparotomy pads, fabric items used in surgery to keep a soldiers insides inside. The site has knitting patterns for the world war i and world war ii red cross sweaters, sweater vests, knit caps, gloves, socks, etc.
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