The jeep cap was originally knitted close to the head, with a sixstitch starfish pattern on top supposedly to support. Knitting and crochet guild magazines, pattern booklets, pattern leaflets and other publications. The original 1940s patterns, available to download below, show the wide range of items knitted during the war. To access this you need to be a member of lets knit together. The national world war ii museum knit your bit scarf pattern materials. The popular weekly magazine life even featured a cover story about the initiative entitled how to knit. The wartime spies who used knitting as an espionage tool pocket. With over a thousand free hat knitting patterns, you can knit one in every style, from basic beanies to simple bobbles, complex cable knits to fancy fisherman, easy preemie. Helmet, mittens, sleeveless vneck pullover, square neck pullover and cap. It is a wonderful resource for researching the history of. Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. 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. Recently printed pattern to give to new knitter who admired the hat. I posted even more patterns from this historic knitting book here in 20.
The men and women serving our country today still appreciate the gesture a hand knit offers. Pdf knitting pattern booklet for american world war ii etsy. Their pattern magazines afforded wartime families the opportunity to sew their own clothing from scratch or recycled fabric, while still staying trendy. Today is veterans day and it is also the 1 year anniversary of when i started this blog. Get access to this exclusive knitting pattern and many more benefits by joining our exclusive knitting.
Literally millions of women, children and even men in allied countries used their knitting needles as weapons of war. Classic world war ii watch cap pattern by helen waittes ravelry. I have received many compliments while wearing and some have expressed surprise that i made it myself. During world war ii, the office of censorship in the united states banned people from posting knitting patterns abroad, since the instructions could in fact disguise. Wwii civilian knitting instructions canadian red cross. Others joined the rage for knitting complicated argyle patterns in a wide variety of colors anything, many swore, but armyissued khaki or navy blue. This awesome knit for defense was from world war ii and published in 1941.
During world war i, a grandmother in belgium knitted at her window, watching the passing trains. Classic world war ii watch cap archived pattern by helen waittes. 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. Of course the thing that stands out about this time in history is world war ii. Current crafts craze echoes world war i knitting projects.
If you werent a knitter, you might as well have been a nazi. Since its launch in 2006, knit your bits reach has been vastmore than 10,000 knitters and crocheters in all 50 states have participated. Feb 8, 20 during wwii the red cross handed out free knitting patterns to. The american red cross has always been at the vanguard of the knitting movement for the u. Knitting this one for the dude plain and simple is all he wants. Era patterns, trigger gloves, vintage 1940s patterns, pdf, digital download. Some patterns may call for variations on measurements. Hats and helmets from world war ii free knitting pattern crochet patterns, knit patterns at craft freely. Free babys best booties knitting patterns howstuffworks. World war i red cross poster encouraging knitting, ca. Shop top fashion brands outerwear at free delivery and returns possible on eligible purchases. If you havent read the faq for each pattern type, please do so, even if youve used these patterns before. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search.
Havent used dpns for many years just picked up knitting and crochet. I am currently taking a limited number of orders, so please feel free to contact me by clicking the button below. Knitting pattern central free hats knitting pattern link. The wool brigades of world war i, when knitting was a patriotic duty copy link facebook twitter reddit flipboard pocket attendees of the central park knitting. Wwi knit and crochet items from great war patterns. The wool brigades of world war i, when knitting was a. Im fascinated by old knitting patterns and womens magazines.
Only two months later, these girls at a carshalton, surrey infant school ages four through seven were busy knitting. A knitting pattern, to nonknitters, may look undecipherable, and not. Wartime knitting was more than a hobby it was an act of patriotism. War time knit patterns, war era knit, mens trigger gloves, scarves. Gauge 19 stitches and 24 rows 4 inches in stockinette needle size us 7 4. These same knitters would be the first to pick up their needles in december 1941, to once more knit for victory. Women used them to create the comforts and supplementary supplies that made up a central component of canadian red cross war work. There was one occasion when knitting was used for code. As they had during world war i, people on the home front during world war ii picked up their knitting needles almost as soon as the war began in september 1939. Classic world war ii watch cap pattern by helen waittes. Wwii muffler knitting pattern 1942 loom knitting stitches, vintage. Free hat knitting patterns lovecrafts, loveknittings.
Learn how to crochet or how to knit with our crochet tutorials and knitting tutorials. Vintage knitted world war 2 knitting patterns available from the vintage knitting lady. Although the helmet liner had a webbing suspension system, soldiers liked having the extra padding and warmth of the wool cap. The jeep cap was first issued by the united states army in february 1942 during world war ii. Classic world war ii watch cap archived pattern by. Countless knitted items were created and sent to the allied forces in world war two. Depending on the yarn and knitting pattern, knitted garments can stretch as much as. This pattern is the classic world war ii watch cap, derived from beanie no. During the second world war the office of censorship banned people from posting knitting patterns abroad in case they contained coded messages. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Adams elementary pupils knitting for world war i war effort, seattle, 1918. Watch a movie or television program which takes place during the winter months, and somewhere in each outdoor frame will be someone wearing this hat.
The world war i and world war ii patterns are from publications of those eras. Many foreswore gray and khaki yarn for good, or so they thought. Satisfyingly quick to knit up, not to mention the perfect practical fix when the weather turns chilly. After the war ended, some knitters dropped their needles for good. Many books reference wartime knitting or wartime crochet at the start of the decade. Classic world war ii watch cap derived from beanie no. Yarn companies offer free knitting patterns for these caps. Over 200 free hat knitting patterns at free crafts network free crafts network free crafts projects. Here are specific french wwigreat war knitted and crocheted items.
Our grandmothers called their work victory knitting as they supplied desperately needed socks, scarves, and warm hats for the troops in world war ii. The mittens with a finger and thumb complete, the gloves for the drummers their drums to beatand the nice warm socks for the shivering feet as the war raged on, the pattern stopped appearing in publications, likely due to the war frenzy dying down. Vintage wwii military knitting patterns book knit for victory gloves hats sweaters. Pattern classic world war ii watch cap by helen waittes craft. Wartime knitting may have had a feminine image, but it was not timid.
Classic world war ii watch cap archived pattern by helen waittes, free pattern worsted 10 ply 9 wpi. Previous classic world war ii watch cap archived by helen waittes. Nice surprise after downloading, there are stitch options. This hat pattern was probably knit at least a million times during world war ii, and remains one of the most enduring hat designs. The site has knitting patterns for the world war i and world war ii red cross sweaters, sweater vests, knit caps, gloves, socks, etc. Through their efforts, the museum has distributed 50,000 scarves to approximately 1,000 veterans centers, hospitals, and service organizations across the country. Sweaters socks, wwii military patterns, ebook, pdf, digital download. What started as a response to small gaps in uniform supply became a mass knitting frenzy, which made government very nervous about the quirky, unmilitary garments reaching soldiers at the front. Pattern for navy watch cap knit in wwii by the red cross production corps.
During world war ii, knitting served as one of the more prevalent ways individuals on the home front could support the war effort. Use yarn that is machine washable and dryable in gender. Knitting pattern central free teddy bears knitting. Since 2011, i have been sorting and cataloguing the collection of publications held by the u. The standard analysis of world war i knitting projects points to their conservatism. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Knit your bit the national wwii museum new orleans. During the first 191418 and second 193945 world wars small booklets of knitting instructions like this one flooded the country by the hundreds of thousands. The olive drab cap, wool, knit, m1941 was standardized in early 1942, intended for wear under the m1 steel helmet.
Questions ive been asked over and over again are answered there. Here you will find reproduction knitted and crocheted items made from the original wwi and wwii patterns. Monarch knitting company was one of canadas largest textile firms. During the second world war, women on the home front were encouraged to contribute to the war effort by. Holiday crafts, kids crafts, crochet, knitting, dolls, rubber stamps and much more. Please read the world war ii pattern faq if you have any questions. Havent used dpns for many years just picked up knitting. Esthers knitting page troop knitting patterns world war ii patterns. Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile or fabric. The everyday knit hat pattern will give you a nice, basic knit hat in any color you choose. Nineteen forty i know there are many recorded knitting patterns that are much older than that, but the fact that i followed a pattern that was followed by dedicated women during a time of great worldwide conflict strikes me as amazing. Gena philibertortega is a genealogist and author of the book from the family kitchen. The patterns are all in the original french, which i translated myself to work from.
131 187 393 1178 578 1192 932 693 736 382 1176 836 780 492 802 24 484 204 1371 1562 1257 292 8 647 966 292 591 716 1303 891 787 829