Knitting goes to War Back to home


This Red Cross poster urges those at home to knit their bit in  WWI.

Ann MacDonald's No Idle Hands, a history of knitting, and Richard Rutt's knitting history both pay special attention to the role that knitters played on the home front during World Wars I and II.

Collectors can find all kinds of ephemera; sheet music, posters, knitting patterns, postcards referring to knitting for the war.

 

 

Good books for Knitters

Sock Patterns!

Tea Recipes

 

 

 

Music urged people (men and women alike) to do their bit for the war effort. Especially in WWI, the troops faced severe shortages of uniform issue items. Socks and vests and washcloths were essential for keeping the men  clean and warm in the trenches
Patriotic sheet music urged knitters to contribute to the war effort. This sentimental song shows the women at home in the thoughts of a lonely Doughboy.


Here, Canadian volunteers operate sock knitting machines to provide warm footwear for the war. The war was not popular in Canada (don't forget, Wilson in the US also pledged to keep us out of the war.)

 

Antique sock knitting machines still show up in Canada. They were for a home enterprise scheme (sell the socks for money) that was less than successful for most. 

Two World War II items, a song and knitting patterns for military use.
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