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Knitting story - my mom

I'd like to share this story with you: My mom was quite the knitter - she was a speed knitter, didn't look at her work and her fingers flew. According to her sisters, during WWII people would knit garments for the troops. The American Red Cross distributed yarn to knitters. When you went for your yarn they would give you enough for one garment. My mother was so fast that they would just give her a box of yarn and she'd bring back a number of garments.

Although mom was a great knitter, she was no longer knitting much when I was growing up - she had knitted for my much older sibs. She was, however a great crocheter and sewer. She tried to teach me how to knit a few times, but her "teaching style" needed some improvement. "This is how you do it, Susan" was way too fast. I learned to knit from a book when I was pregnant with my first baby.

Vintage patterns - I found a website that had a book of patterns for knitted garments for the military during WWII. I cannot find where I stored the link "so that I could find it." Interesting stuff. If I find the link I'll post it if anyone wants.

A friend gave me her old knitting books - 1930's to 1970's. Some of the patterns would be very appropriate for today.

-- Susan K

*************************** Knitting is a haven, a safe place where one can touch history, dance with art, and create a peaceful life.

---Nancy Bush, author of "Folk Socks"

Reply to
Soozergirl
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Neat story! I'll share one or two later, when I have a little more time! :D Yah, RIGHT, time is ..... fleeting! Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
The YARNWRIGHT

Here's a site with some WWII patterns,

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red cross WWII knit patterns,
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Rose

Reply to
Sandra Rose

Nice story about your Mom, Susan! My Mom didn't knit... she did embroidery! But her older sister knit... so did two aunts on my Dad's side. I'm not really positive about either of my grandmothers.... they *may* have knit. Another aunt (my Mom's sister-in-law) used to knit a lot when she would come to visit for the summer.... she could definitely make the needles fly too. In fact we still have a pair of woolen socks that she made for my Dad... he couldn't wear them because the wool made his feet itch a lot, but I wore them a few times, and now my son loves to wear them. :o)

I see that Sandra Rose has shared a couple of vintage sites which are pretty neat. If you have other sites I'd love to see them too.

Gem

Reply to
MRH

Thank you, Sandra Rose... I have saved these sites. :o)

Gem

Reply to
MRH

Hi Gem, That is so cool (or warm?) that your family still has those socks. It must be such a pleasure to be able to use something that's been in the family so long. I love "things" that have neat stories like that.

It's amazing how much these handcrafts are generational. All of my mom's sisters knit and/or crocheted, my older sister quilts big-time (teaches, pres of her guild, etc), we all sewed, and I knit, sew, embroider, etc.

My maternal grandmother always had something in her hands. The family joke was that if you put anything down, grandma would crochet a border on it - didn't matter what, as long as it was cloth. Another story about grandma was that when she came over from Poland on the boat at age 12 BY HERSELF, she brought a piece of needlepoint with her. I have it, and although it is not quite finished, it is still impressive. It is oval, about 20 x 24", and I had it mounted and framed a few years ago. Another permutation it went through was that I made it into a purse in the 60's. It is still in good condition. Too bad a lot of the cloth we have today could not withstand that sort of abuse.

It's nice to have that sort of history, although I didn't think so when I was a kid. My first sewing project was when I was 12. I expressed interest in having a new dress. My sister said "Sure" and handed me a pattern and a piece of fabric!

Well on to other things. I have to go check on my (future) daughter in law, who very recently had surgery. So, I must put on my nurse's hat...

Susan K

Reply to
Soozergirl

Hi Susan,

Oh how nice for you that you have the needlepoint piece your grandmother brought with her from Poland. I have a couple of wooden things that my grandfather made, a couple more that my Dad made, and still a couple more that my uncle (my Dad's youngest brother) made. I also have a couple of things that my son made in woodworking classes in highschool... he always said that woodworking is in his blood (from the men on my Dad's side) and he would really love to get back into the cabinetmaking courses some day... but I don't know when he will be able to afford that again.

Gem

Reply to
MRH

Just checked out the Red Cross site - the "boys need sox" poster must have elicited a few giggles and raised eyebrows at the time... Susan K (thanks for the sites Sandra Rose)

Reply to
Soozergirl

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