Knitting for victory

Joanne's mention of the Red Cross sock pattern triggered a search on  wartime efforts, both world wars, when women at home, and school kids, too, were knitting for the troops.

With occasional forays into frivolity using up scraps of yarn for the vital tea cosy

The Red Cross sock instructions were very very firm! No seams or bumpy bits to irritate soldier feet and cause blisters, no toe seams, no seams under the foot -- I'd never heard of some of these, probably an earlier era of sock design. And knitters were allowed three weeks max per pair or they had to surrender the yarn to a faster knitter. The usual expectation was a pair a week.

But I have been keeping in mind the comfort needs of the people I'm knitting for, homeless, probably in poor health to start with, cheap acrylic bought socks not helpful. So these are in natural absorbent fibers, cotton and wool, and knitted in designs that feel good. The toe-up, no ridges anywhere on the toe, works fine for my tricky toes, so I think it's good to give, too. Heels likewise, short rowing being as smooth a finish as you can get. 

Meanwhile I got out my postwar knitting book, 1946, with exciting Colored Pictures, amazing at that time.

There was an earlier wartime edition in our house, full of tips on unraveling old sweaters for the yarn. Quite a few of the patterns appear in this book too. Also patterns for white cotton lace gloves. We really wore them in summer. They were part of my school summer uniform.  And patterns for weird underwear, probably itchy, I should think. A lot of baby clothes.

The parts I like best are the baby outfits, modeled by infants with expressions ranging from wtf? to I'll get you for this, to I demand to see the manager!

Meanwhile I've been noticing on Textiles and Tea how very white the guest list is. I just signed up for the April series, and there it is again. I think I've seen one Asian and maybe one African American in all the episodes I've seen. 

So I asked the Handweavers Guild who presents them if they'll put more emphasis on people of color. They're very open and said yes they're searching, did I have any ideas? So I did two minutes research and suggested these sources. 

The second is a collection of interviews and profiles of people of color in the textile arts. It's possible they already contacted some of the weavers, and I did say that, but anyway we'll see.  A lot of African American textile artists are quilters, not the focus of a weavers series, but there are weavers and braiders. 

So I did a little bit to open the door. I'm sure the HGA would be hospitable, they just need to find and promote POC.

So that's us. And Ukraine is pushing back the Russian forces from more cities since yesterday. Good going, sunflower friends.