Vintage Knitting: Socks for Soldiers: Articles and an FO

The New York Times offers PDF's of some interesting old articles on sock knitting for soldiers.

Here are two links from the Times in 1914:  the link will open in to a downloadable PDF of the original articles!

Mrs. J.P. Morgan and daughters knit socks for soldiers

Mrs. DeLancey Nicoll's instructions on "How to Knit Socks for Soldiers"  Apparently, Mrs. Nicoll interviewed a woman from the Red Cross who stated: "The trouble with American women is that so few of them know how to knit socks. Practically only the foreign-born women know how."

And finally, from 1917, a general article including socks:

"How to Knit for Soldiers.; Mrs. Leeds Gives More Instructions In Making of Garments"

The Times has some other fascinating articles both old and new on knitting. Go to NYTimes.com and search, although you'll want to specify a little in your search  e.g., "knitting socks."

In the meantime, my authentic Civil War socks are completed

Civil War Sock Knitters

I recently listened to an interesting podcast from public radio.  Walter Edgar is a professor of history at the University of South Carolina and  he has a public radio program on all topics South Carolina.  

We all recall Mary Chesnut from Ken Burns' Civil War series on PBS from 1990, right?  And Mary's diaries were often quoted;  Julie Harris read the quotes.  Mary was a South Carolina blue blood. She was the wife of General James Chesnut, an  aide to Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Several different annotated versions of her diaries are available at Amazon.  Here is a nice synopsis of Mary's life and writings from Elisabeth Showalter Muhlenfeld, her biographer.  Dr. Muhlenfeld also edited and published two of Mary's unfinished novels.

On the particular podcast I listened to, Dr. Edgar (we treat him with great reverence down here) was interviewing Julia A. Stern, author of Mary Chesnut's Civil War Epic.  She is a scholar from Northwestern University who has published a book, which considers Mary's so-called diary to be more of a nonfictional epic.  This she helped to realize by examining earlier less simplified versions of Mary's complex work, and delving in to its details.

To add to my interest, in a more recent podcast, Dr. Edgar interviewed a descendent of Mary Chesnut, Martha Daniels.  Apparently Mary had a vast collection of photographs.  At some point, the photographs were separated from her diaries. Amazingly, the photographs were located (on ebay!!) and purchased by Martha's family.  The description in the podcast of Martha's Grandmother recognizing unlabelled individuals in the photos brought tears to my eyes.  The photographic collection is donated to the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina, and a new edition of the diaries combined with the photographic images will soon be published.

Here is the SCETV link to Walter Edgar's Journal Podcast;  scroll down and you can listen to these two podcasts, or locate them on itunes!

Well and yes, of course, Mary was a sock knitter.   The more I read about knitting, the more I realize that small garments:  hats, mittens, and socks are the items often knitted through history, as larger garments are perhaps more easily made of woven fabric. Marys quote: " I do not know when I have seen a woman without knitting in her hand. 'Socks for the soldiers' is the cry."

Here is a link for an authentic pair of Civil War socks, suitable nowadays for reinactors!  More discussion is here.  I am trying this pattern using some Guernsey wool that I have had in stash for waaaaay too long;  see the photo, above, of the one I am working on.  I will avoid second sock syndrome as it is a holiday gift!  My gauge is a little larger than that called for.

Yahoo's Civil War Needleworker's Group has a collection of sock patterns as well, but you must be a group member to join (that's easy, however).

Hat Trick

My two sons are headed to various outdoor adventures in the north this summer.  One will be in Alaska, the other Idaho.  I undertook the Classic World War II Watch Cap for one.  Previous musings are here.  It didn't fit the intended son; but fit the other one.

Lion Brand, Vanna's choice. I did a little 1x1 cable in the middle of the 6 stitch panel, for visual interest.

Thanks to a reader who suggested that the iris that I photo'd in the same post is iris virginica, a flag iris.

Vintage Knitting: Grandma Helen's Knitted Scarf

Grandma Helen taught me to knit. She was a good knitter, a functional knitter. We asked for sweaters, ponchos, she delivered.

Helen was good at math, having worked as a bookkeeper, and she had that sense of order and concentration that knitting often requires.

Last night as I was looking through lots of patterns for Rogue, (which I vow to do this year) I found this piece of paper

No idea where Helen got it the pattern, although I have a number of old Bernat books that were hers. Clearly, she hand copied it for me after I said yes, I'd like a copy. I've no recollection of this!

I recall reading an article by Elizabeth Zimmerman long ago.  She recalled a historical point in her life.  Vogue (I think) had sent her a knitting pattern with only directions, no photo.  I think I recall that it was an Aran sweater.  That's what this feels like:  no photo, no clue. 

So tonight I started it.  Looks from a cursory reading like it might  be an ascot sort of scarf.

Using some dk weight 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk that I got in at a shop in Arequipa, Peru last summer.  It's awful soft, what one needs around the neck.

Here's what I've got so far;  more to follow at some point.  Yes, I'll make a PDF available in case you're interested!

Vintage WWII Hat, Bonnet Drama Notes, Thoughts on a Ditch Iris

I  like to knit from vintage patterns, and have a bit of a collection from when I frequented garage sales and flea markets.  That's a hobby that I will have to rediscover after I retire.

My friend Bob had this nice hat FO on Ravelry, his "World War II Cap."  The pattern is from a Bucilla book from 1940, which someone whose website is here kindly transcribed for all. Here's my version, I confess, in Vanna's Choice from Michael's

As son R and son B are heading out for summer adventures in northern climes this summer, I am trying to finish new hats for them, and this looked like it would do the trick for R, who asked for a "beanie."  Now, I don't think of a beanie as warm hat, but that's what this is called.

And on a completely different, subject...like... where have I been?  It took this article reprinted in a local paper for me to learn that what I am addicted to is the "bonnet drama"...I guess I'm more of a  Janeite than a Charlottan...nevertheless, bring on the Bronte....

on this general subject, do try this, you won't regret it

I've not embedded a video before so if it doesn't work try this link.You may also like this,  made me roll with laughter, but be warned, there is language content if you are sensitive to that sort of thing...unhappily, "Jane Austen's Fight Club" video has been removed from youtube.  It was also rip roaring fun.

 indeed, you may wish purchase your own Jane Austen Action Figure

I have had lousy luck growing irises here in SC.  It's been 5 years in this house, and the only regular repeat bloomer is what a former coworker called a "Ditch Iris," in other words, one that you dig up from a ditch.  

My sister called me several years ago and said "there are irises by the side of the road 10 markers from the hospital (where I was working at the time)".  I loaded a shovel in the back of the Honda and started counting markers.  No, it was no one's identifiable property.  I stopped and hastily dug some up.  Wild iris?  Formerly cultivated? 
 

PLEASE let me know if you do.  

Dinner last weekend:  saffron risotto, tomatos, basil, local shrimp