Global Tradition
History shows that people come together during wartime, focusing on supporting those serving, their families that they have left behind, and those that are suffering because they are caught in a conflict.
Carlisle contributed to the war effort.
"Mrs. Benson P Wilkins had organized and led a group of Junior Red Cross Workers who met every Saturday afternoon for two hours of work. In the account of the past year’s work on March 17 1919 it was reported that the girls had sent away $17.50 in cash and had made 5 complete layettes for infant refugees, 52 comfort pillows 134 crutch pads, 7 pairs of bed socks, 64 serviettes, 100 eye dressings,70 wash cloths, 2 knit afghans, 50 weight bags, 79 pairs of booties, 2300 gun wipes, and 1 pieced quilt. They had also collected and forwarded 42 second hand garments, 14 yards of cloth for windproof vest linings, 56 old kid gloves, 53 pieces of gold and silver, 21 pounds of old lines, 91/2 pounds of tin foil, 268 postcards 25 valentines, and 3.5 bushels of nuts to be used in making gas masks.
The juniors assisted by their elders put on two suppers which netted nearly $44 and 17 quits were pieced and sold to raise money for materials and other necessary expenses. The girls had earned and expended for war relief of all kinds the sum of $107.74 and they had also collected $75 in the Town quota in the latest Red Cross drive."
Carlisle It’s history and Heritage , by Ruth Chamberlin Wilkins. Photo is of the Junior Red Cross Workers taken in Carlisle between 1917-1919. Wilkins Collection at the Gleason Library.
More resources on knitting in World War One are listed below
Knitting for Soldiers
The Khaki Knitting Pattern Book
Great War Knitting ( Smithsonian)
Knitting Women of World War One
The needs of the soldiers changed how people knitted. Seemed toes on sock caused problems for soldiers so a new seamless stitch that joined two sides together was developed and named after General Kitchener.
Handcrafted Poppy Projects across the Globe |
Kentucky, USA
Powys, Wales, UK Ryde, New South Wales, Australia Alexandria, VA, USA York, England, UK Norton, in England , UK Royal Windsor Horticultural Society, in England UK Warwick Cathedral, England, UK Keynsham in England, UK Chesterfield in England, UK Almwch, in Wales, UK Australian State War Memorial Boston, England UK Edmonton, Canada. ( amazing photographs on flicker.) Ripon, England, UK |