Knit Like A Man

This photo is from Life Magazine (obviously), but unfortunately I have no context for it.  It's an amazing image nonetheless.

My Googlefu is weak tonight, but a search for background info led me to this interesting history of knitting during WW2.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela July 18, 1918 - December 5, 2013

Knitting for Victory

As an historian, I've often thought that World War I has to a certain extent faded from public consciousness, obviously due to the horrors of the war that followed and the length of time that has passed since the battles at the Somme, Ypres, the Marne, and the tragedy of the Lost Generation.

Modern warfare is often at a distance.  With the use of advanced technology, a soldier can sit at a work station, do their job from 9 to 5, and be home in time for dinner.  And unlike past conflicts, the general population is usually not part of the war effort.

With the United States' entry into World War I in 1917, aid agencies such as the Red Cross appealed for help to clothe the men at the front, and the country's knitters leapt into action.  Terrible conditions in the trenches created a huge need for woolen socks, both for warmth and to prevent the dreaded trenchfoot.

As soldiers mobilized, even schoolboys began to knit for the troops, and almost everyone did their bit to support the war effort.  Radio was in its infancy, and methods of mass communication differed greatly from those available today.  Popular songs rallied the country behind the troops and conveyed propaganda to the public.

    "In May 1918 the Seattle School Bulletin printed this patriotic knitting song:

Johnnie, get your yarn, get your yarn, get your yarn;
Knitting has a charm, has a charm, has a charm,
See us knitting two by two,
Boys in Seattle like it too.
Hurry every day, don’t delay, make it pay.
Our laddies must be warm, not forlorn mid the storm.
Hear them call from o’re the sea,
‘Make a sweater, please for me.’
Over here everywhere,
We are knitting for the boys over there,
It’s a sock or a sweater, or even better
To do your bit and knit a square."

Patterns, yarn and needles were distributed to those on the Home Front and the entire country prepared to do their bit.

Thanks to the internet, knitters (and history geeks!) can knit up these historic patterns today (scroll down for knitting patterns).

 For more detailed information on war relief knitting during World War I, check out this excellent article from HistoryLink.org.

My Bad

So...

Neglected blog is neglected.  :/

It's not a case of blogfade, more a case of exciting things happening and plain old getting out of the habit of posting, but with the start of the new semester, the same old same old has returned and lots of yarny posts are on the way!

So what happened?  Finals, and then I went to Spain, bitchezz!  My very first archaeological dig!  :D

Pintia is an Iron Age necropolis near Valladolid.  The whole experience was beyond awesome, and though I am not completely decided that archaeology is going to be my thing, as a history geek, the fact that I was literally able to hold history in my hand was incredible.

One day, while I was doing the same old-same old, grubbing in the dirt and hoping that we might reach a good artifact layer at some point, this just appeared in a pile of earth at my feet:

A 2000 year old needle, as perfect as the day it was last used...I literally could have dusted it off and started stitching...well, if I could sew, that is!  ;)

One of the tombs we found contained ancient ceramic bobbins that would have been full of thread or yarn:

I think everyone else on the dig thought I was insane for geeking out so hard over some old yarny stuff.  I have to admit I was disappointed that there were no spindle whorls discovered this year.

I spent a lot of time this summer working on my long-term goal: Project Use Up All The Yarn as well, but somehow I managed hardly any spinning time...Too many projects to finish up!  How is it that I have any number of basically completed items just sitting in boxes waiting to have the ends woven in??

Since I've finally got the camera working again properly, I'll try and show off some of the things I made 2 or even 3 years ago and just actually finished during vacation!  *hides face in shame*

;)

Holocaust Remembrance Day

I read about this man many years ago, and was touched by his dedication and courage in such a terrible time.  He did what he believed to be right despite the consequences (he lost his job and live in 'disgrace' for his disobedience for much of the rest of his life), and saved thousands of people from death.

The image of Mr Sugihara leaning out of the window of the train on the way out of Lithuania, as he threw blank pieces of paper with the seal of the Japanese Consulate and his signature, because he simply could not physically write any more exit visas, has stuck with me for its beauty and heroism.

Chiune Sugihara

Distaff Day

It seems that today is traditionally the first day back to work after the Christmas season, and women would begin to prepare fiber for the daily grind of spinning, while the men played pranks, and would apparently try to set the flax on fire?!?!  Whut.


Robert Herrick, “St. Distaff’s Day; or, the Morrow After Twelfth Day” (17th Century):

Partly worke and partly play
Ye must on St. Distaffs Day:
From the Plough soon free your team;
Then come home and fother them:
If the Maides a-spinning goe,
Burne the flax, and fire the tow:
Scorch their plackets, but beware
That ye singe no maidenhair.
Bring in pailes of water then,
Let the Maides bewash the men.
Give St. Distaffe all the right,
Then bid Christmas sport good-night,
And next morrow every one
To his own vocation.


All I know, dude shows up with a lighter and goes for my stash, I'm breaking some heads with my good old distaff.  ;)