Anyone know about this Red Cross Knitted OD Vest (Found with Uniform from WWII vet)

[stratasfan]

This isn't mine, but I'm posting this with the permission of the owner. Her father -in-Law served in the CBI Theatre during WWII. With his uniform jacket is this fabulous knitted sweater in a matching OD green. It has a Red Cross label in it. Now, my question . . . did the Red Cross get these made and hand them out to soldiers? Anyone know anything about this type of knitted vest with a RC label? I'm really curious! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BILL THE PATCH]

I think I read somewhere, these were given out by the red cross. Sent overseas by various chapters. 

[Old Marine]

There was an organized program the asked for civilians to knit sweaters, vests and other items for the servicemen.  The finished pieces were distributed to the servicemen through the Red Cross.  The program distributed patterns and OD yarn.  If you look at wartime photos you can see a lot of these vests being worn.  This link has some information.

 

https://www.historylink.org/File/5722

[stratasfan]

Thanks so much! That's just what I wondered. I might have to print that article at the link out just to re-read it! Very fun to see! 

[GMPETE]

I've had several of these over the years, once with a matching scarf.  I've also seen other items they distributed such as ditty bags, sewing kits and the like.  Most of those were of hbt material, but seems like the older pieces may have been single twill in an off white or dirty gray color.  They are always neat to see because most of them will have a tag that states which chapter of the RC they were from.  I believe they did this in WWI as well as WWII.

[gwb123]

Another article.

 

https://centerforknitandcrochet.org/knit-your-bit-the-american-red-cross-knitting-program/

 

Also, see Project 4 on this page:

 

https://knittingforvictory.rebeccakeyel.com/

[Bonni]

Great reads, thank you all so very much! 

 

[268th C.A.]

Maybe we can get Elizabeth too start making these...? 😉

[GMPETE]

36 minutes ago, 268th C.A. said:

Maybe we can get Elizabeth too start making these...? 😉

Going to need larger sizes.

[stratasfan]

14 hours ago, 268th C.A. said:

Maybe we can get Elizabeth too start making these...? 😉

 

Knitting? KNITTING?!? You want me to knit! eek! You don't know what you are asking! -grin- I learned how to knit. Started with the knitting basic . . . dish rags. My square dish rags ended up looking more like a pyramid. Something about knitting just makes me get tenser and tenser and tenser and my stitches get tighter and tighter and tighter and  . .. yuck. The item doesn't really turn out like it should. I did teach myself enough crochet to do amigurumi figures. Crochet is way better. But Sis knits. Not one of her favorite things, but she's actually really good on what she has done! :) 

 

Here's me years ago with my biggest project. I got this pattern and did it in Greek cotton at the 10" tall it is made for. Then thought how fun to do it big, so I got a bigger hook and the big chenille baby yarn and he turned out to be almost three feet tall! Super soft and cuddly! Any Smurf lovers on here?

 

[themick]

Here is one of the Red Cross scarves made during WWII.  It's kind of chewed up as some bugs got into the trunk.  My parents got it in WWII.  There was another but I had to throw it out just a couple of days ago as it was literally falling apart.  I saved the tag though.

[Bonni]

3 hours ago, stratasfan said:

 

Knitting? KNITTING?!? You want me to knit! eek! You don't know what you are asking! -grin- I learned how to knit. Started with the knitting basic . . . dish rags. My square dish rags ended up looking more like a pyramid. Something about knitting just makes me get tenser and tenser and tenser and my stitches get tighter and tighter and tighter and  . .. yuck. The item doesn't really turn out like it should. I did teach myself enough crochet to do amigurumi figures. Crochet is way better. But Sis knits. Not one of her favorite things, but she's actually really good on what she has done! :) 

 

Here's me years ago with my biggest project. I got this pattern and did it in Greek cotton at the 10" tall it is made for. Then thought how fun to do it big, so I got a bigger hook and the big chenille baby yarn and he turned out to be almost three feet tall! Super soft and cuddly! Any Smurf lovers on here?

 

 

 

Both, precious!

[stratasfan]

2 hours ago, themick said:

Here is one of the Red Cross scarves made during WWII.  It's kind of chewed up as some bugs got into the trunk.  My parents got it in WWII.  There was another but I had to throw it out just a couple of days ago as it was literally falling apart.  I saved the tag though.

 

Love the scarf! So fun! I really haven't read about this part of it (I mean, I knew people knitted for the servicemen, but never actually thought about organised knitting!) and this has been very exciting to learn about! Thanks for sharing the pics!

[manayunkman]

The Red Cross tag can be found in all sorts of bags too as well as knit caps and mittens.

 

Elizabeth,

 

I grew up with the Schtroumpfs when they first appeared in Johan & Pirlouit. I loved Peyo cartoons.

[gwb123]

19 hours ago, stratasfan said:

 

Love the scarf! So fun! I really haven't read about this part of it (I mean, I knew people knitted for the servicemen, but never actually thought about organised knitting!) and this has been very exciting to learn about! Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

There were organized knitting campaigns during World War I as well.

[Dogsbody]

Hi Elizabeth, here are some knitting instructions for vests. Can't go wrong with these, can you 😉 The first one looks pretty much the same as the one in your pictures.

 

 

 

[themick]

That manual is awesome.  We see these knitted items, but I never thought there was actually a Red Cross manual on how to make them - though makes sense with the standard pattern of the items.  I imagine that is a difficult manual to find.

 

Steve