The top dark green sweater is the WW II Red Cross pattern on the a4A website. I used a Reynold's heavy knitting worsted, which creates a really warm sweater. This type of yarn isn't very easy to find. The bottom vest is from Berroco, called Peter Easy. It is size extra small. I've been knitting sweaters like a crazy person, which I'm sure many others have been also. Now I will return to the 4 other projects which have been waiting for me. Actually, I have to admit that I ordered more yarn to try a sweater I've never done before. That will be next season. All the best to everyone.
Edited to add the direct link for the sweater pattern: find it here. It's a scan of someone's actual copy of the pattern; the markings are just that knitter's notations. Make any size, especially the largest sizes.
6 comments:
Linda, that green sweater looks great! I went right to the A4A pae to try to find the pattern, and it didn't jump out at me. Would you be able and willing to provide the link? I'd like to try it.
Elizabeth, on a4A website in left hand column near the top is a link: Red Cross knitting tradition.
Next, under WW II heading is another link: go to pattern downloads.
The American Red Cross site has a list of patterns. This one is: knitting pattern - child's sweater.
You are exhausted by the time you get there, but it is worth it. The pattern is difficult to read because it is so old and yellowed.
Red Cross knitting patterns linked from the a4A website
Back when we started in late 2001, Tom Goehner, who was in charge of the collections at the Red Cross Museum, provided us with this interesting history content for our website about the Red Cross knitting tradition. Tom is now the curator of education at the Textile Museum in DC. Last year, Elizabeth and I had a knitting session with a4A volunteers at the Textile Museum with Tom. I wrote about this on a previous blog post, but am prompted to mention again. We had such a good time, didn't we, E! Let's hope we have another opportunity before too much time passes. (You really do need to get out here for Stitches West one of these days.)
If you are on the a4A blog and were with us in DC with Tom, chime in!
Yes, I was there too. I think that's what prompted me to look at the Red Cross patterns. Even then in 1941, Americans were knitting for refuges of a war.
Hi Linda! Post a photo of you with your knits so we can put a face with the name! Your garments are beautiful, and we'll look forward to packing them up for the kids. Thank you!
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