Lest We Forget

Gloves and Scarf patterns from “Knit for Defense”, 1941.

Knit for Defense

The National Defense Program isn’t all tanks, airplanes and battleships.

Or armoured vehicles, drones, and nuclear subs.

It’s people, too – you and I and 130,000,000 others.

That, of course, was the U.S. population in 1941. Currently, the population of the U.S. sits at about 305,000,000, while Canada’s population is 33,000,000.

The US presently has around 130,000 troops in Iraq, and 31,000 in Afghanistan. Canada has 2,800 in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Georgia (the country) only has one lonely soldier in the International Security Assistance Force. But I’m sure he or she is a scrapper!

North, South, East and West women are taking up the behind-the-scenes tasks of an Unlimited National Emergency. You, too, can play a leading role in this greatest defense program of all history by anticipating the needs of our boys in training.

Sure, cold fingers aren’t the first things that come to mind when we think of Afghanistan or Iraq, but actually it can get very chilly over there, especially up in the mountains.

Whether he is in the Army, the Navy or the Air Force, he will appreciate the warmth and comfort of sweaters and woolen accessories knitted especially for him. With that in mind we have included in this book garments specifically designed for men of action and patterned after regulation specifications.

Regulations have changed, and it’s unlikely that anything in this pattern book would pass official muster any more. But a pair of hand knitted gloves or scarf still says, “I miss you,” and “I’m thinking of you.”

Men often like to pretend they aren’t sentimental, but my husband still wears the first item I ever crocheted – a blindingly awful rainbow acrylic scarf.

For the complete pattern:

 

PLAIN GLOVES and SCARF

These are serviceable and smart – yet very comfortable and warm. A smooth fitting scarf – strategically ribbed to eliminate bulkiness at neck.

This is a serious post about serious things, so I’m not going to say it.

No, I’m not.

Oh, all right! It’s ribbed for his pleasure! There, are you happy now?

MATERIALS:

CHADWICK’S RED HEART KNITTING WORSTED, 2 skeins (2 oz. skeins) for PLAIN GLOVES; 1 skein for TRIGGER GLOVES; 2 skeins for MARKSMAN GLOVES, and 4 skeins for SCARF.

I will also include the instructions for Trigger and Marksman Gloves variations as they are very fashionable. Or so I’ve been assured by the various men in my life who’ve begged for a pair.

4 double-pointed bone knitting needles No. 5 (4 mm. size).

The approved Service Colours for 1941 are Khaki, Navy, Maroon, Lt. Oxford, Oxford Grey, and Air Force Blue. If you are making these for a military man, do not – under any circumstances! – give a navy man knitwear in army colours or vice versa.

Milwards Casein Knitting Pins, 1 pair No. 5 (4 mm. size) for SCARF.

Casein is a nifty plastic made from – of all things – skimmed milk! However, if you are severely allergic to milk, or have pets or children who’d consider them a yummy chew toy, I’d suggest bamboo needles instead.

GAUGE: 5 1/2 sts make 1 inch; 7 rows or rnds make 1 inch.

PLAIN GLOVES

Sizes Small, Medium and Large

LEFT HAND . . . Using the double-pointed needles, cast on loosely 36 sts for small size; 38 sts for medium size; 40 sts for large size. Divide sts on 3 needles and join, being careful not to twist. Work around in ribbing of k 1, p 1 for 3 inches. Now work in stockinette stitch (k each rnd) for 3 rnds. Then start shaping for thumb as follows: 1st rnd: P 1, inc. 1 st in next st, k 1, inc. 1 st in next st, p 1, k around. 2nd and 3rd rnds: P 1, k 5, p 1, k around. 4th rnd: P 1, inc. in next st, k 3, inc. in next st, p 1, k around. 5th and 6th rnds: P 1, k 7, p 1, k around. 7th rnd: P 1, inc. in next st, k 5, inc. in next st, p 1, k around. Continue thus, increasing 2 sts in thumb gore every 3rd rnd, until there are 11 sts between the two p-ribs for small size; 13 sts for medium size, or 15 sts for large size. Next rnd: P 1, slip the thumb sts onto a safety pin to be worked later; cast on 5 sts, k to complete rnd (38 sts on needle for small size; 40 sts for medium size, or 42 sts for large size). Discontinue p-ribs and work around in stockinette stitch, until glove, when tried on, reaches to the base of the fingers (about 1 1/2 inches for small size; 1 3/4 inches for medium size, or 2 inches for large size). Put glove on. Mark fingers by putting safety pin on palm and back of hand between each finger, having 11 sts for forefinger, 10 sts for middle finger, 8 sts for ring finger and 9 sts for little finger for small size; (1 st more for forefinger and ring finger for medium size, or 1 st more for each finger for large size). When odd number of sts is required for a finger, always have the larger number of sts on the back of the hand with 1 st less on the palm. K around to where the sts are marked off for the little finger, k the sts for the little finger and take the remaining sts off on a strand of yarn to be worked later.

Afghanistan isn’t the only place in the world where a soldier might suffer from cold fingers. Here’s three Canadian soldiers in the mid-1980s defending the Great White North with a rocket launcher. You can tell they’re in Canada because of all the rocks and trees and trees and rocks.

 

LITTLE FINGER . . . Divide the sts for the little finger on 3 needles, cast on 2 sts for inner side of finger and work around until finger, when tried on, reaches 1/2 inch from fingertip (about 1 3/4 inches for small and medium sizes, or 2 inches for large size). Then * k 1, k 2 tog. Repeat from * around. Work 1 rnd straight. Next rnd: K 2 tog. around. Break yarn, leaving a 6-inch end. Thread this end into needle and run through remaining sts. Draw tight and darn in end to reinforce tip.

RING FINGER . . . Pick up sts for ring finger from strand of yarn and 2 sts where the 2 sts were cast on for the little finger; cast on 2 sts between palm and back of hand as before. Divide the sts on 3 needles and work around until 1/2 inch from tip (about 2 1/2 inches in all). Then shape tip as follows: 1st rnd:* K 2 tog., k 2. Repeat from * around. Work 1 rnd straight. 3rd rnd: * K 2 tog., k 1. Repeat from * around. K 1 rnd straight. 5th rnd: K 2 tog. around. Break yarn and finish as for little finger.

Even my grandfather, pictured in 1946 with his wife and baby girl in balmy Okinawa, would have appreciated warm gloves when soldiering in the chillier parts of Japan.

 

MIDDLE FINGER . . . Pick up the sts for middle finger, 2 sts on 2 sts cast on for ring finger and cast on 2 sts between palm and back of hand. Work about 2 3/4 inches (1/2 inch from fingertip) and finish as for ring finger.

FOREFINGER . . . Pick up sts for forefinger and 2 sts on the 2 sts cast on for middle finger. Work as for ring finger.

THUMB . . . Pick up the sts from safety pin for thumb and 3 sts on the 5 cast-on sts. Work straight for about 2 inches and finish as for ring finger.

RIGHT HAND . . . Work to correspond. Press through damp cloth with hot iron.

SCARF

With pair of needles, cast on 66 sts. Work 15 inches in stockinette stitch (k 1 row, p 1 row). Work 12 inches in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Work 15 inches more in stockinette stitch (42 inches total length). Bind off loosely. Work 1 row of single crochet around, except along sides of ribbing. Press through damp cloth with hot iron.

 

MARKSMAN GLOVES

Smart and practical for the expert marksman because they leave the trigger finger free.

Sizes Small, Medium, and Large

LEFT HAND . . . Follow directions for Plain Gloves to point where glove is placed on hand to mark off fingers. Mark off sts for forefinger by placing safety pin on palm and back of hand. (Be sure to have an even number of sts.) Take remaining sts off on a strand of yarn, to be worked later.

FOREFINGER . . . Divide sts of forefinger on 3 needles. Cast on 2 sts between palm and back of hand. Work around until finger, when tried on, reaches 1/2 inch from fingertip (about 2 1/2 inches in all). Then shape tip as follows: 1st rnd: * K 2 tog., k 2. Repeat from * around. Work 1 rnd straight. 3rd rnd: * K 2 tog., k 1. Repeat from * around. Work 1 rnd straight. 5th rnd: K 2 tog. around. Break yarn, leaving a 6-inch end. Thread this end into needle and run through remaining sts. Draw right and darn in end on wrong side to reinforce tip.

And these gentlemen definitely need warm gloves, as they’ve been misplaced in both time and space. Yes, the only time the British and the French ever fought in Ottawa (Canada’s capital – yay!) was in the mid-1980’s.

 

Divide remainder of sts on 3 needles and pick up 2 sts where 2 sts were cast on for forefinger. Work around, until 1 inch from tip (about 2 1/2 inches in all). Then shape tip as follows: 1st rnd: Dec. 4 sts evenly around. Work 1 rnd straight. Repeat the last 2 rnds alternately 3 more times. Next rnd: K 2 tog around. Finish same as forefinger.

THUMB . . . Pick up sts for thumb from safety pin and 3 sts on the 5 cast-on sts. Work straight for about 2 inches and finish as for forefinger.

RIGHT HAND . . . Work to correspond except, after picking up sts of both forefinger and thumb, work only 1 inch in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

Press through damp cloth with hot iron.

 

TRIGGER GLOVES

Marvelous for keeping the hands warm and leaving the fingers ready for action.

Sizes Small, Medium and Large

LEFT HAND . . . Follow directions for Plain glove to point where only sts for working Little Finger remain on needles. When finger has odd number of sts, inc. 1 st for k 1, p 1 ribbing.

LITTLE FINGER . . . Divide the sts for little finger on 3 needles, cast on 2 sts for inner side of finger and work 6 rnds in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

RING FINGER . . . Pick up sts for ring finger from strand of yarn and 2 sts where the 2 sts were cast on for little finger; cast on 2 sts between palm and back of hand as before. Work 8 rnds in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

MIDDLE FINGER . . . Pick up sts for middle finger from strand of yarn and 2 sts where the 2 sts were cast on for little finger; cast on 2 sts between palm and back of hand. Work 9 rnds in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

FOREFINGER . . . Pick up sts for forefinger and 2 sts where the 2 sts were cast on for middle finger. Work 8 rnds in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

THUMB . . . Pick up the sts from safety pin for thumb and 3 sts over the 5 cast-on sts. Work 8 rnds in ribbing of k 1, p 1. Bind off loosely.

RIGHT HAND . . . Work to correspond.

Press through damp cloth with hot iron.

 

Wishing all the best – and toasty hands! – to all of our soldiers, past and present.

Click here for the printable pattern.