Friday, July 20, 2007



My mother gave me the Army Sock Knitting Kit from the Red Cross 2 years ago for Christmas and I've finally gotten around to starting work on them. It is a kit that comes in a lovely vintage-esque tin and includes Army green sock weight yarn, a darning needle, a set of 4 double pointed needles sized US 5 and a reproduced copy of a WWII GI sock pattern that civilians would have knit for the cause. This is the only kit that is offered, but there are other vintage WWII patterns posted on the Red Cross website. The proceeds of each kit go to the Red Cross which is great, but I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the needles. I started knitting the sock as directed with the included needles, but with the weight of the yarn and the girth of the needles, I thought the stitches were too loose, the junctures laddered too easily, and the overall work was just "holey". I started over again with size US 2 dpn's and cast on 68 stitches instead of the 60 and just used my basic sock formula because I was afraid I wouldn't have enough yarn with the increased number of stitches in the gauge (the original sock pattern calls for a 11" cuff!). The yarn is also simply labeled "100% wool" and that is it! No gauge is listed nor are there any washing/care instructions. It is still a neat little history lesson though. Had I been alive during WWII, I certainly would have knit for the troops. The yarn is VERY soft and these will be very warm.



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