Description
As American soldiers began active duty in France, the American Red Cross sent out an urgent request for knitted goods such as socks, sweaters, scarves, and wristlets. Americans responded to the Knit for Sammie! (Uncle Sam) campaign with great enthusiasm, and knitting parties sprang up in cities and towns across the country. Creative knitting was strongly discouraged, and knitters were required to follow knitting patterns developed by the Red Cross in accordance with Army and Navy regulations. Needles and yarn were provided by the Red Cross. The label, Gift of the American People thru the American Red Cross, was sewn into every garment. By mid-1918, the militarys need for socks was desperate, and each Red Cross chapter in the country was expected to produce 55,000 socks every three months. On the march or in the trenches, doughboys were frequently exposed to wet, cold conditions; their boots were minimally water repellant and wore out quickly. Dry, warm socks helped to prevent trench foot, a serious fungal disease which often led to amputation. Sadly, knitters were also required to make stump socks to cover amputated limbs.
Details
- Work Date:
- 1918
- Credit Line:
- Gift of Bartlett H. Hayes, 1985