Knitting

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Helmet Liners, Knitted For Our Troops

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I’m sure you’ve heard of these, and possibly even knitted some yourselves, but just in case you haven’t, here’s a pattern (click on the image to see a bigger version):

As a note… with the liners that I have knit, I’ve made them longer to cover up more of the neck, and I’ve used Cascade 220, as it’s a superwash wool. The majority of these recipients will be guys, and guys, being guys, won’t take the time to gently wash a wool garment, so a superwash is good.

And, in the prototype that I knit, for myself, it’s awesome underneath my snowmobile helmet, for doing chores out in the winter, and even under my motorcycle helmet when it’s really too cold to ride but you really really want to….. anyway….

From a reader…..”We are knitting these helmet liners for the men in my husband’s unit of the US Marine Corps and putting them in packages we will be sending out for Christmas. Our goal is 1000 helmet liners. We need all the help we can get! If you would like to help, email me and I will send you instructions on where to send the completed liners. larissanderson42@gmail.com”

I hope you can help her, it’s an awesome idea.

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Comments

  1. My father told me that during WWII, women were knitting for the Troops and referred to it as “Knittin for Britian”

Have you read?

A Blanket Knitting Pattern Where Yarn Selection is Everything

Many times when I write these posts I will say something like “you can use any yarn you want” or “this would be a great stash-busting project.” That’s just how my mind works. And my stash, too, since I probably have sweater quantity of two or three yarns at most, but tons of singles and odd balls and leftovers.

Blankets are generally a really good way to use up those bits, but in this case, I think you’re going to want to plan it out a bit better.

Looking at photos of the Color Study Blanket from Purl Soho, it looks like it’s made with two yarns held together, and that block in the center is worked with one of each color from the adjoining sides to make a mixed up color.

But that’s not actually how it’s done. This is three separate colors (four, really, with the neutrals in the corners) chosen form a yarn with an expansive palette so they play off each other. The project calls for a worsted weight superwash wool, which is a great choice for a blanket that’s both warm and washable.

This pattern was originally designed by Laura Ferguson and was updated by Hiromi Glover. It is worked in one piece in garter stitch intarsia, which is a great way to learn the intarsia technique if you don’t already know it. It comes in crib or throw sizes.

Despite the introduction to this post, I am going to go ahead and say that, yes, of course you could do this blanket with scraps or odd balls or even just choose five colors that don’t blend together so easily. But I really do love the look of the color play, and I think it would be worth your time to find colors that play well together to get a similar effect.

This pattern is available for free from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]