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Land’s End Knitting Charity….

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Lands’ End Invites Customers To Knit A Charity Hat For Chilly Sailors

Lands’ End is calling on customers to grab their knitting needles, cast-on and help sailors cast-off in a cosy new hat.

Sep 17, 2009 – The home shopping clothing specialist has teamed up with the Sailors’ Society and is aiming to provide hundreds of knitted hats for the merchant seafarer charity’s Woolly Hat Campaign 2010.

The retailer has put together a free ‘knit-a-hat’ kit; providing customers with everything they need to create wonderful woolly hats. The new hats will warm the cockles of merchant sailors’ hearts – as well as their heads – as they battle the elements to ship our consumer goods around the world.

The kit contains Lands’ End’s exciting new feelgood yarn – a specially sourced blend that knits into wonderfully warm and cosy clothing. Enough of the feelgood yarn has been put aside to enable the business and its loyal customers to hit their target of 1,500 hats to be distributed to sailors during Woolly Hat Week – February 7-13th 2010.

Lands’ End UK Managing Director Tim Curtis said: “We’re proud to pledge our support to the Sailors’ Society as it works to enrich the quality of seafarers’ lives in the UK and around the world and we’re sure our customers have all the necessary skills to get knitting and make a difference.

“Sailors and sailing is close to our hearts at Lands’ End – our US founder Gary Comer was a world-class sailor and our business grew out of its roots as a yachting equipment retailer into the global clothing brand it is today.”

Jan Webber, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at the Sailors’ Society, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Lands’ End. Many people forget that without the seafarer, everyday essentials that we take for granted would not reach our shores. These people often spend many months at sea in harsh conditions, sometimes not even speaking the same language as their colleagues.

“A simple act of gratitude can mean the world to someone far from home and family; by knitting a woolly hat you are spreading the work of the Sailors’ Society and directly benefiting the seafarer at the same time.”

For more details, contact Rachel in the Lands’ End Press Office on 0870 600 3870

www.sailors-society.org or visit www.landsend.co.uk/feelgood

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Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern – A Cozy Little Gift Project With Old-Fashioned Charm

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.