tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post3218805832294837819..comments2023-10-12T02:21:40.102-07:00Comments on English Historical Fiction Authors: Wool, Women and WWII Debra Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03256313302199653185noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-27953501838786222042015-08-10T04:22:58.249-07:002015-08-10T04:22:58.249-07:00Hi Sue, do you think there's a bit of a reviva...Hi Sue, do you think there's a bit of a revival going on? I like the idea of the squares - about the only thing I could knit! Our local town has a lovely new Wool shop just opened up. I think there's a lot of interest in crafts too, as an antidote to our 'virtual' lives!Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-25270549071217197662015-08-07T23:34:08.410-07:002015-08-07T23:34:08.410-07:00There is actually quite a lot of knitting going on...There is actually quite a lot of knitting going on. I subscribe to a knitting web thing where you occasionally get a free pattern, in hopes of finding something I can do. And charities are always asking for things that anyone who knows how to knit can do, such as squares for blankets. A couple of years ago, Save The Children was asking for that. You knitted a certain number of squares in pure wool and they had volunteers to stitch them together as blankets. My library technician, (who was a much better knitter than me) and I knitted away and handed the squares over to the nearest STC shop. She helped me out when I stuffed up. ;-) Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-2111295199815482952015-08-07T03:53:06.590-07:002015-08-07T03:53:06.590-07:00Oh, that sounds fascinating Bev. It is only in rec...Oh, that sounds fascinating Bev. It is only in recent years that women have stopped knitting so much. I still remember the clack of my Gran's needles with fondness and nostalgia.Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-85321839744004159592015-08-07T03:51:42.419-07:002015-08-07T03:51:42.419-07:00I bet the WVS would have made you knit endless sca...I bet the WVS would have made you knit endless scarves. It was the ideal thing to do whilst listening to the radio, I believe.Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-53315556561789747622015-08-07T03:49:00.545-07:002015-08-07T03:49:00.545-07:00Hi Judith, have just got Pattern of Shadows on kin...Hi Judith, have just got Pattern of Shadows on kindle! Looking forward to it.Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-54559861459763675112015-08-06T22:30:45.491-07:002015-08-06T22:30:45.491-07:00I recently was involved in knitting for an exhibit...I recently was involved in knitting for an exhibition showing the role of the woman knitter in conflict. We used Red Cross patterns and hard wearing pure wool. I did some hospital stocking without a heel which were very warm to wear! Bev Newmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14978577738594384873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-8909950109533285832015-08-06T04:27:38.235-07:002015-08-06T04:27:38.235-07:00I would have been considered unpatriotic as I have...I would have been considered unpatriotic as I have never got the hang of knitting anything but a scarf! Great post!Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-2239981142628307692015-08-05T09:59:53.001-07:002015-08-05T09:59:53.001-07:00I do love this era - researched this time for my f...I do love this era - researched this time for my first book and been fascinated ever since. Thanks for this brilliant posthttps://www.judithbarrow-author.co.uk/https://www.blogger.com/profile/11916706180945300075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-89472336057691097352015-08-05T08:30:46.309-07:002015-08-05T08:30:46.309-07:00Yes, I guess there were probably many others with ...Yes, I guess there were probably many others with a similar allergy. Apparently the uniforms chafed even with a shirt underneath as they were still quite stiff - designed for hard wear and long life.Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-59410262858272032742015-08-05T08:28:56.745-07:002015-08-05T08:28:56.745-07:00I feel for your Mom, I would have been exactly the...I feel for your Mom, I would have been exactly the same!Deborah Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006077873037462291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-78071195034061759902015-08-05T08:00:34.279-07:002015-08-05T08:00:34.279-07:00Gee, I would have been in terrible straits. I am a...Gee, I would have been in terrible straits. I am allergic to wool and would have been covered in red itchy welts if I had to wear that uniform and the underwear and expecially the stockings. I had to wear long woollen stockings as a child (I was born in 1945) and suffered greatly til we found out what the problem was! Even thinking about it now gives me goosebumps!!Donna Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11491130884085643521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-24228096847494712122015-08-04T23:08:36.786-07:002015-08-04T23:08:36.786-07:00Clothing was hard to come by in the US, and at the...Clothing was hard to come by in the US, and at the end of the war, surplus WAC and WAVE uniforms were marketed to civilians, but with buttons and patches removed. My father bought 2 for my mother, who had very little to wear. But she hated them. After years of food and gas rationing, that that horrible Oleo, Mom was ready for some frills, not sombre,scrathy woolen suits.Linda Fetterly Roothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05679025414115279660noreply@blogger.com