Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Armistice Day

Today is Armistice Day in the United States. On this day in 1918, my grandfather was serving on the western front in France. Although he was too young to be drafted, he volunteered so one of his older brothers could stay home and work the farm with their widowed mother. He began the war as an "engineer" building bridges and moving equipment. By the end of the war, he fought alongside other US service men. 
In one of his letters he wrote about receiving a knitted helmet, a balaclava worn under the helmet. Late in the spring of 1919 he and his brother arrived home safely although his brother had lung damage from a gas attack. My Granddad was a gentle man in every sense of the word and a wonderful grandfather. I am thinking of him today and the army of knitters and Red Cross volunteers who supported the war but that is another story. 

Slow but steady seems to be my knitting pace this past week. The poncho is my comfort knitting. I pull it out in between other projects. I didn't take another photo but I've added more inches.  

The hat and mittens I knit for little Norah last winter are too small. The hat and mittens I knit for her in the Spring are too big. I asked my daughter to measure that little hand and head. This yarn, called Sparkle, seems meant just for her. She brings a lot of sparkle to my days. I love a strong willed little girl. 

I've made some progress on the latest pair of striped socks. Every time I knit striped socks, I think of my Gram who tossed quite a few sayings into her conversation. I don't know that she ever wore colorful socks but she would exclaim, "Oh my stars and striped stockings." 


On this Unraveled Wednesday, I link with Kat and other bloggers.  My hope is that on the anniversary of Armistice Day, we begin an era of healing.

Ravelry Links

Striped Socks






11 comments:

  1. Norah's hat and mittens are so cute.

    Thank you to your Granddad for his service. I'm glad someone made him a nice, warm balaclava. Those little things mean so much when you are on the front line.

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  2. Thank you for sharing the wonderful story about your grandfather. He does sound like a gentle and thoughtful man, and I like the confluence with knitting. That Sparkle yarn looks like just the thing for a special little girl!

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  3. Oh my gosh he was so young! I cannot imagine enlisting at such a young age. Those mittens are adorable.

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  4. My dad was in elementary school during wwi and that is where he learned to knit 🧶. All the school kids knit for the soldiers. And he’s the one who taught me to knit.

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  5. Your grandfather sounds like a wonderful human being -- he had to have such love for his family to join up so that his brother could stay home! I am glad that we no longer need to knit for our troops, but I think we could do with some of that "knit your bit" spirit to help with other needs in our country.

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  6. Thank you for sharing a bit of your Grandfather's story...it is profound and so moving. (and truly what I think America is about...love and sacrifice)

    I am knitting some Kate Atherley socks right now... she is a wizard of a designer. I have learned much in the knitting of these socks! (and I am chuckling at your grandmothers stars and striped socks comment!)

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  7. little N is goodilocks, this bed is too small, this bed is to big...etc. How lovely that you are knitting a set that is just right.

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  8. What a wonderful story about your grandfather, Jane. My grandmother used to tell me that she learned to knit as a little girl in school so they could make scarves to send the soldiers. I love the yarn you're using to make Norah's hat and mittens. It looks perfect for a little girl who knows her own mind! :-) And I love the striping in your socks - great colors and nice, wide stripes. Enjoy the weekend! XO

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  9. I was knitting 'colorful' socks at a German town pub and one of the older women came over to looking at my knitting. Her grand-daughter told me later that she wished her grandmother would knit with yarn like I was using. "All I get are black or dark blue socks." :)

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  10. Being a history buff, I loved the story about your grandfather. I have a great-uncle who died in France in 1918 from battle wounds. He was the first soldier from Ironwood, Mich., to die in the war, and there is a memorial for him up in Ironwood!


    Your granddaughter is going to love the hat and mittens in that Sparkle yarn!

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  11. I, too, love the story of your Grandfather. And the latest yarn for Norah is delightful!! I think Fletcher's Grandmother used to exclaim: "Oh my stars and garters!"

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