KNITTERS RALLY FOR SOLDIERS

SPRINGFIELD, IL: During the Civil War civilian volunteers tore cotton into strips to supply the army's with bandages. In both WWI and WWII, volunteers rallied to provide our fighting forces with handmade wool gloves, socks and stocking caps to keep the Soldiers dry and warm. Today, Soldiers stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo are exposed to winds and bitter cold during the winter months. Riding in open trucks and humvees, they often encounter sub-zero wind chills. The military head gear issued to the soldiers today is made of synthetic material which is not as warm as wool. Volunteer knitters are needed to make these wool caps for our Soldiers. If you don't know how to knit, consider providing wool yarn to someone who can. This can be an excellent project for church or civic groups.

The knitted, wool head covering which can be worn under the Kevlar helmet provides warmth to the head and neck but does not restrict vision. According to Dr. Richard H. Garretson, Crossroads Community Hospital, Mt. Vernon, Ill., approximately 30 percent of a person's body heat loss is through the head. It is important to keep the head warm, so the body temperature stays up. The brain controls everything else in the body, the ability to think and act as well as the ability for the body to maintain a particular temperature. One way to increase the comfort level of the military in cold climates is to provide knitted wool caps, or wooly pully's to the soldiers. "The cap is definitely warm. It has certainly been a help, or should I say warmth." said Corporal Juan M. Perez Jr., who is stationed in Iraq.

The pattern is available at www.geocities.com/helmetliner. If you have any questions, please contact helmetliner@hotmail.com.

KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOOL HELMET LINERS FOR SOLDIERS

Materials:
Cascade 220 or any soft wool yarn that will knit to gauge. Approx. 175 yards (5 hanks of 220 will make 6 hats).
Colors allowed by the military are black, charcoal, brown, tan, olive drab.
Size 8 - 16" circular needle, or size to get gauge, same size double point needles, and Size 6 - 16" circular needles for the ribbings.
One stitch marker.
Gauge: 4.5 st/in. in st st.

Neck: With smaller circular needle, cast on 84 stitches loosely. Place marker. Join in round and knit 2x2 rib for 4 inches.

To make hat portion: With larger circular needle, knit 32 stitches off smaller needle. Leave smaller circular needle in rest of the stitches. Cast on 59 additional stitches, place marker to mark beg of round, join in round, K even for 4".

1st dec row: *K 11, K 2 tog*, repeat to end of round.

Next row: Knit even.

2nd dec row: *K 10, K 2 tog*, repeat to end. Next row: Knit even. Change to DP needles when necessary.

Continue decreases as established until K2, K2 tog. After this, decrease every row until 7 stitches on needles. Cut yarn 8-9" long, feed through remaining stitches and weave in.

*Ribbing around face: With smaller needle still in neck portion, PU stitches around face. Join in circle and K in 2x2 rib for 2 inches. On first row of ribbing, decrease several stitches one inch before and after angle where neck attaches to face. Last row of ribbing, decrease in every other set of purl stitches by P2 tog. This will pull the ribbing in close to the face. BO in ribbing and work in tail. BO around face can be snug.

Designed by Bonnie Long, Knit Wits, 3419 Chatham Rd., Springfield, IL 62704. 217/698-6100. Revised 1/19/05. All rights reserved. Copies may be made only for the purpose of donating helmets to our active service personnel. In any case design attribution must remain.

*REVISION FOR RIBBING AROUND FACE: Based upon feedback from soldiers, please use these instructions entirely rather than those given above for ribbing around face.
With smaller needle still in neck portion, PU stitches around face. Join in circle and K in 2x2 ribbing for 1 inch. On last row of ribbing, decrease in 8 sets of purl stitches by P2tog (4 sets on each side of face, i.e. 10:00, 2:00, 4:00 and 8:00). This will pull the ribbing in close to the soldier's face. BO in ribbing and work in tail. BO around face can be snug.

Send the completed helmet liner to:

Operation Support Our Troops Illinois,
1807 S. Washington St.
Suite 110, #359
Naperville, IL 60565.