Bumping this post up for Nov 2009 update:

Join us for a Knitting/Crocheting Celebration!

Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 2 p.m.
Arkansas Children’s Hospital Cress Board Room

Knitting author, Susan B. Anderson, will give knitting tips and talk about her new book, Itty-Bitty Toys.

Update at end of this post on Oct 14, 2007 

Knit or Crochet hats for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. 
Further info at Hospital Web site:
http://www.archildrens.org/volunteer/Knitting_for_Noggins.asp

Patterns (pdf) available:
http://www.archildrens.org/pdf/volunteer/K4N/k4n_patterns.pdf

Susan B. Anderson, author of Itty Bitty Nursery and Itty Bitty Hats will be at Arkansas Children’s Hospital on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, 2-4-PM for their 2nd annual Knit-A-Thon.http://www.archildrens.org/volunteer/knitathon.asp

UPDATE:  Oct. 14, 2007

ArkansasMatters.com reports that Knitting for Noggins was a success today!
http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=60735The hat count is at 19,794! Their goal is reach 30,000 hats.

Here’s a video clip about the day:

http://www.todaysthv.com/video/news/player.aspx?aid=53598&bw==

The World War II Museum, Knitting for Veterans Campaign is a hugh success and still going strongly!  They have new 2009 - 2010 Scarf Patterns for both knitting and crochet.  Both are in pdf format:

September 8, 2009 - Update - 2009 - 2010 Scarf Patterns:

2009 - Chevron Scarf Knitting Pattern:

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/calendar/2009-scarf-pattern-knit.pdf

2009 - Chevron Scarf Crochet Pattern:

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/calendar/2009-pattern-crochet.pdf

September 2, 2008 - Update - 2008 Scarf patterns 

2008 Lengthwise Striped Scarf Knitting Pattern:

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/assets/pdfs/2008-scarf-pattern-knit.pdf

2008 Lengthwise Striped Scarf Crochet Pattern:

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/assets/pdfs/2008-scarf-pattern-crochet.pdf

They have 2007 Scarf Patterns for both knitting and crochet, featuring a ”V” for victory on them.  Both are in pdf format: 

2007 Patterns:

2007 V Scarf Knitting Pattern (designed by Lauren Handley)

2007 V Scarf Crochet Pattern (designed by Rachel Vives)

(Original post about WWII Museum Knit Your Bit Campaign is here.)

Lion Brand Yarn also has a touching story by a woman who knitted a scarf for this cause.  Her story is here.

Update - August, 2009 - New site URL  

Helmetliners and Neck Coolers are needed for our troops.

The following site gives knitting, crochet, and machine knitted patterns for the helmetliner.  

It gives directions for Sewing a Neck Cooler or Neck Gator.  

http://www.citizensam.org/html/patterns.html

Also check site for information on where to send the finished items.

http://www.citizensam.org/html/helmetliners.html

Guideposts volunteers have been knitting and crocheting sweaters for kids “across the country and around the world” since 1996.

For further information visit their website:

http://www.knitforkids.org/

For Sweater Pattern:

Classic T-Top Sweater Knitting Pattern (pdf format)

Crocheted T-Top Sweater (word doc)

Advanced Aran Knit Sweater Pattern (word doc)

10th Anniversary Knitted Sweater Pattern (pdf)

Patterns have the address as to where to send the completed sweater.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

#10  Bed-Sock

Bed-sock

One hank of yarn (¼ pound) is required, with Red Cross needles No. 2 or steel needles No. 11 or 12.

Cast 48 stitches on three needles, 16 on each. Knit plain and loosely for 20 inches. Decrease every other stitch by knitting two stitches together until you have 12 stitches on each of two needles opposite each other. Break off yarn and weave stitches together as per directions for finishing one-piece helmet.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

#9   Thumbless Mitt or Wristlet

Thumbless Mitt or Wristlet

The thumbless mitt or wristlet requires one half hank of knitting-yarn, gray, with No. 2 Red Cross needles or No. 11 or No. 12 steel needles. Nine stitches measure one inch. Cast on 48 stitches and knit 2, purl 2, for 12 inches; bind off and sew up, leaving an opening for the thumb two inches in length, three inches from one end. The ordinary wristlets or pulse-warmers are knitted in the same way, 8½ inches long, and sewed up with no thumb-opening.

Wristlets made in one piece require one half hank of yarn, and 4 bone needles No. 3, or steel needles No. 12. Cast on 52 stitches on 3 needles; 16-16-20. Knit 2, purl 2, for 8 inches. To make opening for thumb, knit 2, purl 2 to end of “Third” needle, turn; knit and purl back to end of “First” needle, always slipping first stitch, turn. Continue knitting back and forth for 2 inches. From this point continue as at first for 4 inches for the hand. Bind off loosely; buttonhole thumb-opening.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

#8  Helmet Made in Two Parts

Helmet Made in Two Parts

One hank of yarn (¼ pound); 1 pair Red Cross Needles No. 2.

The helmet is made in two parts, which afterward are sewed together.

Front of Helmet.—Cast on 48 stitches (11 inches), knit plain for 25 ribs (6 inches) and knit 2, purl 2 for 35 rows. On the next row the opening for the face is made as follows: Knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, knit and bind off loosely the next 28 stitches and purl 1, knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2. Run the stitches before the opening on a spare needle and on the stitches at the other side of opening knit 2, purl 2 for 12 rows. The last row will end at the opening, and at that point cast on 28 stitches to offset those bound off. Begin at the face opening of stitches on spare needle and knit 2, purl 2 for 12 rows. At the end of the 12th row continue all across to the end of other needle, when there should be 48 stitches on needle as at first. Knit 2, purl 2 for 24 rows.

Top of Helmet.—Knit 2, narrow (knitting 2 stitches together), knit 14, narrow, knit 14, narrow, knit 12. Purl the entire next row. On the 3d row knit 2, narrow, knit 13, narrow, knit 13, narrow, knit 11. Purl 4th row. On the 5th row knit 2, narrow, knit 12, narrow, knit 12, narrow, knit 10. Purl 6th row. Continue to narrow in the 3 places every plain knitted row with 1 stitch less between narrowings until 9 stitches are left.

Back of Helmet.—Work in same manner as for front but omit the face opening. Sew the stitches of upper edges together with joining-stitch. Sew up the side seams, leaving the plain knitting at shoulders open.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

#7  Hot-Water-Bottle Cover

Hot-Water-Bottle Cover

White knitting-cotton (medium weight); 1 pair Red Cross needles No. 1.

Cast on 56 stitches, knit 2, purl 2 and repeat until the work is 4 inches deep. Then knit back and forth plain for 9½ inches more, or until entire work measures 13½ inches. Next decrease 2 stitches at beginning and 2 stitches at end of each needle until there are sixteen stitches left, and bind off. Make another piece in same manner and sew together. Attach a 20-inch piece of tape to seam at one side of ribbing to tie around neck of bottle.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

#6 Muffler

Muffler

Two and one-half skeins of knitting-yarn and one pair amber needles No. 5, or Red Cross needles No. 3 will be required. Cast on 50 stitches, measuring 11 inches, and knit back and forth until the muffler is sixty-eight inches in length.

Vintage Knitting for the Red Cross

You may want to refer to the knitting instructions from 1918.

# 5 One-Piece Helmet

One-Piece Helmet

One hank of yarn (¼ pound); Red Cross needles No. 2.

Cast on 56 stitches loosely. Knit plain for 8 inches for front piece, and leave on extra needle. Knit another piece to correspond for back. These pieces must be at least 9 inches wide. Slip the stitches of both pieces on to 3 needles, arranging for last 2 stitches of back piece to be on beginning of 1st needle, with 38 stitches of front piece added (making 40 on 1st needle).

Divide rest of stitches on other 2 needles; 36—36.

Beginning with 1st needle, knit 2, purl 2 for 6 inches. Then on 1st needle knit 2, purl 2 for 18 stitches. Bind off 22 stitches for face opening. (Try to keep same arrangement of stitches on needles for further directions.) Knit 2, purl 2 forward and back on remaining 90 stitches for 1½ inches, always slipping first stitch. Cast on 22 stitches loosely to complete face opening, and knit 2, purl 2 for 2½ inches (adjust stitches by slipping 2 from end of 3d needle to 1st needle, making 42 on 1st needle).

Knit 1 round plain. Knit 2 stitches together, knit 11, knit 2 stitches together, knit 1. Repeat to end of round. Knit 4 rows plain. Then knit 2 stitches together, knit 9, knit 2 together, knit 1. Repeat to end of round. Knit 4 rows plain. Continue in this way, narrowing on every fifth round and reducing number of stitches between narrowed stitches by 2 (as 7, 5, 3, etc.) until you have 28 stitches left on needles. Divide on 2 needles, having 14 on 1st needle and 14 on the other.

Break off yarn, leaving 12-inch end. Thread into worsted-needle and proceed to weave the front and back together as follows:

* Pass worsted-needle through 1st stitch of front knitting-needle as if knitting, and slip stitch off—pass through 2d stitch as if purling—leave stitch on, pass thread through 1st stitch of back needle as if purling, slip stitch off, pass thread through 2d stitch of back needle as if knitting, leave stitch on. Repeat from * until all the stitches are off the needle.