HJS Studio Patterns

WWII Hat and Helmets

Holly Shaltz, Fiberist
PO Box 136
Boyne City MI
49712 USA

Print Version Here

Introduction

Sharon Earley of the American Red Cross in San Antonio, Texas, bought on eBay an old Bucilla Yarn booklet, entitled "Practical, Warm Hand Knits for Service Men," full of instructions for knitting items for military men during World War II. The booklet is Volume 318, dated 1940, and is marked 10 cents!

Sharon sent me scans of each page of the booklet so I could put them on my website as companions to the WWI knit patterns. Since the instructions are relatively modern, I've simply retyped them verbatim. Please read the World War II Pattern FAQ if you have any questions.

Abbreviations used: st - stitch, sts - stitches, k - knit, p - purl, tog - together

This page includes "Beanie" (watch cap), Helmet with turtleneck, and Helmet with chest protector.

Beanie No. 212

Beanie

MATERIALS-- Bear Brand or Bucilla "AA" De Luxe Knitting Worsted, 1 skein, or Bear Brand or Bucilla Standard Brand Knitting Worsted, 1 skein. 2 Pairs (4) Bucilla White 10-inch Double-pointed Knitting Needles, Size 4, Article 3843. Cast on 96 sts, 32 on each of 3 needles. Join and work in ribbing of k 2, p 2 for 6 inches (about 42 rounds), then work in ribing of k 6, p 2, for 22 rounds. K 1 round plain. Decrease 1 st at both ends of each needle, as follows: * k 1, slip 1, k 1, pass the slipped st over the knitted ("slip-k-pass"), k to within 3 sts of end of needle, k 2 together, k the last st; repeat from * until 4 sts remain on each needle. Break off yarn, thread end into a darning needle, draw through all sts, twice, tighten and darn in end.

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Helmet No. 204 - Neck Length

MATERIALS-- Bear Brand or Bucilla "AA" De Luxe Knitting Worsted, 2 skeins, or Bear Brand or Bucilla Standard Brand Knitting Worsted, 2 skeins. 2 pairs (4) Bucilla White 10-inch Double-pointed Knitting Needles, Size 5, Article 3843. LOWER PART OF HELMET-- Cast on 96 sts, place them on 3 needles, join and work round and round in ribbing of k 2, p 2, for 6 inches, ending last round with k 2. FACE-OPENING-- Bind off the first 22 sts, work in ribbing to end of round. Work back and forth in ribbing on remaining 74 sts, for 18 rows. Cast on 22 sts for upper edge of face-opening, work roun dnad roun don all 96 sts for 3 inches; decrease 1 st at end of last round.

Helmet with Turtleneck

TOP OF HELMET-- Work top of helmet in stockinette stitch, shaping it as follows: * k 17, k 2 tog, repeat from * to end of round (5 decreases).

2nd round, and every other round thereafter: knit all sts.

3rd round: * k 16, k 2 tog, repeat from * to end of round.

4th round: even.

5th round: * k 15, k 2 tog, repeat from * to end of round.

Continue in this way to work one st less between decreases, in each successive decreasing round, until 45 sts remain, then decrease in every round until 15 sts remain. Break off yarn, draw end through all 15 sts, twice; tighten and darn in end on wrong side. Press top part on wrong side under a damp cloth.

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Helmet No. 204 - With Chest-and-Back Protector

Helmet with chest and back protectors

Editorial note: Apparently this helmet has slits worked in over the ears, perhaps to allow the use of telephones or something similar without taking off the helmet. If you don't want slits, work those parts together rather than separately. MATERIALS-- Bear Brand or Bucilla "AA" De Luxe Knitting Worsted, 2 skeins, or Bear Brand or Bucilla Standard Brand Knitting Worsted, 2 skeins. 2 pairs (4) Bucilla White 10-inch Double-pointed Knitting Needles, Size 5, Article 3843.

Chest-and-Back Protector Parts: Cast on 32 sts, k 2 rows (1 ridge) in garter stitch. * Next row k 1, increase (k 2 sts in one) in next st, k to end of row; repeat from * 15 times; there will now be 48 sts on needle (8 increases at each side). K even in garter stitch until there are 38 ridges from beginning, break off. Make a duplicate piece, but do not break off yarn at end.

Now divide all 96 sts on 3 needles, and work in ribbing of k 2, p 2, as follows: k the last st of first piece to the needle that holds the sts of second piece; with a 3rd needle p 2, k 2, alternately, on the next 32 sts; with 4th needle continue in ribbing of p 2, k 2, on the remaining 15 sts of first garter stitch piece, ending with k 1; to the same needle k the first st of second garter stitch piece, and continue ribbing with p 2, k 2, alternately, on the next 16 sts of second piece; with the free needle continue ribbing on remaining 32 sts of first piece; there will now be 32 sts on each of 3 needles. Continue in ribbing for 5 inches, ending with k 2.

Next row bind off for face-opening: work in ribbing on the first 12 sts, bind off the next 22 sts, ribbing to the first bound-off st for face opening, turn, work back and forth on the 74 sts left on needles, for 3 more rows.

Short rows in front of first ear-opening: Turn, * work in ribbing on the first 16 sts, turn, repeat from * until there are 10 short rows, drop yarn.

Rows in back of ear-openings: Join another ball of yarn at end of first short row and work in ribbing as before on the next 42 sts, for 10 rows (meanwhile keeping the remaining 16 sts on free needle or stitch holders), break off yarn.

Short rows in front of ear-opening on other side: Join yarn at end of first row in back, work 10 rows in ribbing on the remaining 16 sts, break off yarn. Now pick up the dropped yarn at end of the first 10 short rows and continue in ribbing on all 74 sts for 3 rows. Cast on 22 sts, work round and round in ribbing on all 96 sts for 3 inches; decrease 1 st at end of last round.

Now work Top of Helmet in stockinette stitch, shaping it as follows:

1st round: * k 17, k 2 together, repeat from * to end of round (5 decreases).

2nd round, and every other round thereafter: knit all sts.

3rd round: * k 16, k 2 together, repeat from * to end of round.

4th round: work even.

5th round: * k 15, k 2 together, repeat from * to end of round.

Continue in this way to work one st less between decreases in each successive decreasing round until 45 sts remain, then decrease in every round until 15 sts remain. Break off yarn, draw end through all 15 sts, twice, draw sts together tightly and darn in end on wrong side.

Press top part (stockinette stitch part) on wrong side under a damp cloth. If ear-openings are not desired, the edges may be sewn together.