Greetings!
I have a friend, Tarie, in Arlington TX, who owns a shop called Yarn Heaven. Tarie has a heart the size of Texas! She has declared DEC. 29, 2009 as National Helmet Liner Day. She is asking everyone to start, on that day, to knit a Helmet Liner for our soldiers over seas. We are going to participate on that day by having a Helmet Liner Open House come join us anytime on Tues DEC, 29th to start on your helmet liner. We will provide light refreshments throughout the day. We will be open from 10 am to 5 pm come and stay all day or just part. What a great way to give back to our troops who are protecting us and our county.
We currently have more than 200,000 troops in overseas theaters where they
are subjected to sub-zero wind chills during the winter. Please help us have a warm helmet liner for each one of these troops.
While this is a formidable goal, if everyone knows about the need, we
can meet it. People are glad to help our troops if they know what they
can do.
We will collect the helmet liners as you finish them and send them to a base that will ship them to the troops. Any donations to cover postage would be very helpful.
Only 100% soft wool yarn will be accepted. Wool is inherently
non-flammable, so it won’t melt against the skin in the event of an accident, and
is a good insulator even when wet.
If they do not fit properly, they will not be sent to our
troops, because they could obstruct their vision.
Colors: ONLY black, charcoal, brown, tan, olive drab or
combinations of these colors.
 
Approx. 175 yds. (5 hanks of 220 will make 6 hats). NOTE: PLEASE USE ONLY WOOL YARN.
Helmet liners made of synthetic fibers cannot be worn by Marines in
combat areas. Colors allowed by the military are black, charcoal,
brown, tan, olive drab.
Suggested yarns: Karisma, Merino Extra Fine, Alaska, Alpaca (held doubled), Fabel (held double)
Size 8 – 16″ circular needle, or size to get
gauge and same size double point needles.
Size 6 -16″ circular needles
for the neck ribbing
One stitch marker.
Gauge: 4.5 st./in. in st. st.
Instructions:
Neck: With smaller circular needle, cast on 84 stitches loosely. Place marker. Join in round and knit in 2×2 rib for 6 inches. (Note:
This used to read 4 inches but feedback from soldiers to Linda Swinford
led to a revision. There should be 6 inches of neck ribbing. Thank you!)
To make hat portion: With larger circular
needle, knit 32 stitches off smaller needle. Leave smaller circ.in rest
of the stitches, cast on 59 additional stitches, place marker to mark
beg of round, join in round. Knit ribbing around face (see instructions below) After ribbing is finished, K even for 4″. 1st dec row: *K11, K2 tog,*
repeat to end of round. Next row: Knit even. 2nd dec row: *K10, 2tog,*
repeat to end. Next row: knit even. Change to DP needles when
necessary. Continue decreases as established until K2, K2tog. After
this, decrease every row until 7 stitches on needle. Cut yarn 8-9″
long, feed through remaining stitches and weave in.
Ribbing around face: (This portion has been
revised from original instructions, based upon feedback from soldiers.
Please use these instructions entirely rather than any older
instructions you may have. Thank you.). With smaller needle still in
neck portion, PU stitches around face. Join in circle and K in 2×2
ribbing for 1 inch. On last row of ribbing, decrease in a total of 8
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 their face. BO
in ribbing and work in tail. BO around face can be snug.
Click here for Thank you notes from the troops.
Click here for more information on www.citizansam.org
Thank you!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Dixie Grilley
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