27 May 2011
To celebrate the Redoubt Fortress’ Stitch for Victory exhibition, visitors are invited to ‘Knit for Victory’ next weekend at living history event A Stitch in Time Saves Lives.
During the Second World War, the Great British nation were all stitching and visitors are being invited to follow in their footsteps and capture the stitched spirit of the time at the 1940s themed event next Saturday.
Comfort patterns are available to pick up now from the Redoubt for free and knitters can either join the Knitting Comforts for the Troops Party and stitch balaclavas, socks and gloves, or can knit a square, which will be used as part of a community patchwork blanket to be donated to The Chaseley Trust.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure Cllr Neil Stanley said “A Stitch in Time Saves Lives promises to be a really unique living history event with the chance for residents and visitors to come along and find out just how important needlework was to people living during the Second World War. I really hope that people get behind our Knit for Victory appeal and take time to create their own knitted pieces ready for the event next Saturday.”
A Stitch in Time Saves Lives is free to visitors and is taking place to support the Redoubt’s Stitch for Victory exhibition, which documents for the first time how the seemingly insignificant domestic act made such an important contribution to lives during World War Two.
As the Black Out curtains went up, sewing was used as a way to ease nerves in the air raid shelters and a resourceful way to create clothing during the time of rationing and austerity. Many people were also called to do war work, which included time in the factories, producing essential military equipment such as uniforms, sand bags, barrage balloons and parachutes.
Stitch campaigns of Made Do & Amend, Knitting Comforts for the Troops, and Needlecraft for the Forces gave people a renewed purpose for their stitching.
For more information on A Stitch in Time Saves Lives taking place from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 4 June, go to the Eastbourne Museums website or call 01323 410300. Knitters can find the dimensions for the knitted squares on the Redoubt’s facebook page.
