January 29, 1942

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Needles for Defense at the Detroit column featuring a 14 year old and 11 year old who are knitting for the war.

Knitting for War Relief

Lillian De Witte 4350 Drexel Avenue and her neighbor Irene Demarez 4344 Drexel Avenue, furnished the wool and made this 36-inch square blanket, which is to be donated to American or British relief.

Needles for Defense
By Edith B. Crumb

Lillian De Witte 4350 Drexel Avenue and her neighbor Irene Demarez decided to do what they could to help by knitting and made pink and white squares for a 36-inch blanket.

Lillian is 14 years old and Irene is 11 but their knitting is beautifully done because they are experienced in the art in spite of their ages. They learned when they were little girls.

They furnished the material. No doubt, their mothers had something to do with this, but the work is their own and Lillian and Irene say that it may be donated to either the American Red Cross or the British War Relief, wherever it is most needed right now. It will be a beautiful blanket to be included in a layette and will furnish a pleasant surprise to some other.

Lillian's mother is quite a knitter too. She is turning out several children's sweaters and some socks for the Needles for Defense. She was one of the first to come in for articles when the club was started.

If anyone finds that buttonhole making is difficult, she should not try it on any of the articles handed out. A poor buttonhole spoils the entire piece and there are women who like to do this part of the work and do not have machines on which to put the article together. So do not hesitate to leave the buttonholes undone unless you are an expert at this work.

Mrs. D. Arnold 5197 Marindale avenue south, phoned to the Needles for Defense office yesterday to give a good suggestion for lap robes. She says that she and her mother have made these of material which was too heavy was too heavy to seam by crocheting around each block and sewing the crocheted edges together. She says that these are nor only practical but unusually attractive.

Mrs. Ada Robinson who was in getting material for lap robes says that she will try this. It will keep her group of women busy because they are expert with the crochet hook.

Please remember that the Needles for Defense Club meeting does not start until 1:30 every Friday afternoon. The earlier hour mentioned (1 p.m.) was for the office only, where goods are received and returned.​

​Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.