Black hats for soldiers

[Calisews]

Just thought I would share what I am working on. I am making black hat, also called helmet liners, for the soldiers I have adopted.

 

 

It gets very cold there and they wear these on patrol under their helmets, so have to made in black. They also wear them to sleep in to keep their head warm.

 

Dianna

[Shelena]

Just thought I would share what I am working on. I am making black hat, also called helmet liners, for the soldiers I have adopted.

 

 

It gets very cold there and they wear these on patrol under their helmets, so have to made in black. They also wear them to sleep in to keep their head warm.

 

Dianna

 

What a wonderful idea Dianna:cheer

 

I am sure that the guys and gals will be very appreciative and love these neat hats.

My SIL just returned home from Iraq last Feb after spending a year there and most likely he is returning there in either May or June of this year for at least another 6 months.

He said that it gets quite chilly there at night. So I am sure that your hats will be put to good use.

I might just make some for him and his fellow commrades so he can take them with him for everyone to use there. They would be great in an olive or army green color too.

Looks like you have quite a few ready to go:)

[Charlene]

Anyone ever hear of The Ships Project? Ellen Harpin runs it, she was written up in Readers Digest. She sends hats, slippers, cool ties, etc. to people overseas. They also collect squares to be done up into afghans for those who help n distributing the items. Charlene

[Calisews]

If they are ground troops, the hats are required to be black. For the summer months, you might want to either sew up or buy some things called cool ties. Like a personal air conditioner. They are cotton fabric that is worn around the neck and are filled with water absorbing pellets. The pellets swell with moisture after being soaked, as they start to dry out, the moisture cools the area. Same principal as evaporated air conditioner.

[mythunderbird]

they can also use camo colored yarn from what i heard. the cool ties are a awesome idea, i wish i knew where to get the pellets. looked all over here for them last summer. anyone know where i can get them reasonable priced?

[Calisews]

You should be able to get them at stores like Walmart in a few months when their lawn and garden department are up and going again.

[dazy]

you can get the water pellets at lowes garden dept. all year round. be careful. those critters really swell up alot.

[schcrochet]

Great project. Think I'd like to add my hook to this cause. What pattern are you using? Is there a standard size and pattern thats best for one size fits all? Can you post, or if you prefer send via PM. Is there an address where you send them, a contact person? How are they distributed? Black makes sense so they're not seen at night while on patrol. Who knows how much longer the weather is cold there? When do we switch from cold weather hats to something else?

[Tapanga]

What type of yarn are you using?

[Jimmie Lu]

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com has a pattern for a helmet cap. Some units that are working with bombs take only wool. No friction. I made some of dark colors even blue and brown are ok just no flouresent colors. My niece is a supply clerk for the guys going to Afgahn and Iraq. She hands them out when my sister and I send her some. If you do not have a person to send to I can get her addy from my sister. But I do not wish to take over if someone else is willing!

[CarolL]

I was wondering, how do you go about getting addresses for the men in Iraq to send items such as the helmet liners? Also what types of items can you send that are handmade? I'm interested in getting my group Mississippi Hookers involoved in sending items but don't know how to go about it.

Thanks,

[TracyD]

Here's the project I'm doing - they're called helmet liners, too, but they're like ski masks:

 

http://www.geocities.com/helmetliner

 

I'm not crazy about the pattern - a solid sc all around seems a bit stiff to me, and I don't see the reason to do it in stepped rows. So, I'm doing mine in spirals and picking up just the back thread rather than both. It's stretchier and makes a nice looking pattern. Also, the pattern calls for a K hook - there's no way I can make gauge with that - a G is perfect (at least for me. I'm also working on a ribbed bottom rather than just continuing the rounds even.

 

Anyhow, if you go look at the picture (link on page) and are good at revising knit patterns, it's a neat thing to make for our troops. There is an address at the bottom of the page.

 

When I went to the yarn store yesterday to buy yarn for it, I mentioned I was making one and there was a lady there whose nephew is in Iraq. She's already made 7 of them and sent them off, but she needs three more. I'm helping with that.

 

Tracy

[Nashville Crocheter]

to CarolL and anybody else who is interested...

 

Check out http://www.anysoldier.com look across the top and click on where to send. then look on the left sidebar. There will be a list of emails that soldiers have recently sent. Click on their name and read their list of wanted items.

[TracyD]

Ohmygawd... I just went there and clicked on a few names of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Almost all of them are asking for warm things - hats, gloves, blankets, sweaters...

 

Ladies - brush off them big hooks and get busy! If you can afford it, wool insulates much better than acrylic, so make them some woolie things.

 

I wish I hadn't found that page! I think I'm going to have to put some personal projects on the back burner.

 

Tracy

[kittencrochet]

I do work with Soldiers' Angels and they're great. You can sponsor one or more soldiers and they have a group that works primarily making baby items and another that makes things for wounded soldiers.

[Kiki]

My husband just pre-deployed on Monday to Alabama on his way to Afghanistan and I am busy making liners for them, too. They can have dark tans, as well, because they have the newer uniforms. When I was deployed in Desert Storm, those liners made the difference between having a migraine and not, even in the heat. They had just enough padding to keep the pressure off your skull from those super heavy helmets!! From an Army wife and 14 year vet, thank you for helping our troops!

[schcrochet]

This project calls out to me, but my knitting isn't good enough to do the balklava type liners. Somewhere I thought someone was crocheting black hats for inside? Come someone help me out with that.

 

Thanks

[schcrochet]

Ok, I've re-read the thread and checked each of the links. I've found the crocheted version of the helmut liner, the baklava style, and found the address. I'm confused as the picture of the big pile looked to be hats? ARe there 2 different things, or am I just not seeing it correctly? And their mailed to Illinois? Not to the soldiers, how or when do they get sent? I hate to think of things in a sitting waiting mode here stateside? Not to be sketical, it's just my nature to ask questions.

 

 

Someone mentioned not using sc as the pattern states, but back loops of sc to make it nicer and stretchier. Anyone else made these to offer some experience?

 

Thanks

[Nashville Crocheter]

TracyD...I know what you mean about the anysoldier.com site. It is addicting isn't it? I have been sending different soldiers things for over a year now. I use the flat rate boxes when I send heavy items.

 

Crocheted hats may not weigh enough to warrant using those boxes. I usually send shampoo, conditioner, books...heavy things. I usually fill in with hats and scarfs.

 

But if you are running out of people to crochet for, you have found a never ending supply of people who need your help.

[crochetkel]

What a wonderful way to support our troops. My BIL just got home from Iraq and said that the support from home is what made it tolerable. Thank you for helping make a soldiers life a little brighter in Iraq.

[Pam Gillette]

My mom and I are making a few helmet liners to send off to this organization http://www.geocities.com/helmetliner

The crochet pattern doesn't seem to be big enough to fit an adult and I emailed them and the lady who answered stated she doesn't crochet and there were no updates or changes to the crochet pattern.

 

I'm wondering if anyone else tried this crochet helmet liner pattern? I'm thinking maybe they need a second (or third) crochet pattern option?

[StitchBint]

On color, just make sure you stick to black over camo varegation. Some commanders may be more uptight than others about what their soldiers can wear in uniform (yes, even if it's under a helmet 99% of the time), black is the safer bet.

[Pam Gillette]

StitchBint, I do understand the color request, but did you crochet a helmet liner using the crochet pattern on the site? Just looking for any advice or changes anyone has made to this pattern as it does not seem to fit an adult.

[laureni526]

There is also another org colleting crocheted and knit items for soldiers.

 

Operation Toasty Toes

 

There are chapters in some states. They have free patterns on their site and do require that you use those patterns.

 

Any group you want to work with, there's a way to get warm things to our troops.