History of the Seaman's Scarf
The sturdy seafarer's scarf, with its wide ends and narrow center, is a staple in comfort bags made by the Seamen's Church Institute for over 100 years. The Seamen's Church Institute was founded in 1834 and cares for the spiritual, professional and personal needs of mariners around the world. What started as a simple charitable mission during the Spanish-American War has become a project that knitters around the United States participate in all year long. Does this Spark an idea?
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Origins
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According to SeamensChurch.org, Chaplain A. A. Gardner wrote in his annual report of 1898 that the "recent war between this country and Spain" allowed an opportunity for the organization to pass out "comfort bags" to naval personnel. The records state that a Mrs. E.A. Gardner, presumably the wife of the chaplain, made the suggestion to create these comfort kits that included medical supplies, prayer books and sewing materials. Once the press printed stories about the comfort bags, volunteers came to help the project along.
Continuation
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Two years later saw the creation of the Seamen's Benefit Society that continued the suggestion of Mrs. Gardner. This group, composed entirely of women, sent flowers to hospitalized seamen and put on entertaining shows while making comfort bags for men at sea. At the onset of World War I in 1914, the group organized the volunteer knitting program to make items such as gloves, sweater vests and scarves for distribution to men who were at battle on the water. This program continued under different names through the years, helping seamen during World War II, the Korean conflict and to the present day.
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Design
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The seafarer's scarf design is 46 inches long with wide flaps on the end and a skinny-looking neckband. The short length prevents the ends of the scarf from getting caught in machinery. While the neckband looks thinner than the rest of the scarf, its greater thickness keeps the back of the neck warmer without extra bulk. The organizers remind knitters that men wear these scarves and hats. They encourage volunteer knitters to choose colors suitable for men and to use machine-washable yarns.
Christmas at Sea
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Today the knitting project continues through the Christmas at Sea volunteer knitting program sponsored by the Seamen's Church Institute. According to the Spring 2011 issue of "Knit Before Christmas" newsletter, 4,000 knitters and crocheters from all 50 states participate in this program. The group suggests making the basic pattern of the scarf, although they also allow more intricate patterns for the end flaps. The Christmas at Sea program encourages year-round giving of the seafarer's scarf and other knitted items.
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References
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