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Overview
For the Empire and her Freedom,
We all must do our bit;
The men go forth to battle,
The women wait - and knit.
This verse promoted knitting as practical and patriotic activity for New Zealand women. It appeared on the cover of New Zealand's first knitting 'recipe' book, Her Excellency's Knitting Book, compiled in 1915 by Lady Liverpool (the wife of the Governor General) and Miss V Bell.
Knitting for victory
During World War I, New Zealand women (and children) waited and knitted, producing thousands of practical items for men serving overseas. Their balaclavas kept soldiers warm, as did their steady supply of hand-knitted socks, with soldiers on active service wearing out a pair in less than a fortnight.
The challenge
In March 1915, to meet this need, Lady Liverpool challenged the women of New Zealand to knit enough socks to provide two pairs for each member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Six months later, the knitters of New Zealand had cast off 30,000 pairs, which were sent overseas along with other comforts. A label like this may have been tucked into one of these many parcels, sent with the intent of warming both the heart and toes of the unknown recipient, as well as wishing him a safe return.