What is a balaclava?

A balaclava is a knitted (or sometimes crocheted) head covering that is essentially a close-fitting cap combined with a tube-shaped neck, with an opening at the front for the face. It can be worn exposing only the eyes, or with the lower part of the opening at various points to cover or reveal the nose and mouth. The cap section may be pushed back off of the head in warmer conditions or as necessary. It is said to have originated sometime after the Battle of Balaclava in 1864, during which British troops wore handmade garments against the bitter cold because their own supplies had not arrived. The style of the cap is said to have been based on similar caps, the Uhlan worn by Polish and Prussian soldiers and the Templar cap worn by outdoor-sportsmen, earlier in the century. The earliest-known use of the term balaclava, though, was apparently in 1881; it was first called a helmet, and in pattern books of the early 20th century is often clarified as a "helmet (or balaclava)". Nevertheless, it is clearly a very practical garment for cold-weather wear, especially because it can be worn under larger hoods or protective helmets, and it is no surprise that it became a popular item to knit for soldiers and sailors during wartime.

(Franklin Habit writes about his search for a pattern, or even a logical description, of either the Uhlan or the Templar cap, and gives an updated pattern for Weldon's 1881 "Gent's Balaclava Cap" --

in his "Uh-la-la" post at Knitty. There is an "Uhlan Cap" as part of the instructions for "A Seaman's Outfit" in the Columbia Book of Yarns by Anna Schumacker, but this is dated 1915, long after the origin of the term, and clearly used there as simply a synonym for balaclava.)

Soldiers of the London Rifle Brigade with troops of the 104th and 106th Saxon Regiments during the so-called Christmas Truce, 1914. The soldier second from left at the front is wearing a balaclava; the soldier to his right is probably also. Non-commercial use permitted courtesy the Imperial War Museum, cat.Q 70075.

 

Knitted Comforts for Men on Land and Sea (Baldwin, 191?) provides two "helmet (or balaclava)" patterns, one with a split lower section that provides extra warmth to the front and back of the wearer's neck --

 and one with a plain ribbed neck --

(See also the post at "Knitting Now and Then" for some background information on this booklet and its pattern writer, Marjory Tillotson.)

The article "Knitting Comforts for the Troops" by Susan Strawn at PieceWork Magazine has another helmet pattern, with garter stitch flaps and a stockinette cap, from the Columbia Yarn company ca.1917.

This image, from the Jaeger Handknit series no.44, is courtesy the V&A's page on 1940s knitting, and a PDF of the pattern in modern terminology is available here. Interestingly, the Baldwin "helmet with flaps" pattern of a generation earlier says that "War Office Experts do not recommend apertures for the ears" which are especially vulnerable to the cold; presumably the development of radio technology in the ensuing twenty years made the additional openings necessary, one hopes not at the expense of the serviceman's ears.

Holly Shaltz has posted images from an American Red Cross booklet of three balaclava patterns for servicemen, and provided both transcriptions of the original "receipts" and updated instructions.

The Chelsea Bridge balaclava is undated but is most likely a 1940s pattern, as is the balaclava pattern from the "Guide to Knitting for Active Service" by the Australian Comforts Fund; the pattern in this link shows only the instructions rewritten in modern knitting terminology.

An American booklet of the 1940s that had at least one further edition post-war was Bucilla's "Warm Hand Knits for Servicemen".

See also the blog and online shop "Handmade WWI and WWII Reproduction Knits" for some interesting photos and background (though no patterns) on knitting for servicemen during those two wars.

Ladies' knitted square shawl (1892)

This pretty shawl from the 1892 "Delineator" magazine has a center field worked in blackberry stitch, still a popular choice for shawls etc. today. Somewhat unusually, a measurement for a finished section is given -- on the other hand, eighteen inches (45-46 cm) for the center, even allowing maybe half again for the borders, seems on the small side for a shawl, but perhaps it is meant for the shoulders.

Blackberry stitch is known by many names: trinity, bramble, raspberry, cluster. Slight variations abound, as one might expect!

Blackberry Stitch à la The Delineator

Over a multiple of 4 sts.

Row 1 (RS): *(K1, P1, K1) all in the same st, P3tog, rep from * to end.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 3: *P3tog, (K1, P1, K1) all in the same st, rep from * across. 

Row 4: Purl. 

Repeat these four rows for pattern. 

(A "Delineator" reader was apparently confused by this stitch, as a paragraph appeared in the "Answers to Correspondents" column of a later issue, viz., "[To] Miss M. R. : In knitting ladies' square shawl, first row knit 1, purl 1, and knit 1 out of 1 or next stitch, thus making 3, which you will find take the place of the 3 stitches purled together. This will neither widen nor narrow, but keep the shawl square. Treat the third row in the same manner" [v.41, p.xvi].)

Knitting needle and crochet hook gauges

"British knitting needle gauges. Showing an enamelled metal pair made by Milward, probably in the 1970s or 1980s, for sale in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. They show imperial (wire gauge) and metric sizes."  Source: Wikimedia Commons, via user Storye book.

 For a fascinating and admirably thorough look at the history of needle and hook gauges, see the article "Early North American Knitting Needle Gauges" (parts one, two, and three!) by Susan Webster of Webster's Knitting Needle Notions in Australia.

(There are many other interesting articles on Webster's site -- click on the "Articles" tab, or just explore ...)

"British knitting needle gauges. They were made by Abel Morrell for their Aero knitting needles (right) and hooks (left). Both were probably manufactured before 1939. The right hand one is older, possibly 1920s. The left hand one is enamelled metal and has the cross fox trademark. Both are unmarked on the back." Source: Wikimedia Commons, via user Storye book.

"Boudoir Jacket no.476" (1917)

This crocheted boudoir jacket pattern is from Corticelli's "Lessons in Knitting and Crochet, book 6," available at Antique Pattern Library.  A boudoir or bed jacket was a waist-length garment, often knitted or crocheted, worn over one's nightgown while reading or perhaps breakfasting in bed; it was most popular from about the 1920s to the 40s.  (Joanne Thompson theorizes, quite logically, that the garment's decline in popularity in the 1950s was due most likely to the rise in central heating, that an extra layer of warmth simply wasn't needed any more.)

Fatima at Crochetology by Fatima has a long post detailing her making of this boudoir jacket.

In the Winter 2021 issue of "PieceWork" magazine, Pat Olski has rewritten the jacket pattern into modern format, adding to very handsome effect the Crocheted Coat Fastener no.321a from Corticelli's "Lessons in Crochet, book 2," also available in its original format at Antique Pattern Library.

 The boudoir jacket in "Weldon's Practical Crochet, 194th series" (no.423, vol.36) from about the same date,

is of very similar construction, though rather more dégagé in appearance.  Note also the similarity between these particular boudoir jackets and the hug-me-tight worn by Trini Alvarado as Meg in the 1994 film of "Little Women" which, if it is indeed an authentic 1860s garment, would certainly be an ancestor --

"Home Fires"

Sisters Laura (Leila Mimmack) and Kate (Rachel Hurd-Wood) wear, respectively, the embroidered jacket from Golden Eagle no.478 and the leaf-patterned cardigan from Bestway 1027.

 

The 2015-2016 series "Home Fires" set in WWII-era rural England is chock-full of wonderful period knits -- and we know they are absolutely authentic as Bridget C. has tracked down the original patterns for two of her favorites.  Copies of the patterns are available for a modest fee from Sue at FabForties.

For more photos of knitwear from the series see the A Bluestocking Knits post here.

Golden Eagle no.478, an embroidered Bavarian-style jumper or jacket, knitted in 3-ply, to fit a 34"-36" bust. The pattern also included instructions for modifying the short sleeves to long, and a quote for the number of coupons needed for the wool.

Bestway 1027 a leaf-patterned cardigan with small collar, knitted in 3-ply, to fit 32" bust.

Kudos to the "Home Fires" costume designers, Lucinda Wright and Howard Burden, for using authentic patterns for their garment!

"Panel Slip-On Sweater" (1919)

This panel sweater appears in the May 1919 issue of the American magazine "The Delineator," available online at the Hathi Trust, via Google and the University of Iowa. Note the model's fashionable post-war "corset-less" figure! quite a difference from her mother's rigid silhouette twenty-some years earlier.

"Ladies' and Misses' Sweaters" (1897)

This 1897 sweater pattern is from the American magazine "The Delineator" (v.49, pp.700-701), available free from the Hathi Trust, via Google and the University of Iowa.

This pattern, in two variations, is presented in what was then a rather modern way, with photographs showing what the finished garment looks like when laid flat and when worn, as well as having (basic) instructions for making it larger or smaller than the single size given.  The only different between the two versions is the generosity of the upper part of the leg-of-mutton sleeves.

 The Met in New York has in their collection a wool sweater that looks remarkably like the Delineator one in its shape --

Sweater, ca. 1895, probably American. Casual wear such as this, the Museum notes, "is rare in museum collections because of the nature of its use and the intrinsic value people placed on more formal attire." Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession no.2009.300.1111.

 The Met sweater, though, is worked in a brioche stitch on the body and upper sleeves, with probably a single rib at the waist and lower sleeves, with accents in an interesting zigzag stitch.

"Knitted Yoke for a Corset Cover" (1897)

This 1897 pattern for a lacy yoke for a corset cover is from the American magazine "The Delineator" (v.49, pp.590-591), available free from the Hathi Trust, via Google and the University of Iowa. The yoke would be sewn to a fabric bodice, buttoned in the front.

A corset cover was a garment worn over a corset to smooth the lines under one's dress, and also to protect the inside of the dress from the hardware of the corset.  Corset covers began to be worn in the 1860s, when smoothness of the close-fitting bodices became the ideal, and they continued to be worn through the Edwardian period, presumably as long as corsets themselves were worn.  See the post at Historical Sewing for examples.

The young lady on the left has a smooth bodice, whereas the young lady on the right has a slight "dent" from her undergarments just above the bust. Images via Flashbak.

Knitting sampler (1880-1920)

Knitting sampler, cotton (1880-1920). Source: ModeMuseum Antwerpen, via Wikimedia Commons.