WW1 Memorial Quilt – Reggie - Sailor

Just like with the soldiers, some of my relatives who died in WW1 were in the navy before the start of the war.  Like the army it provided a chance for poor working class lads to travel and see the world.  It also provided bed and board for those who were very poor.

For this piece I have used a different colour knitting technique.  It is sort of striped but there was no plan – I made it up as I went along.  I hope you know what it is meant to be – it is the sea – what else could I knit for a sailor?  I considered boats and other maritime symbols, but I decided on the sea.

I picked out 5 different green and blue shades of Rowan Felted Tweed and just changed colour when I felt like it.  I blended the stripes together by knitting alternate stitches on the joins.  I also added a few random bits – to break the stripes up further and to suggest waves.

For this piece, I cast on 67sts and knit 99 rows.

This piece is named after my third cousin, twice removed: Reginald Henry Hobbs.  He was a newsboy in 1911 but joined the navy in 1914.  He died on 8 May 1915 aged 19.  It is also to remember Arthur Richard Mummery who was also my third cousin, twice removed.  He joined the navy in 1912 and died on HMS Vanguard on 9 July 1917 aged 25.   Thirdly – this piece is to remember William Paul Stuttle who was my second cousin, three times removed.  He was a cabin boy in the Mercantile Marines and very sadly died on 9 September 1918 aged 14.  I am not sure why 14 is worse than 19, but it is.  Lastly this is for all the sailors who died in WW1.