HomeMy WebLinkAboutred cross work 2015 december Sue Thompson NL ArticleComfort Pillows and Bags
Sue Thompson, Enfield Town Historian
News out of South Enfield on May 9, 1918 was that most women of South Enfield were interested in the Red Cross Work (during WW I) and so a meeting with the Trumbull Corners W.C.T.U.
(Women’s Christian Temperance Union) in Smith’s Hall was set to occur on May 17. All were asked to bring dinner in a box and any worn worsted that could be used in making quilts for
the Belgium refugees. Quilt blocks will be cut in sizes 7 x 7 inches everyone should help in this much needed work.Eight comfort pillows were made by the ladies who met Friday at the
home of Mrs. Dora Robbins.
My curiosity got the best of me, how do you make a comfort pillow? Well according to a Red Cross booklet from October 1918 a comfort pillow can be the size, 10” x 12” or 12” x 14”.
The material is any fairly heavy muslin or equivalent and must be white. Filled with snippings. Snippings should be made by cutting the material into narrow strips or shreds, which
can be pulled apart and mixed with cotton. The most desirable pillows are made from two-third snippings and one-third cotton. Great care was to be made to keep these pillows light in
weight. Comfort bags were also made at different times to send to military bases. This bag included fish line, shaving soap, tooth brush, comb, pencils, screw driver, bottle opener,
corundum stone for sharpening knifes, safety razor, postcards and a housewife. A housewife you say! Well I looked that one up and a housewife is a “kit” made of fabric which holds
sewing needles, heavy thread, safety pins, blanket pins, buttons Kahaki for Army, black for Navy, white buttons.
NOTE: Smith’s Hall was located in Trumbulls Corners, it was the stored owned by J.D. Smith. The building sits on the corner of Trumbull Corners and Millard Hill Roads.
If you want to read more about the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in Enfield, I have scanned membership books and minutes books of the WCTU and placed them in the Laserfiche public
site for the Town of Enfield: https://LFWeb.Tompkins-Co.org/WebLink8/Login.aspx?dbid=5 This site can also be located on the town web site under “Resources”.