Butterick 3120 - Women's and Misses' Hospital Gown

1940s.

Patterns for hospital wear still up now and again in the backs of the big pattern catalogs, but they don't stay in print very long and can be hard to find.  Really, this is just a nightgown pattern cut off short and modified to tie in the back, but wouldn't it be comforting to go into the hospital supplied with gowns that somebody who cared about you had made?  And wouldn't it also provide some measure of comfort and purpose to the maker to have done something so useful?

Official American Red Cross Pattern No. 60 - Men's Pajamas

September 1, 1917.  This one was produced by Pictorial Review.

The Red Cross seems to have allowed all the pattern companies to produce patterns for them.  Thus far we've seen the Matinee Blouse published by Home Pattern Company, the comfort kit by May Manton (though this may not be an Official ARC pattern), a taped hospital shirt by McCalls, and drawers by Butterick.

All the patterns sold for ten cents.

According to Priscilla War Work Book, Comforts for Soldiers and Sailors (available in facsimile from IvaRose):

Patterns and materials may be procured from most retail dry-goods stores, or through the nearest Red Cross Chapter.  Simply ask for "Red Cross Pattern" for the garments you desire to make.

On the same page, recommended fabrics for the pajamas are:

 ...cotton oxford (cheviot) or equivalent. Seersucker "Bates" or equivalent. Outing flannel: "Amoskeag 1921"...or equivalent.  Gray recommended.

The pattern envelope recommends outing flannel in light or dark stripes.  Grey hospital pajamas is such a depressing thought.

Official American Red Cross Pattern No. 35 - Taped Hospital Bed Shirt

World War I.  The statement that this pattern supersedes all others previously issued means I'm going to try to find one of these previously issued patterns.

The instructions on the back of the envelope are more detailed than is usual for this period, and detail how to make flat fell seams.  They also instruct that the hems are to be folded to and sewn on the outside.  I wonder why this is.

I'm curious to know how the process of home sewing for the Red Cross worked during WWI.  Did one purchase the pattern from the Red Cross, or did stores carry them?  Were there special prices on the fabric?  Did the maker sew on the Red Cross Emblem, or did Red Cross volunteers do this?  Were the shirts quality checked and bundled by the local Red Cross chapters?