Knit V for Victory: Wartime Knitting

In celebration of the visiting exhibit The Longest Yarn, the Military Aviation Museum invites you to a fun, fiber-filled day exploring the history of knitting for the war effort. Discover how knitting, spinning, and yarn production supported the Homefront during WWI and WWII, learn about the surprising connections between knitting and espionage, and enjoy hands-on fiber-arts activities for all ages. Included with Museum admission and free for Museum Members.

When The Longest Yarn leaves Virginia and returns overseas, our Poppy Wall will be leaving too. By buying a poppy, hand crafted here in Virginia, and adding it to the wall, you will be showing your support and that of the Military Aviation Museum as it travels to its future home, or take your poppy home as a remembrance of this amazing exhibit.

Schedule of Events

10:30 AM

Opening Remarks: History of The Longest Yarn with Robin Comfort (mezzanine)

Followed by a guided tour of the exhibit

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Knit V for Victory: Wartime Knitting

Presentation with Aileen Wilson (classroom)

12:00 PM

Guided Tour of The Longest Yarn & Creator Meet & Greet (exhibit)

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

⭐ Intro to Knitting: Make Your Own Poppy ⭐

Limited to 20 participants (classroom)

Your knitted poppy will become part of the Poppy Wall traveling back to Europe.

1:30 PM

Guided Tour of The Longest Yarn & Creator Meet & Greet (exhibit)

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM

Knitting and Espionage

Presentation with Suzanne Hoffman (classroom)

All-Day Activities

• Hands-on family fiber arts:
• Yarn dolls
• Sheep craft
• Tissue paper poppies
• Coloring sheets
• Period knitting patterns to take home
• “Meet & greet” with the creators of The Longest Yarn
• Guided exhibit tours
• Knitting Bee: Demonstrations by local fiber artists
• Learn how wool becomes yarn
• Mother of Yarns shop pop-up
• Historical reenactors celebrating knitting in military history and D-Day

Buy a hand-knit poppy and help send Virginia’s Poppy Wall overseas with The Longest Yarn.