Knitting and other needle crafts were widely used as occupational therapy during both World Wars. It also was used in refugee camps in Asia Minor (according to one of my old needlework magazines) as a coping mechanism for children, to soothe them and get them to calm down. Speaking as a knitter/tatter/seamstress/etc, I find most forms of needle crafts very soothing.

And logistically it is a great choice as needles and yarn are portable and don't take up lots of storage space (unless you have a stash as large as mine).

When you are using either a sock (shown) or flatbed knitting machine, you use weights to pull on, or tension, the already knit material. It keeps the knitted stitches out of the way of the ones currently on the needles. There are groups solely devoted to antique sock knitting machines and a company in New Zealand that produces new sock knitting machines based upon the antique machines.

http://autoknitter.com/

What were the hanging weights for? Maybe to keep tension on the yarn?

I would love to have that knitting machine!

On a side note, speaking of "women's work," my dear grandfather took up cross-stitching when recuperating after World War II. He enjoyed it immensely and found it to be very relaxing. He kept it up until his death in 2007. He would do a couple stitches on whatever he was working on each day after smoking his after lunch pipe. He made gorgeous tablecloths and other items as gifts for everyone in the family.

Tell that to Rosie Grier. And if you don't know who Rosie is, Google him.

[And if that doesn't work, try googling Rosey Grier. - Dave]

If you look at the history of knitting, it was solely men's work at one point, when it was mostly used to produce caps and stockings. Before the various knitting machines came along, there were entire villages in England devoted to knitting stockings, and then it was the work of the whole family. Only when knitting became less necessary and more of a recreational activity did it become solely women's work.

During the war, knitting was pushed on everyone, regardless of age or gender, as a way to help the war effort. It was considered therapeutic for patients, and probably wasn't humiliating at all.

Check out the burning cigarette by the young lady.

It seems odd that soldiers who had recently been engaged in that most masculine of work--war--should have been given women's work to do in their recuperation. It could have been either very soothing or very humiliating.

"Yeah I knit. You got a problem with that?"

They made their own robes.

Looks like the shell shock hasn't quite worn off yet.

The guy on the right appears to need a bit more rehab.

The man on the left is using a circular sock knitting machine, which is a pretty cool (and rather complicated) gadget.

http://www.oldtymestockings.com/CSMMuseum.html