knit your bit!

I was recently cruising the 'net for some free watch cap patterns (I was bored and decided that I wanted to make myself one with yarn left over from BF's Christmas scarf) when I came across the American Red Cross Meuseum's website. The pictures on the right-hand side are cool. There's one of a little boy sitting staring at some knitting project he's doing and looking very confused. I think that one is my favorite.
http://www.redcross.org/museum/exhibits/knits.asp
Utterly intrigued, I checked out all the patterns and I was fascinated to find that they're all from WW I&II pamphlets that the ARC used to hand out. They also used to give you yarn to 'knit your bit' with. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to see the patterns, but they're very simple. The watch cap was interesting because there were no decreases. You just knit a circle and then gathered the top with some yarn. I can't imagine how awkward they must have looked, but I know they're warm.
This website gave me the idea of knitting a pair of socks and sending them off to my sister's friend who is a mechanic in the army. He's stationed over in Iraq. I've known him since my sister met him (I think I was in third grade...) and he's always been a family-favorite kind of friend. Well, I talked my mom into carting me over to The Rag Shop (going out of business?! where will I get all my yarn from?) to get yarn to make socks for him and she decided that she would make socks as well. And then my sister communicated her wish to also try knitting socks. They'd be her first. So we got yarn: wool-cashmere-acrylic navy blue, acrylic-wool-rayon "mink brown", and acrylic-wool black.
I wanted to make him socks with some bright colors, but my mom said she didn't think they'd work out too well for him. I said they'd be off-duty socks, but she said no. I was sad.
I wondered why more people didn't still 'knit their bit' for our troops overseas, but then I was struck by the notion of all of America's knitters banding together to find an active soldier (no matter where they're stationed) and knitting them a hat or socks or a sweater and all of us mailing them over. It's a wonderful idea, but I don't think I'd ever be able to coordinate it. So if someone already has, could you direct me to the nearest information on it? Or, if after reading this you really agree and think it's a great idea, make sure to credit me for it, kthnx. (the netspeak...it burns...)

At the same time as working on BF's socks, I am also starting myself some arm warmers out of this beatiful gradient fingering-weight yarn I got from my mom. It's her Castle Fibers June yarn of the month. The pattern I'm using calls for worsted weight, but I think these will make thinner, daintier arm warmers. Though the dainty part isn't what excites me. I just love the colors; it's gradient orange to burgundy to dark wine-brown. Beautiful.

Ahh, the obligatory tdfkal mention. I'm getting raffle chances for this. Hope I win something. My mother has all the luck with blog contests, and I seem to have none.
Anyway, I'm itching to get my fingers stained blue on that denim yarn for my beret. It's sitting here on my desk in the bag it came in with the pattern and the needles on the shelf behind my monitor, daring me to start early. I'm resisting, though. Only a few days left, can't wait!