Lou Henry Hoover's doubleknit baby blanket, in front of the Hoovers' collection of Chinese porcelains.

by Lou Henry Hoover
Updated by Kristi Porter

"Dear Bunny, You're probably used to odd requests, though not along this line, I imagine.  A couple of years ago when I was up at Mrs. Hoover's, she was knitting a baby blanket on large needles.  It was double, but united at the edges, and she was knitting both sides at the same time, one in one color and one in another.  It was the nicest thing of its kind that I have seen, and I am very anxious to make one such for Christmas if I can get the "recipe"....  I hate to bother Mrs. Hoover about it, but sometime if you could ask her if she has the directions around somewhere, I would appreciate greatly if one of you could send them to me..."

So begins the story of our Hoover blanket.  This letter, from Therina Guerard Pearson of Berkeley, California, dated November 25, 1939, was sent to Bunny Miller, the personal secretary of former first lady, Lou Henry Hoover. Mrs. Hoover kindly responded to Therina and sent her a small doll-sized blanket as an example. 

"My dear Therina:...I am sending you a little pattern to go by. And when you have gotten a little accustomed to doing it, you can make all sorts of variations and take short cuts very easily..."

Recently, Christine Mouw of the Herbert Hoover Library came across a letter written Lou Henry Hoover detailing how she knit a blanket.  Mouw, a knitter herself, was particularly excited because she suspected that the blanket described was one that the Hoover library has in its collection. Mouw approached Knitty to help decipher the pattern and to share it with a new generation of knitters.

The blanket has a wide border on all sides with a center panel that is double knit -- that is, two right-side layers are knit simultaneously, so that the blanket doesn't have a wrong side. There are three basic options for the blanket: The first is all one color on both sides. The second, like the blue and cream one above that Mrs. Hoover knit, has single row stripes of alternating colors on each side. The third has two solid center panels, but of two different colors.

Lou Henry was no shrinking violet.  Born in 1874, she spent her youth in Iowa and California. As a girl she was active in a variety of outdoor sports including riding, ice-skating -- even fishing, trapping and shooting.  A natural leader, she often organized her friends in games and plays. Like most girls of her era, Lou also learned the classic domestic arts, including needlework of various kinds. 

In the 1890s, she decided to enroll in the Geology Department at Stanford -- the first woman to do so. In addition to studying Geology and Latin, it was there that she met her future husband, Herbert Hoover. Soon after their marriage, the Hoovers left for China.

China was just the beginning of their world travels. Even after their sons were born, the Hoovers continued exploring all corners of the globe while Herbert was employed by various mining and minerology concerns.  While overseas, Lou was active in various relief efforts both in China during the Boxer Rebellion and in London during the First World War. She also collected many interesting items during their time abroad -- including the Qing Dynasty vases pictured with the blanket [at top] and a variety of weapons from around the globe.

Lou Henry Hoover was a strong proponent of girls' involvement in athletics and outdoor activities. She was very active in the Girl Scouts movement and served as a national leader. She also was vice-president of the National Amateur Athletic Federation, charged with organizing a women's division. 

Of course, from 1929-1933, Lou Henry Hoover was First Lady. She was a great conversationalist and worked hard to make the White House comfortable for guests. During her tenure there, she still found time to escape for horseback riding through Rock Creek Park, driving her own car around the city...and knitting. When they had time to get away from the city, the Hoovers went to Camp Rapidan in the Shenandoah Moutains -- their own version of Camp David.

That's Mrs. Hoover on the right [1931].

After leaving the White House, the Hoovers moved back to California for a time and then to the Waldorf Astoria in New York so that they might work on relief efforts during World War II. It was during that time, a few years before her death in 1944, that Lou Henry Hoover took the time to send her baby blanket pattern to Therina.

Found in the Hoover files: A birth announcement for David Bruce Pearson born April 20, 1940, with a note attached, "[T]his must be the baby of Therina Guerard to whom you sent detailed instructions for the making of the baby blanket." In Mrs. Hoover's handwriting beneath, "Send with little sweater -- ready shortly."

The techniques used in creating Mrs. Hoover's blanket are really not difficult. If you can work ribbing and slip a stitch, you've got all the skills you need to try double-knitting.  Why not follow in some very famous footsteps and give this blanket a try?  If you don't know anyone who's expecting a baby, consider knitting one for someone in need. 

photos: Courtesy Herbert Hoover Library/Christine Mouw

Width: 27 inches
Length:  33 inches

MATERIALS

We don't know what yarn Mrs. Hoover used for her blanket, but it was likely pure wool in worsted/heavy worsted weight.  If you are working with two colors, choose colors that work together harmoniously as the darker color may show a bit on the lighter side. It's important that both yarns be the same in weight and thickness for good results, so choose two colors of the same yarn. Lou seemed to favor blue and white.

Variation 1
[MC]Plymouth Encore Colorspun [75% acrylic 25% wool]; 200 yds per 3.5 oz
skein]; color: 7064 -- Variegated Pastels; 4 skeins.

Variation 2 [Mrs. Hoover's original -- yarn thickness and yardage estimated]
[MC] worsted-weight wool; 500 yards [approx]
[CC] worsted-weight wool; 300 yards [approx]

Variation 3
[MC] Red Heart Super Saver [96% acrylic, 4% other fibers; 348 yds per 6 oz
skein]; color: Aran Fleck; 2 skeins.
[CC] Red Heart Super Saver [75% acrylic, 25%rayon; 348 yds per 6 oz skein];
color: Grey Heather; 1 skein.

1 24-inch circular needle in an appropriate size for your yarn
1 crochet hook [optional]

16 sts/22 rows = 4" over double-knit stockinette stitch [generally, stitches are slightly larger when double-knitting]

Mrs. Hoover recommends a single row of crochet around the outside edge of the blanket for a more finished look and longer-lasting blanket. "With the extra thread of chain stitching around the outside, it means that if that outside thread breaks it isn't going to run way back toward the middle before being spotted."

Mrs. Hoover also recommends wet blocking: "Another thing I find so useful, -- I wonder if you do, -- is to put the finished work on a wet bath towel on the bathroom floor, and put another wet towel over it.  After it has lain there for some hours I take the top towel off and see if the blaket or garment is lying perfectly symmetrical, -- that one corner or the margin isn't a little wider than another, or that one sleeve is not stretched out longer than another, or that there aren't two or three big stitches showing somewhere. If you straighten out all those little crookednesses, or draw in the big stitches, or stick any knots between the double folds and then let the blanket or garment dry between the two towels, it does a perfectly amazing job of finishing."

While your blanket likely won't be blocking on the bathroom floor of the White House, it will still be treasured as Lou Henry Hoover's has been.

Kristi Porter is a frequent contributor to Knitty.

With the help of many hands including those of Lou Henry Hoover, Christine Mouw, Judy Porter and AJ Henry, she was able to weave this story together.

Pattern © Lou Henry Hoover.
New pattern & images © 2003 Kristi Porter. Contact Kristi.