Sewing for Victory

The "Sew for Victory" campaign was initiated in the the United States during World War II. It was developed as a way for those at home to support the war effort.

While not everyone could join the military, all families could "sew for victory" by patching and repairing used clothing in addition to creating new items.

The number of soldiers in uniform increased drastically between the years 1941 and 1943. In fact, troop levels quintupled, rising from 1.4 million in '41 to 6.9 million in '43.

The servicemen and women needed socks, underwear, work clothes, and dress uniforms. In order to support the troops, civilians were strongly encouraged to make their own clothes at home. By lowering commercial demand for clothing, the industry could turn their efforts into supplying the massive needs of the troops.

This Sew for Victory poster was used to promote sewing as a contribution to the war effort. The design includes war images outlined by a sewing machine. It was created by the artist Pistchal.

Pistchal worked in New York City in the Federal Art Project. This program was sponsored by the Work Projects Administration. The poster was created in 1941. It was published in New York by the N.Y.C. W.P.A. War Services between 1941 and 1943.