Not really unusual. After WW1, knitting, crochet and embroidery was taught to soldiers recovering from wounds and also from shell shock as a form of therapy.
I've been researching this in order to write an article for the Embrodiery site here on it. Quite fascinating.
Apparently it was done in England and USA in WW1, and in England in WW2.
Sailors also used to knit and embroider.
Last edited by Megan_Embroidery; 01/02/10 04:00 AM.