When the Second World War broke out, stitched items suddenly became absolutely vital. A massive production of uniforms and stitched equipment took over factories and raw materials while in the home every scrap of thread was utilised. The stories in these pages are of weddings; parachute drops in the dead of night into enemy territory; lice and mud in the trenches; regimental insignia embroidered onto pyjamas until the men came home and secret stitched hidden from brutal guards. This gripping and unusual history offers a glimpse into the courage, endurance, ingenuity and skill of the men, women and children who struggled to survive wartime conditions at home and overseas, and through the hard years of rationing which followed.