Dear Linguist List Readers: 
 
Thanks, everyone whyo answered my query. I think that a plausible answer 
has finally turned up, as follows: 
 
bobonkt might also be known as bobonet or bobonknit. It is the process of 
winding yarn onto a bobbin or bobbins for knitting. They did find 
references to bobonet and boboknit in conjunction with sewing and/or 
knitting for military uniforms. 
 
This is via Gail Martin at the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives in Old 
Washington Historic State Park. She didn't know the meaning of bobonkt, 
but she contacted Russell Baker at the Arkansas History Commission who put 
a team of crack interns on the project, who came up with the suggestion above. 
 
Also, a similar suggestion was made by Jonathan Wilson : 
 
It could be ''bobonet'', which can be found a few times in the old 
newspapers, I believe as a variant or misspelling of 
''bobinet''/''bobbinet''/''bobbin-net'', which is/was a type of net, like 
tulle or something like lace.