The word ‘knit’ comes from the O1d English clotty, ‘knot’. but it is not a traditional English technique. In fact, it is thought that knitting originated in the Middle East (possibly among the Arabian nomads), and from there spread across North Africa and to Spain.

By the 10th century it was certainly a well-developed craft. as demonstrated by the complex knitted socks that have been discovered in Egyptian tombs. Various portraits of a ‘knitting Madonna’ show that knitting had reached Europe by the 14th century. and by the 15th and 16th centuries it was a well-established commercial business. It was organized into men-only guilds of professionals.

who made caps, stockings and other knitted articles for the domestic market and for export. While the aristocracy enjoyed fine silk knitwear, the less well off knitted their own, more humble garments, giving rise to distinctive community knitting styles such as fishermen’s galleys (close-fitting sweaters with
distinctive monochrome patterned: and. later. Fair Isle and An-an knits. Then, in 1589, English clarion William Lee invented a knitting machine that could work 100 times faster than any handknitter (interestingly, the modern machine differs little from Lee’s centuries-old design in its basic technology).

At first Lee’s invention could only deal with thick, woollen yarn, but eventually it was refined to cope with silk and to produce intricate patterns. This led to a cottage knitting industry in Britain, in which families rented out a hand-frame machine, children wound the yarn, men operated the machine and the women sewed up the garments. This system thrived until the Industrial Revolution. In the 18th and 19th centuries, meanwhile. thanks to increased prosperity and leisure time, in combination with rigid views on how women should conduct themselves.

Hand knitting gradually changed from being a poor person’s necessity to a rich woman’s pastime. Refinements were made – needles were given capped ends, for example – and printed patterns became extremely popular. often for small accessories such as pen-wipers or pincushion covers.

In the 20th century, even after the emancipation of women, hand knitting continued to be a popular hobby. inexpensive and useful. Women knitted all sorts of items – from baby clothes and sweaters to underwear and entire coats. But it was not until the 1960s and ’70s that there began to be an explosion
of knitting as a real craft form. when art students discovered its potential and began to experiment.

Combining unusual stitches, mixing yarns of many different types and textures and taking inspiration from fine art for pattern and colour. Since that time,
knitting has been seen as fashionable, ingenious and experimental. Its basic stitches may be linked to the past. but fresh interpretations and ideas have given it an adventurous, exciting future.