a collection of...
Knitting Fun Facts
No one knows exactly how old knitting really is, but it's generally thought to be older than rug hooking and not quite as old as weaving.
Since the year 2000, the number of female knitters in the US, ages 25-35, has increased over 300%.
In recent years knitting has made a comeback, as people have begun to discover the many benefits of traditional knitted clothing, including it’s quality, stress relief and hey, it’s a fun pastime!
One of the earliest known types of knitting, done my nomads in the deserts of North Africa, used circular or narrow oblong wooden frames. Nobody knows when the frames were eliminated and knitting began to be done directly on knitting needles.
One of the darkest of knitting histories dates back to the French Revolution, when a group of knitting women would sit beside the guillotine and knit through the executions. The Commune of Paris organized and paid these women to attend beheadings and tribunals to "greet death, to insult the victims and to glut their eyes with blood". They would jeer and shriek and knit as the upper class were led to the guillotine.
Did you know knitting was once a male-only occupation?!
The word ‘knit’ is derived from the Old English ‘cnyttan’ which means ‘to knot’.
Knitting first appeared in England during the 13th century in the form of felted caps that were worn by soldiers and sailors. However, knitting did not become a popular method of garment construction due to the difficulty of producing quality steel needles.
Miriam Tegels, currently the world's fastest recorded knitter, can knit 118 stitches per minute!
Mega knitting is a recent innovation that refers to the use of knitting needles that are equal to, or greater than half an inch in diameter. Mega knitting created a bulky, fabric, often with an open weave appearance.