Before the Industrial Revolution, almost every household spun yarn and knitted. Within a generation, domestic spinning had practically vanished. So why did knitting survive?
The framing of knitting as having "survived" rather than been "preserved" is the right one — it locates the craft in households rather than institutions, which is where its real durability lived. There is a parallel in Japan with sashiko: it persisted not because it was protected but because it was useful, portable, and quietly social, sat in alongside other evening work. Once a technique can be set down and picked up again in any room of the house, it tends to outlast the systems that would replace it. The crafts that disappear, in my experience, are the ones that required a dedicated setting.
Maybe hand knitting continued because knitters could make items for themselves and their families, whereas hand spinning didn’t in the same way because it was done to provide yarn or threads for someone else to use.
Nice article! You knocked down everyone of my "what abouts". I think wartime knitting had a lot to do with it. Folks back home wanted to contribute. There was an effort to teach new knitters and it was a great communal activity.
One could wonder why nalbinding almost disappeared.
I’m by no means an expert in nålebinding, but from what I understand it’s quite a bit slower than knitting, uses more yarn, and is harder to learn. On the other hand, the tools are probably easier to make than good knitting needles or crochet hooks.
It’s very hard to fix mistakes. But things do not unravel and folks felt that it made superior socks. Do you know about the crazy gansey maker, that says he can make water resistant ganseys? He knows a lot of history and you might find it interesting. https://gansey.blogspot.com/
Wow, that looks right up my street! Thanks for the recommendation.
I have a book on old ganseys, and it’s on my to do list this year to try and make one, as traditionally as possible. I’m waiting for a knitting belt to arrive, so in the mean time that blog should provide me with plenty of information.
I am not a spinner (tried it. It made my back hurt...) But I think knitting and crochet give people an opportunity to exercise their creativity with all the benefits you mentioned (simple equipment, easy to pick up and put down, suitable for social occasions). And human beings want to exercise our creativity...
Personally, I think industrialization has made knitting more relevant to mental health and well-being, not less. I often think how lucky I am to be able to knit what I want when I want for pleasure.
I recall diarists who visited Wales in the 1800s commenting that Welsh women were knitting stockings every spare minute of the day to sell, even while walking barefoot to market with no stockings themselves.
I definitely agree that knitting is a great opportunity to exercise creativity, and I’d maybe go a bit further and say it’s a way for us to exercise our free will. Like you said, we get to knit however we like, we’re the boss of our knitting. There are so few opportunities to be in control like that in modern life.
Absolutely, and not only are we the boss of knitting it, we're also the boss of deciding we don't like it, ripping it out, and making something different that we like better. So empowering!
Thanks for your excellent research and writing! I’m an avid knitter (also do weaving and sewing) and high school history teacher. I’ve devoured every book I could find about the history of knitting—and now I’m really appreciating your work!
I use Tunisian crochet in my creative practice, it feels like a hybrid of knitting and regular crochet and came more naturally to me than either of those two. I make my own hooks out of driftwood and the whole process does something quite special for my brain. It stills the noise and I have noticed that even watching someone else knit or crochet calms me in the same way.
(I think this is to do with mirror neurons but anyway, I digress) I don't know much about the history of Tunisian crochet and it still seems to be a bit niche (like nalbinding) but I feel very lucky to have happened upon it.
That’s lovely that you get the satisfaction of making your own tools and creating something with them. Knitting to me feels like meditation.
Tunisian crochet is an interesting craft, and I’d be interesting to know if it came before or after crochet. This could be something I look into a bit for a future post!
I've started! She starts with Dent gloves and Shetland wool, reminding us that sheep have been farmed in Britain since the Bronze Age! I sort of knew that and that Soay sheep are descended almost gene by gene from these origins before the Romans came with Continental sheep.
There is also The Golden Fleece by Esther Rutter which looks at a history of knitting across Britain. I've just taken it out of the library and look forward to reading it.
I've started! She starts with Denton gloves and Shetland wool, reminding us that sheep have been farmed in Britain since the Bronze Age! I sort of knew that and that Soay sheep are descended almost gene by gene from these origins before the Romans came with Continental sheep.
Knitting is therapeutic. Well for me it is. My grandmother taught me, just like many of us.
But it's not just the teaching is it? It's about the practice, and patience, and more practice.
Knitting gives me grace to sit and do something without feeling I should be DOING SOMETHING.
It makes me think through the code and the maths.
It's intriguing to be able to make a single line into a 3D shape.
Sometimes I wake at night and think about how or why a pattern has been developed, what it's expecting me to do.
It's numbers and patterns that make sense - practical logic.
And sometimes I have to put it away for a while because life is calling me. I can't do the logic when there's drama. Only when it's settled again.
I'd be happy to sit and knit and do nothing from now on.
I left my spinning wheel when I left my home. I'm pleased I did, there is no room for it here. But I may have just ordered an e-spinner. I'm sure I can fit that in - I am breathless with anticipation.
Thank you for the references and thank you to the commenter who referenced the gansey man. My! The science of spinning! That's daunting.
What a lovely comment! Quite a lot of this resonates with me, especially since my day job involves lots of challenges that sometimes leave me completely stumped. Knitting is a relief from that, but it’s also taught me that almost any problem is solvable, often in multiple ways.
There’s something very human about seeing something grow right before your eyes.
My spindle and introductory fiber box have been staring at me for a couple of years, but this summer I’ve told myself I’ll finally give it a go. Wishing you the best of luck with your e-spinner!
It's so useful to have this explored. My interest is the history of hand sewing and there are all kinds of interesting parallels I want to explore now about the way the sewing machine didn't kill home dressmaking (that came later!). Lots to think about. Thanks
That’s super interesting, I wasn’t really thinking about sewing when I put this together, but there definitely are some parallels. I guess for both crafts, all of this is heavily influenced by fashion and consumerism. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
There’s a big sub story of personal creativity and agency which undermines industrial production in both knitting and dressmaking, past and somewhat present too. The fact they both survived the 20th century just proves (to me anyway) that these crafts matter on a human level.
That's what I was thinking! Spinning provides minimal opportunities for personal creativity, especially when you're trying to spin something consistent to make into a practical garment. But even practical knitted garments like hats and sweaters offer multiplicitous opportunities for personal creativity that doesn't undermine good function. It's personally satisfying, and you can show off your style or creativity to your neighbors.
I'm always fascinated that humans have declined to give up handicrafts even when given the opportunity to buy a cheaper, quicker substitute.
The framing of knitting as having "survived" rather than been "preserved" is the right one — it locates the craft in households rather than institutions, which is where its real durability lived. There is a parallel in Japan with sashiko: it persisted not because it was protected but because it was useful, portable, and quietly social, sat in alongside other evening work. Once a technique can be set down and picked up again in any room of the house, it tends to outlast the systems that would replace it. The crafts that disappear, in my experience, are the ones that required a dedicated setting.
That’s a fascinating comparison with Sashiko - thanks!
Maybe hand knitting continued because knitters could make items for themselves and their families, whereas hand spinning didn’t in the same way because it was done to provide yarn or threads for someone else to use.
That’s a great point, thanks!
Yes commercial yarns would have been available during the 19th century, so the need for families to spin for themselves or for others disappeared.
Meanwhile, making your own clothes remained economical for quite a while after.
Nice article! You knocked down everyone of my "what abouts". I think wartime knitting had a lot to do with it. Folks back home wanted to contribute. There was an effort to teach new knitters and it was a great communal activity.
One could wonder why nalbinding almost disappeared.
Thank you!
I’m by no means an expert in nålebinding, but from what I understand it’s quite a bit slower than knitting, uses more yarn, and is harder to learn. On the other hand, the tools are probably easier to make than good knitting needles or crochet hooks.
It’s very hard to fix mistakes. But things do not unravel and folks felt that it made superior socks. Do you know about the crazy gansey maker, that says he can make water resistant ganseys? He knows a lot of history and you might find it interesting. https://gansey.blogspot.com/
Wow, that looks right up my street! Thanks for the recommendation.
I have a book on old ganseys, and it’s on my to do list this year to try and make one, as traditionally as possible. I’m waiting for a knitting belt to arrive, so in the mean time that blog should provide me with plenty of information.
Gladys Thompson is the authority: https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Guernseys-Jerseys-Arans-Fishermens/dp/0486227030/
He is very opinionated. I honestly don’t think gansey knitters were technical spinners and knitters, like he is. Wish he still posted.
My father always used "gansey" for knitted jumpers (sweaters) and today I learned it wasn't just slang from his village in the Irish Midlands 😁
I am not a spinner (tried it. It made my back hurt...) But I think knitting and crochet give people an opportunity to exercise their creativity with all the benefits you mentioned (simple equipment, easy to pick up and put down, suitable for social occasions). And human beings want to exercise our creativity...
Personally, I think industrialization has made knitting more relevant to mental health and well-being, not less. I often think how lucky I am to be able to knit what I want when I want for pleasure.
I recall diarists who visited Wales in the 1800s commenting that Welsh women were knitting stockings every spare minute of the day to sell, even while walking barefoot to market with no stockings themselves.
I definitely agree that knitting is a great opportunity to exercise creativity, and I’d maybe go a bit further and say it’s a way for us to exercise our free will. Like you said, we get to knit however we like, we’re the boss of our knitting. There are so few opportunities to be in control like that in modern life.
Absolutely, and not only are we the boss of knitting it, we're also the boss of deciding we don't like it, ripping it out, and making something different that we like better. So empowering!
Thanks for your excellent research and writing! I’m an avid knitter (also do weaving and sewing) and high school history teacher. I’ve devoured every book I could find about the history of knitting—and now I’m really appreciating your work!
Thank you! I’m very happy to hear that.
I use Tunisian crochet in my creative practice, it feels like a hybrid of knitting and regular crochet and came more naturally to me than either of those two. I make my own hooks out of driftwood and the whole process does something quite special for my brain. It stills the noise and I have noticed that even watching someone else knit or crochet calms me in the same way.
(I think this is to do with mirror neurons but anyway, I digress) I don't know much about the history of Tunisian crochet and it still seems to be a bit niche (like nalbinding) but I feel very lucky to have happened upon it.
That’s lovely that you get the satisfaction of making your own tools and creating something with them. Knitting to me feels like meditation.
Tunisian crochet is an interesting craft, and I’d be interesting to know if it came before or after crochet. This could be something I look into a bit for a future post!
I'd love to read about Tunisian crochet! And yes, definitely meditative.
I've started! She starts with Dent gloves and Shetland wool, reminding us that sheep have been farmed in Britain since the Bronze Age! I sort of knew that and that Soay sheep are descended almost gene by gene from these origins before the Romans came with Continental sheep.
There is also The Golden Fleece by Esther Rutter which looks at a history of knitting across Britain. I've just taken it out of the library and look forward to reading it.
Oh I have a copy of that. I haven’t got round to reading it yet, so thanks for reminding me!
I've started! She starts with Denton gloves and Shetland wool, reminding us that sheep have been farmed in Britain since the Bronze Age! I sort of knew that and that Soay sheep are descended almost gene by gene from these origins before the Romans came with Continental sheep.
Knitting is therapeutic. Well for me it is. My grandmother taught me, just like many of us.
But it's not just the teaching is it? It's about the practice, and patience, and more practice.
Knitting gives me grace to sit and do something without feeling I should be DOING SOMETHING.
It makes me think through the code and the maths.
It's intriguing to be able to make a single line into a 3D shape.
Sometimes I wake at night and think about how or why a pattern has been developed, what it's expecting me to do.
It's numbers and patterns that make sense - practical logic.
And sometimes I have to put it away for a while because life is calling me. I can't do the logic when there's drama. Only when it's settled again.
I'd be happy to sit and knit and do nothing from now on.
I left my spinning wheel when I left my home. I'm pleased I did, there is no room for it here. But I may have just ordered an e-spinner. I'm sure I can fit that in - I am breathless with anticipation.
Thank you for the references and thank you to the commenter who referenced the gansey man. My! The science of spinning! That's daunting.
What a lovely comment! Quite a lot of this resonates with me, especially since my day job involves lots of challenges that sometimes leave me completely stumped. Knitting is a relief from that, but it’s also taught me that almost any problem is solvable, often in multiple ways.
There’s something very human about seeing something grow right before your eyes.
My spindle and introductory fiber box have been staring at me for a couple of years, but this summer I’ve told myself I’ll finally give it a go. Wishing you the best of luck with your e-spinner!
It's so useful to have this explored. My interest is the history of hand sewing and there are all kinds of interesting parallels I want to explore now about the way the sewing machine didn't kill home dressmaking (that came later!). Lots to think about. Thanks
That’s super interesting, I wasn’t really thinking about sewing when I put this together, but there definitely are some parallels. I guess for both crafts, all of this is heavily influenced by fashion and consumerism. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
There’s a big sub story of personal creativity and agency which undermines industrial production in both knitting and dressmaking, past and somewhat present too. The fact they both survived the 20th century just proves (to me anyway) that these crafts matter on a human level.
That's what I was thinking! Spinning provides minimal opportunities for personal creativity, especially when you're trying to spin something consistent to make into a practical garment. But even practical knitted garments like hats and sweaters offer multiplicitous opportunities for personal creativity that doesn't undermine good function. It's personally satisfying, and you can show off your style or creativity to your neighbors.
I'm always fascinated that humans have declined to give up handicrafts even when given the opportunity to buy a cheaper, quicker substitute.
💯 Excellent. I love this!
Loved this post - thank you for sharing this information. 😊
I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Loved this post! Thanks for sharing it!