David’s Knitting Post
It is difficult to trace when and where hand knitting originated. This is because there are not traces of yarn as we have with materials that are more long lasting. We have been able to trace back to a time before the birth of Christ to find the oldest form of knitting. This form is called crossed knitting. Instead of stitches being vertically aligned, in cross knitting, the stitches are rotated a half turn.
Crossed knitting is also known as single-needle knitting. We have evidence of this form of knitting in ancient Peru. Woven cloths had fringes displaying crossed knitting. They were artistically done with color changes used to create detailed animal and human figures.
There is evidence of knitting dating back to the sixth century, with a pair of knitted socks found in an Egyptian tomb. There is also evidence of spinning wool as far back as 4000 B.C. by the Mediterranean Sea.
There is widespread disagreement as to where knitting originated. And so the argument continues about whether it began in the Orient or the middle East. There does seem to be some consensus that it was spread by Arabian sailors and merchants who traveled the Mediterranean. From there, it extended into Europe.
By the beginning of the fourteenth century, there are references to knitting as we know it today. The purl stitch had yet to be developed. Again, there is no certainty as to when it was actually developed although reference was made to it being used in the mid-sixteenth century.
The kind of knitting that we know today is a relatively new craft. Even though we cannot know for sure the exact origins of knitting, we can be sure that it is greatly appreciated today and that nothing compares with the beauty of a hand-knitted garment.