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The History of Knitting

A detailed history of knitting.

Knitting is older than written history. Knitting was first used to make fishing nets, mats and baskets.

Knitted socks have been found in ancient tombs in Egypt and carved bones have been found that look like they could have been used for knitting.

In 1589 the knitting machine was invented. But many people still enjoy knitting by hand.

In the early 1900s, knitting was only for women, but soon men started knitting too.

How Yarn is Made

Have you ever wondered what yarn is made of? It's made of lots of different materials. It's made from silk, cotton wool, animal fibers and many more things.

You can do so much more with yarn besides knit!
Yarn's Not Just for Knitting

Here are some other fun activities you can do with yarn:

• Make yarn dolls!

• Felt your yarn by knitting a lose piece of knitting and washing it. Then put it in a mesh bag, wash it once more and dry it with a towel. You can create your very own felt creation such as hats, slippers, bags and a whole lot more!

• Not too interested in knitting with needles? Instead of giving up on knitting completely you can try kitting with a spool or your fingers.

• Dye your own yarn with Kool-Aid! This craft is easy and colorful. Just make some Kool-aid and soak your yarn in it. Take the yarn out and voila! You have your own dyed yarn!

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Here's how we get yarn from sheep:

• Step One: Cut the wool from the sheep using a pair of electric scissors called shears.

• Step Two: Sort the wool into different piles according to how fine it is. Then label these piles by how fine or coarse the wool is.

• Step Three: Wash and remove dirt from the soon-to-be yarn.

• Step Four: Comb the yarn with wooden paddles to straighten it. This is called carding.

How Yarn is Spun

Are you still wondering how yarn is made into one long piece?

That's where spinning comes in. The yarn is pulled, twisted, overlapped, and put on a spinning wheel. Then it is spun into one long piece of yarn.

Last but not least, the yarn gets its color.

Look at all the color!

How Yarn Gets its Color

Some dyes are natural (usually made from plants). Others are made from chemicals.

Both give yarn bright, vibrant colors. The yarn is soaked in the dye until the color sticks.

Next the yarn is made into a ball, called a "skein," and ready for knitting.

Knitting is a great hobby. It looks complicated but it's really easy to learn. Pick up a pair of needles and start knitting today!