Metallic yarns, particularly gold and silver, have been used since ancient times as decoration for the clothing of kings and queens. These metallic fibres are considered the first artificial fibres, c... Read More
The civilisation of Ancient Egypt was blessed by the Nile river, which left the soil rich enough to feed a large and complex society. One major crop that was grown was flax, which had the versatility... Read More
Hanging a Christmas stocking is a common tradition across Europe. Other than a brief period in the mid-1800s where the Christmas tree almost supplanted the humble stocking, the Christmas stocking has... Read More
The rise of the Christmas jumper has either been joyous or unfortunate depending on which side you slide. It wasn’t long ago when Christmas jumpers were a fashion faux pas that drew sniggers and conte... Read More
Knitting arrived relatively late into Scotland, with records starting at the turn of the 17th century. Even with its recent arrival, one village, Sanquhar, has a unique relationship with knitting; a p... Read More
Life on the seas has always been an adventure of hardship and endurance. While fighting the cold Alaskan seas is a journey worthy only of the toughest men and women, such brutality brought knitting in... Read More
The domestication of sheep happened soon after the domestication of the dog, a relationship that worked in perfect symmetry. It wouldn’t be long before selective breeding would result in different var... Read More
During the Age of Discovery, the size of vessels increased dramatically. Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean required a ship that could survive the attrition the distances would cause, which inevitably... Read More
This Sunday is Armistice Day, a day of reflection and remembering those that sacrificed their lives in conflicts across the World. Surprisingly, WW1 was a revolution for knitting, at least when it cam... Read More
The Flying Shuttle was one of the most important inventions of the early Industrial Revolution. Before its invention, weaving had mostly been a cottage industry done in small home workshops. After its... Read More
