Further Reading: Knitting History

A small sample of the many books and articles relating to the history of knitting. It does not always represent the most up-to-date research and it is by no means exhaustive - there are just too many to mention! Those interested may wish to consult the comprehensive bibliography by Lesley O'Connell Edwards, whose assistance in compiling this list is gratefully acknowledged.

Books:
Bennet, Helen. Scottish Knitting (Shire Album 164). Aylesbury: Shire Publications, 1986.
Druchunas, Donna. Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters. Lerwick: Nomad Press, 2006.
Fryer, Linda. Knitting by the Fireside and on the Hillside: A History of the Shetland Hand Knitting Industry c.1600-1950. Lerwick: The Shetland Times, 1995.
Halcrow Nicholson, Heather. The Loving Stitch: A History of Knitting and Spinning in New Zealand. Auckland: Auckland University Press, 1998.
Hartley, Marie and Ingilby, Joan. The Old Hand Knitters of the Dales. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988.
Hervey, Michael. Patons: A Story of Handknitting. Ascot: Springwood Books, 1985.
LeCount, Cynthia Gravelle. Andean Folk Knitting: Traditions and Techniques from Peru and Bolivia. Saint Paul: Dos Tejedoras Fiber Arts Publications, 1990.
MacDonald, Anne L. No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988.
Rutt, Richard. A History of Handknitting. London: Batsford, 1987.
Scott, Shirley. Canada Knits: Craft and Comfort in a Northern Land. Scarborough: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1990.
Thomas, Mary. Mary Thomas's Knitting Book. New York: Dover Publications, 1972 (reprint of 1938 edition).
Turnau, Irena. History of Knitting Before Mass Production. Warsaw: Institute of the History of Material Culture, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1979.

Articles:
Blackman, Cally. "Hand knitting in Britain from 1908-39: the work of Marjory Tillotson" in Textile History, vol.29, no.2, 1998.
Buckland, Kirstie. "The Monmouth Cap" in Costume, vol.13, 1979.
Burnham, Dorothy. "Coptic Knitting: An Ancient Technique" in Textile History, vol. 3, December 1972.
Levey, S.M. "Illustrations of the history of knitting selected from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum." in Textile History, vol. 1, part 2, 1969.
Thirsk, Joan. "The fantastical folly of fashion: the English stocking knitting industry 1500-1700", in Textile History and Economic History: essays in honour of Julia de Lacey Mann, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1973.
Turnau, Irena. "The Diffusion of Knitting in Medieval Europe", in Cloth and Clothing in Medieval Europe: Essays in Memory of Professor E. M. Carus-Wilson, London: Heinemann Educational Books and The Pasold Research Fund, 1983.

Bibliography:
O’Connell Edwards, Lesley A. (compiler). "Bibliography of the history of knitting before 1600," in Bulletin du CIETA, no.77, 2000, pp. 141-155.

See also General Knitting Books.

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Please note: mention of a webpage, book or article on Knitting History is not necessarily indicative of endorsement by the Knitting History Forum.