Knitting has served as:

• Economic necessity and women's income source


• Meditative practice and stress relief


• Political statement (craftivism, pussy hats, etc.)


• Community building


• Preservation of cultural identity


• Form of resistance (prisoners, oppressed peoples maintaining autonomy through craft)

Knitting techniques have continuously evolved:

• Basic stockinette and garter stitch


• Colorwork techniques (Fair Isle, intarsia, slip-stitch patterns)


• Cable knitting


• Lace knitting


• Brioche, double-knitting, entrelac


• Modern innovations like contiguous methods and seamless construction

Industrial Revolution: Machine knitting transformed the industry, while hand knitting became both a necessity for the poor and a leisure activity for the middle and upper classes. Women knitted socks and items for soldiers during wartime—particularly notable during both World Wars.

Scandinavia: Norwegian and Icelandic traditions developed distinctive colorwork techniques. The iconic Icelandic lopapeysa (circular yoke sweater) actually emerged in the 1950s, showing how "traditional" patterns continue evolving.

Middle East and Asia: Ottoman court knitting produced incredibly fine stockings and textiles. In Asia, different textile traditions dominated, though knitting existed—Japan embraced knitting enthusiastically after Western contact, developing unique techniques.

Americas: Indigenous peoples had sophisticated textile traditions before European contact, but knitting arrived with colonizers. Cowichan sweaters from Pacific Northwest First Nations peoples represent a fusion tradition, blending European knitting with Indigenous design elements and locally developed techniques.

South America: Andean knitting traditions are particularly vibrant, with colorful patterns and techniques that may have pre-Columbian roots, though this is debated. Peruvian knitting shows both European influence and distinctive local adaptations.

British Isles: Distinct regional styles emerged—Fair Isle's colorwork patterns, Aran's complex cables (contrary to romantic myths, these weren't ancient Celtic patterns but developed in the early 20th century), and Shetland's delicate lace shawls.

Knitting became both a cottage industry and aristocratic pastime. The invention of the knitting frame (stocking frame) by William Lee in 1589 mechanized production, though hand knitting remained common for complex items.