Museum notebook: Hooked on knitting

A Fair Isle vest knitted by Gladys Turner for her daughters, made from salvaged wool. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: 1997.51.1

Global lockdowns have seen a flurry of enthusiastic social media posts from people showing off their newfound craft skills honed during time at home.

From cooking and baking to painting and sewing, traditional arts and crafts have increased in popularity. Knitting is one such craft to make a comeback. The Whanganui Regional Museum has a wonderful collection of knitting patterns dating from 1915 to the 1960s, and some stunning examples of knitted garments. From tiny booties to sturdy jumpers, there's something to give everyone warm fuzzies.

One garment on display in the museum's exhibition Living off the Land was knitted by Gladys Turner in England during World War II. She used the materials available to her, salvaging brown wool from unravelled socks and coloured wool from darning samples, and created a cosy Fair Isle patterned vest for her daughters.

A jumper knitted by Jessie Stout for David Couper, using a secret recipe to dye the wool and in traditional Fair Isle pattern. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: 1955.145.1

Fair Isle knitting, also known as stranded colourwork, gets its name from Fair Isle in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. The colourful geometric style became popular in 1921 when Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, wore the patterned jumpers in public.

The museum holds another example of this style of work, a jumper made by Miss Jessie Stout of Busta, Fair Isle. The brown jumper is accentuated with patterns in blue, cream, red, yellow and dark brown - colours prepared on the island using a secret recipe. Jessie made this jumper for David Couper who she later married.

It is believed that knitting began in the Middle East and spread out to the world with developing trade routes. The oldest surviving example of knitting is a pair of socks from Egypt, made sometime in the 11th century with stranded colourwork and a cleverly shaped heel.

Aotearoa New Zealand has long been known for its sheep. The first two, introduced by Captain Cook in 1773, only lasted a couple of days before eating poisonous plants. After their large-scale reintroduction from 1840, sheep farming became a major economic backbone of our country.

Her Excellency's Knitting Book was the first locally published knitting book in New Zealand and used by women and children to make warm garments for soldiers during World War I.

Wool became a chief export product; in 1879 over 27,000 tonnes of wool was shipped out, making 60 per cent of exported goods that year. Wool was in demand globally and locally, for domestic and industrial manufacturers of textiles and bedding. Settlers from different parts of the world applied the knowledge from their homelands and we became host to a wide range of knitting styles and techniques.

Knitting saw a resurgence in World War I when families at home knitted garments to send to their boys on the frontline. In 1915, Lady Liverpool, wife of the Governor of New Zealand at the time, issued a challenge to the country, asking residents to knit two pairs of socks to be issued for every member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Her call resulted in the first locally produced knitting book, Her Excellency's Knitting Book, containing patterns for balaclavas, gloves and socks. Her challenge was taken up by women and children, and six months later 30,000 pairs of socks had been knitted to send to the men.

A little over 100 years later, knitting is back in vogue with many people discovering (or rediscovering) the art during lockdowns. The Government allowed online sales of wool and patterns, declaring knitting an essential service – it has benefits for mental health and wellbeing, provides a distraction for those alone or housebound, and provides an opportunity for income from selling knitted goods.