The Surprisingly Controversial History of the Knitting Machine

Editor’s note: In honor of Labor Day, we’re looking at the unique history of knitting machines—a revolutionary invention that changed the landscape of fiber arts. Join us in looking back at where they started and what contemporary artists are doing with them today.

There are different opinions about when and where hand knitting was first invented, but the knitting machine has a much more recent and better documented history.

In 1589, clergyman and inventor William Lee created the first-ever knitting machine.

There are conflicting reports about why Lee decided to focus on a knitting machine. Some stories say there was a woman that he admired, but she showed more interest in her hand knitting than in him. Other reports state that his wife was a slow knitter and he set his sights on inventing something to help speed up the process. But the most recent evidence suggests a reason as old as time. He wanted to make money.

Whatever his reason, Lee’s invention drastically changed the fiber arts industry for good.

Royal Decree

Queen Elizabeth I declined his patent for the knitting machine stating that the socks he made from it were too coarse for royal ankles. Lee went back to his invention table and upgraded the machine to have 20 needles per inch. This was much more than the original 8 needles per inch his first machine used. He was able to knit a pair of fine silk socks that were softer, but when presented to the Queen, she declined his patent again. She feared that the machine would take jobs away from her subjects, plunge them into poverty, and make their skills obsolete.

Related: Fiber Nation Podcast: Weird Knitted Sh*t Throughout History

When Europeans began to colonize America in the early 17^th century, the knitting machine was smuggled into the New World in rice barrels onboard ships. There was still a belief that if women had access to knitting machines, they would not have enough work to keep themselves busy.

Style Leads to Reinvention

Lee’s original invention was a large frame similar to a weaver’s frame and it used barbed needles to hold the stitches. This concept was used for over 200 years without many improvements to the machine.

Over the last 250 years, the knitting machine has taken on many new forms. In 1759, a patent was given to Jedediah Strutt who developed the ribber attachment. This allowed the machine to make rib and garter stitch fabric.

Over time, the size of the frame was altered as fashion changed and longer stockings were needed.

In 1816, French engineer and inventor Marc Brunel designed the first circular knitting machine that created tubes of fabric. This invention gained popularity during World War I when thousands of socks were needed for soldiers.

Related: Forgotten Wartime Knitting Songs

Today, knitting machines still use the basic design of barbed needles and a frame. Small and inexpensive circular machines can be found online and are still being manufactured by some companies.

To find a good flatbed knitting machine can be a bit trickier. New machines are expensive, so you may want to purchase a refurbished machine. Because of the simplicity of the design and how well they were made, finding a solid working knitting machine is possible with a little searching.

Contemporary Machine Knitters

Today, many fiber artists continue to use a flatbed machine to create unique fabrics that often look very different than handknit fabrics. The stitches are still knits and purls, but knitting machines allow for much finer yarns to be used and more intricate details to be knit into the designs.

There are several popular designers with incredible expertise in the machine knitting industry.

Knitwear designer Amber Hards has a new book coming out on January 1, 2024. It is called Texture and 3D Effects (Machine Knitting Techniques). The book is filled with incredible step-by-step instructions for creating highly textured fabrics using a flatbed knitting machine.

Helen Elizabeth Kaye is also a popular machine knitter that uses color along with unique textures to create distinctive designs. Through her Patreon page, she teaches aspiring machine knitters how to create unique textures and play with color.

It has been over 430 years since the knitting machine was invented, but the craft is still thriving to this day. Countless upgrades, additions, and add ons have been developed over the years to allow artists to create an endless number of unique fabrics.

What fascinates me more than anything is that whether you are using a knitting machine or a pair of needles, the variation of two basic stitches—knit and purl—can inspire an infinite amount of creativeness.

Further Reading

No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting
Knitting History Forum

Krista Ann is a nomadic knitter. She travels with her husband and their fur baby, Phinny, in an RV while she designs knits and teaches at yarn shops along the way. Instagram @explorewithknitsy | Website www.explorewithknitsy | The Knitting Rockstar Academy www.knittingrockstar.com

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