Knitting Was Initially A Male-Only Occupation. I LOVE YARN DAY is a collaborative effort of the Craft Yarn Council, a non-profit made up of the leading yarn companies, accessory manufacturers, publishers and consultants in the yarn industry including: Annie’s Publishing; Boye/Simplicity Creative Group; Clover Needlecraft; Creative Partners; Creativebug; Interweave Press/FW; Leisure Arts; Lion Brand Yarn; Prime Publishing; Red Heart Yarns; Spinrite; TNNA and TMA Yarns. The earliest known yarn and fabric samples were estimated to be around 7,000 years old. These were found in Robenhausen, Switzerland and were bundles of fax fibers and yarns. Because knitting yarns decay with time, it’s nearly impossible for archaeologists to determine how long this art form has been around. Although the sharpened sticks found at numerous digging sites resemble knitting needles, they could also be tools with totally different uses. Before, yarn was spun on a rounded stick with tapered ends to which the fibers are attached and twisted which had a weight attached to it to keep it from rotating. This is known as the spindle and whorl which was used until the 1300’s In order to make yarn, there are about 15 different types of fibers used which are either natural or synthetic. Cotton is the most commonly used natural fiber. It is known to be the best selling type of yarn in America. Yarn is sold in the shape called a skein to prevent the yarn from becoming tangled or knotted. Yarn is used to make cloth by knitting, crocheting or weaving. Very fine yarn is called thread and is used in sewing and embroidery. Crochet patterns are currently widely known and used but the very first crochet pattern was first published back in 1824 in a Dutch magazine.The crochet pattern was known as “Penelope” which featured delicate and detailed lacework for a bag One of the earliest known examples of knitting (formed on two sticks by pulling loops through loops) were a pair of cotton socks found in Egypt from the first millennium A.D. Many of them have knit into them khufic (a decorative Arabic script) blessings, symbols to ward off evil, or both. Knitting was initially a male-only occupation. In fact, when the very first knitting union was established in Paris in 1527, no women were allowed The knitting machine was invented in 1589 (during the reign of Queen Elizabeth) by William Lee, a clergyman. After the invention of the knitting machine, knitting was gradually taken over by guild-organized cottage industries in the 17th and 18th centuries. Knitting first appeared in England during the 13th century in the form of felted caps that were worn by soldiers and sailors. However, knitting did not become a popular method for creating other garments due to the difficulty of producing quality steel needles. The full-fashioned knitting machine was invented in 1864 by William Cotton of Leicestershire, England. David Babcock entered the Guinness World Record when he finished the Kansas City marathon in 5 hours 48 minutes 27 seconds—all while knitting a scarf measuring 12 feet, 1¾ inches long. He eclipsed the previous Guinness World Record, held by Britain’s Susie Hewer. To be eligible, competitors must complete the marathon in less than six hours. Americans have sex an average of 6 minutes per sexual encounter. These six minutes burn about 21 calories. A person burns 55 calories by knitting for half an hour. The word “knit” is derived from the Old English cnyttan, which means “to knot.” Knitting acts as a natural antidepressant and can help ease anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. It can also protect the brain from aging Famous people who knit include Julia Roberts, Vanna White, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianna Margulies, and many others For the first four or five hundred years of knitting’s history, the most common knitting materials were cotton and silk, not wool. In 1566, King Eric of Sweden owned 27 pairs of knitted silk stockings imported from Spain. Each knitted pair cost the same as his valet’s yearly salary Dye lot numbers matter. This little number is a bit of a troublemaker. Dyeing can lead to different results, even when using the same dye on different lots. It is just how things are. To avoid any out of tune coloring, just get skeins from the same dye lot. Sources: Days of the Year Fact Retriever American Yarns Brown Sheep The Knitting Space Kids Kiddle .