A Kickoff to the Summer of Socks Contest

The Summer of Socks doesn't "officially" start until June 21st; however, here at Woolgirl we're getting a head start on things! First things first, I hope that each and every one of you is participating in the Summer of Socks this year! It runs from June 21st through September 1st, and the goal is to knit as many socks as possible during this time frame so that your feet are prepared for the cold months ahead. Of course, there are lots of cool contests too, so that makes it extra fun!

We're starting the Summer of Socks off a bit early here with a contest of our own, and we'll be holding a Summer of Socks contest each month during the summer - one this month (of course), and one in June, July, and August, and then we'll hold one on the final day of Summer of Socks - June 1st. Each contest will include a knitting trivia question - some more challenging than others, of course, but nonetheless, a trivia question related to knitting. Each month we'll offer a unique Summer of Socks prize which will be representative of that individual month in some way, and will include a skein of sock yarn that we've gotten in the shop that month (as well as a few other sock knitting items!) Each contest will take place on a Wednesday and you will have one week to submit your answer - as we will announce the winner the Wednesday following. So, for this week's contest, the winner will be announced on next Wednesday's blog.

As another bit of fun information, we'll also be starting a Flickr group for all Woolgirl customers, where you can post your completed projects that you've knitted with any yarn purchased at Woolgirl. We can't wait to see your photos, so look for this to start soon! We hope you will post your completed Summer of Socks projects here too.

OK, ready for the contest question? This one seems very easy, but is it really? You decide! Here's the question:

Knitting has traditionally always been a female handicraft. TRUE or FALSE?

I look forward to seeing your answers, and I know that some of you will provide explanation, so I look forward to those too!


A shop note too: We will be posting Dream in Color Smooshy this week sometime in the shop, but will NOT have a shop update this Sunday. Instead, our next shop update will be on Friday, May 30th, and we will have the long awaited Neighborhood Fiber Company sock yarn!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! 

Comments

[Tracy]

I believe this is false. If my memory serves, which would be unusual, knitting guilds were strictly for men. Can't wait for Summer of Socks, you must have read my mind for what to do this summer holiday!

[Belinda Giliberti]

False. I only knew about this from reading an article from Vogue Knitting and there are few other books on the subject. It was actually only taught to men and considered too difficult for women to do and men commanded a high price for intricate lace hosiery and other high society items. Before I starting knitting, however, I would have assumed that it was a female only craft.

[Susan]

I'm going to say False. I think I read this somewhere, but I can't remember the details, so I cannot elaborate beyond that!

[Becky]

Hmmm. It think it's False. Summer of Socks sounds fun! I'm a notoriously *slow* knitter, but I may just try to keep up with everyone else!

[Julia]

False. "Contrary to popular opinion, men have been knitting for centuries; 16th-century European knitting guilds limited membership to male knitters required to study for six years."

[Bonney]

It's false!! Too bad there aren't more men interested in it still....

[Christie]

That is false. It originally a male-only occupation, the first knitting trade guild was started some time the 1500's.

[Betty H]

My answer is False. Per Wikipedia: "Originally a male-only occupation, the first knitting trade guild was started in Paris in 1527. Knitting became a household occupation with the growing popularity of knitted stockings and by the end of the 1600s, one to two million pairs of stockings were exported from Britain to other parts of Europe." I love the idea for the Summer of Socks and plan on participating.

[Donna]

I believe that's False. There were many male-only knitting guilds in the 1500 and 1600's.

[Candice]

It's false. Wish we could get more men knitting - sigh. And Summer of Socks sounds like fun! Count me in.

[Crafty Pancakes]

Definitely false! Yay for S.O.S!

[Martha - DC]

False
Orignally Men were the knitters.
Martha

[kittykitty]

This is actually a really highly disputable trivia question with a high amount of speculation. It really would depend culturally and what time range we are discussing.

If we are talking Nålebinding (Pre-Christian to Christian)which is often viewed as one of the predecessors to knitting the answer would be false. Most fish netting type knot tieing was done by men.

If we are talking what is often described as the first knitted sock (Coptic socks around 1000CE) which is believed to be Egyptian, it would be unknown. There are drawings of queens in the lower Nile region that depict them doing hand work with long sticks that could be knitting. Which would give some reference to this being a female skill in the region.

The first set of known DPN's (Kudumisvarras) and a knitted swatch were from the the 13th centruty in a recent tomb in Estonian and it was a woman's tomb.

Historians seem to give the reference point of the 14th century to knitting in the west. The word "to Knit" was n't established in the dictionary until the 1400's. Other regions in the west were even latter in establishing a word for making a loop with two long needles.

The Middle Age craft guilds were basically made up of men so this statement would make you assume this statement was false. So men were the first to knit as an occupation from this perspective.

By the time though of Queen Elizabeth 1 Knitting was a skill that woman were practicing as well.

During the 16th and 17th centruy it was a skill for the entire family to participate in in Scotland.

I was recently reading about the use of paper in JP for knitting and weaving during the early 700's and there is some evidence of a knitted like structure that was done by by the Budhist Monks and also Villagers. So here you have an example of both men and women.

At least for latter history the lace industry in Orenburg and Estonian seem to be driven by women. And you show early evidence of women being able to make money from knitting.

Then you have the references to knitting done by the Arabic with early samples around 1275 that have shown up in Spainish tombs. I don't remember any origin of crafter on these items.

If I remember my textile history classes you also have some speculation that the craft of knitting may have actually been picked up by men during the travels of the Crusade and brought back to Europe 1100's. So here again I guess the statement would be false.

The earliest art depiction of known knitting would by of a woman though.
"The Madonna Knitting
Christ's Seamless Garment
by Meister Bertram von Minden
(1345~1415), the earliest known
illustration of a knitted garment"
http://www.shimaseiki.co.jp/images/wholegarment/wg_article/bertram.jpg

So I think it would be fair to say that traditionally, knitting was done by both sexes so the statement would be false.

[Dawn]

False..traditionally it was the men...where are they now?:)

[Lori]

I'm going with False. I've read that women used to do the spinning and men used to do the knitting. Obviously, there are many conflicting reports regarding the history of knitting. But I believe both men and women have been important in it's evolution.

[Karen]

False - the men use to knit, but then from what I remember, war happened and the men needed socks and such so the women took up knitting to send the socks and to bring in extra money

[Mandi]

I believe it's false. I seem to remember reading that someplace. I'm signed up for Summer of Socks and can't wait! :)

[Laura in Decatur]

False!

[Emily]

Men. I found this on menknit.net: "The thinking goes that knitting grew out of the knitting of fishing nets."

Cool!

I'm signed up for SOS08 and looking forward to it! :)

[Emily]

I am going to say false, since true seems the automatic answer. So, FALSE! :)

[Angela]

I'll say "false". I think men knitted fishing nets way back when.

[JB]

That's false.

[Deirdre]

I know it's false, and I know the historical reasoning, but couldn't explain it nearly as well as had already been done...

[Marlyn]

False!

[Beth]

False :)