The Fascinating History of Knitting Circles

During World War I knitting campaigns from the Red Cross and the US government encouraged women to knit for the troops fighting overseas. Needles in 3 sizes and specific instructions were distributed to help keep sizing for garments somewhat regulated. The local chapters even supplied the yarn. Posters stated that folks back home should “knit your bit” (instead of “do your bit”) and “Come do your bit – knit!”. Within this framework around 2 million hours of knitting was donated during this period. It also gave rise to the knitting circle.

This type of crowd-sourced knitting reduced the amount of supplies that the armed forces needed to buy, but it also gave troops some handmade items to keep them warm. Groups of women both young and old would gather to churn out knits to then be collected for the cause. Knitted items were also sold in fundraisers for the Red Cross, too.

The gathering of like-minded people to do a meditative task and catch up on gossip or just talk quietly made these groups an appealing place to spend a little bit of one’s free time. And this was true long after the war was over.

Knitted items were popular in the 1930s since some store-bought goods became too costly to keep buying. Knitting circles continued into the 1940s due to the Second World War. Certain goods had become scarce and there was also a push to send knitted items to troops again. The Red Cross published new knitting patterns and guidelines for knitting circles in late 1941, within weeks of Pearl Harbor, as the US entered World War II the day after the attacks. This was “knitting for victory” and to help the war effort. All knitted contributions were channeled by the War Production Board through the Red Cross for efficiency.

The Red Cross created patterns for socks and gloves for soldiers, but scarves, hats, and even children’s items were needed as well. While the drives aimed to give troops warmth during battle, the Red Cross also collected much-needed items for orphans and refugees.

The silk stockings that had once been popular were unavailable due to a trade embargo with Japan even before Pearl Harbor. And, nylon was being used for the war effort. So women were encouraged to wear knitted socks and stockings instead. This meant that even outside the context of knitting items for soldiers, in a knitting circle there were plenty of things to knit for one’s own life as well. The fashions of the day included Fair Isle sweaters, knitted vests and blouses, and a range of other knitted items.

Knitting circles functioned much like sewing bees and were often as much about the social interaction as they were about the product being made. And despite the name, knitting circles could include crochet or rug making as well, though war efforts focused on knitted items for consistency.

Most knitting circle members were women, but some men did participate as well. There was a time in European history when knitting was considered a man’s occupation and knitter’s guilds had requirements to enter, namely that you be a man with a certain level of experience under your belt. But, in the 20th century knitting circles were largely the domain of women. Even young women formed knitting groups.

This social aspect earned these circles a reputation for being places women could say what was on their minds and perhaps share a good laugh. Young people also formed their own knitting circles since so many girls learned to knit at high proficiency from a young age back then.

Women getting together to dish and knit led to the nickname of “stitch and bitch clubs” for these 1940s knitting circles, a controversial term that refers to women in the circle being able to vent to other members during meeting times. The term “crafternoon” has recently emerged as a gentler word for such a day spent making things with others.

In the 1980s and 1990s knitting died down as a popular past time. Handmade items that had once been so popular even into the 1970s, were now seen as too rustic and homely. Handmade items were no longer seen as a sign of comfort and the time needed taken to make these items was often seen as wasted somehow. It was only in early 2000s that crafting, crocheting, and knitting circles came back into fashion after a long period when they were seen as old fashioned and out of touch.