Healthy old habits that are in fashion again and considered works of art.

Photo Lil Artsy

Do you remember when mending, knitting and embroidering were considered only boring activities for old ladies sitting in a circle? Well, those times are over. According to two different BBC articles, these activities are in fashion again, especially for Gen Z.

In this article, Cassidy George explains how a traditional craft became fashion-forward and radical. Many stereotypes are associated with knitting, and, in its history, it has been in and out of fashion many times. Nowadays there is a huge interest in it, not only in the catwalks but also as a form of art and activism.

First, "knitting" comes from "knot", the process of using two or more needles to create a fabric of a series of interconnected loops. The documented history of knitting begins with a pair of Ancient Egyptian socks, from the 3rd to 5th Century AD.

Considered only a domestic, feminine activity and, in fact, a waste of time, we discover that, in fact, 

"Both women and men knitted professionally for centuries, and it wasn’t until the mid-to-late 19th Century that it became associated with domesticity."

For most of the 20th Century, knitwear was used in relatively conventional clothing. However, towards the end of the century, pioneers like Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Julien Macdonald began using knits in unusual ways and creating edgier garments, expanding the applications of the technique. 

Then, designers, artists, and hobbyists contributed to creating the art of "Extreme Knitting". Sandy Black, a professor at the London College of Fashion also curated a show for the Fashion and Textile Museum called Visionary Knitwear. According to Black, 

"Knitting is often still perceived as an amateur and uncomplicated craft, and the difficulty of the skill is chronically underestimated by people both in and out of the fashion industry."

As with many activities, knitting has become popular during the lockdown. Social media, internet forums, and blogs have been a vital resource, not only in support of the work of extreme knitter designers like Katya Zelentsova and Ýr Jóhannsdóttir but also in introducing the youngest generation to the passion of knitting and keeping it alive. This new passion has also boosted millennial-focused companies that sell knitting tools and kits. 

Katya Zelentsova

Ýr Jóhannsdóttir

As far as embroidering is concerned, I've always admired traditional Sardinian embroidery. On my island, there is an ancient tradition and many artisans still embellish traditional garments with handmade decorations. Patience is the number one ingredient when we talk about embroidery. That's why I've never tried it yet. In this article, Bel Jacobs explains how embroidery is enjoying a resurgence as a new generation taps into its potential. I've found incredibly interesting this exhibition at Barbican, described on the website, in which there's also a very useful glossary about the world of embroidering.

Sardinian traditional embroidery From Pinterest

Sardinian traditional embroidery From Pinterest

According to Jacobs' article, the resurgence is due, in no small part, to the need to confront the fashion industry's damaging impact. The article also shows an embroidering step-by-step guide by the artist Tessa Salomons.

The power of embroidering is amazing if we only consider that you can often recycle, mend and re-use something that was mass-produced by putting your own mark on it and bringing your own personality to that.

Salomons also suggests the book Mend!: A Refashioning Menu and Manifesto, by Kate Sekules. 

Both knitting and embroidering offer more than a sustainable way to be more self-sufficient and creative; it also benefits overall health and wellness. Crafting is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Sitting down to knit and embroider can put you in an almost meditative state, that's why more and more people say knitting is the new yoga!

If you're interested in learning more, there is also this book about Sardinian knotted embroidery, written by Yvette Stanton, a textile historian passionate about embroidery, particularly whitework. 

Maria Lai, Mondo Incandescente, 1988

And don't forget to have a look at the works of art of our Sardinian artist Maria Lai whose artistic research is rooted in her homeland, Sardinia, though confronting itself with the most contemporary languages: innovation and tradition intertwine to give life to an original “weft”. The starting point of this research is always the thread women from her island have been working with for centuries, always making the same identical gestures, which symbolize the relationships between people, the re-binding of broken ties and also a projection into infinity.