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Sock

Sock

  • Place of origin:

    Egypt (made)

  • Date:

    1100-1300 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Cotton, hand knitted

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mrs Russell

  • Museum number:

    T.201-1929

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

This is the earliest example of true, or double-needle, knitting in the Museum’s collections. It was made in North Africa, about 1100–1300, during the period of Islamic rule. The blue and white abstract design echoes the colour combinations and patterning found in Islamic ceramics. The sock was worked from toe to top, and a break in the pattern on the left-hand side suggests a join characteristic of knitting in the round. There is evidence on either side of insertions for a heel. The gauge varies from ten stitches per twelve rows per inch at the toe to 7 stitches per ten rows per inch at the top, suggesting that shaping was achieved by changing the size of the needles as the knitting progressed.

Physical description

A fragment of knitting, possibly remains of a sock, in blue and white cotton. It is worked in bands of blue lozenges against a white ground, alternating with 'N' and reverse 'N' motifs in white against blue. A break in the pattern on the left-hand side suggests a join characteristic of knitting in the round. There is evidence on either side of insertions for a heel. Worked toe to top. Gauge varies from 10 stitches/12 rows per inch at the toe to 7 stitches/10 rows per inch at the top, suggesting that shaping was achieved by changing the size of the needles as the knitting progressed.

Place of Origin

Egypt (made)

Date

1100-1300 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Cotton, hand knitted

Dimensions

Length: 50 cm approx., Width: 27.5 cm approx.

Object history note

Registered File number 1929/8848.

Historical significance: The earliest example of true (double-needle) knitting in V&A collections

Descriptive line

Knitted sock?, fragment; Egypt; 1100-1300?

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Richard Rutt, A History of Handkniting, London: Batsford, 1987, p.36

Materials

Cotton

Techniques

Hand knitting

Categories

Clothing; Africa

Collection code

T&F

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