Course description

Throughout this course we will be engaged in an exploration of knitting from a geographer’s perspective. We will attempt to answer the questions where, why there, and how as we explore several aspects of knitting from tools and techniques to designs and finished products. You will learn how to knit in your own way and then learn techniques used in regions such as Scandinavia, the Baltics, and the Andes and try to understand how and why techniques vary between places. We will study and practice knitting designs from around the world to discover what designs tell us about places. We will find the answers to where, why there, and how different kinds of materials are made into yarns. We will also investigate the modern resurgence of knitting, the proliferation of yarn stores, trends in natural and organic fibers, and knitting-related counter-hegemonic movements. Coursework includes three field trips with response papers, several knitting projects, and a research paper/presentation.