In this fascinating book, Sandy Black charts the development of knitting from domestic handcraft to one of the most sophisticated computer-controlled textile production processes used in fashion. With stunning new photography, Knitting draws on the V&A’s superlative collection of knitted fashions and artifacts to tell this story. Ranging from articles for everyday use to virtuoso examples of the knitter’s craft, including finely knit and embroidered silk stockings, intricate lacewear, and Victorian beaded bags, the book also includes knitted dresses from designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Julien Macdonald to inspire all those interested in this popular craft and industry.

Sandy Black is a professor of fashion and textile design and technology at the London College of Fashion. She curated the touring exhibition The New Knitting and is the author of numerous publications including Knitwear in Fashion, Fashioning Fabrics, and Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox. She is founder and coeditor of the journal Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry.