Knitting Beyond the Body

When you think about innovation today, knitting may not be the first activity that comes to mind. However, this ancient craft is at the forefront of exciting research and technological advances across many industries including automotive, medical, architecture, interior design, research and, of course, fashion.

Innovation is a key story in human history and a pathway to comprehend how and why change occurs. Knitting Beyond the Body looks at the trends and transitions from hand knitting to machine frame knitting to today’s 3D and technical knits. Knitted fabrics are seen not only on the runway or while Olympic swimmers are waiting for their next event, but in your car, your living room, at the doctor’s office, in the research lab, or as an architectural structure.

The exhibition began with conversations between the co-curators, KSU Museum Director Sarah J Rogers and Professor Linda Ohrn-McDaniel in the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising. Both are hand knitters and Ohrn-McDaniel is the force behind the School’s KnitLAB which has a 10-year partnership with industry leader Stoll by Karl Mayer. KnitLAB serves as one of the few such studios in the country at a state university and is located on the first floor of Rockwell Atrium.

Through a selection of over 100 garments and objects, Rogers and Ohrn McDaniel seek to honor both historic and current innovation and encourage visitors to reconsider the role of knitting in their lives. They also hope the exhibition might even inspire you to finish a project or pick up needles for the first time.