Is This a Navigation Device for a SteamPunk Zepplin? Close! It’s an Antique Sock Knitting Machine.

When I saw these images at Old Tyme Stockings it took hundred foot-pounds of willpower not to head over to eBay and start bidding on one of these hand crank-powered antique circular sock-knitting machines. For an idea of how these work and what they sound like, see the video demonstration of a woman using a knitting to make the heel of a sock:

A hundred years ago farm wives purchased these and knit socks for extra money. Now crafters and collectors are buying, refurbing, and using them. I love when previously obsolescent things are rediscovered and given new life and meaning — especially in the world of fashion.

In Grey, I riffed on a similar notion of what was yesterday’s drudgery will be tomorrow’s sport. Influence by the cool industrial steam irons that I used when I was taking classes at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, I wondered what future competitive ironing might be like. The idea was to iron a dress shirt and compete on smoothness and speed. Just like any sport involving technology there were brands, makes and models of steam irons, boards, and endless variation of technique.

The protagonist in Yarn, Tane Cedar, used an imaginary device that was half exercise equipment and half futurological circular knitting machine. Think of it as: Wii Fit meets circular kitter. It’s coming! Just as 3D printers are slowly heading our way, someday we’ll be able to weave and knit anything we want.

Already of course, some manufactures (like Nike) let you customize your sneakers. But I’m talking about being able to design and manufacture our own shoes, jackets, and pants exactly as we wish.

Will an onslaught of DIY manufacturing make all of us islands of our own fashion? I don’t think so. Just as T-shirt printing has created an infinite number of small designers and companies, so we will surely see thousands of small groups or individuals making shirts, jackets, socks, gloves, or underwear.

Listen to an episode of If You’re Just Joining Us where I talked with freelance journalist , Jacob Fenston about Life Death and T-Shirts.

In future posts, I’ll discuss what Tane knits, who he knits for, and how his knitting could get him killed.