What technological advancement around 1589 began the shift of knitting from a manual trade to mechanized production?
Answer
The invention of the stocking frame by William Lee
William Lee invented the stocking frame around 1589, a mechanical device designed to meet the high demand for knitted legwear much faster than human hands could manage.
Related Questions
What is the date range associated with the earliest confirmed physical evidence of knitting found in Egypt?Which textile techniques are considered potential ancestors that laid the groundwork for the looped structure of knitting?What technical breakthrough allowed knitting to distinguish itself from older textile methods like weaving?For a significant period following its establishment in Europe, knitting was primarily regarded as what type of pursuit?Why did knitting initially fall under the purview of established male professional structures?What was the functional engineering problem that knitting solved for body coverings like hose?What technological advancement around 1589 began the shift of knitting from a manual trade to mechanized production?What role did the invention of the stocking frame play in the social shift of knitting?After mass production was mechanized, what sphere did hand-knitting generally retreat into?What were the early Egyptian knitting examples primarily characterized as?