A stitch in time

A DigitalNZ Story by Lauren

A collection of images showing the presence of knitting, stitching and sewing in everyday life and commercially in New Zealand

stitch, sewing, knitting, sewing machine, mending, mills, pattern

Knitting groups

Image: Knitting group

Knitting group

Nelson Provincial Museum

Image: Knitting during a lecture, 1940s

Knitting during a lecture, 1940s

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Group portrait of the Pickwick Knitting Club

Group portrait of the Pickwick Knitting Club

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: World Wide Knit in Public Day

World Wide Knit in Public Day

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Group of five unidentified women on the steps of a house, two of the women are doing crochet and one woman knitting, various pot plants can be seen on the steps and in front, probably Christchurch district

Group of five unidentified women on the steps of a house, two of the women are doing crochet and one woman knitting, various pot plants can be seen...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Knitting for the troops

Image: Schoolgirls knitting for the war, 1917

Schoolgirls knitting for the war, 1917

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Members of the Spinsters Club knitting socks for World War I soldiers - Photograph taken by Joseph Zachariah

Members of the Spinsters Club knitting socks for World War I soldiers - Photograph taken by Joseph Zachariah

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Royal visit to wounded troops: the King chatting to a 'Tommy', who was busily knitting garments for his comrades at the front

Royal visit to wounded troops: the King chatting to a 'Tommy', who was busily knitting garments for his comrades at the front

Auckland Libraries

Image: Knitting for the troops

Knitting for the troops

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: OUR NEW ZEALAND TROOPS. (Taranaki Daily News 9-1-1915)

OUR NEW ZEALAND TROOPS. (Taranaki Daily News 9-1-1915)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Knitting socks for the troops serving overseas in World War Two (1939-45)

Knitting socks for the troops serving overseas in World War Two (1939-45)

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: War Report - 7 September

War Report - 7 September

Radio New Zealand

Knitting paraphernalia

Image: Knitting bag

Knitting bag

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sewing machine

Sewing machine

Kete Horowhenua

Image: kit, sewing

kit, sewing

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Thimble

Thimble

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: leaflet, pattern (knitting)

leaflet, pattern (knitting)

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: kit, sewing

kit, sewing

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Clark & Co sewing display cabinet

Clark & Co sewing display cabinet

Howick Historical Village

Image: Sewing thread on spool, pink cotton

Sewing thread on spool, pink cotton

Mataura Museum

The sewing industry in New Zealand

Image: Hazelwoods interior; knitting wool.

Hazelwoods interior; knitting wool.

Upper Hutt City Library

Image: Bentley Cotton Knitting Machine arrives at Levin Knitting Mills

Bentley Cotton Knitting Machine arrives at Levin Knitting Mills

Kete Horowhenua

Image: Knitting machines in a factory

Knitting machines in a factory

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Māori women workers

Māori women workers

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Staff of the Manawatu Knitting Mills

Staff of the Manawatu Knitting Mills

Palmerston North City Library

Image: City Status procession No. 31; Singer sewing machines.

City Status procession No. 31; Singer sewing machines.

Upper Hutt City Library

Image: Tailors with sewing machines, Christchurch

Tailors with sewing machines, Christchurch

Alexander Turnbull Library

Knitting is a portable activity!

Image: Knitting

Knitting

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: [Woman sewing a tivaevae, Rarotonga]

[Woman sewing a tivaevae, Rarotonga]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Shetland woman knitting

Shetland woman knitting

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sarah Jane Kirk knitting

Sarah Jane Kirk knitting

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Seaside knitting, 1945

Seaside knitting, 1945

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Unidentified Knitting Woman

Unidentified Knitting Woman

Palmerston North City Library

Image: Studio portrait of an unidentified girl sitting on a wooden stool knitting a sock, with three rows of socks hanging behind her, possibly Christchurch district

Studio portrait of an unidentified girl sitting on a wooden stool knitting a sock, with three rows of socks hanging behind her, possibly Christchur...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Unknown man and sewing machine

Unknown man and sewing machine

Puke Ariki

Image: Possibly Mr and Mrs Imrie, with sewing machine

Possibly Mr and Mrs Imrie, with sewing machine

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Woman with sewing machine, Taranaki district

Woman with sewing machine, Taranaki district

Alexander Turnbull Library

Knitting and sewing in art

Image: Knitting in the ladies' gallery at Parliament, 1880

Knitting in the ladies' gallery at Parliament, 1880

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Yarnbombing

Yarnbombing

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Untitled [Woman Sewing with Children]

Untitled [Woman Sewing with Children]

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Woman Sewing

Woman Sewing

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Portrait of Edith

Portrait of Edith

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: James Humphries sewing on board ship, 1851

James Humphries sewing on board ship, 1851

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage