Patron Saint/ Goddess of Knitting

It appears knitting is a fairly young craft. It can't be documented before 1200-1500 AD. (That doesn't mean it wasn't around before then. It just can't be documented. After all, fiber rots.) There is something called nalbinding that looked like knitting that was around earlier, but it was created by a different process. http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=knitting

This means knitting wasn't out there, standing in line, when goddesses and patrons saints were being handed out. Knitters may have to share with other crafters in some "blanket goddess/saint". St. Clair of Assisi seems to get the most votes because she is the Patron Saint of Needle Workers. http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc03.htm

I found quite a lot of blog chatter about patron saints. When I searched "goddess of knitting" I got every blogger in the world who has named herself a knitting goddess. Some have a good sense of humor, like Evil Bitch Goddess of Knitting or Knitting Goddess #9 and High Goddess of Knitting and Small Fluffy Dogs

There have been some interesting suggestions on other blogs and sites. I'll consolidate a few.

Franklin in Chicago picked St. Clair. I like his logic:
I want to say a prayer but don’t know who the patron saint of knitters is. I decide on St. Clare of Assisi – she’s the patroness of embroiderers and can always pass along the message – and the Virgin Mary, who is obviously fond of shawls. http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2005/08/stitches-midwest-diary-part-one.html

Bridget in Philadelphia has quite a discussion of patron saints and goddesses spurred by her blog. I only listed one.
And speaking of saints, I was trying to locate the patron saint of knitters. I couldn't come across anything definitive, since there were no specific listings under "knitting," or "knitters." I did learn that St. Blaise (he of the blessing of the throats) is the patron saint of wool workers. But in the end, I think we have to go with St. Clare of Assisi, who is listed as the patron saint of embroiderers and needle workers, among other things.
Teabird17 responded to her with:

I wouldn't be able to help you with the patron saint of knitters, but I've read that the Greek Goddess would be Hestia - the Chinese would be Kuan Yin, Goddess of compassion, I think, for the warmth we create,and the Hindu might be Sarasvati, for creativity.

http://the-ravelld-sleave.blogspot.com/2006/11/november-1st.html

The New York Times offers this tidbit:
" There is no company of stocking-knitters known earlier than 1527, in which year a company established itself in Paris, choosing for its patron saint St. Fiacre, because he was supposed (in France) to be a Scotch Prince, the son of a Scotch King, and it wanted to do Scotland, the knitting country, every honor"
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9807EFD71F3AE533A25750C1A9649C94609FD7CF&oref=slogin

St. Fiacre, was actually Irish and a gardener. Do we want to share knitting with the Patron Saint of Hemorrhoids?

Patronage

barrenness; box makers; cab drivers; fistula; florists; gardeners; haemorrhoids; hosiers; pewterers; piles; taxi drivers; sterility; syphilis; tile makers; venereal disease

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintf13.htm

I'm not the only one wondering about such things. E.Zimmerman cries out:

Anyone know the patron saint of knitters? (I found St. Pareasceva for spinners and FOUR for weavers including St. Parasceva, St. Antony Claret, St. Maurice, and St. Onuphrius. Lucky ducks for the weavers out there!) Anyway, my patron looking out for me on that first pair of socks, is obviously doing other important work, because the second pair is TOUGH!

http://twinsunplus1.wordpress.com/category/e-zimmerman/

Then there is a blog that offers to find you a patron saint, no matter what:

YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET!

Shop Announcement

Stuck in an office with a horrible cubicle mate? St. Therese, patron saint of people who are annoyed by the annoying habits of others. Sewing? St. Ann. Embroidery? St. Clair. Trekkies? St. Martin de Porres. There really IS a patron saint for everything! We can custom match a saint for whatever your needs may be, just contact us! Each item comes with a holy card pictorial story of your saint.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=53281

After reading all of this, my friend Steve suggested Saint Rafqa. She is the Patron Saint of Bodily Ills (hm... someone I can relate to), but at least she was a knitter!
On the feast of the Holy Rosary in 1885, Rafqa prayed that she might share Christ's sufferings. Her health began to deteriorate, and she was soon blind and crippled. She spent as much of her remaining 30 years in prayer as she could, but always insisted on working in the convent as well as she could with her disabilities, usually spinning wool and knitting.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintr27.htm


Maybe we still need to stay anonymous. Moth Heaven sort of sums it up in her plea,

Help me oh sweet patron saint of knitters, whomever you are. (Even if I am a Unitarian).

http://scrubberbum.typepad.com/moth_heaven/2005/07/okay_okay_ill_u.html