From fistfights in the corridors to tractors driven up its front steps, New Zealand’s parliament has seen plenty of odd and unruly behaviour by sitting MPs.

But a few other controversies have involved something slightly less rowdy: knitting.

In the latest instance, Labour MP Deborah Russell was spotted stitching together a woollen vest during parliament’s question time last week. Around half of more than 43,000 respondents to a Stuff poll thought it unacceptable.

Russell’s defence? It helps her stay calm and focused. She also described it as a way of signalling displeasure with the debate happening in the chamber.

In suggesting a political element, Russell wasn’t pulling the wool. Knitting happens to have a long and storied place in political protest in New Zealand and around the world.

A history of needling

Knitting is often seen as a quiet hobby for the home and hearth. And for good reason: research suggests it can be calming, aid concentration and create social connections.

But its quiet nature has also made knitting an unlikely tool for protest.

During the French Revolution, women known as tricoteuses famously knitted while watching public executions. During World War I, Belgian women reportedly used knitting to record the movements of German troops and artillery.

New Zealand has its own history of........

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