When Olympic diver Tom Daley was spotted knitting between dives at the Paris Olympics last year, he sparked a nationwide creative revival. His new Channel 4 programme Game of Wool: Britain's Best Knitter has further fuelled this resurgence, captivating viewers with contestants' remarkable abilities and stunning woolly creations.
The Mental Health Benefits of Knitting
The practice delivers significant emotional wellbeing benefits, as Shelby Fuller, founder of knitwear brand Elizabeth An'Marie, can attest. "Before I started knitting I was in a depressed state," shares Fuller, who began teaching herself the skill in 2014. "When I started to teach myself how to knit I remember one of my friends asked me how I was and for the first time in a while I could actually say yeah, I'm OK."
Promoting Mindfulness and Self-Care
Knitting designer Monica Russel, founder of The Knit Knacks, explains how the craft encourages mindfulness. "If you're doing something that's a little bit challenging, you solely concentrate on what you're doing and can switch off from what's going on around you," she says. "It's got that ability to take you away from a situation for a short space of time and that can be very cathartic."
Fuller emphasises knitting's role in self-care: "When you pick up a skill like knitting or crocheting, it helps your mental health because you are putting your focus into something for yourself instead of for someone else."
Building Confidence and Community
Learning knitting builds self-confidence through achievement. "Learning a new skill gives you a sense of achievement and satisfaction," says Russel. "You can choose your own colour and pattern, and can customise what you're going to knit, and can feel very proud of what you've achieved."
Positive feedback from others strengthens this self-assurance. "When you make something, and then someone just says, that's so nice, where'd you get it from, and you say you made it and get that positive feedback, I think that can definitely help with self-esteem," adds Fuller.
Knitting also serves as a fantastic social activity. "Getting together with friends or family doesn't always have to be about eating or gossiping over a drink," Fuller suggests. "It can also be fun to do something different and creative, like knitting."
Community building happens naturally through knitting classes. "Knitting classes are a great way to meet new people doing something you enjoy and helps build a community," Fuller explains. "The last class I did was so fun because of all the characters that came. I had a blast and laughed a lot during those two hours."
The Soothing Power of Creative Expression
The craft's repetitive nature provides calming effects. "Doing repeat patterns within a row or a garment is very methodical and I think that can have a very calming effect," shares Russel. "It can help relax people, and some would say knitting can be a form of therapy."
For those with creative minds, knitting offers essential creative expression. "If you are someone who has a creative mind, don't just sit on it because it will drive you mad," Fuller points out. "I think that's why I picked up my knitting needles for the first time all those years ago."
Ultimately, knitting brings simple joy. "Knitting doesn't have to be serious, it can be fun as well," advises Russel. "Don't be afraid to experiment and try out new things."
