You’ve no doubt heard that knitting is becoming the latest craze. If it isn’t Katherine Heigl discussing her plans for her yarn stash or Ryan Gosling describing knitting as his idea of a perfect day, there are always the latest trends in knitting patterns being covered by one design guru or another.
But you only have two questions on your mind: “What is knitting and why is it good for me?”
What is Knitting?
Knitting is a method of making fabric – two or more needles are used to create interlinked loops from a continuous strand of yarn. Each loop is called a stitch. New stitches are formed by using one needle to pull a loop of yarn through an existing stitch on another needle.
A craft practiced around the world since at least 200 C.E., knitting has evolved from something that people had to do if they wanted clothing to wear or fabric for their home. Today, it is seen as an art form that relaxes the mind and soothes the soul.
While people still knit expressly to create clothing and homewares, life now allows people to also knit purely for the pleasure of knitting.
Why is it Good for You?
Knitting provides an escape from a hectic life filled with meetings, long commutes, deadlines, and the constant beeping of mobile phones. You can use it to destress, unwind, and lower your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels.
As more people learn the joys of knitting, it’s losing the stigma it’s long-held of being “an activity for old people” or “just for girls.” Younger generations are discovering that knitting helps them cope with a stressful work life, gives them a skill they can share with others, and rewards them with useful products they enjoy wearing and sharing with friends and family.
You still need two or more needles and yarn to make knitted fabric, but now you can enjoy knitting simply for its health benefits.
Guides to Help You Get More From Your Knitting
What is the Best Way to Block Knitting? (Step-by-Step)
Knitting projects don’t reveal their full beauty without blocking. Once you bind a project off your needles, there will still be uneven tension and other irregularities. And if you’ve made
Knitting for Beginners: Learn How to Knit (with Videos)
Think of this as knitting 101. We’ve designed this for beginners to learn how to knit step-by-step. Our focus is continental knitting because it allows you to knit faster with
Ultimate Guide to Yarn Weights (Standards & Systems)
Yarn weight standards help you know what projects different types of yarn are best suited for, and whether you can substitute one yarn for another. There are 8 weight standards,