Knitting 101

Knitting is a great hobby to learn to create a beautiful, long lasting garment which will transcend seasons. When you put hours and hours into the production of a garment which you have made by yourself, you're more inclined to keep it for longer, wear it more and therefore consume less. But that isn't just the only reason to take it up. It also has numerous health benefits, here's a handful of our favourite!

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

Knitting has been shown to be a calming and meditative activity that can help reduce stress and anxiety levels. The repetitive and rhythmic motions trigger a release of serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with calmness and well-being.

Improved cognitive function

At first sight, it may seem that knitting is a simple and repetitive activity. But alternating your knit and purl stitches stimulates brain function. Studies carried out in older adults have shown that this type of productive mental engagement canbenefit cognitive skills, including memory and reasoning.

Linked to this, some research suggests that the cognitive demands of knitting can alsoreduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia, as it keeps the brain cells fired up.

Knitting Helps Overcoming Addiction

The irony is that knitting itself is addictive, but the key is in swapping a truly self-destructive addiction for the relatively tame addiction of knitting.

Knitting support groups like Australia’s Knit to Quit group for smokers have been life-changing, largely because of the community support and knitting’s inherently soothing quality.

Want to Learn? Here's some of our Easy Kits for starting out!