Why everyone wants to learn.
It seems as though everywhere you look right now, someone is making something. Whether it is knitting a simple wool scarf, yarn bombing a building, arm knitting a chunky wool blanket, crocheting a basket or weaving a macramé plant holder. Everyone is making something, especially if Instagram is the judge.
Yes, there is a knitting revolution happening before your eyes. It is happening right now and there is a very good reason for it.
Everyone is looking for a unique way to disconnect, unplug, relax and recharge. And learning to knit is growing in popularity and becoming a rival to yoga and meditation. And the alternative to the adult coloring book.
Knitting is known to provide an outlet to disconnect, destress and tune out. It also provides a sense of fulfillment and achievement as you create something with your own hands. Not to mention it has been shown to lower your heart rate.
The best way to explain why knitting brings these added health benefits is that the repetition of the movement of the knitting needles and the wool induces a state of relaxation. This leads to reduced stress, better sleep and increased levels of happiness.
Knitting, for our generation, is known as “something our grandmothers’ did”. But the history of knitting started a long time before they were born. It is said that the first pair of knitted socks made by knitting needles came from Egypt in the 11th century.
Whilst the techniques have advanced, the choice and quality of materials used have improved significantly. Take a look at We Are Knitters — the global knitting brand taking the market by storm. The Madrid based DIY Kit company use sustainable and natural wools sourced from countries such as Peru to help their customers make their own clothes and accessories.
The kits are known as ‘the happiness in a kit’ and include everything you need to learn how to knit, crochet, needlepoint and macramé. They have experienced year on year growth as the sale of yarns, needles, DIY kits, patterns and lessons continue to soar each year worldwide.
Even Hollywood celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Kelly Ripa and Sutton Foster regularly share their knitting projects online with their fans.
Actress Krysten Ritter just launched her first knitting kit with a scarf/snood that she designed and developed with We Are Knitters. She said in an interview with People.com earlier this year that “I think everyone these days is looking for something to help us get off our phones”.
If you are not sure it is for you — buy a kit, watch a You Tube video and start making something. It is after all ‘happiness in a kit’.
Originally published at medium.com