If knitting or crocheting makes you think of something your grandmother might do or that musty, patterned blanket draped over the back of her sofa, then it鈥檚 time to update that image and maybe pick up those knitting needles yourself.
Knitting has enjoyed a resurgence in part due to social media, Dominican University professor Susan Strawn . During an appearance on WBUR鈥檚 On Point broadcast, Strawn said that social media made it possible for knitters to be together and yet alone at the same time.
According to a 2013 study of more than 12,000 knitters by , the average age of a knitter is 52 years old. In addition, the study found that when these knitters are online looking at information about their craft, about half of that time is spent on social media.
鈥淪o many times people think, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 what grandmas do, or that鈥檚 so old-school.鈥� But it鈥檚 really a great way to relieve stress, to express creativity,鈥� said Dana Williams-Johnson, a Howard University professor and the knitter behind the blog .
found that 36% of knitters and crocheters of the 2,600 surveyed were between the ages of 35 to 54 years old; those between the ages of 18 to 34 make up 34%; and those 55 and older make up 30%.
Social media is a way knitters and designers can share their projects and their products.
Gaye Glasspie is famous in the knitting community for knitting all things orange. She has a blog called聽聽and she has more than聽. 聽from Maryland knits sweaters of iconic landmarks and takes photos of himself in front of these places; he has more than.
Williams-Johnson likes the solitary nature of knitting, but she wanted to know what other people were knitting, so she turned to social media.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to find people all over the world that do things that you do, share in the joy, the excitement,鈥� she said.
In addition to connecting with other knitters, social media has helped her discover new yarns, dyers, patterns and projects.
鈥淓very day I鈥檇 go down the rabbit hole of knitting and just find more and more and more,鈥� Williams-Johnson said.
There also has been an effort on social media to incorporate the inclusion of different ethnicities. in January by knitting influencer Karen Templer of The Fringe Association Co. bared the issue of lack of representation within the knitting community.
Following the discussions on diversity, Williams-Johnson noticed an uptick in her own social media followers. She believes that this is because people were seeking knitters of color.
鈥淢ost people say they come to me because I鈥檓 happy, I use a lot of color, I show my face 鈥� A lot of people鈥檚 Instagrams, you scroll through and they don鈥檛 show their face or they cut their heads off, and you just see the knitting,鈥� said Williams-Johnson, who started her blog in 2015 because she didn鈥檛 see many women of color represented in the knitting community.
She said that she shows her face because she鈥檚 proud of the work she has done and the community that she has created around her knitting.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to show you who I am because I want you to know that I鈥檓 a black woman. I鈥檓 a woman of color. I knit. I want you to see me,鈥� Williams-Johnson said.
Karida Collins, the owner of Baltimore-based Neighborhood Fiber Co. which started in an apartment in D.C.鈥檚 LeDroit Park, said she believes that there鈥檚 something magical about a community that is primarily a community of women.
鈥淓ven as we explore our differences and things become more polarized, we still have this community of knitters, and that鈥檚 valuable,鈥� she said.
How to get started
Why would you knit a hat when you can buy one? Well, as it turns out, knitting is good for you.
Separate studies done by the , the and extol the benefits of knitting, which include feeling a sense of accomplishment, reducing stress and eliciting calmness, among others.
“I use it almost as a form of meditation,” Williams-Johnson said.聽“It helps you to kind of re-center and focus on what鈥檚 right in front of you instead of the thing that might be stressing you out and causing you anguish or making you upset.”
Trisha Bullock, of District Heights, Maryland, said that she relies on her knitting to keep her calm, centered and peaceful.
“Having something to divert your attention like crafting is so important. It鈥檚 been a lifeline for me,” said Bullock, who started聽the podcast 聽a year ago to share her love and excitement for crafting.
For those starting out and who may not want to commit to spending money on something they may start but never pick up again, there are places, online and in person, where you can learn and try out the craft.
The new has a variety of crafts and materials people can use, among them knitting needles.
There鈥檚 always a staff member who can help with the equipment, maker librarian Katelyn Attanasio said. In addition, there are knitting and crochet groups that meet at different branches, as well as groups and classes for other crafts.
Online, there are several knitting demonstration videos, from the basic knit and purl to lace-making tips.
is one of the most popular online hubs for the knitting and crocheting community. Started in 2007, it has some 8 million members who use the site to post photos of their projects, look for and share patterns, ask for help or get information about yarns.
And for a fee, most yarn shops offer a range of classes. offers a variety of classes in addition to knitting and crocheting, such as weaving and spinning. At in Dupont Circle, there are classes and a knit doctor, who can help if you鈥檙e having trouble with a project you鈥檙e working on. And at in Historic Occoquan in Virginia, the store鈥檚 calendar is filled with knitting activities and meetups.
Tips from knitters
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to take the time to learn (how to knit), and you鈥檙e going to make a sweater, then I say make it great,鈥� Williams-Johnson said. 鈥淢ake it something that nobody else has. Make it you.鈥�
Being able to experiment and figure out how to make something work for any size, shape or body is one of the things that she loves about knitting.
鈥淚鈥檓 curvy. I鈥檓 short. So I have to figure out if I want to knit a poncho, how do I make a poncho look good on someone with my frame and my height and not look like I鈥檓 just drowning in yarn,鈥� Williams-Johnson said.
For some inspiration, below are some Instagram accounts to follow:
