Knitting is one of the most known crafts in the world. Crafting can help people discover things about themselves – what they actually want, how they perceive designs, and how much patience they have for a hobby. For others, knitting has also turned into a source of income.
A beginner in knitting might feel overwhelmed at first. After all, there will always be an investment when one tries a new hobby, may it be time, effort, or even money.
If you’re unsure whether you’ll try knitting or you feel like you’ll just waste your time on this activity, read this article to get the answers to some of the questions you might have regarding the craft.
Is It Worth Learning to Knit?
Knitting is both a life skill and a hobby. Most people venture into knitting because they’re finding a relaxing hobby and to destress. Knitters also say that this hobby helps them to destress from work and/or life, and at the same time, stay focused on something.
To answer this question, yes, it is worth learning how to knit because it can give different benefits to a person, especially mentally. This hobby can provide relaxation and a certain level of enjoyment that can help you clear your mind.
There are also no strict rules in knitting – even someone who believes he or she isn’t crafty or artistic can learn this. Everyone is welcome to try this hobby without any age or even gender limit.
It’s an activity that is meant to be shared and enjoyed by anyone. How fun is that? Maybe knitting is your way to unleash your creative skills and express yourself through art.
Another thing that makes knitting worth learning is that it doesn’t require any structured way to learn. As a student, you can learn your own way and at your own pace – if you want to learn from tutorials online, you may do so.
If you want to level up your learning and enroll in knitting classes, that’s also okay. This makes the activity easier to learn for it doesn’t give any pressure on anyone who wants to have knitting skills.
Lastly, learning how to knit can help you create unique pieces for yourself. As your skills advance, you’ll get to learn to knit more types of clothing for yourself.
Maybe you’ll start with small pieces like coasters and socks then move on to things like gloves, scarves, and eventually, sweaters. When you’re able to do these pieces, you can now gift them to your family and friends on special occasions.
How Long Does It Take To Become Good at Knitting?
As they always say, practice makes perfect, and the same principle applies to knitting. Depending on how much you can and if you are willing to practice in a day, you might be able to take a nice grasp on the rhythm and knit a good shape at an average of 20 to 30 hours. This can also depend on how good you are at digesting new learnings.
Learning to knit faster can also be influenced by how comfortable you are whenever you knit. You might need to consider the materials you use, how you learn to hold the needle properly, and your posture when you knit as a beginner. These factors also contribute to how fast you can knit certain patterns.
A good and reliable instructor or a learning buddy can also help your knitting progress. When you knit with someone who can teach you different techniques and patterns to become better, it can be a great motivation for your knitting journey.
You can also find better knitting instructors on the internet. Searching for articles to read about knitting, educational books, and video tutorials can help you enhance your skill in this hobby, which can help your development faster.
Your progress as a knitter can also depend on how much patience, perseverance, and dedication you have for this craft. Muscle control is also a factor to consider when knitting.
You will have to practice repeatedly, depending on how much time you can give for a day, some basic patterns in order to get the perfect rhythm and muscle control for you. You will also need to practice knitting evenly for the whole piece you’re aiming to do.
Speed in knitting should also consider these necessary factors:
- Size of your project
- Size of your materials
- Emotional capacity of the knitter.
Aside from practicing, you can also do these ways to improve your knitting skills and speed:
- Embrace your mistakes: Committing mistakes are inevitable when you’re starting something new, and this mindset also applies to knitting. It’s okay to make mistakes on your first few days or weeks with the hobby – embrace them and learn from them to be better!
- Acknowledge that you need to start from the neutral-looking patterns: We understand that you’re excited to see what you can create but you also have to acknowledge that since you’re a beginner, you have to start from the basic patterns to fully grasp the hobby.
- Creating a practice routine: Practice does not only help you be a master of the craft but it will also guide you in building a discipline for this venture. Have a practice routine and schedule to try to consistently follow.
- Consistent in showing up: How can someone make progress on things if he or she doesn’t show up? The same goes for knitting. Be consistent with your practice times and eventually, you’ll get the hang of it.
With all of these considered, we can say that this all boils down to keep on practicing until you know to yourself that you can already knit nice pieces like socks and sweaters.
With knitting, despite the many hours of practice, you can learn something new every day. There is no little learning in this hobby because every lesson counts.
Is Knitting a Healthy Hobby?
Knitting is highly regarded as a healthy hobby, especially for the sake of people’s mental health. Since this hobby requires your full attention in creating patterns, knitting will help you enhance your focus, which can help you relax. Focusing on your knitting project will also rescue you from your negative thoughts.
Additionally, knitting has been proven to have a calming effect on knitters and sharpen people’s problem-solving skills. When you knit, your brain works to create patterns, and there are reports on an enhancement of the math and reading skills of children who knit.
Aside from focusing and relaxing, knitting can also help you relieve your stress. Your brain focuses on what you’re trying to accomplish and it helps your brain process more with more time as well.
Knitting also has benefits for one’s physical health. Studies have shown that those who knit experience lower blood pressure, slow down breathing, and provide a distraction from physical pain.
This hobby can also make your social life healthy because knitting brings people together! People who knit often build knitting communities, both in person and online. You may find one in your local library or on social media groups – the options are present!
Lastly, knitting brings joy to its knitters! There is a sense of satisfaction when you finished a piece, which will translate to happiness after. When you’re doing something happy, that can be the healthiest version of yourself.
Can Knitting Be a Career?
There are successful people who made their hobbies their jobs, so the answer is yes. It will just depend on your goals in making knitting a career for yourself.
Did you know that knitting-related jobs exist? It can be shocking to some but they do! Here are those jobs that you can consider when you’ve become a knitting expert.
- Knitting instructor: Professional knitters mostly become knitting instructors – they teach people in knitting classes.
- Pattern designers: Some knitters become pattern designers, especially for fashion brands. They create original pattern designs for knitted pieces.
- Knitting machine repairer: Knitting machines can be complicated, so people who can repair them are essential for this craft.
- Knitting shop owner: Why not build your own knitting business? Have a shop that sells knitting supplies, either online or in-store.
- Freelance knitter: Freelance knitters are the ones who accept knitting commissions from interested customers. Some can be part-time, and some do full-time. This is a flexible knitting job that anyone can also try doing.
So… Is Knitting a Waste of Time or Not?
If you have the heart for it, knitting will never be a waste of time for you. This craft is worthy to be learned, is a healthy hobby, and can even bring income for you once you master it. It requires a lot of patience but it’s also rewarding once you get the hang of it.
Knitting also needs a lot of time practicing so you’ll be a good knitter but with its health benefits, the time you’ll dedicate to learning the craft will not turn into waste.
Ready to pick up your knitting supplies now? Let’s start knitting together!
