Anyone who watched the Paris Olympics knows that diver Tom Daley once again took up his knitting needles. He has often spoken about it being good for his mental health, even describing it as his therapy. Thankfully, you don’t have to be an Olympian to discover the positive benefits of knitting.

Keep calm and cast off

It is not just Tom Daley who has realised the benefits of knitting on his mental health. The hobby has become so popular with millennials that there are countless viral videos on #knittok where people share their creations and talk about how they use knitting as meditation.

According to the Guardian knitting can not only help calm our minds but also has physical benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and improving hand-eye coordination. It has been used to treat those suffering from grief or depression, which could be why more and more young people are picking up needles and learning how to knit.

Getting started

It can be daunting to start a new hobby, particularly if you feel you are not creative; however, knitting can be done by anyone. There is such a strong community of knitters online that even if you are doing it on your own, you are never alone thanks to countless websites and social media accounts offering tips and advice.

Many beginner knitters start by using a knitting kit, which comes with instructions and all the yarn you need to complete a project. You can go basic and small, making something simple such as a keyring, or focus on making something practical to wear such as a scarf. You can have a look at the types of knitting kit available from crafting specialists such as https://www.woolcouturecompany.com/collections/knitting-kits.

Creativity

Once you have mastered the basic stitches and have created something of your own, you may have the confidence to move on to more advanced stitches and patterns. It doesn’t matter what you choose to make, as simply knowing that the process of knitting will help your mind and body should be enough to make you want to keep going.