Knitting: From Needles to Learning Sites

Much more than a pastime. Knitting , an activity that has become very popular again, especially during the pandemic, is an elixir not to be wasted. It helps you relax, allows you to find calm, and lowers blood pressure. All benefits confirmed by a survey conducted by the British non-profit Knit for Peace: 85 percent of respondents said they had enjoyed its health and well-being benefits. Knitting is an art, and like all artistic pursuits, it requires relaxation and concentration. Therefore, calm, patience, and time that certainly shouldn't be wasted. These are essential ingredients for achieving the goal of knitting with complete satisfaction, an activity that, among other things, seems to be back in fashion in this era of super-speed and nostalgia for things that can be done at just the right slow pace.

The rules

And here are the essential rules of good knitting and the most important advantages you can get from them:

• First of all, it is a good idea for each person to choose which irons to use (the multi-coloured aluminium ones are excellent) and which wool (the soft one is recommended, especially if you are a beginner).
• Next, the wool is rolled under the fingers, leaving the fingertips free to slide the thread. At this point, the "tools of the trade" are taken and, after having formed a loop with the wool thread, the remaining end is passed behind the loop itself until it forms a knot; then the thread is pulled to tighten the knot, and finally the other end is pulled to tighten the knot on the needle. Each person chooses how to hold the needles: like a pen, for example, if using the short ones, or like a knife, if using the long ones.
• If it's your first time knitting, it might be useful to watch a video tutorial that shows you the first steps or consult a manual. These tools will help the beginner delve into the intricacies of knitting, tackling knit stitch, purl stitch, and cast-off stitch—that is, how stitches should be cast-off so that the edge doesn't unravel.
• After gaining some practice with the help of video tutorials or someone already experienced in this type of art, you can really have fun making all kinds of things, from sweaters to scarves, from toys to home decorations.

What is knitting good for?

Neurologists have long been studying the benefits of knitting, especially for the brain. And not just for women, but for everyone. According to Professor Alberto Costa of the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan, kitting, as Umberto Veronesi had already intuited , distracts from worries, helps overcome pain and increases

• Knitting is also an excellent therapy for our mental and physical health, as it gives us great serenity, reduces heart rate, and lowers blood pressure.
• Knitting trains our mind to stay sharp, also stimulating sight and touch, at any stage of life but especially as we get older.
• Knitting often helps us to socialize because today there are so-called Knit cafe, places where enthusiasts of this activity meet and share experiences and inspirations.
• Knitting may start out as a hobby but, over time, become a fully-fledged business, capable of providing a good income once you become expert enough to tackle increasingly complex projects.
• Knitting also allows us, a very important factor, to create high quality, biocompatible products at a much lower cost than what you buy in shops.

Sites that help you knit

The Internet is full of websites dedicated to crochet and, more generally, knitting. We've selected a few that we consider to be among the most valuable and useful. Ferrodamaglia.com is a site that offers crochet techniques and updates on patterns. Manidifata.it is the online version of the best-selling magazine on these topics. Ledonnedellalana.it is a well-curated blog by journalist Manuela Zadro, featuring stories of unique women in the crochet world. Filosofialana&filati.it is a well-stocked online shop for all your crochet supplies. Among social media, we recommend the Instagram page of sisters Alessia and Fabia Taverna, titled Knitting for Breakfast . And finally, for men, there's Magliauomini.it , the site that showcases all the activities of the association of men passionate about crochet.

How much do knitting needles cost?

Another great advantage of knitting is the low cost of this activity, which is so beneficial to our well-being. A set of knitting needles costs between 11 and 15 needles. But you can also find some bargains at lower prices. And online lessons are also available , costing between 5 and 16 euros per hour.

Read also:

• How to crochet and why it's good for you
• Furoshiki: the Japanese art of recycling fabrics and scarves
• Creative carpet recycling: 10 ideas

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