In a world dominated by digital devices and fast-paced activities, some might think teaching children to knit is a bit of a quaint notion. However, the benefits that knitting brings to children extend far beyond the fun of playing with wool. Here, we explore the various ways in which knitting can positively impact a child's development.

1. Enhancing Fine Motor Skills: Knitting involves intricate hand movements, promoting the development of fine motor skills. As children manipulate the yarn and needles, they refine their hand-eye coordination and dexterity. The repeated motions required in knitting contribute to the strengthening of small muscles in the hands and fingers, setting a solid foundation for various future activities.

2. Boosting Concentration and Patience: The rhythmic and repetitive nature of knitting encourages children to focus and concentrate on their work. Following a pattern or counting stitches requires attention to detail, fostering patience and perseverance. As

   ...

In 2023 we are running a very special campaign spotlighting our amazing teachers.  This means that we will be sharing information about their business, finding out what makes them unique, and interviewing them to find out more about them and what services and products they offer. We are so proud of our teachers and really want to show them off whilst giving them the opportunity to promote their businesses. This October and November we are spotlighting the amazing Rachel Armytage from Odd Sock House who you can read more about in the interview below!

Can you give us a bit of background, where you live, family, when you started teaching knitting and how teaching knitting came about for you?
I live in Badsworth, which is a village in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. I live with… my husband, my teenage son Theo,  Archie the Lurcher, Dexter the Jack Russell, Daisy the Westie, and three chickens; Barbara, Dua Lipa (don’t ask!) and Camilla. I have a daughter who has finally left home this year at t...

As a small business owner myself I’ve often wondered what drives other people to start their own business. I recently came across a blog post referencing a small business survey from Cox business in the US. The survey showed that only eight percent of respondents stated that they run their business for the purpose of making large amounts of money. This may seem surprising to some, but as a small business owner myself I don’t find it surprising at all! 

Of course you need money for a business to survive and thrive but, less surprisingly to me at least, almost two thirds of the survey respondents felt that one of the prime motivators of owning a business is to be their own boss and be the creator of something.

I think building a business is a creative process, and when it’s based on something you love, it can be really rewarding. You get to help it grow while being surrounded by what you enjoy most.

For me this is the essence of why I do it - my Knitting For All business allows me t...

Every month we spotlight one of our fabulous members! This month we have been getting to know more about Jacqui Speed from Purlwise!  See our previous blog post for a written interview with Jacqui. Jacqui runs Purlwise in Brampton, Cambridgeshire. You can find out more about Purlwise on her Knitting For All teacher page and on her own website. We are delighted to share this blog post written by Jacqui about her thoughts on the power of 'yes I can!' What could you do if you changed 'no I can't' to 'yes I can!'?

The Power of 'yes I can!' by Jacqui Speed

Isn’t it funny how we can always see things in other people more easily than we can ourselves.  At one time I had a wool shop and I noticed how many times I heard “oh, I couldn’t do that” often from people who were really experienced makers. I thought about this for a while and not only realised that I say it myself (of course!) but that I think it means one of two things:

I could do that but I don’t want to (that’s fine... bungy jumpi...

In 2023 we are running a very special campaign spotlighting one of our amazing teachers each month.  This means that we will be sharing information about their business, finding out what makes them unique, and interviewing them to find out more about them and what services and products they offer. We are so proud of our teachers and really want to show them off whilst giving them the opportunity to promote their businesses. In April we are spotlighting the lovely Jacqui from Purlwise who tells us all in the interview below, read on to find out more. Also stay tuned for a blog post from Jacqui coming soon!

Hi Jacqui! Can you tell us a little about yourself, your family and where you live?
I live in Brampton (the one near Cambridge not Cumbria 🤣) with my husband and Madam Margaux, our dog.  She’s not really called Madam but definitely has ideas above her station. I have a grown son who lives just a few minutes away.

What inspired you to start a knitting business? What inspires you to ke...

Every month we spotlight one of our fabulous members! This month we have been getting to know more about Alison from Woolaston!  See our previous blog post for a written interview with Alison. Alison runs Woolaston from her home in Kirkintiloch near Glasgow. You can find out more about Woolaston on her Knitting For All teacher page and on her own website. We are delighted to share this blog post written by Alison about her experience and passion for working with community groups. This is an area she is very passionate about and you can read about her work with DeafBlind Scotland specifically here.

Knitting with Community Groups. By Alison McKie

In addition to knitting items for sale, running KidsKnit classes, teaching knitting, running workshops and volunteering with the DeafBlind, another aspect of the work of Woolaston I am particularly passionate is facilitating community groups. I originally became involved in this a few years ago by replying to an advert placed by a community wo...

In 2023 we are running a very special campaign spotlighting one of our amazing teachers each month.  This means that we will be sharing information about their business, finding out what makes them unique, and interviewing them to find out more about them and what services and products they offer. We are so proud of our teachers and really want to show them off whilst giving them the opportunity to promote their businesses. In March we are spotlighting experienced Knitting For All teacher Alison from Woolaston who tells us all about her background and business in the interview below, read on to find out more. Also stay tuned for a blog post from Alison later in the month!

Hi Alison! Can you give us a bit of background about yourself, where you live, family etc.

I was brought up in Stirling, have lived in Dumfries and Monifieth, before coming nearly 30 years to Kirkintilloch, north of Glasgow. I have 4 children, now in their 30’s and three grandchildren. My granddaughter is a keen Kid...

Every month we spotlight one of our fabulous members! This month we have been getting to know more about Matilda from Knitilda (great name!).  See our previous blog post for a recorded interview with Matilda. Matilda runs Knitilda from her home in Twickenham, London, where she lives with her husband, two youngest daughters and two cats and two dogs! You can find out more about Knitilda on her Knitting For All teacher page and on her own website. We are delighted to share this blog post written by Matilda about her experience managing large knitting clubs for children.

Managing larger knitting clubs in primary schools! By Matilda Johansson

I started the ‘Knitilda’ knitting clubs September 2022 and after a little bit of a slow start, I soon had great responses from local schools that were interested. 

One of the things I encountered straight away was the request for accommodating large groups. Most of the local primary schools wanted to make sure that they were offering the opportunit...

In 2023 we are running a very special campaign spotlighting one of our amazing teachers each month.  This means that we will be sharing information about their business, finding out what makes them unique, and interviewing them to find out more about them and what services and products they offer. We are so proud of our teachers and really want to show them off whilst giving them the opportunity to promote their businesses. In January I was delighted to catch up with Knitting For All teacher Matilda from Knitilda and chat about her knitting business and other crafty passions! 

Matilda runs Knitilda from her home in Twickenham, London, where she lives with her husband, their two youngest daughters, two cats and two dogs! You can find out more about Knitilda on her Knitting For All teacher page and on her own website.

Any one of our members is invited to take part in our spotlight the teacher campaign, it's a great opportunity for your business to reach a wider audience, for more infor...

If you're an aspiring craft teacher starting your business might be the last thing on your mind as we enter into the madness of December! BUT, if you can find a spare moment, it's also a great time to start actively thinking about your business plan, especially the research and development stages and here's why!:

1. December can be the busiest time of year for small craft businesses so it's a great time to research what's already going on in your local area.  There are always plenty of markets, workshops and fairs happening, so check out; local Facebook groups, local magazines, posters in cafes etc. and keep your ear to the ground to find out what's going on.  Things to take note of are the kind of workshops being offered, how much is being charged, what age group are they aimed at and also products people are selling and for how much.  Have fun exploring!

2.  It's a great time for making resources. Another super fun part of developing a craft teaching business is that you get to mak...