Why Knitting is Good For Children

kids knit Nov 15, 2023

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...

Continue Reading...

Spotlight the teacher - Blog post - The Power of 'yes I can!' by Jacqui Speed

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:...

Continue Reading...

Spotlight the teacher - Blog post - Matilda Johansson

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...

Continue Reading...

Spotlight the teacher - Interview - Knitilda

 

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...

Continue Reading...

Five reasons to teach your child to knit this summer

kids knit knitting Jun 24, 2021

1: Enjoy time Together. Teaching your child to knit is a wonderful activity that you can both enjoy together. Set aside time to collect up some supplies and then find a nice, shady place to sit and begin knitting.

2: Keep their little brains learning. The school books might get put away in the holidays, but the learning doesn’t need to stop. Your children won’t even realise they are learning maths, spacial recognition, dexterity and creative skills while they are making something out of yarn and pair of sticks!

3: Time for Consolidation. Learning to knit takes effort and time. With weeks and weeks of school holidays ahead of you, there will be plenty of time to learn and consolidate new found skills.

4: Meaningful and wholesome alternative to screens. Do you worry about the amount of time your children spend looking at tablets, computers or the tv? Be pro-active about this problem and help them discover how fun and creative knitting really is.

5: Sow seeds of confidence...

Continue Reading...

Kids Knit - New Book

kids knit knitting Oct 07, 2020

 

Kids Knit is the perfect starter book for children wanting to learn how to knit. Packed with 20 fun patterns and top tips for knitting success, this comprehensive children’s knitting course starts with basic knitting skills and gradually increases in complexity as the book progresses.

Children begin with chunky, wooden needles to create simple shapes using Rowan Big Wool. The key at this stage is to get projects completed quickly so children grow in confidence and see themselves as creatively capable. As they move through the patterns, skills are consolidated and new skills introduced.

Post your Kids Knit makes on social media with the hashtag #kidsknitbook

BUY ON AMAZON

Continue Reading...

One Ball Beanie

Using just one ball of Rowan Big Wool, this easy garter stitch beanie style hat is a real stunner!

Materials: 100g Rowan Big Wool

Needles:  8mm single point needles

Notions:  Tapestry needle for sewing up

Abbreviations:  k2tog: Decrease by knitting 2 together

Tension:  8mm needles and in Garter Stitch: 10cm = 10 stitches and 24 rows

 

PATTERN

Cast on 48 stitches. Knit 30 rows.

Decrease for the crown of the hat

Row 31: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end (40 stitches) Row 32: Knit
Row 33: * K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end (32 stitches) Row 34: Knit
Row 35: * K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end (24 stitches) Row 36: Knit
Row 37: * K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end (16 stitches) Row 38: Knit
Row 39: * k2tog, repeat from * to end (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn leaving a long end to sew up. Then thread the end through all the remaining stitches. Pull up tight and secure with some sewing. Sew the sides of your hat together.

Decorate with a...

Continue Reading...

Six well known benefits of knitting

Every knitter knows the joy that knitting brings.  Just squidging some lovely hand dyed alpaca yarn and giving it a sniff relaxes us and makes us feel good!  But just in case you need a reminder โ€“ here are just six of the many great benefits knitting brings us.

  • It helps relieve feelings of stress, worry and depression
  • It helps prevent arthritis and tendinitis
  • Itโ€™s a great way to escape the chaos of everyday life
  • It improves maths skills and spacial recognition
  • It might delay the onset of dementia
  • It provides opportunities to meet with like-minded people

And thatโ€™s just the beginning!  

Continue Reading...

10 Great Things About Kids Knit

kids knit knitting Jan 03, 2020

Our Kids Knit Programme features 4 levels of knitting: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert. Within each level, there are many projects to choose from which are specifically designed to be appropriate for that level and ability. Each project aims to consolidate skills learned in the previous project whilst introducing a new ones.

Our award winning classes are available in schools, cafes, church halls and the homes of our teachers. They are fantastically successful with children clamouring to join in the fun and learn new skills.

But Kids Knit isn’t just about learning crafting skills. Here’s what’s so great about our Kids Knit classes!

 

1.  Building Confidence. 

Confidence is the key to success in learning any new skill. Most of the projects are fairly quick to knit, especially in the Beginner stage. This allows the children to take satisfaction from having achieved something and encourages them to get started on something new, which...

Continue Reading...

Meet Sara, our clever Star Knitter!

kids knit knitting Dec 18, 2019

Fiona Campbell teaches Kids Knit classes in the Cramond and Blackhall areas of Edinburgh.  Recently, one of her students showed her a presentation she had made about her Kids Knit classes to show her primary school class.  Fiona was so impressed she thought you would like to meet her clever and inspiring little Kids Knitter.  We’ve included one of her PowerPoint slides below.  Say Hello to Sara! 

Tell us bit about yourself Sara, how old are you and what school do you go to?

I am 10 years old and I am the youngest in my year group. I go to Blackhall Primary school where I have loads of great friends.

What are your favourite foods and what kinds of things do you like to do in your spare time?

My favourite food is any pasta dishes. In my spare time I like knitting, drawing and reading. I am more of an indoor kind of person. I also really enjoy swimming, in fact I just started a proper swimming club!

What would you like to be when you grow up?

I am not...

Continue Reading...
1 2
Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.