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Is Knitting Becoming a Lost Art?

August 27, 2015 by Sarah White

Is knitting a dying skill?Ordnance Survey is a British mapmaking company, but they’re interested in a lot of different things, including thinking about and talking about skills that seem to be in danger of dying out in the modern world.

Of course knowing how to read a map has become less important in the days of GPS navigation on our phones, but there are a lot of skills that we’re in danger of losing, according to a survey the group conducted, and knitting is one of them. As is knowing how to darn socks, a skill that should go hand in hand with knitting (at least among sock knitters).

The group came up with a list of 20 endangered skills, based on a survey of 2,000 Britons. The full list is:

1. Reading a map
2. Using a compass
3. Tie a specific knot
4. Darn socks
5. Looking something up in a book using an index rather than ‘Googling it’
6. Correct letter writing technique
7. Understanding pounds and ounces
8. Knowing your spelling and grammar
9. Converting pounds and ounces to grams and kilograms
10. Starting a fire from nothing
11. Handwriting
12. Understanding feet and inches
13. Knitting
14. Recall a friend or relative’s phone number from memory
15. Recall a partner’s phone number from memory
16. Identifying trees, insects, flowers etc
17. Touch typing
18. Baking bread from scratch
19. Taking up trousers
20. Wiring a plug

I can maybe do 12 of these; what about you?

I don’t really think we’re in danger of losing knitting, since so many people do it and are eager to teach the next generation, but some of these could certainly be on the way out. What do you think?

(Hat tip to the Grimsby Telegraph, which reported on the survey.)

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Comments

  1. blnl says

    August 28, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    Sadly much of that list is true although as a knitter I won’t stop. Add civility and manners to the list!

Have you read?

Coffee Cozy Knitting Patterns

During the summer (which is what it is where I am writing from) I like to share patterns for things that you can knit and use even when it’s warm out. And sometimes they are things you can use when it’s cold, too, like this collection of coffee cup cozies. Because hot coffee is a must almost any time of year. 

This simple pattern form Darling Jadore is a great one for beginners and could be a good first knitting in the round project. It uses worsted weight yarn and includes video tutorials if you need extra help. 

If you want a perfectly plain cozy that you can jazz up with your own designs, check out the Base Doodle Cup Cozy from Jamie Lomax. This free pattern on Ravelry comes in two sizes (short and long) and is meant to be used with her doodle charts to make it your own. You could also keep it plain, add stripes or design your own motifs to stitch on it. 

Most coffee cozy patterns that I see are just sleeves meant to go over travel mugs, but what if your mug has a handle? This pattern from Stacey’s Knit Wits has an I-cord loop and button so you can use it on a mug with a handle or a travel cup. It uses DK weight yarn.

Coffee cozies are a fun way to play with stitch patterns and learn new techniques. If you’ve never knit cables before, this cozy from Purple Wool Co. would be a great first cable project, as it features simple braided cables all the way around. It uses worsted weight yarn and is worked in the round. 

Try double knitting to make an extra-insulating coffee cozy with this pattern from Tracy Leming. It includes little color changes so you can get the concept of how double knitting works on a small scale. It also can include a little pocket for a tea bag if you want. This one uses worsted weight yarn and is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Or try stranded knitting with the Love in the Air cozy from Danielle Thuen. It features hearts of different sizes and is worked in sock yarn. You’ll need to make sure those floats are nice and loose so it will stretch to hug your cup. You can find this pattern on Ravelry. 

They’re also a fun way to add a bit of flair to an otherwise plain cup. KnitnKaboodle Designs has this lovely leaf-shaped cozy pattern, which you could use for hot or cold beverages by changing up the fiber you choose (that’s pretty much always true). It is made in pieces that are stitched together and can be worked in a single color or choose different colors for each leaf.

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