Stitched Together: Social Media & Knitting
What do you think of when you think of knitting? The 19th century? Your favorite sweater? Your grandma and her many cats? Your mind automatically jumps to the old-fashioned stereotypes that knitting has held for decades. However, knitting has begun to make a comeback among the younger Millennial and Generation X communities thanks to the Internet.
The World Wide Web has revolutionized the way the world thinks about and absorbs information - including knitting. A knitter no longer has to haul themselves and their extensive amounts of projects to their local yarn store every Thursday night for "Knit Night" to connect with those like them. By utilizing social media platforms like YouTube, Ravelry, Facebook, and Instagram, knitters have established a unique online community that allows them to learn, inspire, and mingle with those that share their same passion for yarn creativity.
In the past, knitting was viewed as part of the routine household drudgery. This art was a necessity for clothing and warmth instead of the relaxing hobby it has evolved into today. With inventions such as the knitting machine, knitters were able to focus on more whimsical and decorative projects - instead of just darning worn-out socks and mittens. Having been a subdued passion for many decades after the necessity it originated from, modern-day knitters have taken to the Internet because it provides a space to display the finished projects that one is proud of completing.
According to the most recent data as of February 2014, Ravelry (an online yarn-crafting website) has 4 million registered users. One can only imagine how much this website has grown in the past 2 years. Ravelry allows knitters from all around the world to collaborate on projects. Here you can buy and sell patterns, download free patterns, connect with others who have similar knitting interests, or find ways to donate finished item to various different charities. Many users have even made lasting friendships offline as knitters who met on Ravelry meet in person for swaps and knitting groups.
By using the Internet as a platform for connecting to others who share the same passions, knitting has grown into a big subculture and has attracted those who normally wouldn't have picked up the needles in the first place. The web offers infinite ways for veteran knitters and beginners to learn, create, share, and connect in ways that were once not an option. Do you still think knitting is just for your grandma?
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