The Future of Knitting: In 10 Years Will It Still Be Here?

In general the future of knitting is certain. It will still be here after 10 years and beyond. That’s because it’s not all about the result, it’s also about the activity itself. It becomes a routine and it connects us again to the physical world.

Specifically, there are trends that might significantly change knitting. For instance, more and more enthusiasts and hobbyists now prefer sustainable materials in knitting. They choose wool yarns for their projects as much as possible. Some take it a step further by using bamboo needles.

To gain fresh ideas about the hobby, let’s discuss the past and present of knitting. This way, we’ll get more perspectives (aside from popularity of sustainable materials) on where the hobby is going. Let’s start.

Knitting has a rich history

In these modern times knitting is considered a hobby by many. However, knitting was actually a necessity. It’s a productive activity with the end result of creating pieces of clothing to protect people from cold.

It’s difficult to confirm where knitting came from. Historical records say knitting begun somewhere in the Middle East (where the first civilisations appeared). Perhaps knitting was invented as a necessity (“Necessity is the mother of invention”).

Other cultures in different locations might have actually invented knitting (or some other activity that resembles it). It might be in a crude form or there are no existing records to prove the claim (or no artifacts yet discovered). As mentioned earlier, it’s probably a result of necessity. Other groups of people have roughly the same necessities and wants.

Whichever is the case, knitting was invented to protect people from cold and weather. Through the centuries, knitting has been practiced as a hobby or to produce ornamental pieces. Until today knitting is still practised for necessity. However, it’s more popular now as a hobby.

The current popularity of knitting

Back then, the skill was only probably passed through the generations and apprenticeship. In addition, materials and supplies for knitting were not yet widely available.

But in recent decades and years, more and more people request for supplies and materials specific for knitting. As a result, supplies became more available (the opposite could also be true where supplies became available first, then the demand rose). We can even order online if we require yarns, needles, patterns and knitting accessories.

Another reason for its recent and continuing popularity is the availability of resources for learning. You can purchase and download patterns online. You can also search for specific tutorials that will help accomplish your project. Another thing is that you can attend classes, buy the required supplies and get started with the hobby as soon as possible.

More importantly, more and more people now are gaining interests on arts and crafts. It’s especially the case with knitting wherein people can produce something tangible. It’s not for grandmas anymore. Other groups of people in different demographics are also finding that special interest in knitting.

From time to time we seek variety but the internet and modern living can’t still satisfy it. That’s because we become distracted with whatever comes out of the screen. Many of us were also used to fast-paced living to keep up.

Focusing and slowing down

On the other hand, this “classic and timeless” hobby will allow you to focus and slow down. You can take a short break from the speed and modern demands of life. With knitting, you get to sit down and focus for a while.

Full attention may be required by full beginners when tackling a knitting project (even if it’s a scarf or sock). This can bring back their ability to focus on a single task. Crafts have that general effect of “forcing” us to focus so we can really get it.

In addition, knitting may provide some mental health benefits. It could be therapeutic because we’re able to focus on one thing instead of allowing our mind to wander radically. Each finished project can also give us a sense of accomplishment. Within a few hours or days, we can already see the fruits of our labour.

Why people choose knitting

Some people just want to try something new and make time pass. But once they’ve started, it can be really hard to stop. It’s like a whole new world has opened to them. A world full of possibilities because there are endless things to learn from and patterns to follow.

Others are really inclined to crafts early on in life. They always want to do something productive with their hands. Knitting can satisfy that because there will always be challenging projects to look forward to.

Certainly, it’s always good to have a hobby. Whether it’s to make the time pass or slow down especially during the autumn and winter, the yarns and needles could become the perfect companions for anyone.

What knitting will look like after 10 years?

Even with huge technological advancements (artificial intelligence, robotics), it’s likely that knitting will still survive and people will continue to choose that hobby. It has already survived centuries of continuous global development. It will continue to do so because of the unique appeal of knitting.

It’s only one of the few hobbies that could engage you and make you accomplish something at the same time. You can make something useful for a loved one such as a jacket or a beanie. You can also create a home or kitchen accessory that you can use every day.

After 10 years, our homes and cities may look entirely different. Almost everything will be run by electricity and computers. Speed, convenience and automation could be the defining keywords of the next decade.

As a result, we can get more things done and at a faster pace. Most of the routine and repetitive work might finally be automated. An interesting thing that could happen is we will have more free time than ever. We can try out more hobbies including knitting.

Modern living may actually help in the further re-emergence of knitting because of the freed up time. And as mentioned earlier, materials and supplies (plus learning resources) are now widely available. People can now browse online and shop for yarns, needles, patterns and knitting accessories.

Robotics and artificial intelligence might radically change how we live and work. But knitting will remain roughly the same through the years. Yarns might be produced more sustainably or there will be a rising preference on using bamboo needles. Whichever is the case, the general motions of knitting and the feeling of accomplishment will always be there.

A long time of learning and doing

Learning how to knit can be really intimidating at first. It can be very challenging to do even a basic stitch or differentiate between the types of yarn. Any good thing takes time. It’s especially true about knitting wherein there’s a steep learning curve at the start.

But once you get the hang of it, the movements can become automatic. You can even learn how to knit without looking or multitask (but others still prefer just knitting with a soft music in the background). From time to time your attention may be required to fully understand a pattern or make sure you’re doing the stitch right. But most of the time, the process can become automatic especially if you’re knitting for several years already.

Even experienced knitters still learn and try new things. Perhaps they want to challenge themselves more by searching for new and complicated patterns. Others may want to try bulky and heavy yarns and see if they can accomplish the projects easily.

Moreover, there are a wide variety of patterns available. The things you wear from head to toe you can actually create with knitting. Hats, beanies, scarves, shawls, jackets, mittens down to the boots you can surely find the perfect pattern. You can also create adorable dog coats and beautiful clothing for dolls and toys of children.

Once you’ve finished a project you’ll always be looking for the next challenge. You’ll always be buying new sets of yarns and patterns to fill your day. For the next 5 to 10 years this could be your routine. Grandmas have already been doing that for decades.

The future of knitting: Timeless & Improving

Hobbyists and enthusiasts will continuously seek for new challenges and knitting patterns. The hobby is still evolving as new materials and practices are being introduced. But there’s one thing that will stay the same. More and more people will choose the hobby because knitting is actually fun and productive.

Many hobbyists buy from us here at The Aussie Knitting Co to keep the hobby fun and productive (by having the highest quality needles and yarns). We also have a wide range of patterns to keep your days and weeks occupied (while staying productive and creating something useful).

Contact us today if you have any enquiries about online purchases, deliveries and our supplies.