Ciara Purton discusses the modernisation of ‘Grandma Hobbies’
If you were asked to describe knitting, what would you think of? If your answer was something along the lines of ‘an old lady/grandma hobby’ then you know knitting for its former glory as the best friend of the retirement home. While stereotypically, knitting is done by older women with little else to do but make clothes, and blankets, and scarves, it has found a new identity in the modern generation, being used in innovative and stylish ways that give it a new purpose in the world of fashion.
Since lockdown in 2020, the want to make and create has grown, with knitting providing the perfect hobby to facilitate this. Creators on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube make tutorials and videos on the basics of the skill and many people have taken these basics and transformed them into a wardrobe of skirts, dresses, tops, jumpers, and more – a massive expansion upon the previous uses of knitting. With just wool and two sticks, people have found a brand-new way to express themselves through fashion and design, as well as a fun and easy pastime. And celebrities like Tom Daley have helped make it more gender neutral.
Now, let me introduce you to knitting’s even trendier cousin – crochet. While knitting’s comeback has enabled the fashion world to grow, crochet has helped it flourish. An overnight TikTok sensation, with NBC News reporting that ‘#Crochet’ reached nearly 22 billion views in 2020, crochet opens the door for so much more exploration, with its various different kinds of stiches – compared to knitting’s two basic stiches- allowing for completely different looks in every product. Additionally, crochet is a much more mobile hobby, with only the crochet hook and a ball of wool necessary, people are able to carry it easily in their bags and take it out anytime – on the commute to school or work and even during lunch breaks. Crochet allows the user to make new shapes in their clothing and more diverse products, opening up the possibilities for new stylings of tops, dresses, plushies, and more that were previously unavailable with the sole use of knitting.
These ‘Grandma Hobbies’ have had such a successful resurgence that they have influenced the fashion industry and markets. Many knitters and crocheters found a profit in selling their hand-made apparel on online websites, like Etsy, and companies found that crochet and knitted products are big sellers, especially with women. Not only are they big sellers, but they can also be quite expensive, especially if they are handmade. Crocheted cardigans sell nowadays for roughly £20-40 but there are many that sell for much more than that, showing these ‘Grandma Hobbies’ to be extremely profitable for businesses as well as even making its way into couture runways and Vogue magazine.
While the Covid-inspired global obsession with crafts has passed, both knitting and crochet are still very popular, with large communities on multiple social media platforms and a firm presence in the industry. Hand-made knitted or crocheted apparel is also fairly environmentally friendly – especially if the wool used is 100% (or at least mostly) cotton rather than polyester – and supporting small and local businesses who make them is a great way to do your part for the planet and feed the fast fashion industry less. You may still argue that knitting is for ‘Grandmas’ but it is certainly loved just as much by the younger generation.
