When most people think about knitting, pictures of an elderly person knitting away on a rocking chair on their back porch surface in their mind. Knitting is too generally deemed a hobby for the elderly, as it takes much time, dedication, and patience to knit. However, many teens and young adults take on knitting as a hobby in their free time to express their creativity, relax from their responsibilities, and to make gifts. 

Knitting is a method where yarn is used to create a textile or fabric, and there can be many active stitches on the knitting needle at once. Sometimes, it will use two or more needles to loop the yard into interconnected loops. The word is derived from knot, which might have come from the Dutch verb “knutten”, which means “to knot”.

Many students at Arcadia High School (AHS) love to knit as well. Junior Kaitlyn Hsu is an avid knitting fan and loves to knit during her free time. Knitting helps her relax, and it’s something she loves to do during road trips or while watching movies.

“My passion for knitting started when I was very young and in a knitting class, where we made small blocks of samples,” Hsu shared. “After that, my mom bought me a knitting book, and from there on I loved to knit. So far, I’ve knitted a bean bag, a scarf for my brother, and am currently working on making myself a scarf, too!”

From knitting, one can create any creation they want, as there are many different patterns and techniques to knit different shapes and textures. Hsu also loves to knit because of the hands-on aspect of knitting, how it lets her use her brain while using her hands to knit as well.

“I love knitting mainly because of how I can use my hands,” Hsu commented. “Especially when I’m watching a movie and my mind is in it, I love to do something with my hands too. It’s nice because it’s kind of mindless and the repetitive motions are comforting and relaxing in a way. I also really like it because I can tap into my hobby whenever I want.” 

“Although I don’t knit as much as I used to before, I still love all the creations I’ve made in the past,” AHS freshman Reena Hsieh stated. “They bring back fond memories of my childhood that I cherish dearly. I once made a scarf for my friend’s dog, and although it took me a while, I loved how it turned out in the end. Knitting has also helped me with my perseverance and has helped calm me down when I was stressed from school.” 

All in all, knitting is a great hobby for students of all ages and types, as it’s a universal hobby for one to express their creativity and relax. Knitting brings many students at AHS joy, and it can bring you some too! Don’t be hesitant to pick up some yarn and knitting needles to knit something in the future!

Photo courtesy of Sarah Claeys