knitting garment manufactory

For many, evokes images of elderlywomen weaving woolly jumpers for theirgrandchildren.

But the craft is undergoing a revival asknitters of all ages are picking upneedles and yarns again. For DrSarah-Marie Belcastro, knitting is a mathematical challenge ratherthan about making : "Converting a smoothcurve into a knitted pattern is amath problem because one has to figure out where exactly to placethe discrete changes in curvature (…)" Like Dr Belcastro, manyother knitters transform mathematical concepts intointricate patterns to better understand a shape orconcept.

Knitting can also be a social event and has gained popularity inrecent years. Many groups have started up around the world to bringstrangers together into more close-knitcommunities. Men and women of all ages can attend the ‘Knit andNatter’ group, for instance, where people gettogether to practise the handicraft while having agood old chat.

Feminists have rejected knitting in the past because it was acraft learnt by women and was looked down on – but it is preciselybecause of its important social role that New Yorker Debbie Stollerbelieves knitting should be brought back into fashion. Sheestablished a popular knitting group that led to a stringof 1,300 others. "In the same way that fishing is not justabout getting something to eat, knitting is not just about makingsomething to wear”, she says.

So it’s not just about ending up with woollysocks and scarves to give as birthday presents tofamily and friends. Whether those who attend go to spin ayarn, gossip or end up in stitches, itseems knitting can provide a therapeutic break inour  modern lifestyles.

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