DIY Trends: 4 Reasons to Start Knitting This Year

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More than ever, knitting is trendy.

From the runways, behind our screens, or in the aisles of our favorite labels, we can’t miss it—knitwear pieces are in vogue, regardless of the season. 

But this is hardly surprising when we know that the DIY trend has been one of the rising trends in recent years. Indeed, creating things by hand has never been more valued than it is today.

Do you have a creative spirit and love to make fashion pieces that reflect your personality? Then, you should get passionate about yarn, garter stitches, and patterns.
In this article, I invite you to explore this creative activity by sharing 4 good reasons to start knitting this year. Out with the pastime of the elderly! With knitting, you can be almost certain to be at the forefront of fashion.

1 – Knitting under the Influence of Do It Yourself

The knitting trend has found its place thanks to a more widespread movement: DIY, aka Do It Yourself. Yes, making your own clothes has never been as fashionable as it is today. 

And we can explain this for two main reasons.

The first is, of course, the shift in consumption patterns. The environmental damage caused by the fashion industry is well documented. This has led to a shift in consciousness in the minds of many consumers. Many consumers prefer a more rational and ethical approach to consumption over Fast Fashion. And it is in this context that handmade, DIY, and Do It Yourself practices are valued.

The second concerns trends. More and more people are seeking to detach themselves from trends to reclaim their own individuality through their fashion style. Often, this involves creating their own garments.

These reasons have encouraged creative practices to shake off stereotypes, and knitting is part of it. In just a few seasons, this fabric-making technique has shifted from a “has-been” cliché to a trendy practice. Many influencers and fashionistas have tried their hand at this discipline to create their own fashion pieces.
Luxury brands and fashion houses have also highlighted their craftsmanship. Handcrafted items have never been more emphasized by luxury brands than today, which, in a way, contributes to popularizing practices like knitting or embroidery on clothing.

2 – Learning to Knit Reduces Stress

It is well-known that creative activities are beneficial for our well-being and mental health. Regularly practicing knitting can even help us gain life points by reducing stress. This is what a study conducted by Harvard University has demonstrated. According to scientists, knitting can induce a relaxation response that lowers heart rate and decreases blood pressure, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Knitting can also help release endorphins, natural hormones of well-being that provide a sense of calm and relaxation.

Practicing knitting can also help focus on a specific task, promoting mindfulness and awareness, two techniques that help reduce stress and anxiety. 

Finally, knitting can offer a positive and constructive distraction, allowing one to detach from negative thoughts and combat mental rumination. 

More than just a fashion trend, this DIY practice proves to be a creative opportunity to take a break, feel better in everyday life, and lighten oneself.

3 – Knitting is a Form of Self-Expression

As mentioned earlier, the practice of knitting has gained popularity because it meets the needs of a growing number of people: the search for a personal fashion style.

Sewing, knitting, embroidering, cutting, gluing, combining… All these creative gestures are ways for some people to express themselves. Because when you don’t feel yourself in the clothes you buy, you create them.

Amidst the monotony and standardization in ready-to-wear collections, originality and the unique character of a piece are key to expressing one’s individuality. Knitting then becomes a tool that allows for this differentiation. Seeking inspiration in the details of everyday life, pausing on a color, choosing your yarn, thinking about your pattern, picking up your needles, determining your stitch, watching the stitches come together… All these small steps are part of a whole, a process that frees creativity and self-expression to bring a cardigan, a top, a scarf, a bag, a pouch, etc., to life. 

It should also be noted that this DIY activity is a confidence booster. Like any crafting project, it is not easy to see it through to the end. Knitting requires patience and dedication. A bad start and you are certain to unravel all your stitches to restart your precious work. When you finally reach the end result you hoped for, you feel satisfaction. And there is nothing better to prove to yourself that you can do things on your own!

4 – DIY Trend: How Knitting Contributes to More Eco-Responsible Fashion

Knitting fits within the DIY trend. 

And DIY can play an important role in the fight against waste and protecting the environment.

According to a study conducted in 2017 by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the fashion industry is responsible for 92 million tons of textile waste each year, which is equivalent to about 1.2 garbage trucks of waste every second. Conversely, if everyone in Europe extended the lifespan of their clothing by just three months, it would save the equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions of two million cars per year. DIY thus allows for extending the lifespan of clothing by repairing or customizing them, recycling raw materials, and thereby reducing textile waste.

In parallel, knitting is an eco-friendly activity that addresses the importance of sustainability and handcrafted items in our society. 

By knitting their own clothing, accessories, or decorative items, people can significantly reduce textile waste by avoiding impulsive purchases and wastefulness. Additionally, knitting offers the opportunity to recycle raw materials such as leftover yarn or cotton to create ecological and economical projects. By choosing high-quality, sustainable, and environmentally friendly raw materials, one can contribute to a more responsible lifestyle while having fun and developing their knitting skills.

With the rise of vintage, customized clothing, and changing consumption patterns in fashion, the DIY trend has truly gained popularity in recent years, making way for creative activities like knitting. Today, knitting your own clothes is no longer synonymous with outdated styles but rather an affirmation of self and creativity. This allows those who knit their own clothes to: 

• stand out: the garments are unique, sometimes symbolic. The cut, the yarn, the colors, the shape… Everything is tailored to your image. You wear your garment, one that has been thoughtfully designed and created by your own hands. It is no longer a cheap outfit bought from afar. It is the one that represents you.

• consume differently: with the DIY trend, we buy less without necessarily adhering to minimalism. We refocus our purchases towards pleasurable activities that provide us with emotion, not instant gratification. Knitting allows for all of this, thus indirectly contributing to the rise of a more engaged fashion.
  

➡️ Don’t miss these 3 other fashion trends inspired by the DIY movement.

Featured image: © Unsplash/RocknWool