Knitting Statistics

Knitting with The World's Biggest Knitting Needles	First National Knitting Survey	Record numbers of children join After School Knit Clubs

We all love knitting, but what are the latest facts and figures on this popular pastime?

Here are some which the BHKC Press Office have put together. If you know of any others, please let us know.

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* 4 million women in the UK have an interest in knitting/sewing, 1.5 million of these are very interested

* 448,000 men in the UK have an interest in knitting/sewing, 143,000 of these are very interested

* The Craft Council's Knit2Tog exhibition was visited by 14,000 - a record for any exhibition at The Craft Council galleries.

* The Knitting Map in Cork, Southern Ireland attracted 2500 volunteer knitters from 22 countries, aged from 3 to 82 during 2005

* Two major new knitting magazine titles 'Knitting' and 'Simply Knitting' are both attracting around 25,000 circulation and both going from strength to strength

* The UK's First National Knitting Survey attracted over 1300 responses

* The World's Biggest Knitted Christmas Tree raised nearly £7,000 for The North Devon Hospice. Over 700 knitters helped to knit the tree, using 1,400 knitting needles and roughly 6,000 balls of wool. the oldest knitter was 100 years old.

* The speed knitting championships attract an ever increasing following around the world.

* Major knitting events have been staged at both the V+A and Tate Modern attracting record attendance.

* National Knitting Week hugely successful across the nation from Lands End to John O'Groats.

* Guinness world records relating to knitting have been acheived, or applied for, recently - longest scarf, biggest Christmas stocking, fastest crocheter and biggest knitting needles.

* 93,000 balls of yarn sold at John Lewis in one week during the run up to Christmas 2005

* The number of Knitting groups increased by 20% during 2005

* Knitting websites are increasing rapidly

* Increasing numbers of people are wanting to learn to knit or are taking up knitting for the first time.

* Extensive media coverage on celebrities knitting, knitting events such as National Knitting Week and knitting as therapy, stress busting, new yoga, speed knitting, knitted garden project and as a social event at pubs and clubs. From national peak TV and radio coverage to national and regional press, knitting has enjoyed more exposure than any other craft in recent years.

* Click here to read The Knitter's Review Poll