When Knitting Gets Crazy

Knitting doesn't have to mean a scarf, a jumper or a pair of socks. For some knitters, the bigger, stranger and more ambitious the project, the better.

Take the knitter known as Wooly McWoolface. During lockdown, her boyfriend challenged her to knit a life-size version of Thanos from Avengers. She took on the challenge and produced an eight-foot-tall knitted figure. She later turned her attention to other life-size creations, including Shrek. Her projects show just how far a familiar craft can be pushed when you stop thinking about knitting as something that has to be practical.

Then there is extreme knitting, where even the needles become part of the spectacle. In 2017, British art student Elizabeth “Betsy” Bond created knitting needles measuring an extraordinary 4.42 metres long and 9.01cm in diameter. They were not simply giant props: to qualify for the Guinness World Records title, she had to demonstrate that they could actually be used to knit at least 10 stitches and 10 rows.

Of course, giant needles need giant yarn. Extreme knitting can involve enormous strands of wool or several strands held together, producing huge stitches and fabric that grows surprisingly quickly. But the scale creates its own problems: the materials become heavy, the needles can be difficult to control and even keeping multiple strands together can be a challenge.