A warm up in time will save nine

During the winter Jenny and I were lucky enough to launch our knitting kits at Pop Up Piccadilly and it was a great opportunity to meet some of our customers directly. Not only could we talk about the brand and showcase our chunky yarns to people but we were also able to share our knitting experiences with each other, conversations which I really cherish.

What struck me the most was when a few people, once seeing our beautiful knitting kits on display, approached me to tell me their knitting story. They talked about how they use to knit great big garments from jumpers to rugs, always knitting and never putting the needles down. Getting excited to hear from another enthusiastic knitter, I was then surprised when I asked what their last project was and they explained how they no longer knit anymore! I remember thinking, how could anyone give up on such a beautiful craft? Perhaps they'd ran out of challenging projects or hadn't the time for it anymore?

None of these were the answers. It was because they had been knitting for so many years that it now hurts their wrists. Who'd of thought knitting was so dangerous?!

The condition is known as Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) which is caused by repetitive tasks to where there is strain on your wrist and finger muscles. If you ever feel aches and pains, cramps or stiffness before, during or after knitting, then you need to stop and rest. Rethink about the long term impact this will cause. Just like the phrase "a stitch in time saves nine", a timely effort will prevent more strain later.

Our top tips for preventing RSI are:

1. Warm up: Your wrists are a great asset when knitting. Just like exercise, you need to strengthen your wrist to avoid injury. Do slow wrist circles and fist clenches before and after a knit out and you'll definitely feel much better!
2. Don't knit for too long: Take a small break every half hour and walk away from your project. Your wrist needs to alternate in direction and so try to avoid those 'just one more row' dilemmas and make yourself a cup of tea (or even take photos of your knitting and show us your progress)!
3. Knit slowly: Stitch & Story believe in a slower life. Enjoy your knitting time and use it to wind down from your day. Try not to knit like a speed train as this will cause your wrist to tense more and you'll most likely feel it the next day.
4. Use bigger needles: Our 100% bamboo knitting needles are perfect for this advice! Bigger needles means you are able to grip better onto your project making it easier on your hands and less taut.
5. Correct your posture:Sit straight, have your feet flat on the floor and use a chair with arm rest to relieve some of the weight.

If you have any advice for our fellow knitters, please feel free to leave a comment below.