Knitting For All: Cramond and Blackhall

22/05/2026

Helen of Ripples Crafts will be collecting hand knitted items for Operation Christmas Stocking at Tangled Galashiels next weekend.
Socks, gloves, scarves, blanket squares and hats will be most welcome.
Sheena will be at Tangled in Friday, Carol Barclay on Saturday, if you would like to have a chat about the work of OCS please message us, we will be delighted to catch up.

12/05/2026

4 Research based reasons to teach your child to knit:

1. Improved self-control.
A 2023 study asked elementary school children to complete inhibition-control tasks after a short knitting session. Researchers found the knitting group performed better on both emotional and non emotional self regulation tasks compared to the control group.

2.Better attention & focus.
A 2025 study found that participants performed better on attention tests after just 20 minutes of crochet. Researchers also observed changes in brain networks linked to attention.

3.Stronger learning skills.
Knitting combines counting, sequencing, pattern recognition, reading instructions, and problem solving all within one activity, which is why fiber crafts are often discussed in hands on education research.

4.Supports motor coordination.
Knitting requires sustained hand movement, visual tracking, coordination, and concentration at the same time. Developmental research has consistently linked fine motor development with broader cognitive development in children.

Sources:

1. Frontiers in Psychology

2.Scientific Reports / PubMed Sebastiano et al. (2025)

3. Craft Yarn Council - ‘Why Teach Knit & Crochet?’

4.Harvard Center on the Developing Child + Child Mind Institute

08/05/2026

Interesting…..

Knitting for someone? Read this first.
Superstitions have always been part of knitting.
Here are four you may not have heard before...

1. Leave at least one mistake.

The idea that only the divine can create something perfect can be observed in many cross-cultural craft practices, such as Persian rug making. Historically, deliberate mistakes were added to work to keep knitters safe, which also links to the idea that human work was never designed to be perfect.

2. No knitting on Sundays.

This idea comes from Irish Aran knitters, who worked long hours on highly skilled pieces for very little pay, sometimes only receiving food in return.

3.Trap a strand of hair in your work.

Some believe that trapping a strand of hair in your knitting can bind the recipient to you. This comes from old folk stories, where hair was said to be used in spells or keepsakes to carry part of a person.

4. No knitting for a partner before marriage.

The ‘sweater curse’ is the superstition that
knitting a time intensive gift for a partner prior to marriage can lead to its breakdown. As any seasoned knitter knows, hours invested in a garment aren't always rewarded by the recipient and this theory is emblematic of that.

Have we missed any? Share yours below.

Knitters:
Slide 4 image by on Instagram

08/05/2026

This is wonderful! The height of luxury, having a mohair-lined nest! ❤️🐐

07/05/2026

06/05/2026

🩷🐐💙

04/05/2026

04/05/2026

Not quite the Millennium Falcon… but our doocot residents still know a thing or two about flying. 🕊️
Visit Newhailes House and Gardens today for history, gardens and adventures from this galaxy and beyond.
May the 4th be with you.
(And yes… the pigeons shot first.)

04/05/2026

More pigeons on the way! 😃

I’ve been working on a new pattern this weekend- pick ‘n’ mix pigeon for my wee knitters who are excited to add to the woolly flock of pigeons beginning to roost at Newhailes nts_newhailes

04/05/2026

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