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Until recently, it was thought that knitting would never really catch on in Thailand due to the country’s tropical climate. Going back further still, when fashion was of far less significance, knitting was thought of as being a rather ordinary pursuit, and one that was largely carried out by elderly folks.
But last year, things began to pick up for the kingdom’s knitting enthusiasts when 27-year-old Nice Tansrisakul, the founder and owner of Big Knit, introduced more colorful yarns and patterns to the kingdom.
Located along Sukhumvit Soi 49, Big Knit is the biggest knitting and yarn center of its kind in the capital, providing a huge variety of yarns and patterns. Nice suggests that there are now many more options when it comes to things to knit, so there are lots of other things you can produce rather than a pullover, which would be of little practical use in the kingdom. Trendsetter
Big Knit is considered to be a trendsetter when it comes to knitting developments. Nice began importing yarns from France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom in 2007, targeting niche markets, including housewives and older people. But, much to her surprise, the store attracted over 300 people, from absolute beginners through to experts, during its first year of operations.
Often, enthusiasts would get together and meet at the shop to share tips and tricks, creating their own community.
“Beginning with a store, we then developed ‘sofa corners’, where a small informal club area began to take shape,” says Nice. More recently she decided to open a ‘Knit café’, as an in-store meeting space for enthusiasts.
Knitting empowerment
The popularity of knitting has resulted in most department stores in
Bangkok and other major cities providing retail space to the sale of
equipment and various yarns. Another popular store right now among
enthusiasts is PINN, which offers courses for people interested in
learning how to knit at its Central World branch.
Big Knit now has about 800 members signed up and about 50 of them
congregate daily. The majority of members are women aged between 25-35,
although there are plenty of less typical members, such as a
four-year-old child and a 94-year-old man, according to Nice. It is
also not uncommon to see men knitting at the Knit café.
Big Knit offers over 6,000 varieties of yarn. Nice says Thai knitters
tend to prefer fluffy, non-dense fabric as well as thinner yarns
because they are more suitable for Thailand's climate.
Enthusiasts have also adapted knitting to produce a number of
interesting decorative items, such as pillowcases and covers for glass
dishes, as well as more typical items, such as clothing and bags.
Enthusiasts have also adapted knitting to produce a number of
interesting decorative items, such as pillowcases and covers for glass
dishes, as well as more typical items, such as clothing and bags.
The knitting trend has been around now for about one year now, with the
most popular items at present being knitted clothing for Blythe dolls,
Pom pom animals, as well as a number of women’s accessories, such as
hairpins and bracelets.
Pom pom animals are typically used to adorn bags, mobile phones and
women’s purses. Nice says Pom pom animals have become popular since
they are easy to produce.
Blythe doll enthusiasts have been known to organize meet-ups where they
can discuss collections or begin projects on outfits, for example.
In addition to the yarns and equipment on sale at the store, there are
other accessories that are of practical usage to the enthusiast, such
as various kinds of scissors, tapes and measures.
Knitting has also generated some charitable benefits, through the
support of voluntary knitting programs, such as the Big Knit Big Give,
held at the end of 2008, which was a benefit activity for children
suffering with cancer. Therapeutic effects
Just as the public fell for yoga as a wellness tool in terms of public
health, knitting is also likely to attract a good deal of enthusiasm.
Research in Australia suggests that knitting therapy and stitching can
help relieve depression and physical pain. It can nurture emotions that
may have been forgotten, such as excitement and anticipation, raise
self-esteem, and possibly even break cycles of hyper vigilance to pain.
Nice says some hospitals are even considering right now whether to
recognize the use of knitting as an activity suitable for hospitals,
since it could assist in a patient’s recovery.
Useful contacts
Big Knit can be contacted by phone on Tel: +66 (0)2 260 5050
PINN can be contacted by phone on Tel: +66 (0)2 255 5606
Lifestyle
Whether it's traversing the relatively cosmopolitan “urban free-for-all” that is Bangkok, with its trendy malls, urban wellness centers and posh fitness centers, or perhaps traversing the wild trails outside city limits, explore activities to suit your lifestyle.
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