09/05/2026
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
