Knitters are a sociable bunch, and they love nothing better than getting together with fellow knitters to have a chat and knit at the same time. The world record for the number of knitters all clicking away simultaneously is 3,010 and is held by a group in America. However, there is a British attempt to break this record and everyone is welcome to get involved.

Big Knit

The record attempt is part of the Big Knit, which is a successful campaign which has been running for several years with Age Concern and Innocent Smoothies. Before the Big Knit period, knitters all over the UK are asked to make little bobble hats to fit on top of a smoothie bottle. The bottles with the bobble hats are then sold in store, and for every bottle sold a donation is made to Age Concern. The Big Knit has been running for over 10 years and has raised over £1 million for charity.

Photo of a Big-Knit challenge smoothie by Paul Downey via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

World Record

As part of this year’s Big Knit, a group of Scottish knitters are going to try to break the record for the number of knitters working at the same time. This is mainly to raise awareness of the fundraising aims of the Big Knit as well as to get press coverage for both the record attempt and for the charities involved. The record attempt is scheduled to take part on Sunday 8th September 2013 at Tannadice, the football ground of Dundee United FC. Anyone can take part, and knitters are encouraging as many people as possible to cram into the ground with their needles and yarn and try to steal the record back to this side of the Atlantic.

Can I Take Part?

The world record attempt, and the knitting of the smoothie hats, is open to any knitter, of whatever their ability. All you need to do is turn up on the day with your needles and ball of Patons Fab Big yarn and get knitting. You don’t need to knit smoothie hats as part of the record attempt, as long as you are knitting something then you will count as part of the total number of knitters. If you would like to take part but haven’t managed to master the casting on or the basics, then you have until September to learn.

Making The Hats

If you can’t get up to Dundee for the record attempt but would still like to support the cause by making the smoothie hats, then you can do just that from the comfort of your sofa. Look for the Innocent Big Knit webpage where you’ll find the patterns you need to make as many little hats as you like. You needn’t stick to the patterns given if you prefer not to, so use up all your scraps of odd double knitting or Patons Fab Big to create colourful and unusual hats. Add bobbles, pompoms or tassels if you like, and post them off to Innocent. Don’t forget to look out for them when they hit the shops this autumn.