Knitting is not usually considered a competitive sport but in October this year needles and yarn will quiver in anticipation as knitters from all over the world compete for the title of the world’s fastest knitter.  Interestingly, and rather wonderfully, this title is currently held by Scottish knitter Hazel Tindall.

Last year Hazel, who lives in Shetland, was surfing the internet when she came across the fact that the world knitting record was 180 stitches in three minutes.  A member of the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Dyers and Weavers, she decided to organise a fundraising day around a challenge to beat the record, which many members succeeded in doing by at least 12 stitches, including herself. 

Inspired by this, and realising she was going to be in London when the next championships were held, she decided to enter for fun.    On arrival she discovered the world record was actually 245 stitches, however, she still entered and reached a ‘stitch-off’ against the current British champion, an American and a Russian knitter.  Hazel won with a record 255 stitches in three minutes.  This story caught the attention of the media and she was interviewed on BBC Radio and was a guest on the Paul O’Grady Show. 

Since then the competition has got hotter as Miriam Tegels in the Netherlands is now determined to win the title.  At the Dutch Handicraft Fair in February 2005 she reached 257 stitches and will be heading to Alexandra Palace in October to challenge Hazel’s title.  In an entertaining article about the challenge the Wall Street Journal describes the Shetland Islands as ‘a remote part of Scotland that produces power-knitters the way Texas produces high-school football players’.

Hazel is taking it all in her stride.  For her knitting is not about speed but about enjoyment and it has always been part of her life.  Her advice for any knitters wanting to challenge the record is to concentrate on good technique, as without it you can’t get the speed.

An enjoyment of knitting also drives Jenny McHardy who is featured in the current issue of Knitting magazine (September 2006).  A graduate of Gray’s School of Art she is now studying at the Royal College of Art in London.  In common with Hazel, knitting was part of her life, a skill handed down by her grandmother.  In her work she challenges established perceptions of knitting creating intimidating ‘urban armour’.  Read more in our feature about her work.    

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