Facts & Figures

Craft skills (which include Knit/Crochet) contribute £3.4 billion to the economy, according to research that measures the economic impact of thousands of small craft businesses in the UK according to the Crafts Council (2014).
 
From 23rd March to May 10th, 2020, there was an increase of 50% in people searching 'How to Knit' on Google during the first phase of lockdown in the UK
 
The number of Knitting Groups on www.ukhandknitting.com is over 400.
 
 

Immediate Media Craft Intelligence 2019

 
Just under two thirds of British women have taken part in a craft in the past year, equating to 16.5 million women.

Knitting continues to be in the top 3 crafts, as it has been for over 10 years now (since the study began), with 5.7 million British women picking up their knitting needles and hooks. Participation in crochet saw an increase of almost half a million new crafters for 2019, versus 2017.

Crafters are more likely to multi-craft than not, with just under a third of crafters taking part in one craft (5.4 million), versus two thirds (11.2 million) who participate in two crafts or more. 53% of British women have a craft hobby, which equates to 14.1 million. The number of new entrants has increased by 1% since 2017, with 8.8 million British women trying a new craft for the first time in the last 12 months.
 
Further panel research conducted by Immediate Media in May 2020, on their Insiders panel, highlighted that a huge 96% of their audience view hobbies as just as important, or more so, during the outbreak versus before. 1 in 4 have bought crafting equipment/materials as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak and a similar proportion said they were spending more time crafting now. Additionally, 79% of those who craft said they found it useful to relieve stress with the current situation.
 
Sources: Craft Intelligence 2019 and Immediate Media Insiders Panel May 2020