“Normally it’s calming, but this is competition!”

Knitting fever has taken over the Parc Expo at Porte de Versailles, in Paris, where the French speed knitting championship is being held until December 1st. Among the knitting enthusiasts competing, Isabelle Stiegler from Ile-de-France, the “Poulidor of knitting”, who could finally win a title.

A knitted stitch… Then a knitted stitch…, again and again, as quickly as possible, for three minutes. During the French knitting speed championship (speed knitting), which is held in Paris at the Créations & Savoir-Faire trade fair, from November 27 to December 1, we warm up our wrists. All “knit eaters”, i.e. knitting enthusiasts, have their own technique. But each participant is given the same needles, and the same ball of wool, to try to achieve the feat: to enter the legend of knitting.

Catherine and Isabelle, an eternal duo of champions

Young and old, beginners and experienced, everyone can participate. Men too: men have, however, been absent from the competition so far. But no one is under any illusions: for ten years, it is always the same two who occupy the podium. The Breton champion Catherine Bouënard, with unstoppable technique, and the daring Ile-de-France resident Isabelle Stiegler, eternal second, nicknamed the “Poulidor of knitting”.

“Each time, we are within a few stitches,” judge Isabelle, who looks at her rival out of the corner of her eye with an amused smile: “One day I will have her, she fears me, you know!” The atmosphere is jovial around the stage, but a certain excitement overtakes the participants who take their seats. “Knitting normally has a soothing, calming effect”adds the vice-champion, who works in a psychiatric clinic near Argenteuil to do “tricotherapy”. “We use knitting as a therapeutic tool, it is a practice which brings self-confidence, which works on concentration, memory, executive functions and which brings one into a state of relaxation. But here, it is quite the opposite: we're in speed, it's competition! In joy and good humor, of course.” Besides, neither of the two champions says they train.

Witnesses to the rejuvenation of the practice of knitting, families or strangers from several generations confront each other. Françoise de Marseille, Sophie de Vanves and Laurianne du Jura are each twenty years apart, but have the same dexterity in their fingers.

“These are young people who teach me techniques that I didn’t even know”assures Jimmy Tricotin, the knitting YouTuber with nearly 20,000 subscribers who humorously hosts the competition. “Everyone dresses the same. With knitting, you can really personalize your clothes, and young people love that, to stand out, to have that unique side. I've seen knitted PSG jerseys”he laughs.

While many participants tell us that they learned from their mother or grandmother, knitting has also become more popular by taking over social networks. The young speaker based in Essonne, expert in video tutorials, is a good example.

Its popularity exploded during Covid, when many internet users needed to do something with their ten fingers, rather than staying with their eyes glued to their phone. Paradoxically, it is the influencer who encourages disconnection and sharing. “With knitting, we concentrate, we get away from the screens, we no longer have a headache. It is also a sharing activity, between young people who have seen interesting things on the networks and their elders Today, we can see a whole family come to knit at the same time, and even young children, it’s beautiful.”

Knitting fever will continue to enliven the show until Sunday, when the final of speed knitting. Objective for Catherine and Isabelle, to surpass the French record established in 2023 at 267 stitches knitted in three minutes.