This week was the first episode of Game of Wool – a competitive knitting show hosted by the diver and Knitter Tom Daley and judged by two excellent knitwear designers, Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell. Over the next eight weeks, 10 experienced knitters (several of whom I follow on Instagram) will take on individual and group challenges in order to gain the title of Best Knitter in the UK 2025. I have had my reservations about this format since it was first raised by Channel 4 about a year ago when they were looking for competitors. It is hard to see how knitting can make good telly and, in all honesty, the first episode didn’t really change my mind. The individual challenge was a super chunky Fair Isle vest to be knitted in 12 hours. I actually found it astonishingly stressful watching people knitting with such enormous needles as fast as they could. The finished garments were nice but they didn’t blow my mind. The group challenge was to cover a sofa and I was deeply unimpressed by it although it was great to see people working so well in teams and they did have some good ideas, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that one team helped the other to finish their challenge – very much in the supportive spirit of the hobby I have come to love.
While chatting with lots of people about the show, and reading lots of comments on social media, I’ve been wondering why I found it so disappointing. It was when I was watching the final of The Great British Bake Off this week that I realised what had been bothering me. I am a keen baker (although not a brilliant one) and I love the Bake Off, in particular watching the amazing creations, complex flavours and astonishing decoration that the competitors come up with. The Game of Wool didn’t provide any of that for me. I found the outcomes of the challenges disappointing and I don’t think that they showed off the undoubted skills of the competitors. For example, I should imagine that they could equally well have knitted a Fair Isle beanie, such as the ones that we do for Shetland Wool Week, in the time given showing off their skills and promoting British wool at the same time.
I have also been thinking about whether knitting can or should be a competitive sport at all. We spend all our time promoting it as a mindful and peaceful thing to do, a way of getting out of the rat race and taking some time for oneself to create something lovely. It is not meant to be stressful. I suppose if one decides to knit Christmas presents for everyone an element of stress might emerge – that is why I do not knit presents for people. Up until now the most competitive I have felt when knitting has been against myself in trying to keep up with the release of the four clues (one a week) in the Stephen West MKAL every October. And even then I always give up rushing after the second clue (as in the picture below) because there’s no way that I have the time and after all who is judging me? Only myself. I’m not up in front of two experienced knitwear designers and millions of viewers.
There are seven more episodes of the Game of Wool to go and I believe that the next episode does not involve super chunky yarn (although there are rumours of tinsel and mohair that are making me feel a little bit anxious). I am determined to persevere with it and I hope end up enjoying it. At the very least, I hope that it will inspire more people to knit.
I would love to hear what your thoughts are on competitive knitting whether you have been watching the show or not.
I completely agree. I think it’s a pity they have just copied the Sewing Bee, when knitting is a completely different thing and requires a different approach. Watching the poor people trying to do Fair Isle with chunky yarn was painful. A beanie would have been much better. The sofa challenge could have worked with decent materials and losing the time pressure. Perhaps they will learn from feedback, although they have probably already filmed the entire series.
While the Sewing Bee could encourage people to have a go, what I have seen so far would put me off knitting if I was a beginner. Sad.
Yes. I will watch it through though!
I cringed my way through the first episode. Didn’t like the challenges or the incorrect use of some terminology (eg peeries), felt it was too much about Tom Daley repeatedly having an excuse to whip his top off and thought the judges (albeit they’re highly respected designers) were much too critical and lacked personality – Patrick and Esme they weren’t!! Will watch again in the hope it becomes less self conscious as time goes on and that the competitors have a chance to really show what they can do. Fingers crossed!
Yes! Exactly that!
I agree with the comments I have just read, about the knitting programme. I don’t think what I saw would have encouraged me to start knitting if I had never tried it. Knitting satisfies different emotions and feelings to those gained by sewing and baking. You cannot have the same format, it doesn’t work. I have never seen a baker enthuse over a bag of flour, but a knitter can get quite emotional over a hank of Shetland wool. Knitting is something to share with others. This is from someone living 250 miles away, but enjoys the camaraderie and chat set up by Venetia. Many thanks. Sue Carmichael
I was disappointed in that as makers we invest a lot of emotion in to our work. To be under that much pressure and produce something that we are not happy with is very destructive and to have that publically available for all to see and comment on, goes against everything I take seriously as a maker.