After pictures of Olympic gold medallist, Tom Daley, knitting by the side of the Olympic pool in Tokyo went viral, research reveals a host of other celebrities who also favour the yarn.
The study reveals some unexpected names from the worlds of movies and music – as well as some unusual reasons for taking up the hobby. Knitting is known to have therapeutic benefits by reducing stress, creating strong social bonds and increasing feelings of usefulness. Meanwhile, the repetitive and rhythmic movements of knitting are often compared to forms of meditation.*
Team GB diver Daley, who won gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform competition in Tokyo alongside team-mate Matty Lee, was snapped first knitting a pouch for his gold medal as he watched the other action in the pool. Later, the 27-year old, who will compete in the Individual 10m platform diving final tomorrow -Saturday, Aug 7 – created a cardigan memento of the Games.
It features the word ‘Tokyo’ on the front in Japanese and has ‘Team GB’ and the Olympic rings on the back.
Harry Styles
In 2012, the Independent reported that former One Direction heartthrob Styles had developed a penchant for knitting and, although details about how serious the hobby was were scarce, the paper speculated that it may have had something to do with another Styles penchant, that of older women
Ryan Gosling
In an interview for GQ Australia, the Canadian star of La La Land, Blade Runner 2049 and First Man admitted that, if he were to design his perfect day, it would be spent knitting. He revealed that, while filming an all-day scene for the movie ‘Lars and the Real Girl’, he spent the day in a room full of old ladies knitting and they taught him how to knit. He claimed it was “the most relaxing day of my life”
Russell Crowe
Another movie star hunk who is a knitter, the Gladiator stud apparently uses knitting as a form of anger management, as per the therapeutic benefits mentioned above; however, knitting blogs (yes, such things do exist and in abundance) have widely claimed this is an urban myth and suggested that pictures of Crowe wielding the needles show that he is no more a knitter than ‘a domestic cat’.
Kate Middleton
The Duchess of Cambridge briefly took up knitting when she was pregnant with Prince George as a form of relaxation but, as she told a well-wisher during a visit to Glasgow: “I’ve been trying to knit but I’m really bad. I should be asking for tips.”
David Arquette
The Scream franchise star is a confirmed and avid knitter, having been taught the craft by his grandmother. In fact, he’s such an enthusiastic knitter, he once appeared on the front cover of Celebrity Scarves 2 to support breast cancer research.
Cara Delevigne
The supermodel has often been snapped knitting before hitting the runway and has claimed in interviews that she uses the hobby as a way to unwind and pass time – surely her own line of knitted goods is on the horizon somewhere…
Julia Roberts
The Oscar-winning actress, forever immortalised by Pretty Woman, is one of the better-known knitting fanatics; in fact, legend has it that she knits so much that she often gifts her movie co-stars items she has created and even taught Tom Hanks her favourite hobby. Hanks retaliated by pranking Roberts on the set of Larry Crowne by getting the entire crew to take up the needles.
Christina Hendricks
The flame-haired Mad Men star is such an accomplished knitter that she can hold a conversation and knit at the same time; she proved this by knitting throughout a TV interview without once having to look down at her needles. Like many, she finds the hobby soothing and is often spotted knitting on set between takes.
Demi Lovato
Proving that millennials knit too, the singer took up the craft as a way to unwind but, more importantly, to take a break from her smartphone. A picture she posted on her Instagram account in 2017, showing her knitting on a plane, went viral as fans discovered their favourite songstress had an unlikely hobby.
The research has been conducted by online gaming site PartyCasino, they note ‘there are many more celebs who are either rumoured or confirmed to knit or have knitted in the past including Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Amy Adams, Kurt Cobain, Uma Thurman, Kate Moss, Meryl Streep and Star Wars star, Daisy Ridley.’
Meanwhile, a raft of famous names have other unlikely, strange or downright creepy hobbies. PartyCasino has compiled what celebs get up to in their spare time.
