This month I was teaching a university class in which 3 students were knitting: two girls, one guy. They were listening attentively and participating in the discussion. I found the sight very calming. Why do students knit? To deal with stress, for sustainability, or is it ‘fashion’ ? I gather it is a small trend among some students right now. From colleagues I hear that this was quite common in the 1970s, but I do not remember this from my own university days at the end of the 1980s. Or has it always been around as an option and did I just miss it? This small observation raises many questions.

I have a particular fond memory of knitting. My grandmother would always knit and watch television at the same time. Once we were watching the annual ski jumping contest in Garmisch Partenkirchen (1st of January). She looked up and read the name of a Spanish ski jumper, Jesus, an uncommon name in Dutch but more common as a term of abuse, for which we took it. In amazement we looked back at her: Oma?! The contrast with this domestic scene of bliss could not be larger.