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“Knitting requires many small and
repetitive motions that my stiff fin-
gers cannot handle. Despite watch-
ing many step-by-step tutorials on
Youtube, sometimes I feel like my
hands are not able to make stitch-
es,” Yip adds.

The university student thinks that
the learning environment affects
young beginners’ motivation.

“As a beginner, it is challenging for
me as I always forget the steps or
get lost in the process. I often feel
frustrated after spending several
hours knitting and making almost
no progress. This is why peer sup-
port is crucial to me. They calm me Vinchi Lau, owner of MeiFung Wool shop is tidying yarn.
down, try to help me and motivate Vinchi Lau, who took over his fa- est in knitting.
me to keep going,” the Year One ther’s wool shop in 2020, has wit-
student says. nessed the decline of the wool in- “Knitting requires a lot of time, ef-
dustry. The shop was first opened fort and patience. You need a lot of
Fading of Knitting Culture in in Tsuen Wan in 1985. time to hone your skills and you
Hong Kong will not become an expert shortly,
While there is more new blood He says their sales dropped signifi- so less young people start learning
learning knitting, some elderly in cantly during the pandemic and it,” he says.
Hong Kong also heard of the trend the social movement in 2019 so it
among youngsters in the UK. is difficult for them to run the busi-
ness.
Alice Wong, who has knitted for Edited by Esme Lam
over 30 years, says her friend also “As far as I know, around three Sub-edited by Charlie Chun
noticed that more young people wool shops have shut down in
are learning the skill around the the last few years. Comparing the
world. peak season with the off-season,

“One of my friends who moved to there is a difference of around HK
the UK last year told me she of- $500,000 (US $63694) in annual
income,” Lau says.
ten saw people knitting in public
such as in parks, coffee shops or on “Around 80 per cent of my cus-
buses. It is quite encouraging to see tomers are around 50 to 70 years
more people willing to learn knit- old. They stop knitting mostly due
ting,” Wong says. to health issues and immigrations.
Besides, I only have a few new cus-
Though some young people in tomers. It is difficult to run the
Hong Kong learn knitting, yarn
shops in the city are struggling to business,” Lau adds.
The shop owner blames the fast-
survive.
paced lifestyle for declining inter-