Real life: The silver influencers taking the internet by storm

As I pack the tiny hat and cardigan into their box, I smile as I imagine the baby who will wear these garments in the weeks to come, then add a new blog post for my followers.

I’ve been knitting since I was seven, when my aunt bought my twin sister and I Learn To Knit kits for our birthday. Taught by our mother – who could knit with breathtaking speed – we both enjoyed creating scarves for our teddy bears, although we only found out later that Mum would often unpick and reknit our early creations overnight!

Knitting became very popular when I was a teen, in fact so many girls used to walk around with their knitting needles that my school eventually banned the hobby for fear of causing accidents.

While I’ve knitted on and off over the years, having a family and working full-time meant I had little time for my hobby. However, in 2011, I was made redundant from my job as an information officer and suddenly had time to pick up my needles again.

This time, I began to blog about what I’d made. I’d learnt how to create a blog after an IT course at work, and thought it would be great to keep a record of what I was doing.

To my surprise, when I logged in one day there was a comment from a fellow knitter, complimenting something

I’d made. With a bit of exploration, I discovered a whole community of knitters online – now I follow several blogs and have regular visitors to mine.

I also discovered Loving Hands – an organisation that provides knitted items to charities. It was a revelation – after

all, there are only so many scarves and jumpers you can knit for your nearest and dearest.

Over the years, I’ve knitted for almost 20 organisations worldwide, making everything from blankets to tiny hats. Others, inspired by my work, have turned to knitting themselves, or sent me wool for my projects, some from as far afield as the US. It’s wonderful to know I’m inspiring others.

‘I discovered a whole community of knitters online’