British swimmer and Olympian Tom Daley is renowned for his skill and form. Not just at diving, but also at knitting. Though he hasn’t won any medals for it, Daley’s knitting has arguably earned him as much attention as his diving: a photo of the 27-year-old knitting from his perch in the stands at the Tokyo Aquatics Center during the 2021 Olympics went viral. Daley, who picked up knitting at the beginning of lockdown, often posts his projects on his yarn-centric Instagram account, where he now has 1.4M followers. Stitching a medal pouch, a dog sweater, and a team cardigan, all while he watched others compete during the Tokyo games, Daley said he learned to knit and crochet to help him remain calm during long and draining competitions.
Daley is not unique in finding solace in traditional pastimes like needlework and knitting during stressful moments. Throughout history, humans have turned to crafts to improve both mental and physical health, and science has confirmed what most of us already supposed: engaging in beloved pastimes, including crafting, can help…
