: Knitting Helped Me Bust Stereotypes, Tackle Anxiety Earn Rs 30,000/Month #IndiaNEWS While many still associate knitting with women, Sohail Nargund, a 28-year-old engineer, has been breaking this social

Knitting Helped Me Bust Stereotypes, Tackle Anxiety Earn Rs 30,000/Month #IndiaNEWS
While many still associate knitting with women, Sohail Nargund, a 28-year-old engineer, has been breaking this social stereotype for the past couple of years.

When the pandemic hit and the world came to a halt in 2020, Sohail’s personal struggles began. Originally from Hubli, he was living in Bengaluru, at the time, working from home while struggling to cope with growing anxiety.

“Initially I was anxious over small things, but gradually my condition worsened. I would overthink all the time and my heart would race — partly because of the workload I had and partly because of the uncertain times we were all living in,??? Sohail tells The Better India.

Then one day, he stumbled upon an online post that recommended knitting to help with anxiety. Fearing that his mental health may worsen, he decided to give knitting a chance. “So, that is how I started to knit. When I picked it up, I realised how it soothed me and calmed me down. I felt relaxed and occupied; it was working for me,??? says Sohail.

Soon, he started an Instagram page called ‘@the_rough_hand_knitter’, where he started posting pictures and tutorials. Today, he sells various handmade products through the page and inspires many knitting enthusiasts, while breaking stereotypes.

Sohail sells knit beanies, sweaters and other products on his website and Instagram; Picture credit: Sohail Nargund

‘I knit anywhere and everywhere’

“As a kid, I would pick up many hobbies and then fail to succeed at any. So initially, I bought only some yarn and sticks and started learning how to knit on my own, mostly through YouTube videos. Later on, as my interest built up, I approached a knitting coach on Instagram who helped me a lot,??? shares Sohail.

Talking about how knitting has a gender stereotype in society, he says, “I was really shy to show my work to my father. I was expecting him to say something which would upset me, but to my surprise, he was very impressed and happy with my work. He even told me that knitting has nothing to do with gender, and that gave me validation and satisfaction. ???

With validation from his father and support from his sister, Sohail decided to take a step towards breaking the stereotype.

“My father was ill and we had to admit him to a hospital. I took my knitting with me to the hospital. I sat in the hospital and started knitting, and people around me reacted in such a heartfelt way. This gave me the much-needed courage to knit in public. Now I knit wherever I want, just like one would use their phone. Whether I’m waiting for the doctor or travelling in a taxi, train or bus, I knit.