Apple Watch Says Knitting Is Exercise (Apparently)

by
James McIntosh

Is Knitting Exercise? My Apple Watch Thinks So

Well… it has finally happened.

After years of resisting the relentless march of technology — rather like a sheep stubbornly refusing to leave the field — I have given in and bought myself an Apple Watch.

Now, this may surprise some of you.

I have never quite seen the point of watches that tell you how well you slept, how much you moved, how often you stood up, and — I suspect — whether you looked slightly judgemental at someone who twisted their yarn the wrong way.

But Dr Thomas, as many of you know, is extremely fond of medical devices.

He is also extremely fond of reminding me that I am now 47 years of age, which apparently means one should occasionally keep an eye on things like heart rhythms, activity levels, and whether one spends slightly too much time sitting perfectly still with knitting needles.

“James,” he says in that calm doctor voice,
“It might be sensible to monitor your activity.”

So naturally I did what any sensible person would do.

I bought a watch that monitors everything.

Heart rate.
Sleep patterns.
Standing time.
Breathing.

And — quite unexpectedly — knitting.

Because here is the extraordinary discovery.

According to my Apple Watch, my activity levels have increased by nearly 4000%.

Four thousand.

This sounds deeply impressive until you realise why.

Every time I make a stitch…

…the watch thinks I’m exercising.

So there I am, sitting peacefully on the sofa with a cup of tea, knitting away like a very contented hedgehog, and suddenly the watch vibrates:

“Congratulations James! You’ve reached your activity goal.”

Apparently garter stitch is now a recognised fitness regime.

Who knew.

Now, speaking of knitting technology…

Over the years I’ve tried quite a few knitting apps, and I must say most of them are about as helpful as a tangled skein in a dark cupboard.

But there is one exception.

The addi app.

This clever little thing has patterns, needle and hook tools, and — most importantly — a stitch and row counter that is arguably one of the best in the industry.

And here is the genius part.

You don’t even have to touch your phone.

You simply say a word, and it counts the row.

For example:

“Blueberry.”

“Cappuccino.”

Which works perfectly… until you are knitting in a café.

Because if you say “cappuccino” loudly enough, someone will eventually bring you one.

So the app suggests alternative trigger words.

One of which is “Terminator.”

Which explains why Dr Thomas looked up from his book the other evening to find me calmly knitting and announcing, at the end of every row:

“Terminator.”