▁activity ▁strength ens ▁the ▁body , ▁mental ▁exercise ▁makes ▁the ▁human ▁brain ▁more ▁res il ient . ▁ ▁A ▁repository ▁of ▁research ▁into ▁the ▁effect ▁on ▁health ▁of ▁kn itting ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁at ▁St itch links , ▁an ▁organisation ▁founded ▁in ▁Bath , ▁England . ▁ ▁M ega ▁kn itting ▁In cre asing ly ▁popular ▁M ega ▁kn itting ▁is ▁hand ▁kn itting ▁using ▁kn itting ▁need les ▁greater ▁than ▁or ▁equal ▁to ▁half ▁an ▁in ch ▁in ▁diameter . ▁ ▁M ega ▁kn itting ▁uses ▁the ▁same ▁st itch es ▁and ▁techniques ▁as ▁conventional ▁kn itting , ▁except ▁that ▁hook s ▁may ▁be ▁car ved ▁into ▁the ▁ends ▁of ▁the ▁need les . ▁ ▁The ▁hook ed ▁need les ▁greatly ▁enh ance ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁work , ▁catch ing ▁the ▁st itch es ▁and ▁prevent ing ▁them ▁from ▁sli pping ▁off . ▁ ▁M ega ▁kn itting ▁produces ▁a ▁chunk y , ▁bul ky ▁fabric ▁or ▁an ▁open ▁la cy ▁we ave , ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁weight ▁and ▁type ▁of ▁y arn ▁used . ▁ ▁The ▁current ▁holder ▁of ▁the ▁Gu in ness ▁World ▁Record ▁for ▁Kn itting ▁with ▁the ▁L arg est ▁Kn itting ▁Need les ▁is ▁Julia ▁Hop son ▁of ▁P enz ance ▁in ▁Corn wall . Jul ia ▁kn itted ▁a ▁square ▁of ▁ten ▁st itch es ▁and ▁ten ▁rows ▁in ▁stock in ette ▁st itch ▁using ▁kn itting ▁need les ▁that ▁were ▁ 6 . 5 ▁cent im eters ▁( 2 ½ ") ▁in ▁diameter ▁and ▁