Olympian Tom Daley Publishing a Book on Knitting (But Will It Be a Good Yarn?)

Knitting — it’s not just for old, gossipy church ladies anymore. In fact, it hasn’t been for quite some time. Millennial women made knitting cool again, and guys are now picking up the popular hobby, too. It’s even gone mainstream, from one TikToker going viral for his sweater-making skills to Olympian Tom Daley busting out his needles and yarn at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Now, the British diver, who boasts an Olympic gold medal in diving, is making a splash in a whole new arena: book publishing. Daley has penned a how-to guide to all things knitting titled Made With Love: 30 Stunning Projects To Craft With Mindfulness, Wear With Pride, and Gift With Joy. The tome will be released this fall with Dey Street Books. The publisher says the book will feature “yarn crafts made very cool” and that the projects therein “run the gamut from toys to clothing for adults and kids to home décor.”

Daley is a relative newbie to the knitting world. He picked it up at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and became the knitter seen ’round the world when he indulged in the pastime at the Olympics when he wasn’t competing. A cardigan sweater that displayed the Olympic rings and the British flag was an accomplishment of which he was particularly proud.

The athlete is equally psyched to release his first book, as evidenced by this Instagram announcement.

“So yeah, it’s no secret that I am completely knitting obsessed!! For me it’s fun, creative and never fails to calm my mind…it really offers something for everyone,” he captioned the video. “Genuinely so excited for you to be able to see this book because I’m in love with it already.”

Will Daley’s enthusiasm encourage a bunch of dudes to pick up knitting? We sure hope so. The book drops on Nov. 22 in the US, leaving you just enough time to knit your own ugly Christmas sweater.

Cover Photo: Clive Rose / Staff (Getty Images)