Meet Carson Demers
Carson Demers is a life-long knitter and a physical therapist with 30 years of experience in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and ergonomics. He is the pioneer of ergonomics in knitting and fiber crafts and he literally wrote the book on ergonomics for knitters and fiber enthusiasts, Knitting Comfortably: The Ergonomics of Handknitting. Carson continues to teach knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and other textile enthusiasts internationally at events large and small about the ergonomics of their crafts. He has contributed articles to numerous fiber and crafting magazines and has been a consultant to writers for Martha Steward Living and other publications. Carson has appeared on podcasts and vlogs including Fruity Knitting and he is a season 3 Knit Star. His passion and experience in fiber arts combine with his expertise in physical therapy and ergonomics to create a unique skill set that he eagerly shares with the fiber community.
Find him on www.ergoiknit.com where you can also purchase his book.
Carson’s influences and inspiration, and what you’ll be knitting at the mill
“My motivation for the material I teach comes from both my own experience with ergonomics related injuries and from that of my patients and students many of whom were told they could not knit again. No knitter has ever established a retirement date from knitting, and we surely don’t want it imposed upon us. My work empowers knitters (and other crafters) to identify ergonomic risk in their work and to mitigate it before it becomes problematic.”
Carson is influenced and inspired in his ergonomic work by traditional knitting techniques. These traditional forms are where optimal ergonomic practices exist. “We as modern knitters have seemingly infinite options for tools, yarns and even stitch patterns compared to our knitting ancestors. And while this is wonderful, it brings with it ergonomic challenges that they didn’t have to consider. Sadly, most modern knitters aren’t aware of these risks and therefore they go unaddressed until they are injured or dissatisfied with slow progress or poor fabric quality. I am thrilled to enlighten knitters so they can work comfortably and with great longevity.”
Carson’s design work is influenced by the nature and architecture around him. It is often expressed through modifications of traditional design motifs and structures. “I am inspired by the colors and fibers specific to places I visit or areas I study.”
When at the mill your goal is to increase your knitting longevity and comfort! You’ll learn where to look for ergonomic risk in knitting and how to mitigate it. “Our areas of investigation will include everything from posture and seating, knitting technique, tool choices and options, and stitch chart analysis. We’ll practice what we learn both in our knitting “playground” and in a project designed specifically for the retreat.”
