World Heavy Metal Knitting Championships

Some thing just go together, like Tom and Jerry, cheeseburgers and fries, and jelly and ice-cream.

But heavy metal music and knitting? They're not perhaps the two most obvious things to put together.

That hasn't stopped Finland starting a new competition, The World Heavy Metal Knitting Championships, combining the two rather different past times.

The contest will begin on 11 July 2019, in Joensuu, Finland, with a grand prize of "a hotel weekend in authentic Finnish scenery".

So far it all sounds pretty fun, but what exactly is 'heavy metal knitting'?

"In heavy metal knitting, the knitter becomes a part of the band, showing their best needlework tricks as the heavy riffs echo on the background. The knitter takes part in the jam while their balls of yarn and knitting needles swish through the air…"

Getty Images

So let's get into the knitty-gritty of where this idea has come from. The organisers say it's down to the popularity of both knitting and heavy metal in the country.

They said: "There are 50 heavy metal bands per 100,000 Finnish citizens, which is astonishingly many and actually more than anywhere else in the whole world."

"The number of needlework enthusiasts is equally high, as according to even the most modest estimates there are hundreds of thousands of people in Finland who are immersed various kinds of needlework crafts, knitting included."

Getty Images

Knitting to the rhythm of heavy metal music can be compared to playing air guitar. Heavy Metal Knitting Championships organisers

True that might be, but why put both the activities together? On The World Heavy Metal Knitting Championships website, we find out a bit more.

It states: "What combines them both is the great joy of creativity. When playing guitar as well as knitting stitches it is all about the pleasure of creating something cool with your hands. And - it's all about the attitude!"

It continues: "In heavy metal knitting, needlework and music become united like never before. On the same stage, accompanied by a million dollar guitar solo, with hair flowing in the air, there's heavy metal music and knitting, shaking hands."

To be perfectly honest, we're still far from clear how this will actually look on the day, but it certainly sounds like it could be a good place to try and unwind.