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Discussion #9
We are reaching the home stretch of the Knitted Flower Project and I am happy to tell all of you that we have a venue to display these gorgeous flowers! I am still ironing out the details but WonderKnit in here in Columbus, Ohio has agreed to host the exhibition! I will be posting all the details next week. In celebration I knit these outrageous flowers in some leftover super-bulky and many-strands-held-together yarn. I wanted something lush and tropical. They are as big as my face.
I also received these little gems from The Book Faerie. Thanks!
This weeks question draws on an experience many of us have had. How do others respond to you when you knit in public? Do you have a particular story?
When I first started knitting while I was in college I was working as a bartender at a pool hall called Suzi Cue. Incidentally, this is where I met my dear, sweet, patient boyfriend. On slow nights I would knit behind the bar. This was before the smoking ban...and when I was still a smoker...and so my sad little knitting projects smelled like ash and booze, but aside from that, they made for great conversation starters. I heard many stories about grandmothers, mothers, and even a grandfather whose wife taught him to knit after he had a stroke to help him regain dexterity in his hands. Now that I'm writing about it, I guess that is where the early seeds for this project were planted. In addition to the bar I knit in other bars, all over the Ohio State University campus, in coffee shops, the doctor's office, at work (when I worked at an elementary school I ended up teaching a couple students), at the beach, on the bus, on the subway (when I was in Germany this summer), at lectures, in the airport, on the airplane, in the movie theatre, at parks...I've pretty much been known to plop down anywhere and whip out my knitting and just about every time, without fail, people want to know what I'm making, where I learned, is it difficult, how long does it take? And then they tell me their own stories about people they know that knit, how they used to knit, how they would like to learn. As all of you already know I LOVE stories. So please tell me your KIP (knitting in public) yarns.
I also received these little gems from The Book Faerie. Thanks!
This weeks question draws on an experience many of us have had. 
Mostly my knitting in public is when I have get togethers with friends or my knitting group (a.k.a. friends!). Most people look but don't say anything. I think some people look in awe and others just look and then go about their business. I've had a couple people comment by saying that they knew how to knit but haven't knit in a long time. Whenever I run into other knitters I always invite them to come to our knit group. To date no one has shown up, but they are always invited.
ReplyDeleteMy one controversial moment of talking about knitting in public, not exactly knitting, was when I told a co-worker that I was going to a knitting camp two weekends ago. She went off the deep end. She said I was too young to be knitting, that was something that Grandma's did, how was I ever going to meet a man knitting and that I needed to go out with younger and single friends. Sooooo, you know I had to educate her a little. I told her obviously she hadn't kept up with the trend of knitting because there were a lot of younger people out there knitting now and some men knit also.....I didn't go into the eligible bachelor thing because I don't know many men knitters and I don't know their background to say their eligibility but I was just flabbergasted by her response. It was a very loud response that probably 20 other people overheard!!!! Geez!!!!
I KIP on the bus, at lab meetings, in the airport, and on the plane. Mostly people watch surreptitiously. I like to think they're jealous that I get cool handknits, but they're probably just bored and mesmerized.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago, I was in an airport (Detroit? Cincinnati?) and some women diagonally behind me were watching me knit my Road to Socialism. They kept egging each other to ask me what I was making, wondering about the stitch pattern and how I got the stripes to do that.
I ignored them. They called it crochet.
I always knit while I am waiting somewhere. I taught myself knitting while I was sitting at my daughter's music lessons and choir practices. I spent a lot of time sitting at choir practices but it was fun because I got to knit. I did cross stitch for awhile but I never really liked that.
ReplyDeleteI am asked all of the time what I am crocheting, I just look up and smile and say I am knitting a shawl or a sweater or a blanket and go from there. Most times they mumble its nice and walk away, others who knit and see what I am up too they will sit for a few minutes and talk about knitting, this morning a former knitter asked me to bring her some of my patterns so she could get started again!! I knit everywhere and if more then 3 hours go by without knitting in it I start to get antsy.
ReplyDeleteI knit everywhere. Most of the comments I get are positive - but I had one experience that really stuck with me - and it was not a positive one.
ReplyDeleteMy husband was a design engineer at the time, and worked for a small fasiner company in Pennsylvania. I accompanied him when he went to a convention because the company encouraged spouses to be there. I knew I was in some why acting as part of the "host" organization and managed that well (I thought), mingling during the events and staying well away from the meetings, as well as watching what I said and to whom I said it. We were finishing the week long convention and spouses were invited to watch the final sales presentation, which was held in a large room. The room was totally dark - and I was sitting in the back at the last table. I took my wooden needles because I know metal ones "click" and knit a "no-brainer" project. There was just enough light that I could knit but no one could see that I was doing it. The woman who sat beside me was the wife of the Manager of Sales. No one was on the other side of me. I clapped at appropriate times, and knitted during the other times. When I met up with my husband later, he told me that he was to inform me that I was not to knit during meetings that the clicking of the needles bothered those sitting around me and distracted them from the presentation. I know who complained and to whom she complained - what I also know is that my needles didn't click - she thought I wasn't paying attention. I also know she was paying more attention to me than to the presentation if she knew I was knitting!
I spend a lot of time in doctors' waiting rooms. I always bring my knitting. Last time the receptionist commented that "You always bring such lovely knitting projects but they always are different" I explained that I usually bring my easy to interrupt projects since I can't really concentrate in the waiting room and never know when it will be my turn, so I complete those things quickly and start another one immediately-
ReplyDeleteShe asked to see a finished project next time I come- I showed her the OSU scarf I made and wore to the office that day!
I love to KIP. I knit in the car when I'm a passenger. I knit while waiting for appointments, while standing in line, and while waiting for my food in restaurants (even the "nice" ones). I knit a lot at the library during my volunteer shift, b/c there's not a lot going on there. I've knit at racetracks, though not during the races, as there's too much going on and I'm too excited. The comments I get usually range from "What are you making?" "What are you making now?" (for those who've seen me in action before to "I could never do that." I try to encourage those people, b/c if I can do it, anybody can. I suppose the oddest response was from the waiter at the restaurant down the street. He laughs when he sees me knitting. I guess he can't believe that I'm sitting in his restaurant, knitting.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Stefanie:
ReplyDelete"people usually respond favorably - in general, they're just curious about what i'm making, how long it takes to make it, that kind of thing. sometimes i get weird looks on the train, and a few times i have found a fellow yarn-lady to talk to about yarn. i've not had any super weird experiences like some of my friends - one of them had a woman rip her project out of her hand to show her the RIGHT way to knit a sock heel. one time, about a half-year after 9/11, i was knitting on a plane with some metal needles (long straight ones - couldn't believe i got it past security!) and my seatmate looked pretty disturbed.
there was a period of time when i lived in portland that i had several guys come up to me to talk about knitting because they learned to knit when they were really young. mostly people just say that they wish they could learn how to knit, as though it's some difficult, unattainable thing. or drunk people make lame comments they think are funny, such as "knit wit" jokes."
I KIP all the time. I also knit in the car, in my office, and with other knitters. I generally have needles at the ready at all times. WHen I KIP with a group, not many people ask. However, in a waiting room, I get lots of questions. I love to encourage people who say, "I could never do that. It looks hard.," to try it sometime, and I have been accused of being a knitting evangelist. To date, I don't think I have totally converted anyone. . .but I have piqued a little interest here and there. . .
ReplyDeleteI knit everywhere I can get away with it. Often times people wont say anything but occasionally one will ask what I am making.
ReplyDeleteI have a regular weekly meeting with a friend to knit at a local coffee shop. Recently on a morning following one of these meetings I popped into the same coffee shop and one of the works, an older gentleman, said were you here knitting last night? I of course said yes. He went on to tell me a friend of his tried to teach him to knit but he just couldn't get the hang of it. I thought that was pretty cool.
P.S. I can't wait to see the art display.
ReplyDeleteUsually when we're out John will take a book to read and I'll take my knitting. I've gotten a lot of the same, which is "oh you knit, that's nice/cute/quaint, I wish I could do that." It always, always makes me think of that Natalie Dee comic.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nataliedee.com/090208/you-are-free-to-learn-how-to-do-stuff-at-any-time.jpg
I mean, it's one thing if the person saying it has hooks for hands, then I'd feel like an asshole.
I take my knitting with me everywhere! Especially when traveling. A lot of people look and I think it's out of curiosity. Many people ask me what I'm making and how long I've been knitting. I love to share my projects!
ReplyDeleteFor a period of about a year I was a regular in the window seat at Donkey Coffee here in town. I would get curious glances and the occasional comment about my work. No one ever was rude, though there were one or two people who would touch without asking. Of course I also was working on things like my duck tub hat and so that does make people smile more than usual. When I was seeing my doctor every few weeks before and after my surgery, I had my knitting with me and she was always interested in what I was working on and would comment on the colors, etc.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I used to be fearful of knitting in public. I think the fear stemmed from the whole "what will people think" attitude. Obviously, I lost that hang up a long time ago.
ReplyDeletePeople do tend to stare at times and some are bold enough to start a conversation. They always end up being a nice chat be it quick or in depth.
While on vacation last fall, I met a nice couple in the lobby of the hotel. It was a rainy day at the beach and not much to do, so I went down to the lobby/atrium. It has these GIANT beautiful windows, lots of cozy couches and chairs and plants. I took my knitting down and at the time was working on my Aguona Laptop bag which is a color stranding project and looks pretty intense to the untrained.
This couple came down and sat at an adjoining couch, each had a book to read. And after a few pages and my clicking away, the lady looked up and started chatting. I proudly showed her my progress and the pattern and she was quite impressed. And she had that look in her eye, like a spark and I strongly felt whenver she got back to "home" she MIGHT just look into becoming a knitter. From what she said it didn't sound like she had knit before, but she definitely seemed interested in taking it up. I hope she did.
More recently, like a few weeks ago I was at a busy restaurant waiting for our table and pulled a project out of my purse. Several of the restaurant staff walked by and gawked at me, one of the gals finally said, "Now that's something I need to do!" My response was, "Yes you SHOULD!"