That is how I see it. If a person puts something of themself into creating something, that is the very meaning of art.
And by that standard a well tended garden, or a well cooked meal can be a work of art.
:roflhard: Too funny, but also true!!!
Otherwise, my answer would be ABSOFREAKINLUTELY!!! Ditto to everything above. By choosing different yarns and colorways, even when you follow a pattern it becomes your own unique creation IMHO!
Definitely, no question about it! 
And less messy than painting :teehee: (i know from experience, hehe)
I think it can be both craft and art. And the line quickly gets blurry. Our town has an annual community art show which I didn’t know about until this year… so you can see how much I pay attention to art. My 8 y/o had a piece in it, beautiful oil pastel sunflowers. (she has natural artistic talent) Anyway, they had a specific category for fiber. There were small quilted wall hangings, a fairy sculpted out of fiber. I did not see any knitting but I thought such a thing would fit right in. I just got to come up with some cool knitted art to put in…but I’m not good at thinking up such things. Knitting is also wearable art. Look at all the unique and beautiful yet functional things knitters get to wear!
I think of art as something that is completely useless other than for eye candy.
Craft is art but it has a use which makes it a craft.
It’s the difference between an artist and a craftsmen (or person).
I have seen quite a few afghans that are basically worthless as usable pieces other than as wall hangings. I guess that would make them art. I guess it all depends on the finished product.
Interesting question - I agree with Knitasha’s definition, I think, but also think Mike’s point is an interesting one. I’m not sure what the definitions are these days - ‘Arts and Crafts’ used to be fairly well-separated, as far as I can see, but these days all the lines are blurred. We can knit clothes, and make them purely functional (craft?), but if we make them something beautiful then are they different?
I think the intent behind something is what differentiates it. If I make a sweater because I need a sweater, then it’s craft, but if I make a piece of knitting with a political message, or a spiritual one, or because the idea for something has come to me and I have to make it or it will drive me to distraction, then that’s art. The spectrum between these two things is where most of us are, I think - we can go and buy a sweater, but we want to make something beautiful, something really ‘us’, something that expresses something about what we love (colour, texture, design), or something made as a gift to show how deeply we understand the recipient.
I did have another point, but my brain has abandoned me and I can’t seem to form a coherent sentence 
so I’m going to go to bed 
Mmm-hmm. The American Craft Museum in New York City (which, by the way, recently had an incredible exhibit of knitted art) changed its name to the Museum of Arts and Design.
In one way, I think this acknowledges the artistry in handmade objects. In another, I think it demeans craft.
The debate goes on and the lines gets blurrier.
Absolutely… I also think of the term “artifact”… something made by people. I think anytime somebody takes some stuff and makes something completely different out of it, whether it’s a pair of socks from yarn, or a cabinet from wood, or a picture from paint, it’s art.
There is a discussion of this in a knitting book that says that knitting and other handcrafts were delegated to “womne’s work” and therefore were not considered art. Art is a thing men do. Utilitarian things that women do is craft. It is interesting how the men who knit like Kaffa Fasset are considered artist but women who knit like Anne Modesit are not. Maybe we still have vestiges of sexism left?
Considered by whom? I’m not aware of any distinction being made between the items knit by men and those knit by women. Calling one art and the other not makes no sense at all and I’d be curious to know what sort of dimwit would make such a distinction as I find the idea absurd.
I agree with your definition of art, knitasha, and you have a very good point here. In a sense, because crafts is often looked down upon, maybe we feel the need to elevate it as “art”? In my opinion, it shouldn’t be necessary! Even if something is not “artistic” doesn’t mean it has no value.
Of course, knitting CAN be art, no doubt about that. But I don’t think it always is. The same goes for painting, sculpture and music. It takes a vision and a desire to express something.
I think anything you can create with your hands is art.
I used to describe dancing as “painting with my feet” and painting as “dancing with color” for exactly this reason. Anything that is created, that is an expression of that person, is art. For me, it doesn’t even have to be beautiful. Your first scarf (that holey, ratty, ugly thing at the bottom of your knitting bag) is just as much art as the amazing lace afghan you finished 50 years later, because for me art is the outcome of a process of artistry.
As for the craft/art debate: crafts are not necessarily art in my mind and it is sometimes hard to see the difference. Most crafts are, but then you get something so cookie-cutter that the craftsman isn’t putting anything into it - my dad used to sell these wooden rabbits that were literally, photocopy a pattern onto a board, cut them out, sand for five minutes (not even) and tie a ribbon around its neck. Technically counts as woodworking, but art? no. On the other hand, he makes ride-on kids push-airplanes, and each one takes hours and hours of cutting, assembling, sanding, and painting (though sometimes mom or I paint, dad doesn’t like it). He makes them because he loves making them and not because people saw one somewhere and said, “that looks cool, can you make me one?”
On the other hand, if someone found that cut-out rabbit to be a good expression of themself, it could be art in their case.
Of course. It is the only type of “art” that I can do. I feel great about creating a thing of beauty… Even better- it can be worn! And even if it does not look perfect it is still art in my book. It is something that is special to me.