Stereotypes re: knitting

#21

:roflhard: Knit nekkid! :roflhard: THAT’s what I’ll do and DH will never complain about knitting again - I could spend as much on yarn, needles, books… whatever!

I didn’t realized that this had been often discussed - sorry. :frowning: It just hit me last night and in a very irritating way, I might add. I think my DH was under the impression that I’m one of the minority rather than the majority. He is very proud of everything that I’ve made and brags about my work. He is also quite protective of the things that I’ve made for him. I guess he just honestly did not realize that knitting has now crossed the generations!

I think that you guys are right, all of the crafts seem to be making a big comeback. My DBro. does cross-stitch - he’s in law-enforcement and has a high stress job. He says it helps him relax and stop thinking. Maybe that’s a part of it - we live in this high stress, fast paced world and need our simple escapes. I also think that it may be a yearning for what previous generations had - a connection or whatever?

So… I proudly KIP (but watch for wandering children!) and I give knitted gifts and I love making new friends like everyone here! You guys are seriously a wonderful and interesting group of people. Your stories inspire me and make me laugh. Seeing your work makes me itch to try something new and envious of your fantastic yarn finds. I am so glad to have found this site and the wonderful people.

Angela

#22

No need to worry… it’s something that should be often discussed… :slight_smile: How and why are always good things to understand to change what’s ahead…

#23

This post reminded me of the other night when I was finishing up an iPod sleeve for a friend. I sat in a chair, grabbed a blanket (a bit chilly in Houston, recently) and started knitting. My bf commented on my knitting with a blanket in my lap and sitting on a chair that kind of rocks back and forth, and how it was stereotypical of an old knitting lady.

I just laughed it off, but I do get a lot of reactions from my friends and family and are surprised that I took it up. I initially took it up about 6 months ago so I could knit scarves and hats for our November trip to Europe.

At first, people thought it was a bit odd for a younger person to take up (I’m 26) but once they saw me knitting and saw the kinds of things that can be made, they really were impressed. My boyfriend got a new iPod a few weeks ago, and I knitted him an iPod sleeve to protect it from scratches. When he visited his friend who also had an iPod, he then requested one.

People end up thinking it’s pretty cool after you get them past the “old lady in a rocking chair” stereotype. Suddenly everyone wants something knitted for them.

#24

yup…my sister calls me an old lady.

all the guys at work laugh and ask me how old i am, implying that i am too young to be knitting…like there is an age minimum…65 or older, ONLY!

haha, i am 21

#25

I find that people make fun of it a lot. Until they see what I make. Then they are surprised. “Wow, did you make that”? Um, YEAH. DUH. What do you think I’m doing with these needles anyway!

I started needlecraft as a child. My grandparents (both of them) were needlepointers and had absolutely beautiful pieces around the house. Rugs, with matching chairs. Really elaborate pieces. It inspired me to take up a craft. I learned needlepoint, crochet and then a few years ago, taught myself to knit.

I think what most people do not understand is the EMOTIONAL componenet to knitting. I knit to make things, sure, but I also knit for the stress relief, for the relaxation and for the accomplishment. I think knitting was an old lady thing, because once you start, you want to do it all the time and who can do that unless they are retired? :slight_smile:

#26

You know…I just asked my Boyfriend if he thought knitting was an old lady hobby, and he got this goofy grin like he knew he might be in trouble for what he was going to say and then nodded. But, he also knows his sister crochets and all, so I think he’s iffy about it. He just doesn’t care for it himself.

As for me, I know it’s not an old lady hobby, and I could really care less because I like to do it, and I know many people my age that knit, including my best friend who’s 20. It’s just a good, useful thing to do.

I also don’t do it because my grandmother taught me or anything. I’ve just always been into textiles. I love making clothing and designing outfits and such, so this is just another part of making my own fashion. And it’s fun and theraputic. It gives me something to do, which keeps my depression in check, which is the first thing that has done it successfully.

Knitting rocks. :smiley:

#27

I don’t KIP, but when people find out I knit, they think it’s “cute.” :rollseyes: I 'm the youngest at work by a few years (I’m 19), so everything I do is cute!
My friends don’t say much about it, since most of them know I learned to knit from my RA last year, who is also not at all old. Besides, my roommate knits and we just tell ourselves that we’re just that much cooler than everyone who could possibly make fun of us for it. :smiley:

#28

Is knitting not a big thing on your campus, Cate? It’s pretty popular here.

#29

Girls are not a big thing on my campus…Neither is showering, leaving your computer, sports, or…well, anything that’s big on other campuses. :rollseyes: I go to a very “geeky” school.

#30

I KIP all the time, and I’m so entrenched in what I’m doing, I don’t even notice if anyone’s lookin’ at me funny.

Hehe.

DH is used to my crafting, and he knows the people I craft with are all ‘around’ my age mostly.

I do lots of ‘nanna’ crafts, including knitting, crochet and shuttle lace. All are nice and portable for busses etc.

#31

I learned to knit whenI was in the sixth grade from my mom. I was comfortable enough to KIP at my high school and would sometimes hear about it from fellow students. But now I knit at work duriing my lunch all the time and no one seems to think it is strange that a 23 year old knits. Actually, one of the guys I work with mentioned how since I transfered and started knitting in the breakroom how many more of the women there have started to bring their knitting and crocheting. :lol:

#32

Ohhh how people tell me that I am too young to knit. If you think about it… people back in the 1800’s had to knit garments and spin there own yarn. I mean… I never got a negative comment about my work, but I did get the occasional Arn’t you a little young to be doing that? :rollseyes:

Oh well. I my as well be 13 going on 80 :roflhard:

#33

Oddly enough, I’ve only gotten the comment a few times. Other times it’s people older than me - IE, like 35 who say they used to knit and loved it, and that their mother or grandmother taught them when they were younger.

In my home ec class, I was ahead of everyone, because I already knew how to knit and crochet and in class everywhere in highschool I used to knit. In home ec one guy said his grandma knitted, so he called me “Grandma”. Most everyone else just stared in awe as I made yarn “magically” transform into an object. Really, it was quite cool and quite strange to have all these eyes on me. Almost everyone of them wanted me to show them how. And I did, but I doubt they really got it because they didnt have needles or yarn.

but now, it’s usually just people who used to do it and kinda miss it and they say its cool that I do. And then I got the people who want me to make something for someone or themselves…ugh.

#34

Very interesting thread! I’m 53 so it may not be a thing that will happen to me much and I haven’t KIP yet to find out. My daughters who are 26-34 laugh a little and one of them asked if I needed a rocking chair for Christmas. :rollseyes: She was kidding though and I told her there are lots of young people here in the forum. She tells me she’s not patient enough to knit, but one of my other daughters does and likes it. It’s funny, but when I crocheted I never got that reaction. Seems to be more a knitting thing? I don’t know.

I wish I had started when I was younger. My niece who is 10 asked me last weekend to teach her to knit so I pulled out my size 10.5 bamboo needles and grabbed some yarn. I CO for her and then did a few rows. She picked it up pretty quickly! I got her a Knifty Knitter for Christmas, but I think I’ll get her some needles of her own, too. :wink:

#35

Heheh :slight_smile: My sister freaked out when she saw me attempting to imitate the videos to learn how to do loop stitch. She felt it was an affront to tradition that knitting could be learnt over the internet :lol: She said that this is the kind of thing that is supposed to be passed down from mother to daughter :slight_smile: She also says it’s an old lady thing and wouldn’t be caught dead with knitting needles or with anything handknit… after all, synthetics are like…waaaay cooler!

My best friend is just as bad, she saw me knitting and started imitating a little old lady (which she does unbelievable well). :doh: I haven’t KIP yet although I really want to do it, if only to see people’s reaction :wink: I’m also teaching my youngest sister to knit and she seems to really love it :smiley:

#36

I knitted at alot of peoples houses(basically my moms friends) and they all look at me and say, “I’d just love to know how to do that… but I’d just get to impatient and I’d mess it all up.”

Sometimes you have to be patient with prodjects. Some people can’t get that way :rollseyes:

The thing with me is… I can never finish a project. I’ll be working on one… and then the next thing I know I’m working on a different one! Ohhh how I am soo oddd…

Patience is something that you need in knitting… Knitting isn’t something that you ‘need’ to rush on. I find it relaxing to do.

#37

Jenelle, that’s a pretty common knitting problem. I find it usually happens after a visit to the LYS. A lot of my new yarn seems to just hop right onto my needles as soon as it gets home! And then one morning I wake up to discover that I’m working on five different things at once, none of which are even close to complete. And then I feel bad about not having the initiative to finish anything… but another trip to the LYS usually makes me feel better. :smiley:

#38

See when I go to my LYS there is all these younger, hipster gals knitting away and I’m thinking knitting has gotten younger. I’ve also read about it int he papers and magazines (i mean is your hubby living under a rock or what) and even on one of them thar inflight magazines on an areoplane :shock: SO yeah, he’s outta touch. [size=1]but i’m sure he’s still a nice guy[/size] :lol:

#39

Just wondering, what does DH stand for? Dumb Husband???

#40

Supposedly it’s ‘dear husband’, but you can substitute any D word, depending on your mood and his behavior! :wink: