Oh! I just got one yesterday when I stopped by work at home. One of the pharmacists has a daughter who just started college. The daughter crochets and all her roommates knit. I mentioned that my roommate knits and people tease about it, especially since we’re always baking things, too. So then she says, “you’re not very progressive women, are you?” I kind of laughed with her and then thought about it later in the car. What’s not progressive about creating something for your own enjoyment out of practically nothing? What’s not progressive about doing something for yourself instead of going out and buying it?
I HATE this one. The moms at the school where I teach say things like this. As if to say ‘you obviously do not do enough in your life if you have time to knit’.
okay that would have made me go off and it would have turned into some ugly political rant! :rofling:
I’m pretty timid, so I didn’t bother. Besides, she wasn’t trying to be nasty or start anything. She’s one of those people that’s just sometimes insulting without realizing it. She’s not worth fighting with, either.
What’s not progressive is saying that a woman HAS to do something - Whether it be getting a career or staying home. Truly progressive people are all about letting people CHOOSE what path their life should take - Career Woman, Wife and Mother, or Both.
Well said, Aidan! I used to be a “career woman” up until Oct of last year. I hated every single second of it. I was the sole network administrator for a regional office and a lot got dumped on me. DH works from home as freelance 3d modeler/graphic artist and together we couldn’t afford to live in southern CA. So, I quit my job, we moved to Colorado Springs and I don’t work. I “only” knit and quilt and take care of my doggie (who is recovering from a couple surgeries, as mentioned in a couple other threads). I consider myself darn progressive for taking this path! 
And, by the way, DH is happy as long as I’m happy! And no, I’m not a sahm, unless you count my furbaby as my child.
Most of the comments I get are the granny type ones… regardless of whether or not I need a date with Miss Clairol or not. Most of the people I work with are used to seeing me knit or crochet on my breaks, so I usually just get “what are you making now?” comments. One morning as I was getting ready to leave, the day shift was sitting at my usual table, and I grabbed my bag of knitting. “oh! you’re the knitter!” I guess they’d all been looking at my various projects over the weeks and curious as to who on the night shift knitted! The department manager for crafts and fabrics teases me all the time that I don’t do any housework or anything, or when do I sleep? My answer always is: Well I need something to do to stay awake until my kids get home from school and I can go to bed finally!
My DH is funny though… he can explain what frogging is, and how certain hooks or needles are better than others, but when I’m knitting something new, he’ll ask me “what are you crocheting now?”. Or if I bring along a project {like HIS socks}, “you got your crocheting with you?”. :doh: I guess he’s so used to me doing nothing but crocheting {and that’s all that anyone in his family does}, that it’s the only thing he can think of!! :roflhard:
What I found TOTALLY cool recently was with the KO. I have a manager that I don’t get along with very well, but she has her moments. Since the booger was the only project I was bringing back and forth with me to work, she got to learn the story behind it at bit {our bags are checked by management before we leave}. Towards the end, she had asked me if I finished, and even if I had gotten my gold medal :shock: This from a non-crafter that would probably have no better goal in life than to see me quit my job!!! {And she wants to see it when I bring it in on Thursday night!!!}
:shock:
okay my love of walmart has been well documented on these forums but color me shocked and appalled! i get the reason but i am still shocked and appalled!
:shock: ohh I didn’t know they did that… its great that she asked you about it and wants to see it!!
Not progressive??? :shock:
What is not progressive about NOT being shackled to someone else’s idea of identity? Honestly thats a woman head’n for a heart attack!
I just discovered that my lys has a class/ discussion group on how to handle pesky nay-sayers. Priceless really! 
SALLY’S TOP TEN LISTS
Friday, March 10, 7:30-9pm, $10
We’ve all heard them: those ‘things’ people say or ask someone who is knitting in public. Are there appropriate responses? Unfortunately, sometimes not: we just have to smile and shrug and remain the good-natured people we are. But sometimes we CAN answer and turn these into positive and educative events! The universe then unfolds as it should! ALL LEVELS WELCOME.
Actually, I really don’t have a problem with it persay. If I carried a purse, that wouldn’t be checked, but any lunch bag or duffle, etc is. Even management isn’t free from this either. There’s been a couple of times where I’ve checked briefcases of the AMs when they are leaving at 10:30 and my manager isn’t at the door like he/she is supposed to be. So at least in that respect, everyone is treated equally. Even our store manager has his briefcase checked by the greeter. Basically anyone leaving is checked by the greeter during store hours, or management when the store is closed. Most of us make a joke about it all… like the 54" TV that I stash in my coffee cup on my way out, or the surround sound system in my lunch bag. It’s just something else I have to do to be able to collect a paycheque. I’ll be so much happier when I can work during the day, or my website pays off enough that I don’t need to go out to work at all… in the meantime I’m stuck in my steel toes at the Mall Wart.
It’s not a dumb question, but it’s more of an annoyance when they ask, “Can you make me one, too?”
Target doesn’t search our bags as we leave. Every once in a while they’ll ask to see a receipt, but most employees just have it ready. Bed, Bath, and Beyond did check all bags before we left.
So I’m not totally hijacking the thread, I once was asked if I was pregnant as I was knitting baby booties on the break room couch!
Whenever I ride the T (Boston’s nickname for the subway) into town and it looks like it’s going to be a long commute, I bring my knitting.
New Englanders are typically not fussed with getting into other folks’ business, but this is a metropolitan area with people mixing from all over the world, so social customs tend to be more fluid. Due to this fact I will, on occasion, have questions put to me regarding my projects. I crochet as well as knit, as you’ll see through the comments below.
Here are some of the cheekier questions and answers.
Q: Why do you bother knitting? (this from a surly looking 30-something male near Davis Sq.)
A: Because there’s not enough room for bear baiting on the bus.
Q: (from a college co-ed who watched me crochet for a couple of weeks, then begin on a knitting project) "You’re knitting? What happened to all that crochet?"
A: (feigning total seriousness without looking up from my knitting) Oh, well… Crochet is just a gateway drug, really.
That one got some laughs from fellow commuters.
Q: Are you a nun?
A: Excuse me?
Q: Are. You. A. Nun?
A: Why on earth would you think I’m a nun?
Q: Because I’ve only ever seen nuns knit.
A: Well you’re not far off… I’m a pagan priestess.
Q: :shock: …uh…uh…
A: Bless you, my child. smiling sweetly
Q: What are you knitting?
A: A pair of fair isle mittens.
Q: With THOSE colors?
A: :rollseyes: Look, do I tell you how to dress yourself? Because someone should. (chuckles ensue from surrounding passengers.)
Q: That’s rude.
A: (with raised eyebrow) Pot to the kettle. (I was really in NO mood on that day).
For as many bad experiences as I’ve had, I’ve probably had twice as many good experiences with knitting in public. I’ve inspired a few to try crochet, to knit, and even once got into a lively conversation with a guy about blackwork stitching and its history.
I’ve even had some embarrassing moments, such as the one with my beautiful blue eyelash scarf, one of my favorite early experiments with alternative fibers. The short version of that is that while talking to a young mother on the T her son started sobbing with grief. Turns out he thought I’d killed Grover the Muppet and was wearing the pelt like some sick prize around my neck. I haven’t been able to wear it since.
I’ve even had some embarrassing moments, such as the one with my beautiful blue eyelash scarf, one of my favorite early experiments with alternative fibers. The short version of that is that while talking to a young mother on the T her son started sobbing with grief. Turns out he thought I’d killed Grover the Muppet and was wearing the pelt like some sick prize around my neck. I haven’t been able to wear it since.
omg… :rofling: that poor little pookie!
Grover was never really my favorite anyway…I say wear the scarf!!
i just noticed this topic while doing a search, and event though its from months ago, i thought it would b fun to bring it back to life.
here are 2 comments both from the same person:
him: "when are you going to make a sweater?"
me: "i cant make a sweater, its too hard!"
him: “just make a bunch of scarves and sew them together.”
:?eyebrow: :roll: :neutral: :hmm:
months later:
me: "i made these wristwarmers for my sis"
him: “so thats how u spent your weekend”
:whoosh: i think he was saying i dont have a life
I just started knitting last week and am obsessed. I have knit five dishcloths in 6 days (and that is with nursing school and a 2 year old boy to care for…) but if I hear one more person tell me that it’s “dorky” to knit… or “why do you insist on trying every granny craft out there?” I am going to scream…
Yes, I do cross stitch, blackwork, crochet (sorta), tatting, sewing and now I have picked up knitting. What in the world is wrong with that???
-next on my list is spinning and weaving! :teehee:
For all the KIP I’ve done since I started I don’t think I’ve had one negative comment about knitting at all.
I’ve had people show interest - the last ones being a group of young teen girls who were at the library.
My eldest, [11] is one of my top supporters, (next to the Hubster) - he wants me to open my own yarn shop so he can come and work with me, bless him. 
From my law partner, who plays croquet, fishes, sails and plays bridge: “You can waste a lot of time knitting, can’t you?” GRRRRRRRRR