hmm, so what do u suggest i say when i pull out my knitting and some1 says “so thats what u do in ur spare time”?
“YEP!” xxx
From my semantics prof: “I’ve never had two people knit in my class before. It must be… liberating.”
For the record, I was only one of the two 
, and the prof went on to say that me meant it must help you be less distracted. Which, of course, it does. 
Pretend you don’t know what they’re talking about. “What’s what I do in my spare time? Knitting? What are you talking about?”
A similar thing happened to me. I smiled politely and replied “I hope so!” then went back to my knitting.
My stock answer:
“Knitting keeps me from harming myself and others…” :twisted:
The hardest comment I’ve gotten is that knitting is “inappropriate” on breaks. That just made me angry. I’m not allowed to knit on breaks at work because it doesn’t make the “right impression.” I completely don’t understand how it makes a bad impression. I’ve been told it makes me look like I’m not doing my job. I’m on my breaks!!
Oh well… some people just don’t get it
What a great topic! People say some weird things! 
For me people usually just ask what I’m making. Although one person at work saw me knitting and told me that it makes you live longer. I don’t mind that! Another acted really surprized and burst out laughting :shrug: I wasn’t very happy about that one, but its the same kind of thing with making fun of me for being midwestern. grrrr
My boyfriend and I live 9 hours apart. i made him a blanket (my first FO), and he said that. Now when he comes to visit he brings the blanket so that I can cuddle with it when he’s here, so that my smell gets ‘reinfused’ in the blanket.
:teehee:
This thread is great! Why didn’t I read this before?
I don’t get negative comments, generally. I get attempts at flirting when dudes ask me if I’ll knit something for them or if I can teach them while I’m KIP.
One woman did say I’m like a grandma in a 27 year old’s body. I think I might have been crocheting at the time. Well, I’m 28 now and she just started knitting last week. Through my influence.
Pretend you don’t know what they’re talking about. “What’s what I do in my spare time? Knitting? What are you talking about?”[/quote]
hmm, thats a funny one, but i dont think i could pull it off, i’m a terrible actress. i’d probably say all that and just start laughing. then they’d think i was psyco 
Well, its not an entire no brainer, they DO both use needles
most annoying: “and when will you be making me one?”
hahahasome of the comments I’ve read are hilarious!! great thread!! 
Well I’ve gotten both annoying and sweet comments…
Among the Annoying ones:
- “People, who knit, crochet and cross stitch never get married” (by my dad and uncle)
- “But aren’t you a medicine student?” (What like I’m supposed to be stuck in some hospital and have no life beyond medicine!?? :rolleyes: )
- “What are you crocheting?”
- “Wow you sure have a love of free time” (I do
thank you very much and enjoy every minute of it) - “Make me a scarf!!/tighty whitey/sweater”
- “Look at the grandma”
Among the Sweet ones:
Generally people compliment the things I’ve knitted or say that they think its awesome that I knit, others ask me tot each them…one aunt said today that I was a very smart person because I learned through the internet…
[quote=“Eloewien”]The hardest comment I’ve gotten is that knitting is “inappropriate” on breaks. That just made me angry. I’m not allowed to knit on breaks at work because it doesn’t make the “right impression.” I completely don’t understand how it makes a bad impression. I’ve been told it makes me look like I’m not doing my job. I’m on my breaks!!
Perhaps you should have replied with, " Since this is my BREAK and knitting isn’t appropriate, what would you suggest I do, YOUR WORK?"
Some people just don’t think before speaking.
I was in the library knitting one day and one of the people who works there walked by and said “I’ve never seen anyone crocheting in here before. Haha.” Ummm, 'scuse me? I think they thought they were clever and that they were making me feel silly for knitting. I just smirked as they walked by and mumbled “idiot” to myself.
I also love it when I am knitting a scarf and a person walks by and asks “Oh, can you make me one next?” Why yes, because it’s quite simple to just pop out a scarf for someone random, not to mention yarn costs, etc. Then they seem hurt when you say “Yes, if you go buy me the yarn you want me to use.” The funny thing is that it’s usually people I hardly know that ask me that.
I was sitting and knitting (an omymoron) at the hair salon and a lady sitting next to me said, “Wow. . . I didn’t know black people knit! I’m sure they don’t knit much in Africa.” (Both she and I are black).
Ughhhhh!!!
That is a, um, special one. :?? Lots of black folk knit (I’m one of them) and black people in Africa knit, too. Though I guess it’s true that, in my limited experience, more crochet than knit. In all of my homestays in southern Africa, there were so many hand-crocheted and hand-knit items everywhere. Doilies, table cloths, arm chair covers, etc.
ARE. YOU. SERIOUS!!! oh man if some1 said that to me…
i hate it when ppl have to analyze your actions based on what race you are.
We all need to knit (or crochet, or embroider, or sew, or whatever) in public more often so that people get used to us! I think that most of the dumb/rude comments are just attempts to acknowledge that we’re doing something that’s currently perceived as being a little bit out of the ordinary. Most people don’t want to sound dumb or rude; they’re just trying to show an interest or be thought of as clever.
I feel fortunate. In over thirty years of crafting in public, I’ve received very few truly negative comments. I bet that all of them were from people who have never made anything creative or satisfying or just plain fun with their own hands. They just don’t know what they’re missing!
So come on! Let’s do our thing in public, proudly and with a sense of humor! We will educate and convert a few people!