What has been your experience when knitting in public?

[Antares]

Charlotte: Thanks for sharing your recent experience! Just from what you've mentioned so far, it appears that the person who was talking about patience doesn't know the half of it!! No wonder you smiled and your husband laughed. I guess what people really mean is that they don't have enough desire to learn to knit in the first place!!! Or perhaps a better way to say it is that their patience overpowers their desire to learn.

Salmonmac: What a really neat experience! I would LOVE to have even one knitter (or crocheter) sit down beside me and ply their craft. And you had two! Cool!

[Daylilydayzed]

When I was knitting a baby blanket for one of my gardening friends on the The WeatherVane.com . I would sit in the waiting room while hubby would go in to see the doctor. I would be knitting along and people would wander over and ask what are you making I would reply that it was a baby blanket.
Then when I started making string shopping bags, my doctor wanted to know how to do it, one of the nurses had to have the pattern and so I told her it really wasn't a pattern, just a rextangle of either garter stitch or seed stitch , a stable base, then pick up stitches along all 4 sides and start knitting with this stitch pattern: on an even number of stitches Row 1 is knit. Row 2 is K2tog, Yo . Repeat these twop rows until bag is as long as you want. Then knit a few rows of the same base stitch to stop the stretchy part and bind off. Then pick your placement for a strap or two if you like. Attach your yarn and pick up about 10 stitches and knit it in the stitch of choice until it is as long as you like it and attach it opposite from where you started the strap. Always use a cotton yarn. Small yarn yields a smaller bag than worsted weight cotton yarn. Mercerized yarn makes a very nice bag with a silky feel. Now when I am at the VA clinics they are showing me what they have made.

[TEMA]

While waiting my turn at the lab to get some blood work done, I noticed a young lady busy knitting away on something... a scarf, I think.
Anyway, sitting beside me were a couple of older ladies and they also noticed the young woman knitting. She was using the continental stitch and the ladies were just dumbfounded and could understand what she was doing.
One lady leaned into the other and whispered (quite loudly), 'I don't know what she is doing but it's not the way I do it'. I thought that was quite funny... but I could see they were quite affronted that she should be doing something different.
I don't usually knit in public (unless I count when I'm waiting at dr's offices) but I have seen others knit and I usually go up to them and ask what they are knitting. (I'm just nosy!)
They are usually very good about it and let me in on it, sometimes even showing me their pattern.
Further to that, I have joined 3 or 4 ladies and we knit when we get together. It's the best fun.
TEMA

[ArtLady1981]

"IN PUBLIC", if you mean the park, the waiting rooms of dentists, doctors and hospitals, in an airport/airplane, on a cruise, or the beach...I haven't had any negative feedback, but I've had a few nice conversations that I otherwise wouldn't have! These is something 'friendly' about the presence of a knitter in the room that draws others to strike up a conversation.

I have never knit in church or business meetings. I feel like it would appear rude to those who have worked hard to put together their presentation. I put myself in their place...and I know it would hurt my feelings to see someone supposedly so disinterested in what I have to say that they must knit to fill their time with something worthwhile.

I used to knit when visiting friends and family, but I don't anymore. I used to knit at social functions, like a baby shower...but I don't anymore. I began to feel like it's rude to be knitting when everyone else is visiting. Or that I appear to be an obsessive person. (this is not a judgement on anyone else who choses to knit wherever)

I mostly knit at home, and on vacation in the mountains. On the commute back and forth from the mountains.

I get an incredible amount of knitting done as it is. Enough is enough.

[TEMA]

As a guy knitter, I tend to get a different response than most of you ladies. Generally its disbelief. Some people laugh at me. Some people find it interesting. Some people comment about how odd it is for a guy to be doing a woman's craft. Younger people tend to think it's cooler than middle aged people and older ladies tend to thinks it pretty neat that they see a guy knitting. So it runs the gamit of reponses.

Just so you know.... Knitting was man's work at one time... the ladies just took it over...
TEMA

[fatoldladyinpjs]

"IN PUBLIC", if you mean the park, the waiting rooms of dentists, doctors and hospitals, in an airport/airplane, on a cruise, or the beach...I haven't had any negative feedback, but I've had a few nice conversations that I otherwise wouldn't have! These is something 'friendly' about the presence of a knitter in the room that draws others to strike up a conversation.

I have never knit in church or business meetings. I feel like it would appear rude to those who have worked hard to put together their presentation. I put myself in their place...and I know it would hurt my feelings to see someone supposedly so disinterested in what I have to say that they must knit to fill their time with something worthwhile.

I used to knit when visiting friends and family, but I don't anymore. I used to knit at social functions, like a baby shower...but I don't anymore. I began to feel like it's rude to be knitting when everyone else is visiting. Or that I appear to be an obsessive person. (this is not a judgement on anyone else who choses to knit wherever)

I mostly knit at home, and on vacation in the mountains. On the commute back and forth from the mountains.

I get an incredible amount of knitting done as it is. Enough is enough.

Our church allows knitters to knit at Bible studies and other meetings, as long as it's something for charity. We have a prayer shawl group that you'll frequently see knitting away. They also have knitters who make baby sweaters to send off to third world countries in new mothers' kits.

[ArtLady1981]

Our church allows knitters to knit at Bible studies and other meetings, as long as it's something for charity. We have a prayer shawl group that you'll frequently see knitting away. They also have knitters who make baby sweaters to send off to third world countries in new mothers' kits.

I think that's entirely different, and very nice as well. No hurt feelings, no misunderstandings. It's openly "allowed", maybe even encouraged. So no one in attendance will spend the hour wondering what the knitter is thinking!

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[JudyD]

All my experiences of KIP have been positive. I especially like it when the ladies tell me they haven't knit in a while and should dig up their needles and yarn. (I sincerely hope they do!)

I have had several ladies tell me they know nothing about using circular needles and are so glad I took the time to explain their use to them. (I'm usually working on a baby blanket and they can see how easy and comfortable they are to work with.)

Judy

[Gigic]

I am new here, but thought I would respond. I commute everyday on the train, which is where I do most of my knitting, nobody ever really says anything, but this morning someone commented that she should start knitting. Nobody has ever said anything negative. Although someone did once crack a joke when I was making a wrap with my size 19 needles!!!

[Lighting57]

YOU GO GIRL!!!!
I did not know that either Charlotte and think it's great that you found a way to make it work. I know too many able bodied people that love to spout,"I can't!", in a whinny voice. Can't never did anything is what I always told my children. I refused to allow them the option of quitting so easily. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your everyday life.