What has been your experience when knitting in public? - Page 2

Jan in CA · 01-31-2012, 06:22 PM

My experiences have always been positive. People tend to glance and either ignore me or smile. Some ask what I'm making. Granted I generally only knit in the yarn shop, but the few times it's been out like at Starbucks or on a plane and it's been fine.

ShanaHoo · 02-01-2012, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by Olha

I probably use knitting in public not only to fill the time but also as a bate for other knitters since I have no knitting friends... It hasn't worked yet but maybe if I sit outside in a high traffic area and smile to everyone, it will

HA, I'm using that strategy as well! No luck yet. I know there is a knitting group that meets a few miles from me (thanks Ravelry!) but I'm nervous about just walking in to an established group of people and being all, "Hey, strangers! Accept me!" Also, I think they are older ladies, which is fine because I'm an old soul, but I would also like to have friends closer to my age to relate to.

I really do need knitting friends though. When I say, "I don't have the correct needle for this project, I need to go to the yarn store" I want someone that will say, "Oooh! Let's go now!" instead of the "You do NOT need to go to the Yarn Store" that I get from my friends and family now. I can USUALLY convince the Boyfriend to take me if I go in with a purpose and it is a quick trip. But sometimes I just want to stand there for 25 minutes touching things!

GrumpyGramma · 02-01-2012, 02:44 AM

Recently I played "carpool dummy" and went to Seattle with my DD for a dr.'s appt. With a passenger she can use the HOV lane and actually get there on time. I took knitting with me, knitted in the car and was surprised I could do it, I can't read and crocheting has never worked well when I'm riding. Anyhow I digress. I took the knitting into the waiting room and was working on 2 @ a time leg warmers for my GD. Another mother-daughter duo was there and they were interested in what I was doing, amazed I could do 2 on the same needles as I was, asked a few questions, told me my work was beautiful. They were both crocheters. That's my only real in-public knitting experience. I take knitting with me just about anywhere I go anymore. I'm sure there will be more times I knit in public. If I ride a bus I will definitely take knitting, those needles can look like "maybe I don't want to bother her!"

Olha · 02-01-2012, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by ShanaHoo

but I'm nervous about just walking in to an established group of people and being all, "Hey, strangers! Accept me!" Also, I think they are older ladies, which is fine because I'm an old soul, but I would also like to have friends closer to my age to relate to.

I can only share my experince with knitting groups and based on it, I would encourage you to try. There are some that are basically social groups of people who chat in a coffee shop while knitting. If you are not clicking with them, yeah, it is somewhat awkward cause they share their stories and lives... So I would recommend more structured groups that are actually about knitting. Then it really doesn't matter how old you are. You basically only connect over your knitting stuff and the differences don't really matter. The basis for acceptance is needles and yarn

laikabear · 02-01-2012, 04:51 AM

I like to KIP in places where I have to wait - dentist or doctor's offices, and airports. When people comment, I've most often heard:

I could never knit, I don't have the patience.
Will you make me one too? I'll pay you for it!
Do they really allow you to bring needles on the plane?

I think the patience one is the funniest. I am about the most impatient person there is. Knitting while I'm "trapped" waiting for something is the only way I keep calm!

Jan in CA · 02-01-2012, 05:21 AM

Ohhh I LOVE my knitting group! It's at my LYS and they are the nicest bunch of people! I always go on Friday and often on Tuesday to knit with the spinners.

sakura-panda · 02-01-2012, 05:10 PM

My experience has been overall positive, but I'm terrible at remembering negative events.

I knit because I can't stand to just do nothing and knitting is sociable and multi-tasking-friendly. When I'm by myself and I notice someone watching me, I'll start talking to them about something random (not about my knitting -- it's usually about the weather).

I figure if they are so bored that they are watching *me* knit

then they are probably willing to chat with me too. (That assumption hasn't failed me yet!

) If nothing else, it puts me on friendly terms with the people around me, even if we end up not talking about much after all.

justplaincharlotte · 02-01-2012, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Antares

Neutral and surprised are good! But why are they so surprised?

They're surprised because I have no fine motor control in the fingers of my right hand after a stroke. It works pretty much like a prosthesis, open/close. I knit English, and throw with the yarn threaded through my right fist for tension. Compared to you guys, I knit slower than old people walk, about half as fast on a good day.

Doctors tend to forget that limitations are just that, limitations. They're not necessarily impossibilities. They're simply an opportunity to live the motto of improvise, adapt, overcome. I really missed crocheting, and while I can no longer crochet anything more substantial than an edging on existing fabric, I CAN knit. Stubborn is as stubborn does. Guess what my middle name is??

justplaincharlotte · 02-01-2012, 09:49 PM

I've never been lucky enough to run across someone else knitting in public.

Is there an etiquette for that, and what do you do in that instance?

GrumpyGramma · 02-01-2012, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by justplaincharlotte

They're surprised because I have no fine motor control in the fingers of my right hand after a stroke. It works pretty much like a prosthesis, open/close. I knit English, and throw with the yarn threaded through my right fist for tension. Compared to you guys, I knit slower than old people walk, about half as fast on a good day.

Doctors tend to forget that limitations are just that, limitations. They're not necessarily impossibilities. They're simply an opportunity to live the motto of improvise, adapt, overcome. I really missed crocheting, and while I can no longer crochet anything more substantial than an edging on existing fabric, I CAN knit. Stubborn is as stubborn does. Guess what my middle name is??

Charlotte, I had no idea. You amaze me. You are an even greater inspiration to me than you already were. Keep showing them just how stubborn you are!