Do YOU knit in front of your young children?

mari_13 · 09-19-2007, 02:26 PM

I am the mother of a beautiful 15 month old son but I cannot knit in front of him...ever. He tries to take my knitting needles and use them as a sword. He rolls out my yarn and tries to taste it. And he loves to look for treasures in my knitting basket.

I'm just curious at what age you were able to knit in front of your little ones.

suziehomemaker · 09-19-2007, 07:40 PM

Never. I have a 16 month old that sleeps from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am so I use my evenings to knit. I can't even imagine trying to knit in front of him. He is so active that he would just tear it apart or just freak out because I won't let him touch it.

He's in daycare all day so I only get about an hour and a half each night with him before he's ready for bed. I spend as much time with him as possible when he's up. I'm not sure what I'll do when he starts going to be later . . .

wingem · 09-19-2007, 07:43 PM

When ever I want to do a yarn project and little ones are around I take a minute to teach them to finger a chain with yarn. That usually keeps them busy for a little while, if they make them long enough and enough of them you can hang them from the light fixture in their bedroom as a decoration, or use them for hair ties.

mwhite · 09-19-2007, 07:50 PM

I have knitted with, in front of and around my 2 yr. old granddaughter since she was born. I am very careful not to leave the needles laying around and keep all of my knitting tools and yarn stowed in covered, plastic containers. I can actually hand her a 16" circular set, made of bamboo or a set of the 9" plastic ones and she will mimic knitting. She is closely supervised. I feel strongly that she will, one day, want to learn the art and possibly already has the needed dexterity. I do feel that with close supervision, children can and should be exposed to all the needle arts. I learned to sew from watching my mother and a neighbor, at the age of "as far back as I can remember". I became a professional seamstress and enjoyed a good living from it for a long time. Men do needlework and are very adept. These arts are no longer integrated into our school systems and we are the only ones left to teach them. By all means, knit in front of them and teach them a respect for the tools, with close supervision. Just remember to place everything under lock and key when you can't supervise. Mary

abodenrader · 09-19-2007, 07:54 PM

I knit in front of my 2yo dd - and she always wants to "knit" too - so I give her a set of my bigger needles and my practice yarn (for when I'm learning a new pattern/stitch) and let her have at it. She usually turns the needles into drumsticks or spoons, but I try not to discourage her, as long as she's playing safely.

mari_13 · 09-19-2007, 07:59 PM

Suzie - your son sounds like mine! He sleeps from 6:30-6:30 and I do knit at night (I'm a working mom as well). I definitely don't try on the weeknights but on a Sunday afternoon while he's walking in circles around the house between watching Blue's Clue's and playing it would be nice to do something simple!

Wingem - I can distract him with the tape measure but that's it!

mwhite - I do put everything up high and away from him. He does know how to get into my bins of yarn but that's all that's in there. I don't let him play with needles because he "walks with no brakes" so I'm scared he'll poke his eye or something!

Abodenrader - How long before she tries to take over your knitting? Does she like pretending to knit?

I'm hoping to be able to knit in front of him when he's 2 1/2 or 3 but I still think he'll want to play with Mama's "toy".

marykz · 09-19-2007, 08:24 PM

my little one has been exposed to knitting her whole life. my Mom was knitting for and in front of her since she was a baby. She understands that knitting needles are not toys and not hers. last year (4) we gave her a pair of plastic needles and some cotton and let her try (supervised.) I think because she was so used to seeing it, the "novelty" factor was low. and I don't think she felt like she had to compete with knitting for grandma's attention. (spoiled by grandma!) so she never went after the projects or tried to pull anything out.

but every kid is different.

we have "quiet time" before bed. she will lay on the bed with me while I knit or crochet and she gets to watch TV. sometimes she works on "her" project. snuggle time and knitting time in one. we also listen to books on tape this way.

maybe if there was something else to capture his attention while you worked...

Eekee · 09-19-2007, 08:34 PM

I want to know what the heck is up with these babies who sleep 12 hours?!

None of my babies have EVER slept that long in their lives!

I'd be knitting all night!

knitqueen · 09-19-2007, 08:39 PM

I've been knitting since my youngest was just over a year old, and I have done it in front them right from the start. I've been very clear that they can't play around my "knitting corner" (I guess I'm territorial!

) and it hasn't been a problem at all. Even the 18 month old that I babysit leaves my stuff alone. If they showed interest in learning, I would teach them but so far we haven't had that. They show very little interest at all!

bobi1218 · 09-19-2007, 08:48 PM

I knit in front of my 3yo son all the time - he's completely intrigued by the whole thing. He also likes to go to yarn stores with me (he also loves to cook, clean and do laundry - his future wife is gonna love me!)

I also have a 16 month old daughter, and there is no way I could knit in front of her - she's crazy!