Hobby PDA

So yesterday I got to thinking. And it's not like I don't do a whole lot of thinking too much of the time, but I actually recall thinking on the same, relatively benign, subject for a span of a few minutes or six, so I figure that particular span of that kind of deep thought on something other than whether or not the pain in my left breast might mean that I have a cancerous lesion may actually be worth mentioning. (Or, that the hiccups I had last night might mean there's something wrong with my brain, or that the fact that my hand shakes after a few cups of coffee means it is certainly Parkinson's.)

Because, thinking, it's something I do: Too much.

Anyway. And go ahead and send mind-darts through the Internet waves after you read this, but I was thinking: "Hey, when did it become OK to bring your knitting to a social or business gathering?"

(Pause for a second here before you heat up. And think really hard. Think about the other hobby-ish souls out there. Think about whether or not it'd be okay with you if they brought whatever it is that they love to do over to your house on a hot Sunday at your backyard pool when you served boiled shrimp, box wine, and what-not. Think about it for a few minutes or six before you really form an opinion.)

Consider all the options: Consider that husband of a friend of yours, the one who is always talking about golf and who manages a few swings between (food) courses with his imaginary club. Think about what it'd be like if he really brought a nine-iron to your informal drink's-after-whatever gathering. Would you move the furniture before he arrived? Would your original he's-a-geek feelings go away? Or would his prowress with the nine-iron be the one thing that sticks out in your mind--the one thing that you'll never forget and dream about late at night?

Oh and yeah, you might argue that at least, with knitting, you are creating something, and that you can be social at the same time. After all, it could be a nice warm hat for an orphan that's being knitted. But I would argue back that the fly fisherman, the type who likes to make those fly-thingy's--the ones the fish are attracted to--could very well join our KIP club, don't you think? Except for the fact that they have that big screw-on-the-table rig they use to tie those cute little fly-lures, not to mention the nifty-huge, sometimes lighted, magnifying glasses one would have to wear to see the threads and hooks. (But hey, he or she can catch a fish with the thing. A fish that could feed at least a family of three...as long as he's not fishing off Santa Monica Pier, heh heh.)

I just asked HWWV: "I wasn't too "too" bringing my knitting over to Liz's, yesterday, was I?"

"No, I guess not," he said, sipping his wine and thinking for a minute or three. "But I tell you what: You do sort of shut down when you knit."

"...Shut down?"

"....Yeah. It's like it becomes just the two of you. You know: You and your knitting. It's like the two of you are making out,..like you were teenagers or something."

BTW: Thanks for all the comments on my last post. The roses will grow (and grow and grow). If I could respond to all the comments by email, I would. Just know that they mean so much. And I've read them all at least three (or six) times over.

Comments

[H-Spo]

I strongly believe that KIP enhances a person's ability to communicate.

[Cheri]

I wish that words could take the pain away. Friends, online and face to face, are wonderful aren't they, especially when the memories and emotions come back to haunt?.

I try to leave my knitting at home (okay, I try to at least leave it in the car) when we go places. Because of that, I know that I shut down to a degree. I left my knitting in the car when we went to the movies over the weekend and found myself sitting there through th 45 minutes of previews and ads wondering if they'd let me run out to the car to grab my knit bag. Another thing I try to consider is "am I going somewhere where I will have to worry about spilling on my knitting".....

[Donni]

At first I thought - "Yeah! Why not"...but the Shut down comment is very correct really. I mean - I am there - drinking wine - socialising - but I'm not really....I'm thinking about the next stitch/row/project/yarn etc etc etc

[Rhiannon]

I always qualify my knitting to my husband versus his hobbies because I can talk to him while knitting away and his hobbies (above mentioned fly-fishing among others) don't allow for conversations.

While he agrees I AM able to talk, I NEVER do. I also shut down when I knit.

I take it with me to his shows (he is a musician, as well) and knitting in bars is pretty funny!

[Saun]

"the two of you are making out". LOL. HWWV is funny.

For the most part I've never thought it was good to take knitting to social functions. Most people think you aren't paying attention to them and unless it's just plain stockinette I'm probably not. Then they always want to talk about my knitting which constantly interrupts me so I don't get much done. But I do alway have something with me just in case things die down or I'm off by myself. I would never take it to a work function. I'm the only woman in my department and the less I remind them I'm a woman, the better.

[Mary]

I hang out with computer engineers. They can tell it's time to stop "talking shop" when I take out the knitting, or fall asleep into my Raspberry Lemon Drop.

I don't "shut down" though. The mindless stockingette or ribbing help me concentrate on what people are saying...the bright lights and colorful distractions are minimized when I'm focusing either on the speaker or my sock-in-progress... but that might just be me.

I don't KIP at weddings, funerals, staff meetings, or formal get-togethers.

[Beth]

This sounds pathetic, but knitting is my security blanket. I take it with me almost everywhere, but I can't remember ever taking it out during a social function. Somehow just having it with me helps me to feel calmer when I might have felt antsy in my pre-knitting days. I have thought about how I would feel if someone pulled out craft supplies when I invited them to dinner. I'm not sure if I'd be offended, or if I'd sit down and join them!

[Julie Crites]

I find that I generally don't KIP, except in the waiting room at a doctor's/dentist's office, or waiting while having my car worked on. I have taken knitting with me to my kids' basketball/ baseball/ softball games, but I have a hard time actually working on it, since I'm supposed to be watching the game.

[Martha]

Well, it depends on the situation. Like clothes. What looks good on the beach will get you fired at the office.

Stockinette: ok for meetings. Lace: not.

And my approach, perfected by years of knitting in pharmacy school: manage to ask MORE questions than your classmates WHILE knitting. Presto: profs think that you're more engaged than your classmates, and you get to knit.

When I asked one of my profs if it bothered him that I knitted, he said, "No, but I wish I knew what (names omitted to protect the guilty) were whispering about all the time!"

There should be an "Ask Miss Manners" column on the intricacies of knitting in social situation. I really think that it is a subject that is more complex than knitting or not knitting. The main variables are A)the present company; B)the knitting; and C)the body language while knitting.

[Miss Scarlett]

I am torn. I do KIP. Especially at work seminars. I haven't ever knit at a staff meeting - though maybe it would keep me a little quieter...

I spent the last few days staying with family and I knit when we were traveling in the car and when the TV was on (which was refreshingly rare). But when I tried to knit while we spoke I found it very hard to do so without spacing a little.

Either I was missing parts of conversation or I couldn't finish my counting. I found myself getting annoyed that I couldn't finish the counting and realized I needed to put my knitting down.

Maybe there is something to question to KIP when with loved ones - unless you need a break!

You've given us something to think about Wendy.

[Linda]

Box Wine? Really?

[Gina L.]

I think it depends on the situation. A dinner party, cocktail party, a tea party or any more formal type of affair would not be an acceptable place to knit. My rule of thumb is if I need to hold a cup of tea or a martini it is best not to knit. I can definitely chat it up while I knit! Gatherings such as a casual pool parties, your child's play group or card night all involve activities. If you can participate and interact with the group while knitting -why not?

[Tammy]

Knitting is definitely a security blanket for me and depending on the exact type of social situation, I'll knit just about anywhere except church (just doesn't feel right - but sure would help me concentrate!) I tend to get uncomfortable in social situations and I find that having something in my hands helps tremendously. I have actually gotten much more social since I started knitting because I don't avoid as many social opportunities as I used to. But I guess this would just be one of my many personal issues. lol

[Wendy]

Yes, boxed wine (it tasted good and I think they're making better stuff these days).

[Linda]

Okay! I'm in...Bev & More is our place of choice since moving to the Sacramento area...I'll give a look see...

It is 10:20
It is 94 degrees UGH

[Kaity]

Psh, If I can knit at school at lunch time when I should be socializing with my friends, then you can knit at Liz's. But, my friends do get a little jealous of the extra attention I give to my knitting, haha.

[Wendy]

...but Kaity, what if they gave you box wine and shrimp? (and grapes and cheese and crackers and sparkly water stuff?)

[NattyChick]

I reckon dragging your knitting along to a social occasion is fine of you are actually able to socialise while you are knitting. It might even be a bit of an ice breaker....albeit the 'Oh I see you are knitting, is it a scarf *snort*....' kind of ice breaker. I notice a lot of people mention that they kind of 'shut down' and that might be a bit of a social hiccup but hey, people do worse things at social occasions!

[elizabeth]

Eh, go ahead, knit. I knit constantly. I knit in class, at work, walking through the mall. Sometimes my boyfriend or my friends or stupid faced professors get a little annoyed, but I feel like it's a good way to ward off alzheimer's. Just don't forget to look up every few minutes so they think that you're paying attention...

[Nadine]

Well, I'm from New Zealand, and people who can, do knit everywhere. You are actually allowed to knit while supervising exams, as long as you don't have to look at the knitting. I've been knitting for the big 2-or-so weeks now, and I find knitting in social situations around other knitters (who are tickled I'm learning) to be quite comfortable.

[alice]

First, the doc told me recently that pain in the breast is rarely ever anything serious. I really can relate to convincing yourself a minor symptom is something serious - I've made a hobby of it myself and you know what - life is just too short to worry about it (I'm so bad, I wrote most of a post about it recently).

I would never take my knitting somewhere I was suppose to be socialising, I think it's a bit rude, as if the company wasn't quite good enough to deserve all my attention. Though I'd love to, all the time.

[Kim]

Ah, the universal question - I personally do not take my knitting anywhere I am expected to interact with other people because I know that I do tend to shut down. Taking my knitting to the movies where I might get to hold hands with my husband in the dark kind of defeats the purpose of going out together. Taking my knitting to dinner with friends or to visit a friend means that I will be paying attention to my knitting and not the friend and no matter how much I try, it just seems like I am sitting there writing a letter to someone else while I am supposed to be conversing with others.

[Susan]

I think any type of multi-tasking in a social situation is just plain rude. I've read about people knitting during dinners, while talking with friends and even during meetings at work. Wow! I can see my boss's face now!

[Chris]

LOL - that is a funny observation. But honestly - I can shut down and do shut down when it's the only thing that will get me through sitting there and being with people I couldn't sit still to be with otherwise?

[Moe]

I have to personally (i.e. what applies to my own life) agree with Susan. I couldn't imagine knitting during anything work-related for instance. Where are knit-at-work people employed that they can knit at meetings? (I'm not being scarcastic - I'm curious).

As for social situations, unless I am casually with other knitters with their knitting, I leave the needles at home. Interestingly, we had another couple over for dinner one night a few years back, and they both took out their knitting after eating. I was strangely offended even though I'm a knitter myself. I felt as though our company was not worth their full attention...