The things people say

As I speak more openly about my knitting exploits, and as I get a bit farther along in my journey as a Knitter, I have become more aware of what people say about those of us pursuing the fiber arts.

At two separate dinners with different sets of friends, when I told tales of the community I have found amongst knitters at the Knit Night I attend, or the sense of accomplishment I have at the conclusion of a sock knitting lesson, I have received similar responses: "Why?" "How much does it cost?" "Have you factored in the time you spend?"

After I fail to provide them with a convincing response to their inquiries, they simply nod, shrug their shoulders, and, in no certain terms, file me away on their list of loonies.

Last night, I was waiting at a bar to pay my tab when I tuned in to a conversation between two people standing next to me. The conversation, at the point I tuned in, went something like:

A: Well, you should take up knitting.

B: Are you serious? I'm not freakin' old yet. Knitting's for old biddies.

Now, part of me thought of this as an opportunity to interject, to be the spirited messenger of the Kingdom of Knits, to tell her she's missing out on so much by ignoring the Call of the Fiber Arts.

But, part of me didn't want to get involved - they didn't seem like fence-sitters who could have been swayed, and with two blackberry cosmos under my belt, I was not in the right frame of mind to counter their illogical thoughts on knitting.

This all has simply served as a reminder to me that there are still many opportunities for us to speak up, when appropriate, and encourage people. The only way stereotypes about us knitterly folk will change is to speak out and to share our activities and our projects with others.

Some will maintain their limited view, and that's fine. But there will be those beautiful moments when you speak up, as I regretfully did not last night, and say, "That's funny, because I knit - and in fact, people of all genders, races and ages enjoy knitting."

I promise to speak up next time, my friends, and I hope you will, too.