Having finally recovered from the Autumn show circuit, I've been pondering over the number of conversations I've had with other knitters. Some belong to physical groups; some to on-line groups and some to both. Some knew no other knitters and were amazed at the interest of others in their hobby / craft and it was great to introduce them to others and to the Knitting and Crochet Guild, Stitch n bitch and other groups.
What has come out of this for me is a sense of fellowship with other knitters, a feeling that you are never alone and that there is always someone to talk to about your ideas, your inspirations and your knitting and your successes and disasters. I've made wonderful friends all around the country and from a very diverse group of people age 7 -70+. I have learnt things from all of them.
I was upset to hear that one young knitter had been told she was too young to join a group (at 17) and others who were told they were to old to attend the group (at 40+) and I really wondered about these groups - are they about knitting or are they about egos and public persona.
I've talked to knitters who feel isolated due to care commitments / work commitments and lack of finances. Older knitters have a lot to offer in terms of their skill and practical knowledge. Young knitters can offer great enthusiasm and are willing to have a go at incredibly complex tasks because no-one has told them it is too difficult.
Teaching beginners to knit has helped me look at my own work more analyticaly and the social aspect of knitting has drained my bank balance and free time as I discover more new and varied yarns, patterns and techniques to explore!
I will continue to offer my time through Relax and Knit / Knit n Natter, I will continue in my work with the KCG but would love to have more feedback from the knitting community (this means YOU!) about what you are looking for for yourself as in individual, from your group / guild. Please take some time to think about this and do please get in touch.
Posted by Yvonne at December 5, 2005 01:28 PMI listened to your knitting podcast the other day - you sounded great! I love Sheila's coat.
Posted by: Lixie at December 11, 2005 04:50 PMI think that the Liberty group is great. It's got a good mix of people;
professionals and homemakers;
younger and older;
beginners and much, much more advanced;
male and female;
very cosmopolitan, lots of British but lots of non-British too
There's a good show and tell too and it's so inspiring. The only thing is that, it's so big that new people might feel intimdated to join in, it's impossible to speak to everyone, and it's over too soon.. is 8pm really a late closing?
I honestly don't know why people would want to set boundaries or go ga-ga when there's a male knitter around... Franklin would always be welcomed to knit with us and if people want to go talk about "intimate female things" they can go to another table.
For the record, I also agree with Dawn. There are a few people that I too would avoid and it has nothing to do with gender, age, socio-economic group or profession...
I think that the KCG need a lot more people like you ... I'm a firm believer in if you think something is wrong, you need to go out and do something about it or how will it get fixed.
Well done on surviving all those autumn shows. There is one thing, why don't the Knit and Relax people share a stand with the KCG at shows, then all the bright young keen knitters could learn from the older more experianced ones, or the other way around.
If you need a hand in Birmingham, just let me know.
Happy Christmas,
I find that sort of categorising truly appalling - the more sorts of people from various backgrounds there are, the more interesting things they create.
I'm a Finn, currently living in Belgium, but every time I visit my home country, I try to attend at least one knitting meeting there. Finland has a population of some 5 million people, so you can estimate the amount of knitters and imagine how they're scattered all around the country. If we were that selective choosing the members, our knitting groups would be extinct in a few weeks. Luckily that is not the case.
Posted by: AnneV at December 7, 2005 09:01 PMAs a fellow who knits, I'd just like to put in an appeal to the women in open knitting groups to try to welcome gentlemen who might show up - provided they're polite, of course. I live in a city of many knitters but went back to knitting in solitude after the group I attended told me they didn't really want men around, so that they could discuss, ahem, "intimate female things" (their term).
I've no objection to women creating their own spaces, and don't wish to intrude where I'm not wanted...I just wish I had a few more folks to knit with.
You were marvelous on KnitCast, by the way :-)
Posted by: Franklin at December 7, 2005 06:40 PMI would love to find a knitting group just like the one at Libertys. Despite having many, many yarn shops in this area I have yet to find a friendly knitting group. They are either young and trendy and although I wasn't exactly told that I am too old - I decidedly felt that way - or they are groups that seem to be set up as some kind of competition as to who does the best and the most via the constant show and tells to silent rooms. Although I think that is very much the way things are done here, competitiveness is very much the Silicon Valley, CA way of life! So for me the internet is a lifeline knitting wise. I am a regular contributor to the Rowan board and read around 20 or so blogs thats I comment on regularly. And although I realize that this is not quite the same - it certainly works for me.
I think knitting like any form of self expression is something that can make people feel quite vulnerable. I was talking to a friend who's son had given up doing art at school despite being good at it because of 3 years of personality clash with the teacher. This teacher has had the reverse effect on my son - he is now committed at age 12 to pursuing a career as a professional artist and this woman has given him enormous confidence and has just been the best thing that ever happened to him - primary school was a waste of his time but this 1 individual has made up for it and I am so greatful to her for the time and care she has paid to my little chick. This has got me thinking over the last few days how easy it is to ruin someones confidence and how much it can mean to someone if you take even the smallest amount of time to honestly appraise and support them instead. Its been a real learning point for me as this teacher has had both effects and it has made me much more aware of the effects just one individual can have on so many people. Just you keep turning up at the shows and keep encouraging people - the more people like you we have to even out the effects of the others the better!!!! I am going to concentrate on being more positive and less flippant after this... Sorry for the long response!
Posted by: juliet at December 7, 2005 12:33 AMooh, where? Knitting tends to pull people together. There are a couple I avoid like the plague, but this has nothing to do with age!
How very boring to be so narrow minded!
dawn:)
What I've really enjoyed since learning to knit a year ago (from the Stitch n' Bitch book) is the social aspect of knitting. I love sitting and chatting with other knitters over a cup of tea and having a chance to look at their yarns and patterns too. I have once been to a meeting where there was a demo/teaching and didn't enjoy it at all as it wasn't nearly as sociable. Also my group ranges very widely in age and experience so I can't see the point in having a "lesson" type meeting as it probably wouldn't be applicable to most of the people there.
Posted by: Daisy at December 5, 2005 03:11 PM