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Knitting: Not Just for Stay-at-home Moms

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young knittersI really wanted to like this article from the Star-Telegram about younger knitters who were attracted to the craft for various reasons but stick with the craft because of the friendships they’ve formed doing it. I mean, it doesn’t even use the term “not your grandma’s knitting”! (At this point, my bar for a good story about knitting is pretty low.)

But then there’s this description of a Brooklyn-based knitting circle, chatting about “Mad Men” to the clicks of their needles:

But these four friends are not retirees or ambitious stay-at-home moms eager to find an outlet for their free time. All have full-time careers — textile designer, graphic designer, kindergarten teacher — and all are under 34.

Grr. I’m 34, by the way, and have a full-time career AS A KNITTER. Well, as a crafter, anyway. And no one’s writing “news” stories about me.

Maybe I’m sensitive. I grew up knitting and I don’t think of it as anything strange that other people my age and younger do the same. The social aspect of knitting isn’t really anything new, either. It’s great that newspapers and other media outlets want to write about knitting, but I’d much rather it was such a common part of life that it wasn’t thought of as news. What do you think?

[Photo via the Star-Telegram by Columbia News Service/Kerri Anne Renzulli]

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Comments

  1. Thought I was the only one that had that reaction. I have knitted since I was six and for 64 years all I heard was that only grandmothers knit. Still knitting even without grandkids to knit for.

  2. As a knitter I find articles like this one funny. However I do get some strange looks when I pull out my knitting. Whether it’s at work or at the local wine bar, it has brought about some interesting conversations, amazing how many people think I’m crocheting. The men are more fascinated than the women, which I find odd. Of course, everyone wants you to knit something for them and I politely say no. I always offer to teach them and gee so far no one has taken me up on that offer. Love your column!

  3. “ambitious stay-at-home moms eager to find an outlet for their free time” Really?

    Why would a SAHM Mom want to fill ALL that free time with knitting when she can just keep sitting on the couch reading 50 Shades of Gray, watching TV and eating bon-bons?

    Guess I’m sensitive too? 😉

  4. Wendi, you are so right!!!! I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for many years and it’s only been since my kids have left home that I have ANY free time! What is up with people?

    If you’re sensitive then count me in that group. Free time? Ha!

  5. Exactly. I work at home but was a work at home stay at home mom for the first two years of my daughter’s life, and there was no free time. There’s still no free time. 🙂 Glad I’m not the only one, though I do find them funny, too.

  7. It was the “yarn-obsessed females” that got to me. I think someone was upset about their writing assignment.

Have you read?

Stitch Your Favorite Fruit on a Sweater

The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.” 

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them. 

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits. 

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves. 

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit. 

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy. 

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]