Mason-Dixon Knitting started in 2003 as a blog written by two online knitting friends — Ann Shayne in Tennessee and Kay Gardiner in New York — who had never met in real life. Together they published two books and have since turned the website into a space for daily knitting content and a storefront where they sell their own field guides to knitting as well as yarn and other goodies.
But the name of the site is problematic because of the racist history of the Mason-Dixon line as the dividing line between slave states and those where slavery was prohibited.
Dana Williams-Johnson, a regular contributor to the site, wrote that the name “always felt like a punch to the gut” when it would come up in web searches. “Eventually, I stopped looking at the name and focused on what their site was doing and I found that I had a place there. Just like with my site, I found a place where I hoped I could be seen.”
She said that she “can’t just get back to knitting” amid the protests and mistreatment of Black people in the news.
Lately, with everything going on in the news, I’ve been thinking, as much as people love my photos and tell me just how cute my husband is, if you saw him walking in Central Park wearing one of his hand knit sweaters and he asked you to put your dog on a leash—would you threaten to call the police on him and tell him he’s threatening you when he’s not? Like what happened to Christian Cooper. If you saw him going for a run in your neighborhood, would he get gunned down like Ahmaud Arbery? For as much love and support I get online about my knitting, if I was murdered in my own home while I slept like Breonna Taylor, would you demand justice for me? Or would you just keep knitting?
Ann and Kay responded by changing the name of their website to Modern Daily Knitting. In an Instagram post announcing the change, they said “We are deeply sorry for the pain we caused by having a name that did not communicate a warm welcome to all knitters, including Black knitters and knitters of color. We apologize for taking so long to realize that our name could not and should not stand.”
They noted that changes are being made across platforms and printed materials to complete the change.
I post this as news, not to get into a political debate and whether the change was necessary, and I hope any comments on this post will reflect that as well.
Kudos to you both for making this change. Penny
I was glad to see the name change. I have enjoyed the site and this makes a lot of sense.
The gals at MDK just now figured out that there might be a problem with their name? How amazingly stupid of them.
I am so delighted with the name change! For many years I stayed away from your book and sight because of the name. Then I got entranced by the blog. So I say YIPEEEEE! Change is good.
Thank you for listening to people of color and changing the name.
I’ll love your site even more!
Good for you! I was bothered by the name, and now am delighted to become a customer.
This change is long overdue: the name WAS alarming and stupid. Who ever thought it was cute or clever???.
I applaud your name change and your reasoning. I have and will continue perusing your site, with a lighter heart.
Thank you for being so open with your decision, and it makes me feel so much better about it too… Happy knitting and honouring us with your decision
Kudos to you at MDK!
The name always made me cringe, and I was surprised that two women who seemed so intelligent didn’t realize that it was offensive, not just to Black people, but other people who don’t appreciate the legacy of the old South.
I liked their projects, but could never let myself follow them or buy any of their projects.
This is the ignorance and contempt that Black people feel from whites, which we be so oblivious to. But this was glaring and obvious. I’m glad they changed the name, but damn it took a very long time.