• Home
  • Suggest A Craft
  • DIY Newsletter

Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

  • About CraftGossip
  • Our Network
    • Bath & Body Crafts
    • Candle Making Ideas
    • Crochet Ideas
    • Cross Stitch
    • Edible Crafts
    • Felting Patterns
    • Glass Art
    • Home & Garden Ideas
    • Indie Crafts
    • Jewelry Making
    • Kids Crafts
    • Knitting Patterns
    • Lesson Plans
    • Needlework
    • Party Ideas
    • Polymer Clay
    • Quilting Ideas
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing Patterns
    • Card Making
    • DIY Weddings
    • Not Craft Ideas
  • Giveaways
  • Roundups
  • Store
  • Search

Not-Breaking News: Knitting Isn’t Rude

April 18, 2023 by Sarah White

If you’ve been knitting for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed there are a few classic types of stories that regular media does about knitting. One of them has to do with (gasp) men who knit. This was huge around the last summer Olympics, when everyone (including, we’re happy to admit, other knitters) was enamored with Tom Daley, the British diver who knit a cozy for his gold medal and his own Olympic sweater, among other projects he worked on poolside during the games.

Another popular trope is the “not your grandma’s knitting” story, which is usually about yarn bombing, or someone under the age of 50 who knits.

And then there’s the seemingly never-ending discussion of whether it’s rude to knit in various places.

This is the latest story to make the rounds, via the New York Times (that’s a shared link so you should be able to read it if you’re not a subscriber).

This time the story goes like this: Rachel Garrick, a county councilor in Wales was accused by a colleague via Twitter of bringing the board “into disrepute” by knitting on screen during a virtual meeting.

Of course that’s ridiculous (and who hasn’t knit — on screen or off — during a meeting in these days of virtual meetings?).

The article doesn’t spend much time on that inciting incident, though Garrick notes she took up knitting to help deal with the pain associated with chronic osteoarthritis and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Instead, it talks to people about why they knit in meetings or at work (there’s even a male knitter and none of the “aww, shucks” attitude usually presented in stories about men who knit).

There’s even an expert, John Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who says knitting and other activities done with the hands activate the prefrontal cortex, which aids in concentration. Without the professional language, any knitter could tell you about a time working with their hands has saved them from boredom, helped them concentrate or even kept them from falling asleep when they shouldn’t.

Do you have a story about someone’s reaction to you knitting in a meeting or elsewhere in public? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Andrew Testa for the New York Times.]

To explore the many aspects of knitting in public, we have written several articles that cover everything from the benefits and challenges of public knitting, to the etiquette and history behind it. So if you’re a knitter looking to take your craft on the go, or simply curious about this growing trend, these articles provide a wealth of information and inspiration to help you get started.

Knitting in Public: Better than Using Your Phone

Are You Knitting in Public?

Do You Think Knitting in Public is Rude?

Next Pattern:

  • Knitting Pattern - Lamberhurst Scarf - Knitting…
  • Book Review - Knitting Socks: Quick and Easy Way to…
  • Knitting Tip: Using Interchangeable Knitting Needles
«
»

Have you read?

What’s Next for Joann?

Now that all the Joann stores have closed, a mysterious message has appeared on the company’s website:

For generations, Joann has been honored to be part of your creativity: your quilts, costumes, school projects, and handmade moments of love. It has been our joy to serve markers and dreamers across the country.

We’re stitching up something new behind the scenes and we can’t wait to share what’s next.

Stay tuned for exciting news about the future of Joann.

To quickly recap, Joann filed for bankruptcy in January for the second time in less than a year. In February, in the hope of making the company more attractive to potential buyers, it petitioned the court for permission to close about 500 of its 800 stores. The company was put up for auction, with Gordon Brothers set to buy the company, sell its assets and close all the stores if no other buyer materialized.

In the end the winning bidder was GA Group, but the result was the same: all stores were to be closed by the end of May if not sooner.

Once store closure sales started the company quickly stopped selling on its website, and now all that remains is this jpeg image hinting at new ventures.

I’m sure there will be a tone of speculation in the coming days and weeks (or as long as it takes for them to announce the meaning of the message) as to what sorts of plans Joann could be cooking up.

My theory based on nothing but my gut is that they will transition to an online only storefront, probably with much reduced inventory, sort of like Herrschners (which had previously announced that it will be carrying Big Twist yarn, the beloved private label yarn brand sold at Joann). I also think they will use whatever retail sales they do to support CreativeBug, the digital learning platform that Joann purchased in 2017. That could mean producing kits for projects that already have classes, or developing classes based on products they want to sell, or both.

As of this writing the CreativeBug website seems to still be functional and there’s a full slate of new classes planned for June. I’ve got my eye on both the Joann website and the Joann restructuring website and will let you know as soon as I see changes.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your speculation as to what the next chapter might be for Joann.

 

Categories

baby hat Baby Patterns Beginner Book Reviews cardigan Christmas CraftGossip Giveaways Craft News and Events Free Kntting Patterns Giveaways! Hats Knitting Articles Of Interest Knitting Patterns Knitting Technique & Ideas mittens Quick scarf shawl patterns socks Sweaters

RSS More Articles

  • Crewel Embroidery Handy Pocket Guide: Everything to Get You Started
  • Etsy Spotlight: Tank Top and Shorts PDF Pattern for Boys
  • What’s Next for Joann?
  • Color Wheel Mini Scrapbook Album
  • Sunday Shout Out – A Must-Have Crochet Pattern
  • Woolie and Furry Upcycled Slippers by Made By Barb
  • Turn an Old Shirt into a Stylish Scrunchie: A Fun Upcycling Tutorial
  • Designer Spotlight: TesLime Cross Stitch
  • Crochet Kit – The Arpeggio Set
  • 4 FREE Father’s Day Digital Stamp Sentiments

Pick Your Blog

  • Sewing
  • Knitting
  • Quilting
  • Crochet
  • Home & Garden
  • Recycled Crafts
  • Scrapbooking
  • Card Making
  • Polymer Clay
  • Cross-Stitch
  • Edible Crafts
  • Felting
  • Glass Art
  • Indie Crafts
  • Kids Crafts
  • Jewelry Making
  • Lesson Plans
  • Needlework
  • Bath & Body
  • Party Ideas
  • Candle Making
  • DIY Weddings
  • Not Craft
  • Free Craft Projects

Copyright © 2025 · CraftGossip | Start Here | Contact Us | Link to Us | Your Editors | Privacy and affiliate policy