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Woman Knitting at Wimbledon Causes a Stir

July 3, 2012 by Sarah White

knitting wimbledonAll eyes were on center court for the dramatic conclusion of the Wimbledon tennis match in which Andy Murray defeated Marcos Baghdatis in a contest that ran into the night, but the commentators were briefly more interested in a mystery woman and a bit of pink knitting.

The cameras found the woman in a crowd shot, wearing a smart green shawlette and knitting a pink rectangle on long, straight needles (it appears to be ribbing; there’s a brief video of it on YouTube). The commentators said she looked more interested in her knitting than the match, and that knitting was one way to deal with nerves and the cold at the match, with one saying “she’s knitting herself a jumper to warm up with.”

The commentator said it was the first time he’d seen anyone knitting in the stands, and wondered what the players would think if they looked up and saw it.

If the players or the commentators knew anything about knitting, they wouldn’t have worried. They would know that knitting is a great multitasking activity that actually allows some of us to focus better on what’s going on around us than if our hands were unoccupied.

She clearly brought some simple knitting so she could knit without paying much attention to it, and her row mates don’t seem too bothered by it, so why should anyone else be?

Next time, though, I think she should use circular needles. They’re a little friendlier for cramped seating.

What do you think? Are there some places that should be off-limits for knitting in public? Where’s the strangest place you’ve taken your knitting? Spill it!

[Photo from the BBC broadcast via the Daily Mail.]

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Comments

  1. Gormal says

    July 3, 2012 at 8:13 am

    Gee imagine being able to multi task!! It’s not like she’s got a fair isle pattern or anything. I watch foreign films with subtitles and knit so a) I have to read subtitles, b) I have to watch the film and c) I still knit away to my hearts content!!
    So how much of the match did the commentators miss since they were busy watching the knitter…lol

  2. Stephanie says

    July 3, 2012 at 9:23 am

    I did knitting in church a few months back, and everyone kept asking me if I was pregnant!!!! (I guess they thought I was knitting bootees!!)

    But I’ve also knitted in the library, car journeys & hospital waiting room.

    No where is off limits.

  3. Esther says

    July 3, 2012 at 9:57 am

    Ive been known to take my crochet projects with me to the pub quiz. People look like Im a bit strange. But if someone else writes and the husband brings me a straw with my drink I feel content.

    I also take it with me in the car while my husband drives.

    I can just imagine someone knitting at a snooker game though where its usually quiet.

  4. Paula E. says

    July 3, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Nothing wrong with knitting at a tennis match. People do things all the time to get themselves centered and pay attention, like kicking their foot or tapping on something or doodling. Knitting can serve the same purpose. Sitting in one spot in one position for a long time is boring. Prima dona tennis players and rabid fans can just get over it. (I read books at football games. Drives my spouse nuts! I only read between plays, though.)

  5. Valerie says

    July 4, 2012 at 2:54 am

    Haha I think it’s wonderful! Why not?! What’s the big deal!? As long as she’s just sitting there, may as well make good use of your time! I did cross stitch once at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game! I don’t think my date appreciated but….ohhhh wellll! I think it’s great! Good for her!

  6. Krysta says

    July 4, 2012 at 4:26 am

    I have knit and crocheted all over the place. Drs offices, riding in cars, classes (high school, college and teaching), church, while walking.. Even in the NICU where my son was for 5.5 months. The one that shocks most people is when I was knitting a preemie hat (very basic pattern) while on magnisium (severe Pre-eclampsia) on the L&D floor before he was born. The mag made me feel like I was on fire and light sensitive. We kept the curtains drawn and the lights off. I also was wearing an eye mask the whole time, so essentially blind. Later I also crocheted him some preemie booties as well, but I don’t think I was on the mag at the time. He is now 2years old and has a healthy full term little sister. 🙂

  7. Barbra says

    July 4, 2012 at 5:45 am

    I can only think a funeral might be disrespectful as a place to knit. I’ve done it everywhere else,I think. Car rides,when I’m not driving obviously are a must. I’m about to embark on a 2000 mile round trip car excusion and what I’ll take to knit is a priority!

  8. Crystal Arcand (3Stairs) says

    July 4, 2012 at 8:18 am

    I’m glad to see others yarncrafting in church! I crochet just about everywhere.

  9. Delvia says

    July 5, 2012 at 2:18 pm

    I was only critised once badly at a recovery convention for making a lap robe during a discussion group. The lady went off on me and she wouldn’t stop until I gave a group apology and I stopped my work.

    When I saw this woman afterwards, there was a wide path between us.

  10. Jerri says

    July 6, 2012 at 5:26 am

    I knit everywhere! From middleschool to college I knit at all m daughters performances. Last month my daughters best friend was in his first Broadway show, Mama Mia, and I knit before and during the show. I felt like it was a closure of a circle.

  11. Sarah says

    July 11, 2012 at 5:31 am

    I have almost an hour commute to work every morning so I always knit in the car pool. In Church, I make scarves for charity. Dr’s offices, school plays, etc.

  12. Rebekah says

    July 13, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    I have no problem with knitting at any sporting match. It’s a recreational venue.

    I draw the line at church, however. It seems disrespectful. Sure, some people say they can concentrate better while knitting, but for an hour I really think they could bear it.

    I wouldn’t want to see a seamstress hemming a pair of pants or a beader making earrings in church, either.

    As much as I feel it’s disrespectful and inappropriate, I also wouldn’t be so rude as to point it out to the person.

Have you read?

Knit a Great Button Down Shirt

Just about anything you can make in fabric you can make in knitting, but there are some styles that you just don’t see that often translated into knitting. 

For example, a button down collared shirt. This is a classic design, of course, and it looks great in a knit version, but it’s just not something you see much of. 

Noma Ndlovu’s Guglethu shirt is the pattern to try if you want to knit your own button down shirt. This one is inspired by cashmere tops (though the sample was made out of yak yarn, not cashmere, and uses two strands of lace weight yarn held together) and includes lots of high-fashion details like double-knit cuffs, collar and shoulder seams. 

It has a patch pocket on the front and 10 buttons including the button band and the cuffs. 

The designer says you can also use a DK weight yarn held singly if you’d rather, and that the shirt looks good in a variety of yarns. There is another version on Ravelry that uses Berroco Remix Light, which is a mix of nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk and cellulose fibers. It has a more relaxed look but it still really pretty. 

The pattern has 12 sizes, with a full bust measurement ranging from 32.35 to 72.25 inches, or 82 to 183.5 cm. The designer suggests 2 to 6 inches, or 5 to 15 cm, of positive ease when you pick your size. I could totally see knitting one that’s even bigger to wear more like a jacket, because I do that a lot with button down shirts I already own.

I love all the details on this shirt, which isn’t necessarily difficult to knit, but might introduce you to some things you’ve never knit before (like those cuffs with the plackets, or a shirt collar like this). 

To learn more about this shirt and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself, head to Ravelry. 

[Photo: Noma Ndlovu]

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