Yarn shop crawl
After a week absorbed in work, it was good to take the day off with some time carved out for knitting. I found a hat pattern (PDF) that I wanted to make for myself, so that was as good of an excuse as any to go to Temptations in search of yarn. I told the employee what gauge I needed, and off she led me to browse the plentiful options in the shop. I didn't have a particular color in mind. I figured I'd know it when I saw it. I settled on two balls of Bianca by Adrienne Vittadini in black. It's nice, soft stuff that should make a comfortable hat.I had awhile before the movie I was going to see, so I decided to swing by Heavenly Creations. I hadn't been to this LYS before and didn't even know about it until I came across a mention on Ravelry. I wandered around the shop and then asked if the women knitting in the middle of the store, including the owner (I think), minded if I joined them. (Of course I was welcome. I was feeling a little gun-shy because of a Ravelry forum thread or two where objections to male knitters were voiced.)
The two older women seemed intrigued about how I got into knitting. I shared my story and some FO photos on my camera. Although these women fit what would have been my assumption of knitters--librarian grandmothers--I got the sense that I've been knitting longer than they have. They were quite impressed with the pictures of some of my work and speed in knitting the scarf. It amused me that I may have known more about knitting. Although I was able to sit and knit for only a half hour, I had a really good time.
I wasn't feeling so swift by mid-afternoon. A scratch at the back of my throat indicated that I better put the brakes on any other running around for the day. I cast on for the hat, but the yarn is stretched tightly on the circs. I really don't want to knit it on dpns, but I'm using the 16" cable and finding that it may be slightly too long. I haven't knit much. I needed a nap at 8:30 tonight, and I'm probably better off making a decision on how to continue when I'm less tired.
Labels: knitting in public, local yarn shop, yarn
posted by the secret knitter @ 10:48 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
My LYS is going to be closing at the end of the month. It is really sad, but I feel a bit of relief. I am so intimidated by that store. The owner and ladies I met there were always super sweet, but ... well ... I guess I'm fiber-phobic. I wasn't inspired by any of the yarn; I was overwhelmed by it. I couldn't look at a hank and imagine a scarf or a sweater. The couple times I did, it was a miserable failure. I didn't buy enough yarn, or what I bought would have been enough if it was the right weight. I hoped that as I learned more, these things wouldn't be problems anymore, but I still felt guilty for how infrequently I shopped there. Maybe next year I'll be ready for yarn stores.
Hope that tickle in your throat doesn't develop into a cold. Glad to hear that the yarn store made you welcome. Why would people object to male knitters? A knitter is a knitter regardless of gender - in my book at least.
Yeah, I saw Donna mention that the place in Conway is closing. Maybe it's easier for me to go into a LYS, explain what I need, and let them help me since they probably assume I don't know anyway. All the stuff with gauge and yardage can be confusing, so don't be so hard on yourself about it. When in doubt, I ask.
The objections I saw came from two schools of thought. One was that knitting isn't masculine. Since it was just one particularly vocal woman, it was easier for me to dismiss. Coming from the other end was the sentiment that men who knit get too much credit for doing it and that it's only because of us knitting that the craft is legitimized. There was also discussion of whether a man should be let into a local guild because he would obviously change the group dynamic.
I should stress that none of this was aimed at me. I was merely browsing threads for something to write about when I read this. I've never been treated as an interloper. If anything, I've been accepted faster because I appreciate something that a lot of men might consider silly women's work.
It is really interesting that they feel men knitting legitimizes it. I would think they would do more to novelize it. Of course this isn't directed at you or really any male knitters, because I'm probably better classified as a novelty inductee than anything else. I get more of a everybody is doing- even guys sense than I do since guys are doing it, it's worth doing
I don't think they feel at all that male knitters legitimize it. Quite the opposite, in fact. I think they feel that non-knitters think male knitters legitimize it. So, in their view, I get more credit for knitting because it isn't expected of me as a male and, in turn, make it a more respectable activity. (If a man is doing it it, then it must be worth doing.)
I can safely say that I didn't take up knitting because I thought it would make me cool. If that were true, would I be the secret knitter?
I don't think this is a widely held opinion--at least I hope not--but it certainly is out there.
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