Tag Archives: knitting

Posted in opinion

IT’S NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S KNITTING

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By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Warning: this post may contain some offensive photos.  In fact, this post DOES contain some offensive photos.

Kat Coyle, the Pussy Hat creator

I’ve been knitting since high school.  As I have recorded here before, the rhythmic motion of the needles and the creative act of designing has helped me keep what little sanity I have left.  So I was a bit dismayed when politics reared its ugly head in my favorite hobby.  Politics in knitting, you ask?  Yep – it started with the Women’s March in January 2017 when millions of women donned the pink “pussy hats” in protest.  Suddenly, the website Ravelry, which is the largest knitting website in the world with over 7 million members, began to attract younger subscribers so they could access the pattern for the hat.  In addition to providing patterns, reviews and general information on all things knitting, Ravelry has thousands of chat forums on any number of topics, everything from books to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  But naturally, there are also plenty of political forums, both right and left leaning.  Reading the posts on those forums is actually a good way to hear both sides of an issue, although some people seem to be grabbing facts from the unicorn universe – kind of like watching cable news.

A sample of the “new” knitting

Over the past several months young designers have taken the pussy hat project “resist” philosophy to new heights – or lows, depending on your viewpoint.  Suddenly,  on the front page of Ravelry where they show photos of the “Hot Right Now” projects there began to be projects that were a bit over the top.  The hat in this photo is representative of that (I’ve erased the X-rated part but you get the drift).  I usually don’t comment on them but I did read the feedback that Ravelry received from many outraged subscribers.  As anyone who has ever played golf with me knows, I am not immune from the “F” word, but I do realize there is a time and place.  After all, what is the point in wearing such a hat?  Sure, you might get high fives from those who agree with you but it also prevents people from assuming they could have a reasonable discussion with you.  After all, it exudes hate which I thought we were trying to stamp out.  I was dismayed by the thought of my “safe space” website being highjacked by political viewpoints so I contributed to the forum on the subject of X-rated projects.  Here’s what I wrote:

I am the president of a large knitting guild. We have members that are gay, straight, of different ethnic backgrounds, and are liberal and conservative. In other words – a large cross-section of people. We have decided that it is in everyone’s best interests to find what we have in common – what binds us and makes us connected – rather than what divides us. It is amazing how people who have radically different political and social views can come together and enjoy one another’s company by sharing the craft of knitting. By getting to know the person we foster relationships, not divisions based on political opinions. If you are going to continue to publish divisive/x-rated projects why don’t you at least find a way to “hide” those projects from the front page?

I thought that was a reasonable suggestion but it just goes to show how behind the times I am.  There were FIVE TIMES more people that disagreed with me than agreed.  I was shocked.  My post received lots of comments – most of them were nasty.  Very nasty.  The only good news is that over the next few weeks Ravelry did find a way for members to block anything they found offensive.  Personally, I’ve used it more to hide toilet paper covers than anything else.

Could make an interesting dishcloth

Still, the patterns continue.  This week, in an effort to “get out the vote”, the hat pattern (left) was posted.  So…why do I bring this up when the vast majority of you don’t knit?  Because I think that when we have injected politics into something as innocuous and soothing as knitting, we’re in trouble.  In commenting about their designs, the artists who publish these items express their outrage and frustration and allow no room for an opposing viewpoint.  The warfare that is our political system is infiltrating every nook and cranny.  At the risk of once again holding a minority viewpoint, I think we would all be better off if these designers and their followers spent their knitting time creating something for the homeless, the Vets, or anyone in need in their community.  Wearing a “F..K” Trump hat doesn’t help solve the problems we face, it only serves to further shut down productive discussion and debate.  But then what do I know?  I’m just a grandmother who knits.

Posted in opinion

MY HOBBY IS … SLEEPING?

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By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

I have been knitting since I was 14 years old.  It is a passion that has held me in good stead through my youthful dating years (more sweaters knit for undeserving boyfriends than I can count), marriage, divorce, singledom again, and re-marriage.  I have turned to knitting in good times and bad and the craft has not only provided me warmth and some Zen-like moments, but a whole host of friends with like-minded interests.  Only someone who also has a passion can understand the joy of immersing yourself in a hobby and learning everything you can about it.  I came to that realization a few years ago when I hosted a dinner party with people who also had a passion for something.  One guest was having a long conversation with a man about her horse show experiences when she suddenly said, “Oh, I’m so sorry.  I’m sure I’m boring you to death with this stuff.”  To which he replied, “No, I get it.  I love racing cars.  So while I don’t understand the horse show particulars, I can relate to anyone who has a passion.”  I’ve never forgotten that moment.  It was when I realized that it was less important what my hobby was than the fact that I had one, even if some people think of it as a “grandma” sport.

As I gave more thought to hobbies I decided it might be interesting to see how other people choose to spend their time – what tickles the imagination or gets people wound up.  I found the latest Harris Poll on the subject and the answer is so discouraging that I wish I could “un-know” it.  First of all, there is a wide definition of what constitutes a hobby.  For example, the number one hobby in the United States is reading.  Okay, I get that reading could be a hobby, especially if you are researching or have a particular interest in a subject matter.  But “reading” also included romance novels and magazines which, frankly, sound more like something one would do in the bathtub or while waiting for the clothes to come out of the dryer.  But at least “reading” has some virtue to it which was comforting because the second most popular hobby is “watching television”.  Wow.  Under that definition everyone who sits on a Barco lounger eating Doritos and drinking Miller Lite is taking part in their hobby.  I know people who have gotten divorced over one spouse spending too much time with their “hobby” during football season.

Gardening and fishing are also very popular, depending on the region of the country you live in, but “Computer” beat them both out.  I’d like to think that some people listed that as a pastime because they are learning about programming or graphic design.  I think the reality is that people are watching cat videos on You Tube or playing endless games of Candy Crush.  “Shopping” cracked the Top 15 in terms of hobbies but that also seems like cheating to me.  I think shopping falls into two categories:  1) things that are necessary like work clothes and groceries or 2) stuff we don’t need but buy because we’re bored/lured by a sale/haven’t hit the limit on the credit card yet.  Housework and sleeping were also on the list, which again, seem to be skirting the real definition of a hobby.  For many years my former company asked people to list their hobbies on the employment application and I can tell you that not once did anyone list “sleeping”, although we later found out the hard way that it was, in fact, their strong suit.

I’m glad that I have my knitting to sustain me.  I have a walk-in closet full of yarn and feel quite confident that in the event of a nuclear holocaust I will be able to remain in my home and entertain myself for weeks on end.  I have recently purchased a knitting machine which, despite how it sounds, is an entirely different craft and is keeping my feeble brain exercised in trying to master it.  Another reason I’m glad I knit is that I also golf.  As any golfer knows, the very act of swinging the club wreaks havoc on just about every body part.  So, as my knitter-golfer friends like to say, golfers who have no other passion are just one bad back – or rainy day – away from having nothing to do.  Maybe those guys on the PGA should learn how to knit.