Knitting club

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A knitting club is a social group in which knitting and crochet enthusiasts gather to do needlework together. They are a feature of the 21st-century revival of hand knitting which began in America and has spread to most of Europe. [1] [2] Despite the name, knitting clubs are not limited to knitting; both crochet-centered and knit-centered clubs are collectively called "knitting clubs." While knitting has never gone away completely, this latest reincarnation is less about the make-do and mend of the 1940s and 1950s, and more about making a statement about individuality and developing a sense of community. [2] [3]

Contents

Purpose

Knitting clubs fulfill many purposes: to get together with other knitters, to learn or develop the skills of hand knitting or hand crocheting, a great fun night out. One club, Loose Ends, even pairs up local crafters with unfinished projects from those who have died or become disabled. [4] Clubs meet in coffee bars, pubs and clubs and members are drawn from all walks of life, including different generations, social classes, and genders. Crafters meet to exchange ideas about projects, chat about their lives, exchange yarns and yarn ideas for projects, or non-craft related activities, similar to a quilting bee. These clubs provide an atmosphere where beginning crafters can seek assistance from more experienced crafters. Due to the rise of the Stitch 'n Bitch books, amigurumi, and numerous other crochet and knit projects, both crafts have grown in popularity, and the demographics of those who practice the craft include younger women and some men.

Knitting in the UK

In the UK there are many websites that help knitters get in touch with their local club. Stitch 'n Bitch clubs take their name from the book by American knitting guru Debbie Stoller, but the term Knit and Natter are also used. There are two national knitting organizations, the UK Hand Knitting Association and Knitting & Crochet Guild.

Rowan Yarns runs clubs which get involved in charitable events. In 2007 the Rowan Knitting clubs spearheaded Knit in Public Day encouraging knitters all around the UK to knit hats for innocent Drinks Smoothie bottles to raise money for Age Concern in the Big Knit. Currently, this is the biggest knitting club event in the UK.

A total of 4,000 people are now part of a Rowan club of some kind, including the existing 8,000 members of Rowan International - the membership subscription to Rowan magazines and gifts.

In January 2008, the knitting club for Imperial College London was set up, aptly named 'Knit Sock' (pun intended).

Knitting in the US

As in the UK, there are many websites, such as Ravelry, Etsy, Pinterest, and Reddit in the United States that help knitters and crocheters, whether skilled or beginners, find local clubs to socialize with fellow knitters or crocheters. Common meeting places are usually local yarn shops, and as in the UK, Stitch 'n Bitch clubs are very popular within the United States.

Knitters meeting in these types of clubs are often women in their twenties and thirties. [5] Many yarn shops offer free help to knitters and crocheters, regardless of whether they are part of the local club or not. Clubs usually have their own groups on Ravelry, where users can search for local yarn shops, knitting clubs, and crochet clubs.

See also

Related Research Articles

Crochet is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term croc, which means 'hook'. Hooks can be made from a variety of materials, such as metal, wood, bamboo, bone or even plastic. The key difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before the next one is begun, while knitting keeps many stitches open at a time. Some variant forms of crochet, such as Tunisian crochet and broomstick lace, do keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knitting</span> Method of forming fabric

Knitting is a method for production of textile fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of knitting</span> History of knitting

Knitting is the process of using two or more needles to pull and loop yarn into a series of interconnected loops in order to create a finished garment or some other type of fabric. The word is derived from knot, thought to originate from the Dutch verb knutten, which is similar to the Old English cnyttan, "to knot". Its origins lie in the basic human need for clothing for protection against the elements. More recently, hand knitting has become less a necessary skill and more of a hobby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Stoller</span> American author and publisher

Debbie Stoller is a New York Times best-selling American author, publisher, feminist commentator and knitting expert whose work includes magazines as well as books. She lives in Brooklyn, New York City. Stoller is the co-founder, co-owner and editor-in-chief of the culture magazine BUST, which she and Marcelle Karp launched in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweater curse</span> Knitting superstition

The "sweater curse" or "curse of the love sweater" is a term used by knitters and crocheters to describe the belief that if a knitter or crocheter gives a hand-knit sweater to a significant other, it will lead to the recipient breaking up with the knitter. In an alternative formulation, the relationship will end before the sweater is even completed. The belief is widely discussed in knitting publications, and some knitters claim to have experienced it. In a 2005 poll, 15% of active knitters said that they had experienced the sweater curse firsthand, and 41% considered it a possibility that should be taken seriously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blocking (textile arts)</span>

In knitting, crochet and other handmade textile arts, blocking is a final stage of handmade textile production that adjusts the shape and size of the finished piece. Not all pieces need blocking; however, blocking is standard for lace work and is not uncommon in sweaters, socks, and other solid projects. Through heat and moisture, blocking sets the stitches and standardizes the final dimensions, and may enhance the drape. Hand manufacture places natural stresses on fabrics that may result in deviations from its intended shape and size. Blocking is only effective on natural fibres but a technique called killing may be used on synthetic fibres to achieve an effect similar to blocking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK Hand Knitting Association</span>

The UK Hand Knitting Association (UKHKA) is a not-for-profit British organisation dedicated to promoting hand knitting in the UK. Through a variety of initiatives and the assistance of a nationwide network of volunteers who pass on their skills, the UKHKA focus on ensuring a vibrant future for all aspects of yarn crafts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stitch 'n Bitch</span> Name for some social knitting groups

Stitch 'n Bitch is a name that has been used to refer to social knitting groups since at least World War II. Before the slang term "Stitch 'n Bitch" was used, groups of women in the 1940s would join to knit and talk in organized Stitch and Bitch clubs. The term was further used in the 1980s as part of the book Social History of American Knitting by Anne Macdonald. It is partly due to the book's success that the modern day Stitch 'n Bitch knitting groups have emerged in cities around the world. The groups, mainly women, meet to knit, stitch and talk. Typically, attendees knit, though others crochet, and still others engage in cross-stitching, embroidery, and other needlecraft. Nowadays, the groups have been analyzed by scholars as expressions of resistance to major political, social and technological change in Western societies. However, political discussion is not unusual at these events, and at least some participants are proponents of progressive, liberal, and/or leftist social and political change. Furthermore, the term Stitch 'n Bitch is now used by women from across the globe to connect with others in the virtual space seeing as the term has re-emerged in a world where the public sphere is the cyberspace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stitch London</span>

Stitch London is a knitting group in London, England, who meet weekly in various venues across central London to knit in public. It is also a virtual knitting group whose members join via newsletter, Facebook, Ravelry, and Twitter. Its members number in their thousands and it has a global membership despite being based in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dye lot</span>

A dye lot is a record taken during the dyeing of yarn to identify yarn that received its coloration in the same vat at the same time. Yarn manufacturers assign each lot a unique identification number and stamp it on the label before shipping. Slight differences in temperature, dyeing time, and other factors can result in different shades of the same color between different dye lots of otherwise identical production. Although the component elements of a dye lot number are of interest only for internal business recordkeeping, retail yarn consumers have an interest in ensuring that they purchase a given color of yarn from identical dye lots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stitch marker (crochet)</span> Mnemonic device used to distinguish important locations on a crochet work in progress

In crochet, a stitch marker is a mnemonic device used to distinguish important locations on a work in progress. Crochet patterns have a mathematical basis, so stitch markers serve as a visual reference that takes the place of continuous stitch counting and reduces a crocheter's error rate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hook gauge</span>

A hook gauge or needle gauge is a measuring device used by crocheters and knitters to test the sizes of particular crochet hooks and knitting needles. Hook gauges are usually made of plastic or aluminum and have sizing holes from 2mm to 11mm diameter. A hook gauge also functions as a ruler to test the size of a test swatch of handmade fabric.

Hand knitting is a form of knitting, in which the knitted fabric is produced by hand using needles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravelry</span> Yarnworking social network

Ravelry is a free social networking service and website that beta-launched in May 2007. It functions as an organizational tool for a variety of fiber arts, including knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving. Members share projects, ideas, and their collection of yarn, fiber and tools via various components of the site.

I Knit London is a knitting organisation based in London, England, UK, comprising a knitting group, knitting shop and knitting events. I Knit London was formed in December 2005, and is run, by Gerard Allt and Craig Carruthers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarn bombing</span> Type of graffiti or street art

Yarn bombing is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk. It is also called wool bombing, yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, kniffiti, urban knitting, or graffiti knitting.

Clara Parkes is an American author, yarn critic, and wool expert. Parkes has been described as "quite possibly the only writer you will ever read who can make a discussion of micron counts absolutely riveting."

Marie Wallin is a British fibre artist and fashion designer known for her colourful fair isle designs. After working as a head designer for Rowan for many years, she became a freelance knitwear designer.

References

  1. James Melik (February 15, 2013). "Granny skills help revival of wool industry - BBC News". BBC. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Phyllis McIntosh (2011). "Knitting: a craft makes a comeback" (PDF). English teaching forum, US Department of State. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  3. Cherie Haughton (July 16, 2009). "BBC - Guernsey - People - Join the handicraft revival". BBC. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  4. Bebinger, Martha (2023-06-20). "Alzheimer's stopped her from finishing a rug. A stranger stepped up to help". WBUR . Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  5. "The Knitting Circle Shows Its Chic". The New York Times . July 12, 2007. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved 2024-02-03.