Curious About Reactions to Public Knitting and Crocheting

[evilawyer]

Cross-posting this to knitting and crocheting.

I take my knitting and/or crocheting with me when I take public transportation, and I can no longer tell myself "Your imagining it," particularly when I ride BART in the SF Bay area:

People tend to back away and put space between me and my knitting. They don't do it so much when I sitting there with my crocheting, but I get more open staring at what I'm doing with crochet.

I don't think I swing my needles around like those ninja sticks, so I can't be putting people in fear of putting their eyes out. The crochet, I think, is just that it's not as familiar to lots of people as knitting is, so they're probably wondering how where my other needle is. But still, the "let me slide on down a little further away from her on this bench on the platform until I almost fall off" (which a woman in a shockingly pink coat did this morning) is a bit puzzling to me. It's almost like they think I'm going to go ballistic, which is particularly funny since I actually knit and crochet for the associated stress-reduction benefits as well as the good feeling that comes from making something with your hands.

Oh, and just to be clear, I don't get the same reaction when I'm talking on the phone or reading a book or simply sitting there. Needles and hooks are seemingly necessary components.

Does anyone else get this?

Comments

[domtheknight]

I was actually knitting on the bus today! I don't typically knit or crochet if the bus or train is full (because then I'm often standing up, or at the very least trying to make sure I keep hold of all my bags so I don't drop them on anyone). No one sits next to me when I'm knitting or crocheting for the most part, but there are also usually at least some empty seats.

I knit in public in other places - there's a group of colleagues who get together for lunch at least once a week in at least a partially public area, and we're all knitting and crocheting (sometimes even spinning, on drop spindles). People will ask what we're making but we mostly know everyone who stops by. I figure they think it's okay to talk to us, because we talk to each other. If someone is reading they are mostly left alone.

I also knit at sporting events. Occasionally I see other people doing the same, but not a ton of them. I tend to bring things I can do without looking so I can watch the sport. I don't think I've ever been interrupted about knitting, although people do interrupt for other reasons (such as to ask if I sing in a choir after hearing me sing along to something).

[evilawyer]

I don't typically knit or crochet if the bus or train is full (because then I'm often standing up, or at the very least trying to make sure I keep hold of all my bags so I don't drop them on anyone).

Same here. Plus, too easy to make a mistake.