Hey Y'all,
Be sure to tune in on Friday when Hill Country Weavers makes a VERY BIG announcement. In the meanwhile, I'm taking a little survey. I was reading the Sunday NYT and came across the etiquette advice column. A reader asked if it is rude for folks to knit during meetings. The columnist says yes it is. You can see the article here (scroll to the bottom).
I couldn't resist-- I emailed the guy and said I beg to differ, that knitting is very grounding and that when I'm not knitting in a meeting all I'm thinking is, "Meetings are so stupid." I also suggested that perhaps he'd never been on the receiving end of a handknit item, and offered to make him a hat. He wrote back to say that actually he himself is a knitter and he still thinks it's not kosher to knit during meetings.
Since I had that exchange, I find myself still bringing my knitting to meetings but feeling weird about actually working on it. Maybe I was defending the right to knit just because I was trying to justify what might actually be rude behavior? I hope not and I really don't want to give up this practice-- and given a choice I'd rather give up meetings. So I'm taking a little survey here-- do you knit during meetings? Does it seem to bother other people? Do you care?
Do tell.
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12 comments:
I do knit during meetings, but I'm not sure I count. My office is remote (in my home), so all of my meetings are teleconferences. I find that knitting during meetings helps me pay better attention to what's being discussed - especially since I'm not there in the room with the others. Were I to be there in person, though, I would have a chat with the meeting organizer about knitting and why I do it to make sure it's okay. Obviously, there are some meetings where it may not be appropriate, such as customer meetings.
I agree- until arthritis forced me to switch to weaving, knitting kept me grounded and focused during meetings and seminars. Someone who is not a knitter may see it as akin to surfing the web or texting during a meeting, however. But I certainly see more of the latter than knitting at UT meetings!
One of those love/hate relationships for me. I've considered it, but it mucks with my concentration. I like to have something to do with my hands, so I like when meeting facilitators provide little squish toys and stuff that you can manipulate without having to think, as with knitting. As a meeting facilitator, it can be distracting, but only if I see people spending more time counting to their pattern than engaging in the conversations to be had.
I love the idea of it, but it is pretty distracting to anyone else in the meeting. Sadly, I think it is rude. I agree that it is grounding and enhances focus, but only for the knitter.
Non-knitters and crocheters don't understand that you can knit or crochet and be involved in the meeting at hand. As long as what you're doing isn't too involved. In fact, some people focus better when they can do something with their hands.
If more people understood, I would say it's fine. Otherwise, you may want to skip it for larger meeting when people might not realize you're listening. Small groups who understand that you can do two things at once and will be aware that you're engaged with the meeting are probably fine.
Of course, knitting just because you are tuning out anyway probably isn't a good idea. If the meetings important/mandatory enough to you to stay, you should probably pretend to be listening.
For me, it depends what kind of meeting. I'm a teacher and I do often knit at big faculty meetings where I know most of the meeting content will be "sit and get". For smaller meetings where I will be more physically active, I wouldn't dream of knitting.
I used to knit at meetings all the time (with the blessing of my boss). A number of folks on staff raised an eyebrow the first time I did it, but that passed quickly and folks started asking me what I was working on each week. Honestly, it seemed to calm everyone in the room down. I don't think i"m imagining that, either.
I remember a teacher getting onto me about crocheting in his class. It was "government" - very boring indeed (as was he -grin-). I proved I could pay better attention while my hands were occupied by answering every question he put to me. He let me be, I got an A and made an entire afghan in his class!
I do think it depends on the meeting and the people around you whether you knit or not. I always judge each instance on its own.
Love to knit in meetings, I listen soooo much better when my hands are occupied.. thanks for posing the question.. what I do find annoying though is when someone asks, usually a male, oh is that needlepoint? My wife does that!!! ARRGH!
On the grand spectrum of Rude Things to Do During Meetings, I think "knitting" (while keeping one's eyes largely on the speaker or presentation slides) falls safely between "yawning widely" and "tapping one's pencil on one's notepad" or "jiggling one's knee nonstop"...all of which are at the other end of the spectrum from "emailing," "texting and/or laughing at a text message just received from someone else in the meeting," and (worst of the worst) "dozing off."
Given the choice between knitting and staying awake, and NOT knitting and falling asleep--which is a choice I often AM faced with, as people WILL insist on scheduling long guest-lectures at 3:30 pm in my department--I'd really rather knit.
I never knit during meetings. I knit between classes, but never during them (except Trig, but he encourages me to knit when I'm not taking notes), likewise, I don't knit at parties unless I ask the hostess if she minds.
Now ask me about cell phones ...
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