The Joy of Knitting - Subversiveness Allowed But Not Required

This past week we have been astonished, amused, and confused, by the reactions to the Women's March the previous weekend.

Who knew that wearing knitted pink cat hats and marching peacefully for equal rights around the world, which participants reported back was very uplifting and inspiring, would result in so much controversy?

One LYS owner in Tennessee posted after the fact (when she had already made money from selling pink yarn), that she did not want to support the march,

"With the recent women's march on Washington, I ask that you if you want yarn for any project for the women's movement that you please shop for yarn elsewhere. The vulgarity, vile and evilness of this movement is absolutely despicable." 

She says other stuff too but you can look that up for yourself.

She also has a policy, even though she claims she has family values and her hours are only in the daytime, that children are not welcome.

As an American citizen with first amendment rights she is perfectly within her rights to do this. She can post her policies and even who is welcome into her store. Whether she is allowed to follow through and discriminate against certain people, I doubt, but she is allowed to say who she wants in her private establishment.

I think it's great that she has made her position clear for all to see. It's too bad she didn't state it before the march when she was making money from selling pink yarn.

There's been an incredible amount of reaction on both sides. If she wanted to get her shop known, she certainly succeeded. Bigly.

So let's be clear where we stand.

We are quite happy when you show us what you did with your yarn. If you're excited about a new pattern, finding the right yarn, and who you're making it for (including yourself) then we're excited too. We love it when you bring your finished projects in to show us, when you win ribbons for your work, when you create a successful pattern and when you come in wearing your creations.

We're also here for you when you get stuck and are pulling out your hair (knitted hair into your project is not a thing right now).

But, when you buy it, it's your yarn. You don't have to tell us what you're doing with it. No one is going to tie you to a chair and tickle you, pull out your teeth, shower you with ice cold water or make you watch Barney episodes over and over again. It is not a requirement to reveal what the purpose of the yarn is. We're not going to follow you home and dictate to you how to use it. You can hide it in your closet, knit it to cover a bus, give it to your lizard to play with, put it in a pile and jump in it, or make a cat hat. It is yours. It belongs to you. As long as you don't go the serial killer route and use it to tie up your victims, we're cool with it. We all have our own personal stashes that we have trouble controlling, we really don't need to control yours.

Further, we welcome all people in all kinds of hats. Pink hats, blue hats, brown and yellow and red hats, rainbow hats, purple hats with orange spots, come on in. You can even bring in your cat wearing a cat hat.

Even if you don't believe in equal rights for women, we will still serve you with dignity and sell you yarn or anything else you need that we carry.

We love our customers and as Christian women we are inclusive to all faiths and non-faiths, all political beliefs and non-beliefs. We may not agree with you politically or religiously (we don't always agree with each other) but we all believe in love, we find joy in knitting, and you are welcome here.

We also welcome children because we think they are people too. We expect them to behave just as we expect you to behave, but we think it's wonderful if you come with your children and share with them the things you enjoy doing. I have had many lovely conversations with your children while we sat on the couches together waiting for you to make your selections. We aren't your babysitters, but we certainly don't mind helping you out while you shop. Young mothers and grandmothers are important to us and what kind of knitters would we be if we didn't want to pass along our love for yarn and knitting to the next generation.

Furthermore, not only are the three of us crafters, we are each artists. Lori is a knitwear designer/,singer/musician, Margaret is a fibre artist/writer/singer, and I am a writer/actor/director. We recognize that throughout history the arts have been used to make statements politically and culturally much of which we still enjoy now. Johnathon Swift, Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Anderson, Jane Austen, Judy Blume and even Dr. Suess have used their talents to express their outrage, and shine a light on current events and culture. Women have also made statements and taken stands through knitting and other "feminine" arts.

Subversive Knitting

The point is, we support you whether you want to make a pink hat and march in parades or sit by the fire knitting something for your new granddaughter (by the way, I got a new granddaughter this past week. She's sweet and lovely and she has a strong opinionated mother).

We welcome you no matter what color you are, or what color you wear. We welcome you whatever your political or religious persuasion is. We welcome you however you choose to identify yourself.

And yes, we would even welcome the yarn store owner who would not welcome you.

Because we really do believe in the joy of diversity, the joy of love and the joy of knitting.

*****

This week we have Balpetegi which is Turkish for honeycomb. The honeycomb is the result of a community of bees gathering together and creating something both useful and delicious. Seems appropriate.

75% OFF

Himalaya Balpetegi

80% Acrylic 20% Wool

100 g/180 m/196 y

Regular Price: $6.00

Sale Price: $1.50

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who happens to like pink a great deal - and hats - and even cats as long as they belong to someone else, and getting together with other women)