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Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

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Original poster

Following on from the knitting in public thread - would you/will you teach your son to knit?

28 replies

GreebosWhiskers · 30/08/2007 09:54

Am curious really as last week I remarked to dh that I'm looking forward to teaching 2.6yo dd3 & 9mo ds to knit & crochet when they're older.

dh looked horrified & said I could teach dd but there's no way I'm teaching his son to knit.

Was a bit & at this - what's wrong with boys knitting?

OP posts:

Charlee · 30/08/2007 09:58

DP can knit and so could my GF before he died and he was a very manly man.

Tell you dh not to be such a sexist pig.

missgriss · 30/08/2007 12:41

Hi Greebos, you have just reminded me of when I was at primary school and all the boys were taught chess and the girls were taught to knit. Very sexist when you think about it.

I would have preferred chess as my knitting skills leave much to be desired

persephonesnape · 30/08/2007 13:21

my sons haven't really shown an interest - but i haven't knit in aaaaaaages. am tem,pted to start a wee kitty hat for my dd. am pretty sure the ballet-dancing boy will want to do something knitty straight away.

your dh is being terribly old fashioned. guys go to knitting groups to score fashionable, crafty women.

FioFio · 30/08/2007 13:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Lizzzombie · 30/08/2007 13:24

I would be quite happy if my DS turned out like Kaffe Fassett
Is it just me or is he quite good looking?

southeastastra · 30/08/2007 13:25

alot of the boys at the playscheme this summer loved sitting down and making teddy bears. ok it was sewing but i was quite surprised how they really concentrated whilst doing it.

you can knit daleks (there was a pattern on here a while ago) i bet that would appeal to tons of boys.

stealthsquiggle · 30/08/2007 13:25

My DS (nearly 5) announced that he wanted to learn to sew so I got him the embroidery stuff that I used to have as a child and he got the hang of it really quickly.

I didn't consult DH and he didn't dare object

stealthsquiggle · 30/08/2007 13:25

oh and he says he wants to knit as well, but I need to remember how myself first!

Charlee · 30/08/2007 13:30

Both my sons have babies with acsessories and ds1 has a pushchair that he pushes round town.

I am forever saying to blokes who claim it will make them gay. 'so that makes you gay as you push your kids in a pushchair'?

Even if they were gay so what?

warthog · 30/08/2007 13:32

absolutely! without a doubt, if he's interested.

now knitting in public... oooer

daisyandbabybootoo · 30/08/2007 13:36

tell your DH two words...Kaffe Fassett!

My DS is desperate to learn to knit. I've bought him one of those little knitting dollies which he loves.

My dad told me that he was taught to knit at school, in the 1940s.

speedymama · 30/08/2007 13:38

My mother taught me and two of my brothers to knit. I will teach my DTS to knit and sew as soon as they are old enough.

I listened to a programme on R4 once. It was a famous journalist discussing his journey to school (in the 50s I think). He use to travel on the train and would spend that time knitting!

Pruners · 30/08/2007 13:41

Message withdrawn

bundle · 30/08/2007 13:42

why not? (actually I don't have a son, but I'm trying to teach my 7 yr old daughter)

Tanee58 · 30/08/2007 13:44

Kaffe Fassett is yum!

If ds wants to knit, let him!

Traditionally, men were knitters anyway - and embroiderers - much of the great medieval church vestments and garments in museums were created by monks as well as nuns. This prejudice against men doing fine work is probably yet another relic of the 19th century when tailoring was done by men for men, and seamstresses dealt increasingly with women's wear.

My ex-MIL told a lovely story about her brother, who was injured during WW2 and whilst convalescing, was taught knitting as therapy (which he continued to enjoy, with needlepoint, until he died a few years ago, and he certainly wasn't effeminate). When he came out of hospital, he was sent home on leave. Sitting on the train and not in uniform, he overheard two old bats sitting opposite him, who started making pointed comments about young men shirking their duty on the front line - aimed at him, as he didn't have any obvious injury & wasn't in uniform. After a few minutes of this, he just got out his knitting and enjoyed watching their mouths drop open !

Pruners · 30/08/2007 13:48

Message withdrawn

Lizzzombie · 30/08/2007 13:51

LOL - thought I was the only one who thought Kaffe was a bit dishy! (am aware that I sound like my mother using that word, but she would probably fancy him too!)

Tanee58 · 30/08/2007 13:59

Quite right Pruners, we're far too ditsy to cope with knitting and purling and complicated stuff like that . Wealthy medieval houses didn't even let us do the cooking! We were just good for making babies and clearing up after men, and anyway, we're creatures of the devil - original sin and all that.

According to some men, no change there then !

lulumama · 30/08/2007 14:01

tired to teach DS, a few months ago, but he had no patience, i think he wanted to flap the kneedles around impressively and suddenly have knitted a 20 foot stripey scarf.....

Original poster

GreebosWhiskers · 30/08/2007 16:37

Actually now I come to think of it, the woman who runs the craft shop in town was saying that the best way to get a class of boys to knit was to point out that men in the Navy used to knit & sew when they were out at sea. Might tell dh that.

missgriss - we could always get all the dcs together so I can teach them to knit & you can teach them to drum

OP posts:

Tanee58 · 30/08/2007 17:32

DD asked me to teach her to knit last year. (she's 15). Started well, big jumper on big needles, me knitting cardi on small needles. Sat companionably together knitting and watching TV, DP said it was a bit like being at the guillotine . Then DD lost interest after doing one side. Guess who's left to finish it off? And the yarn cost a fortune!

DutchOma · 30/08/2007 17:57

I once taught a schoolclass to knit. Fortunately some of them already could do it, but there were a few that needed help to get started. The boys were much quicker at it than the girls. In the end we made a squares blanket for Save the Children and put it in the exhibition in the Guildhall.

lucykate · 30/08/2007 18:02

yes, if he wants to learn, but i'd have to learn too first

dd has got her own little sewing machine.

i worked in the textile/needlecraft industry for 11 years and during that time, it was mainly populated by men.

Tanee58 · 31/08/2007 09:42

You could easily teach yourself, LucyKate - I did, purely because I saw a pattern I wanted to make (this was in the 1980s - it was big and hairy & I wouldn't give it houseroom now). And Wow, you do stumpwork. That's on my list of 'will learn to do one day' skills...

fillyjonk · 31/08/2007 09:44

NO I won't be teaching ds to knit

have purposly sent ds to a kindergarten where knitting, sewing etc is taught as part of the curriculum-boys and girls and everyone does it, its normal.

so NO I doubt I'll be teaching him. Thats what I pay £12 a day for

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