This is me:
(This is when I am mailing a cupcake as part of the Global Hackerspace Cupcake Challenge.)
This is one of the things I do for fun:
(My Pentas beret pattern)
And this:
(My Hanging Basket pattern)
And this:
(My Skelly Baby pattern)
Yeah, I knit. I knit a lot. I knit on the bus, the tram, at home, at my knitting group, at the Nottingham Hackspace, in pubs, on the train, in the park, anywhere, really.
It keeps my hands busy while my mind focuses on other things. Like conversation. Or podcasts. Or TV.
You see, I, like many people my age, have a bit of an attention span issue. I get distracted incredibly easily. I fidget. I scratch. I eat. I look around. I flip channels.
(Hell, while typing this, I went looking at Hackspace info online, went and got myself a cupcake and a drink, turned on the tv, checked that Epic Mickey was in the Wii, debating playing said Epic Mickey, filed a rough patch on my fingernails… and that’s just in 15 minutes.)
So knitting gives me something to do, but something I don’t have to give much attention to – just enough to let me focus on the bigger things going on.
Like, say, a web design conference:
(The New Adventures in Web Design Conference, held yesterday, 20 January)
So when I go to a conference, I think “Man, I better have something good to knit, so that I can focus.”
Apparently, though, people don’t go to conferences to focus on the speakers. They go to check their iPhones and their iPads and their iWhatevers, and tweet about the conference, and their mates, and the points brought up from the speakers, and some unevolved idiots not only post sexist remarks about the speakers, but actually stick the appropriate hash tag on their tweets, so that everyone can see what classic web geek sexism looks like.
Or, in the brief moments between hitting “refresh”, replying to people about how much cheap lager they’re going to swill at the after-party, and occasionally glancing up at the speaker, they notice me sitting there, working on a 35-stitch feather-and-fan lace scarf in King Cole Riot, a 70/30% acrylic/wool blend, on 6mm handmade knitting needles.
I didn’t notice, because I was focused on the speakers, and even when they weren’t speaking, I don’t have Internet on my phone, so I couldn’t find out what was being said. I was told by a few people that “the knitter” was being mentioned, but I really know the number of people who had.
It was an amazing conference, and I’m glad I was paying attention, because I got to see amazing things and hear awesome people talk and really remember why I love being a web person. I got to talk to people I haven’t seen in ages, meet new people, and, just generally, have a wonderful time. I have a good foot or so of the scarf knitted, and once it’s finished, not only will I have something that will become one of my patterns (and for sale at Knit Nottingham), but it’ll also remind me of the brilliant time I had at the conference, far more than any Tweet, blog post or Flickr page ever could.
So, Mr. Rick Nunn, who the fuck sits and knits at a web conference? I DO. And maybe if you put your iPhone down and paid attention, you’d actually learn something.
I can’t believe some of those tweets! And what the hell is wrong with knitting? It’s better by far than tweeting rude or sexist things! ::rage::
I love this post. You rock, Kate! :D
— Sarah W · Jan 21, 04:57 PM · #
You, my dear lady, rock.
I also knit,
sometimes I snooze,
or doodle,
it helps me to listen.
I absolutely DO NOT communicate something else whilst being communicated at.
Perhaps we should instigate a rapid fire quiz at the end of conference sessions, just to see who was paying attention, like in school.
You would win.
— Louise Hewitt · Jan 21, 05:04 PM · #
Good for you Kate – whatever works for you, go for it. I have a short attention span and unfortunately flicking on the iPhone is a bad habit, that I need to learn to get out of.
Being different is a great sign of confidence – there was a guy in the audience who was carrying around a teddy, as he had aspergers and it helped him socialise with people. We’re all too quick to judge the unusual before thinking about why they are doing something.
I know I’m guilty of it, but thanks for opening my eyes a little wider.
— Sarah Parmenter · Jan 21, 05:14 PM · #
Gosh, you sure are bitter. And before you blog again — I don’t have a problem with bitterness; I quite enjoy it.
I think as a non mobile-web user you underestimate the value of using something like twitter during a conference. It’s fantastic to be able to check the #naconf tag and immediately see what your peers are taking away from it is incredibly useful. You might notice an undertone, or someone might post a question that makes you think a little bit more. This adds another layer to the conference — it’s not a distraction it’s a benefit. I don’t see how knitting is any more or less distracting than glancing at a phone.
Also to call your “web geek sexism” examples sexist is slightly questionable imo. There is nothing wrong with conveying a level of attraction to someone — with in reason of course. I’m afraid to me it comes across a little more as bitter petty jealousy.
I also wonder how you are gauging what I took away from the conference? During the conference I tweeted 28 times, the conference was 9 hours long thats just over 3 per hour — most of those were during the breaks. I was absolutely captivated by everyone that spoke and It’s so nice to feel that our community as a whole is united and heading in the same direction. It’s definitely the best conference I have been to in a very long time; Simon did an absolutely amazing job.
— Rick Nunn · Jan 21, 05:39 PM · #
http://ricknunn.com/who-the-fuck-sits-and-knits-at-a-web-conference
It’s OK, he blogged about it too.
— fos · Jan 21, 09:50 PM · #
Haha!
I love that feministic touch!
Why would you rage that much about a guy with a mobile, if you knit? I think both things might do their thing, but why would you judge someone else, before you look at yourself?
And it’s really not an all day business to see someone knit, so hey! No reason to be mad at someone, who is surprised :D!
Can’t understand this fight,.. take it easy, do your! thing and be good!
— mike · Jan 22, 09:27 AM · #
I saw this tweet and thought the same as you. However, maybe he meant nothing by it and has never come across a knitter, let’s hope so.
— Stuart Maynard-Keene · Jan 23, 08:04 AM · #
As I said in my blog on Friday, I think it’s great to see someone knitting at a web design conference. http://goo.gl/CuLqZ
— OuterbridgeMike · Jan 23, 12:33 PM · #
The most egregiously sexist tweets have been deleted, but the parallels between them (and the comments of those who leapt to their defence) and the behaviour of two former Sky Sports presenters are difficult to ignore.
In the interests of full disclosure I am Mr Katemonkey.
— TheMongKey · Jan 28, 07:16 PM · #
fuck em. At least YOU heard everything being said. All they did like you said was play with their little toys. I’m surprised they weren’t jerking off while they were at it.
ROCK ON!!
— Jenny · Mar 1, 03:02 PM · #