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MelodyMck
New Pal
USA
25 Posts |
 Posted - 09/08/2006 : 10:17:04 AM
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I think it is important to remember the article is geared toward book sellers--definitely the novelty yarn scarf fad is waning, my local yarn/craft store has huge bins of discounted eyelash and other fuzzy yarns. So books dedicated to that type of knitting should fall off. And I think that it is absolutely true that many scarf knitters are ready to move on to more complex projects, just as many may have put their needles away and are trying something new.
I also frequent a beading discussion board, and a recurring topic among the beaders is when they began, many date back to the 60's...and they have seen beading flourish and wane also. They talk about all the bead stores that have opened recently as beading is super hot again, and wonder if they will last more than a few years. I think LYS have a similar challenge.
As far as books, I have recently slowed my buying binge, as I have projects lined up for months ahead.
Any many of us do come and go from crafts we love as our lives change, but they are there to return too. I am a weaver, but I love my knit and crochet projects for those times in the car outside the school! I would love to learn to spin, but haven't found a class nearby. The form of it may change, but I am going to be messing with yarn is some fashion for the rest of my life.
So hooray for the novelty yarns bringing so many new knitters, or getting returning knitters excited again--and hooray for the maturing of the "fad" as some graduate to more complex projects. And especially hooray for the knitters who have been with it all along, and have the skills and experience to share with us all.
Melody
my blog: http://freshwaterfibers.com/blog/
Freshwaterfibers.com |
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LaurieAdlerAnderson
New Pal
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2006 : 11:32:14 AM
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I, too, learned to knit when I was 6, which, as of 9/16 will be 46 years ago (wow--is anything that old, my DD says?) and don't see knitting going anywhere fast. Maybe the fat needle, scarf-scarfing fads are duds, but people will always need warm "luvvys" of blankets or sweaters in intense jewel tones or gentle pastels. It is, after all, a cold cruel world out there, happy campers, and the more warmth we knitters can bring to life, the better![:00]
Out of every 10 people polled, 14 prefer chocolate!--Sandra Boynton
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meahlgren@yahoo.com
New Pal
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2006 : 5:14:25 PM
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| Some people right now are knitting because it's popular. There are others of us who have been knitting for a very long time and will continue to do so. That's how it always is. |
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RachelKnitter
Permanent Resident
USA
2995 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2006 : 6:33:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bloomkitty
our knitting group meets at a brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble and we've actually gotten to know the guy who's in charge of purchasing the craft books. If there's a title we'd like to see in his store, he usually has several copies of it there in the craft shelves by the following week.
This is just a little nit-picky thing, but I doubt the person you talk to is in charge of buying craft books specifically, or even technically a buyer. Chain bookstores do something like 98% of their purchasing in a centralized fashion from corporate headquarters based on numbers spit out by their computers. The person you know is probably the store manager--albeit an exceptionally good one--who has some flexibility of being able to sneak in specific titles of local interest to his orders when he's doing special orders for the store. It's an important distinction to me because independent bookstores in general do far more of the hands-on, on-site buying that you describe than any chain bookstore has ever done. That's great that your local B&N has such a good and dedicated manager, but most of them don't, which is why I will always remain devoted to independent bookstores for as long as they continue to exist.
--------
You are about to be told one more time that you are America’s most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they do to valuable natural resources? -Utah Phillips, addressing a group of young people
Poetry discussion, and other assorted cultural ramblings:
http://crazylanea.typepad.com/eating_poetry/ |
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jazzbird
New Pal
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2006 : 9:58:50 PM
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| Knitting has been around for eons and, although it has enjoyed a particular surge in popularity in the U.S. over the past few years, there have always had legions of knitters who steadfastly clicked their needles without fanfare. I think PW is completely wrong to forecast decreased interest in knitting, especially with the advent of the Internet, which makes the yarn, tools and knitting education so much more available, and which creates solid cyber communities of knitters. |
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scraffan
Permanent Resident
1844 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2006 : 06:43:34 AM
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Thank you for the interesting article.
Although to me it does not matter whether knitting is popular or not. It is something I enjoy and will enjoy whether it is "in" or "out". As long as yarn, wool, fleece, is spun and ready for use I will be thrilled.
As for my collection of books...it think it is a decent size for someone who has only been knitting seriously for about six months.
I cannot count how many e-mail newsletters I recieve either weekly or bi-weekly from yarn companies.
I also cannot count how many knitting groups I belong to on-line.
I try to complete at least one project before buying more books or yarn..although sometimes that fails! I will admit it...
scraffan |
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scraffan
Permanent Resident
1844 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2006 : 07:05:58 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Aziyade
[(I adore magazines though, but then I'm weird and actually ENJOY looking through the ads.)
I do too! You never know what 'new, improved' gadget will be out there. Not always pratical gadgets but still fun to read about and investigate! 
As a new knitter, I sort of feel like I don't HAVE to buy any books because the web sites for most of the major yarn brand names will not only teach you the basics but will also give you free patterns. Between Berocco, LionBrand, and ModaDea, I could make just about anything and never have to buy a pattern book. Plus how many online magazines publish free (and stylish) patterns?
I totally agree with you on the free patterns. I am going to go through my saved e-mails to find one of the free patterns you are talking about.
scraffan |
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MacChick
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Posted - 09/09/2006 : 07:24:36 AM
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The thing that will keep many of the "hip crowd" knitting is that it's a portable hobby. It doesn't have to take up the time you would spend on some new hobby. While you are waiting in line to buy concert tickets or waiting at a doctor's or dentist's office or whatever, you can pull out your little project and not only get some progress made on something, but draw a little personal attention to yourself (which lots of people really do like to do).
I always say knitting makes life's "otherwise wasted" moments productive, (not to mention inspirational and energized). And for those who love to multi-task, this alone is a powerful reason to keep knitting, whether or not you drop and pick up other hobbies along your way.
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jbkinney1@juno.com
New Pal
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2006 : 07:27:28 AM
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| On the way out?! Nonsense. I'm sure a certain percentage of new knitters will drift away to other formats for their creativity but where I live it will continue to be a strong creative outlet. |
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gottaknitit
New Pal
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 1:27:16 PM
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My aunt, God bless her, taught me to knit in 3rd grade. I have sometimes taken a respite from it to learn something new, but I always come back to it. The same applies to buyng new books on the subject. I find a few I really feel are fairly timeless and put them in my library.
Does it also seem as though we knitters and needlecrafters are a group of people looking for calm in a world of chaos? Don't we wish for a renaissance of artistic expression in the face of computerization? (which many of us face daily in our jobs?)
How about you? |
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kepkake
Chatty Knitter
USA
251 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 4:34:43 PM
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Very interesting article. Thank you for sharing it. I personally thought it was cool that beading, crocheting, felting and especially spinning were recognized as hobbies. Isn't it ironic that something as "old fashioned" as spinning would be classified as a fad? Spinning is kind of the antithesis of trendy in my mind. I feel connected to the past when I spin...certainly not going for "hip" at the time. All of the fiber arts are valid and satisfying ways to express creativity. I just see the potential for crocheting, knitting, beading and felting to be "fad fodder" more so than spinning. Hey, if spinning becomes a fad that's great. I was just surprised at the mention of it in the article. More importantly, is Stepanie really going to MC the Knit-Out in New York?! That's awesome! I wish I could be there.
Wendy |
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wools4yu
New Pal
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 4:51:01 PM
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I'm a LYS owner and I see new customers everyday. I have a small shop in a small town and it surprises me all the time that knitting knows no socioeconomic boundaries, with the exception of yarn choice and cost. I notice that all kinds of people come into the shop and sit and talk. We've become a sort of 'bartenders'we listen to peoples life problems and triumphs. We know their families, births , deaths, divorces, kids going to college, parents that are failing, etc. I find we are a haven of sorts. I have one woman that comes in almost daily to 'do errands'. I love it! Her knitting has
'saved' her from certain depression or worse. Knitting will never die. The comeraderie and friendships that have been forged because of it are lasting, like the ages old craft...so what if a few books don't sell. Stuff never really goes out of style..just change the models hair and you have it made!
jenniferaruggirello |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 4:59:54 PM
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I wish that I had a shop like that.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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westcoastchica
Seriously Hooked
Canada
788 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 5:30:53 PM
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Knitting - the fad - will wane (as all fads do), knitting - the craft - will continue as long as there are people like us who pick up our sticks. I didn't even KNOW knitting was trendy until months after I started - I thought it was the geekiest thing I'd ever done (and I'm a statistician, so that's saying something), but lo and behold, I had unwittingly tapped into a trend.
I must say though, when I first started knitting, I'd pick up any yarn, knitting book, or magazine I could get my hands on. Now I'm WAY more selective about all of the above. These days, a book has to REALLY stand out (either with innovative patterns, quality reference material, or be a good read) for me to spend money on it. I suspect there are a lot of newish-but-WAY-beyond-garter-stitch knitters like me that feel the same way.
As for knitblogs, I am one of those people who started one and has been less than diligent about maintaining it. At some point, I realized that the upkeep of a high-quality knitting blog that entertains and educates a large number of readers (a la Yarn Harlot or Eunny Jang, for example) requires far more thought and dedication than most people are willing to put in, myself definitely included. So mine exists basically for my own reference and to amuse my sister :-) . It kinda reminds me of when the internet first took off in the mid-to-late '90s and it seemed like EVERYBODY with an internet connection started a website about something or other. Many of them were extremely low-quality with dismal content; over time, those were abandoned and better sites started appearing. The same thing is happening with blogs, knitting-related and otherwise.
Maria
http://sapphyreknits.blogspot.com/ |
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Margie
Permanent Resident
1013 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2006 : 9:38:54 PM
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Just look how active this topic is. How many of us are there on this site?? Thousands? WE will keep knitting for sure.
I don't buy books with specific patterns in them. Techniques sometimeszs. However, as others have stated, I already have lots and lots of knitting books.
Last book I bought was Poems of Color because I'd checked it out of the library so many times.
Fewer knitting books may be published but this site won't die I'm sure.
Margie |
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Yarnmonsta
New Pal
10 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2006 : 11:46:07 AM
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Maybe SCARF knitting is on the way out (we and our friends and our daughters, grandkids, men, co-workers, etc., are all scarfed out by now, yes?), but in my experience, some of the new yarn shops that have opened up in the last few years are blossoming because of their selection, events, classes and the quality of the friendly and helpful staffs. Some haven't quite made the grade, sad to say.
BUT. I was at Michael's a few days ago to pick up Sugar & Cream for a new batch of "warshrags" (see Mason Dixon Knitting) for anyone I know that doesn't have a couple yet and saw an even larger collection of yarns and accessories, even some pretty nice books. They know what's selling, and they must be selling quite a bit of yarn, even if it's not the quality that makes our knitterly little hearts go pitty-pat and threaten to bankrupt us.
My take on the possible demise of "the knitting craze" is, Support your local yarn shop, teach willing friends to knit and get out there and buy some cashmere TODAY! |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2006 : 3:05:29 PM
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The "craze" may expire; the craft continues.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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scraffan
Permanent Resident
1844 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2006 : 4:34:24 PM
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I have to agree. I do not need another 'easier knitter' book! I enjoy cables and trying new things. Nor do I wish to invest in another book with mistakes in it.
As we speak I have mittens and baby booties on needles.
I do not like the 'Fast and quick' items. I like doing things that make me think and yes to a certain extent booties require thinking! (especially when you get half way through the ribbing and put the bootie down and pick it up again..ended up frogging two rows because of that)
As someone else pointed out I started to knit before realizing it was an in thing. But as I stated in a previous post I do not knit because it is "in". I knit because I want to..
scraffan |
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yarnfool
New Pal
18 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2006 : 3:47:26 PM
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Great article! I thought the article made some good points, too. But I am a librarian in an audio-visual department of a public library and we are getting new dvd's on how to knit and crochet. A few new ones include: Knit Stitches in Motion and Knit Fashions in Motion that include projects for different skill levels. Both dvd's provide up close instruction at your own pace.
I guess whether or not someone continues to knit is a matter of preference. I truly enjoy knitting and working with different fibers. I am definitely hooked on knitting! Hopefully someone of the newcomers will stick with it--maybe they need to read Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's book the Yarn Harlot.
Just my thoughts,
Yarnfool |
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hmsull@princeton.edu
New Pal
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2006 : 09:11:51 AM
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I was on vacation when this forum was posted, so this is a late reply for sure! (I visited the knitting store on the island (Nantucket) several times while I was there, by the way, and almost every time it was packed with people). The focus of this article is, of course, sales of knitting books. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a supply of knitting books which could keep me busy for several lifetimes. Perhaps other knitters are also well supplied with books, so a better measure of knitting popularity just might be sales of yarn and needles. Trends, as we all know, come and go, but hard-core knitters just keep on knitting......
Long-time knitter, not-as-long-time spinner. |
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