Sunday, February 3, 2008

Subversive Knitting & The New Etiquette


Here's a link to a really intersting interview that was on NPR (Katie's favorite!) and forwarded to me by my friend, Bobbie.
Click here for the story.

I think, but am not certain, that Bobbie's sister-in-law (the new librarian in town and my neighbor) is a knitter. Why do I think this? Well, I kinda remember Bobbie saying something about it, and then there was my trip to the library the week before last.

It started when I was looking at my lastest issue of Interweave Knits (thank you, Doctah Freuh), and in the new books section was a book on knit kimonos. I made a mental note to find the book and look it over my next visit to the yarn store. Later that same day, I went to the library to pick up some children's books for work, when- lo and behold- there was the kimono book on display with the other new acquisitions. I quickly scooped it up and ran to check it out before any of the old ladies circling the stacks knew what I had. The clerk checking out my selections mentioned that the knitting section was greatly improved with the new librarian in charge...So does she knit, or is she just being a good librarian and staying on top of trends?

Whatever. But I'm thinking that when my living room is done being renovated I'll host knitting club and issue an invite to her. Here's a question for you: She and her husband and son have lived in the house behind ours for about a year now...is it bad that we haven't introduced ourselves? I mean, we have people in common, so I'm fairly certain that we know who each other is. Is that a comment on the lack of etiquette that can be so pervasive in today's society? And wouldn't you think it would be more easily found in a larger city than in a small rural town? Thoughts?

2 comments:

SF said...

Hmmm, well, I don't knit, so I won't be commenting on that except to point out that you were circumventing a potential fight with the blue-haired raisins . . don't you think that's a bit strange? As for the whole - should I introduce myself . . .probably, but if you don't see them, its easy to be lazy. However, now that you know she's at the library, stop, introduce yourself, say something inane like 'I think you live behind me', and compliment her on the array of knitting books.

3skirts said...

i would agree with sayray and say go ahead and introduce yourself now--nobody does the welcome wagon anymore unless you live on the set of desperate housewives. i never got so much as a hello and i've been in my neighborhood for 5years.
that said--why couldn't she have come to you? most likely it has been mentioned that you live behind her thru your mutual friend. get the word out that she and her family are nice people and want new fiends maybe? and how.. i also think you should go ahead and get that invite to her--speaking for myself, if i were the new librarian and not a knitter--i wouldn't set a display of knitting up--even if it is the only hobby that has caught the trend wave for the residents on the upper peninsula--maybe if someone had suggested it or asked about a specific book--but come on--knit kimonos? that is out there even for a knitting lover--who would wear that? does it get that cold in japan? and it is so not sexy for the geisha in all of us....