WWKIP Day

A few years ago (Thank You Annie H!) a friend & I went to our very first WWKIP, World Wide Knit In Public Day. We had no idea what it was, but being beginner knitters... it had the word 'knitting' in it so we were game!  We dressed up her Thing 4 (who is not a baby anymore!) and headed out! Wow!

Knitters, crocheters, spinners and more! All in a park.........outside....... gasp! In public! AND they all were not Grannies! There were even kids knitting!

I know, I know. Knitting is a world wide craze right now, but for me it started out as something Grandma's did and maybe a few hippies here and there! I was impressed by the people I saw just sitting around, laughing and playing with yarn!

The people that hosted the WWKIP in Pacific Grove, CA were amazing! They had  demonstrations on just about everything you could do with fiber!  Spinning, crocheting and of course knitting. I think there was even someone tatting. 

It was an awful lot of fun for Annie & I. In fact we were so inspired that for the next few weeks, all we did was play with yarn! 

The whole day was either a good thing; A) I now have a lifelong hobby, or B) a bad thing. I now have a lifelong obsession! 

I really think that this day was the spark I needed (ha!) to really start knitting. I'd been taught as a kid (which I hated!), picked it up again when I was a brand new parent and didn't do anything at all until faced with a truck trip across the country to a whole new life!  I think that's where my budding obsession turned into a full blown problem.......

I tried to start small. I made a sweater for my son, a hat for Thing 4, then it all went to heck really fast........ now I'm hooked. I'm not sure if I have a problem... YET... but I'm willing to keep knitting (and spinning and buying yarn and fleece) until I figure it out.........

              I think the first step is just admitting you have a problem........

Well!!!!  In order to encourage a few more knitters, crocheters, spinners and plain ol' yarnies........... I'm thinking (seriously) about hosting a KIP here in Virginia! I put it out on FB this morning and had some response so I'm going to put some more feelers out & see what happens!

Just a little background info on WWKIP -

World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes. It began as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy the company of other knitter's.

It's pretty easy to become a solitary knitter and sink into your work without thinking about all the other knitters out there. I could stay home for days on end and do nothing but knit! 

 How unlucky to spend an entire lifetime without ever knowing your neighbors and how especially sad if you didn't know your neighbor knits!  WWKIP is a specific day to get out of your house and go to a local event (with your knitting in tow) just for you and people like you. Who knows you might even bump into your neighbor! Consider this a spark, to ignite a fire; getting all of the closeted knitters out into fresh air and just to hang out and have fun!

The KIP we went to in California sure ignited a spark for Annie & I so I'm hoping that this will do that for someone else.

I haven't picked a specific site or date for a KIP. I'm thinking the 2nd Saturday in June here on Fort Belvoir. 

I have a while to figure it all out because it's not until June!   WWKIP Day is actually an entire week set aside in June. This year it is June 9-17th and there are events all over the world during that time. So I have a while yet....... but just wanted to get the buzz going..........

here is the LINK to the website!!!