Blogtoberfest Day 3: Strange Conversations About Knitting

Futher to yesterday's post about the woman who called me a plain knitter, I do think that some of the strangest conversations about knitting happen in the workplace.

There was that weird one with my recently acquired director who saw me knitting in a cafe. That was odd.

I had another one recently, this time with a member of my team who, unbeknownst to me until a couple of weeks ago, is also a knitter.

Talking about my workplace isn't something I do a lot and I had a bit of a think before posting this one. I think I can keep it pretty general.

Recently a friend and I were plucked out of our happy team and dropped mercilessly into a different, already established team in a restructure. It was quite a shock. We have found it a little difficult to fit into the team. There's not a lot of pleasant chit chat or even any chit chat for that matter. Everyone seems to be fairly isolated and unwilling to connect with us. We're lucky to get a hello or good morning.

I can cope with that to a certain extent but a little bit of connection in the workplace makes for a happier time, I tend to think. It can be a long, silent day when nobody speaks and I'm not really used to it.

So recently one of the girls in my team came in wearing a hand knit. I spotted it at once and saw it was a top down raglan cardigan, knit in something pink and thick and with a hint of a halo to it. Not my thing, being pink and fuzzy, but it was generally really nice.

A-ha! A knitter! Perhaps we could connect over that, I thought. I asked her at once if she made her cardigan.

'Yep.'

'And it's a top down piece!'

'Yep.'

'Do you knit much?''

Not really.'

And she turned to her computer. That was it. So much for trying to connect.

I asked my friend if I got it wrong, if perhaps the cardigan wearer had thought I was poking fun at her for her hand knit. Perhaps I was (perish the thought!) anti-hand knits!

My friend said, 'No way! Anyone can see you're not against knitting. You walk in here every day draped in knitwear.'

So I guess some people just don't like to talk. And some knitters don't care to connect. This wasn't my only attempt to fit in with this group. There have been several times I've just been my friendly self and been met with silence. They don't seem to like anyone.

At least I tried.

Bells