World Wide Knit in Public Day 2013

 

 The Machine Knitters Guild of Minnesota plans on participating in this annual event for the first time ever this year. Hopefully we can generate enough interest to make it an annual event for the guild to help raise awareness of our machine knitting craft!

 

WWKiP is a fairly new tradition, and is actually a week-long event, although most clubs, yarn stores and other organizations host a one day event at some point during the week. MKGM will be doing the same (details at end of this post).

 

From the official website:

 

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 each other’s company. Knitting is such a solitary act that it’s easy to knit alone somewhere and sink into your work without thinking about all the other knitters out there. Neighbors could spend all their lives never knowing that the other knits. This 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.

 

WWKiP Day is unique, in that it's the largest knitter run event in the world. Each local event is put together by a volunteer or a group of volunteers. They each organize an event because they want to, not because they have to. They bring their own fresh ideas into planning where the event should be held, and what people would like to do. If it weren't for these volunteer hosts, WWKiP Day would still just be an idea. So when you go to your local event, make sure you thank your host(s) and if you're inclined, bring along some yummy treats to share.

 

In the past some people have used this event as a means to show the general public that ‘not only grannies knit!’ and while that’s great and all, keep in mind that without those ‘grannies’ we wouldn’t have the wealth of knitting knowledge that we do.

 

WWKiP Day is really about showing the general public that knitting can be a community activity in a very distinct way. In some places there are many different knitting groups that never interact with each other, on WWKiP Day they come together in one place, making them hard to miss.

 

2005 there were about 25 local events around the world. In 2006 there were about 70 local events. 2007 there were almost 200. In 2008 there were 800 events, and in 2009 there were 751.

      
Over the years there have been local events in Australia, China, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, United States… and so many more countries.

       
WWKiP Day takes now takes place from the second Saturday to the third Sunday of June each year; making it a week long celebration of knitting and other fiber arts.

 

World Wide Knit In Public Day spreads the word that knitting is COOL! While all of us know that, many people in the world aren’t aware of knitting or knitting machines. By knitting (by hand or with machine) in a busy public place, we raise awareness among the general public.

 

We’ll have some large sandwich-board signs made to help you find the group.

 

You are welcome to bring your machine. Just remember that there aren’t any tables, so you’ll need a stand, chair, and your supplies. Bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it!

 

You can also knit by hand; OR just show up and do some seaming.

 

In case of rain (which is all it has seemed to do this spring), we will cancel and shoot for a sunny day in 2014!

 

World Wide Knit in Public Day
Saturday, June 15, 2013
10:30 a.m.
Minnehaha Park: 4801 South Minnehaha Park Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55417 (We’ll be between the Sea Salts Cafe and Minnehaha Pavilion.)