Is it wrong for a man to knit for a hobby?

[Catherine_W]

So this is a lighthearted question, and I’m pretty sure its not morally wrong…but would it be against a man’s masculinity to take up knitting with his wife as a hobby?

I hear about the negative aspects of the “feminization of men” on catholic radio and I was wondering if knitting would fall under that category.

It seems there have been cultural norms that have changed over time, for example cooking might have been seen as a woman’s job, but now a day I don’t think anyone would think it “feminine” for a man to cook. Is knitting just one of those cultural norms that could change or is there something more inherently feminine about it?

I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[kage_ar]

Good heavens.

My very masculine former Navy uncle taught me fine handstitches to earn my Missionettes sewing badge.

My dad can knit and crochet.

Men make beautiful textiles in the middle east.

Why on earth is making useful or decorative items from fibers something only women can do?

 

[Catherine_W]

Thanks kage_ar - I agree with you! I just can’t get some people in my family to see it that way.

 

[Rascalking]

So this is a lighthearted question, and I’m pretty sure its not morally wrong…but would it be against a man’s masculinity to take up knitting with his wife as a hobby?

I hear about the negative aspects of the “feminization of men” on catholic radio and I was wondering if knitting would fall under that category.

It seems there have been cultural norms that have changed over time, for example cooking might have been seen as a woman’s job, but now a day I don’t think anyone would think it “feminine” for a man to cook. Is knitting just one of those cultural norms that could change or is there something more inherently feminine about it?

I appreciate your thoughts!

Oh my goodness is this a serious question?!

OF COURSE IT’S NOT WRONG!!

The feminization of men has NOTHING to do with hobbies.

I drink tea, love arts and crafts, do the laundry, clean dishes, and do many other things that may be considered feminine-but I know I’m a man, (and more importantly, a gentlemen) and it has nothing to do with my hobbies or tastes.

I’m sorry if this sounds a bit mean. I just think people need to relax a bit and stop worrying if lovely and beautiful hobbies-like knitting-are wrong.

Knit away brother! Knit away!

 

[shannyk]

Not a thing in the world inherently feminine about knitting.

Truth be told men are probably better knitters. They have better dexterity. What is traditionally and culturally a woman’s hobby/craft doesn’t make it inherently feminine. I think your family members are being…silly.

I say go men, knit away without shame, knit till you just can’t knit no more.

 

[kage_ar]

When they mock you, they do not get kewl sweaters for Christmas and maybe they get a poke in the eye with your needles

 

[Catherine_W]

I have enjoyed all your responses! Thanks so much! Maybe I will share this thread with some of my family! This is not an issue of great debate, no one is passionately against men knitting - they mostly just think it’s odd. I just wanted to make sure that I was not “feminizing” men by thinking its fine for them to knit.

So what exactly is the “feminization of men”? Would it be when a wife does not respect her husband? And things along those lines. I remember Raymond Arroyo on EWTN once saying that men wearing shorts fell under the category of “feminization of men” and that just didn’t make any sense to me… so now I think I am overly cautious.

 

[Rascalking]

In my opinion, for what it’s worth, the feminzation of men is when they stop acting like a gentlemen. When we don’t offer up seats on a bus because were afraid a lady make take offense to it. When we don’t open a door for a woman because she can do it herself. That’s a man who has let feminism take him over.

A real man does open doors, pull out chairs, and watch his language when in the presence of women. He doesn’t let radical feminists paint his description of all women. HE makes sure he treats all women with tremoundous respect, whether they be his mother, his wife, or a stranger.

That’s just my view.

 

[kage_ar]

In my opinion, for what it’s worth, the feminzation of men is when they stop acting like a gentlemen. When we don’t offer up seats on a bus because were afraid a lady make take offense to it. When we don’t open a door for a woman because she can do it herself. That’s a man who has let feminism take him over.

A real man does open doors, pull out chairs, and watch his language when in the presence of women. He doesn’t let radical feminists paint his description of all women. HE makes sure he treats all women with tremoundous respect, whether they be his mother, his wife, or a stranger.

That’s just my view.

Exactly!!

 

[Jay82]

I don’t think it is wrong at all. Personally I don’t know any men who knit regularly, but I know a bunch of guys who can sew, one of them being myself. I think it is a good skill to have in life, whether as a hobby or for practical reasons such as fixing clothing that may get torn or lose a button.

Just because a particular activity is commonly associated with one gender doesn’t make it wrong for someone of the opposite sex to enjoy doing it or participating in it. I know some women that like carpentry, it is in no way ‘wrong’ for them to enjoy that as a hobby.

 

[Nec5]

Reminds me of Stallone from Demolition Man; he was programmed to knit.

There is nothing anti-masculine about knitting. Now if you couple that with watching the Lifetime channel and Oprah, then…

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

I drink tea, love arts and crafts, do the laundry, clean dishes, and do many other things that may be considered feminine-but I know I’m a man, (and more importantly, a gentlemen) and it has nothing to do with my hobbies or tastes.

Boy, do I need you and my husband to talk! hehehe

I think you taking up knitting is such a romantic gesture!! Your wife is a lucky lady!!

I don’t see a man taking up knitting as any more weird than a woman who likes to make furniture or work on cars. Good for you, man!

 

[shannyk]

Reminds me of Stallone from Demolition Man; he was programmed to knit.

There is nothing anti-masculine about knitting. Now if you couple that with watching the Lifetime channel and Oprah, then…

Watching Oprah is just wrong no matter what your sex

The comment about Lifetime makes me LOL. My brother, the big brawny Army dude that likes to hunt, for some reason likes those made for TV movies they have on the LWN I think it’s now called. I’m totally perplexed. I’m like dude, these movies are awful, badly acted, contrived…why do you watch them? I just like them, he says. Men.:ehh::hypno:uch:

 

[Brenda_V]

Reminds me of Stallone from Demolition Man; he was programmed to knit.

There is nothing anti-masculine about knitting. Now if you couple that with watching the Lifetime channel and Oprah, then…

This is funny because my husband, who is a very masculine man can knit and likes LIfetime (Oprah is a totally different story in this house, she is way too new age for us).

When we had satellite he would watch Lifetime while the three women in the house hated it because it always seemed to portray women as helpless victims and men as mean monsters.

Brenda V.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Actually, initially men were the ones who knit, historically, rather than women. (In order to become a guild master men had to do incredibly intricate work).

One could say that knitting for example (in the western European world anyway) was a masculine pursuit which has become feminized, rather than the other way around!

 

[livnlern]

Oh my goodness is this a serious question?!

OF COURSE IT’S NOT WRONG!!

The feminization of men has NOTHING to do with hobbies.

I drink tea, love arts and crafts, do the laundry, clean dishes, and do many other things that may be considered feminine-but I know I’m a man, (and more importantly, a gentlemen) and it has nothing to do with my hobbies or tastes.

I’m sorry if this sounds a bit mean. I just think people need to relax a bit and stop worrying if lovely and beautiful hobbies-like knitting-are wrong.

Knit away brother! Knit away!

You go guy!
Why shouldn’t men like to make things with their hands? And why shouldn’t women do some carpentry work if they’re interested in it? It’s wonderful to make something out of practically nothing and to be creative. My husband is a very macho guy and loves to cook and has an eye for decorating our house. I have no problem with it.
And I find knitting to be very soothing while watching tv. It keeps me from snacking at the same time!

 

[JRKH]

My Wife’s Dad was a furrier. He could do it all from buying the furs to fitting, cutting, sewing, the whole nine yards.

She use to tell the story about when she was a teenager. Her boyfriend and his friend came over to the house and there sat her dad at the sewing machine with fabric all over the dining room table. The friend, Larry, looked at her dad and with eyes like saucers asked in an astonished voice, "Mr Kuhlman, “What are you doing”.
Her dad replied, “I’m making Karol a skirt”.
Larry replied astonished and emphasis, "Honest to Gawd??? Honest to Gawd??

I also knew an former sailor who could to “Tatting” that was just beautiful. Said he learned it in the navy.

Peace
James

 

[Rascalking]

You go guy!
Why shouldn’t men like to make things with their hands? And why shouldn’t women do some carpentry work if they’re interested in it? It’s wonderful to make something out of practically nothing and to be creative. My husband is a very macho guy and loves to cook and has an eye for decorating our house. I have no problem with it.
And I find knitting to be very soothing while watching tv. It keeps me from snacking at the same time!

Thank you!

I love to paint little ceramic houses that they sell around Christmas time. It’s so relaxing, I’ve done it for years. Sadly, and this breaks my heart-Wal Mart doesn’t sell them for 2.96 anymore, and Michaels craft store (that super cool chain store) hides them!

 

[Rascalking]

Boy, do I need you and my husband to talk! hehehe

I think you taking up knitting is such a romantic gesture!! Your wife is a lucky lady!!

I don’t see a man taking up knitting as any more weird than a woman who likes to make furniture or work on cars. Good for you, man!

Thank you much, my dear, but I am single. I’m keeping this post just incase!

 

[CB_Catholic]

I used to belong to an Embroidery Club, and the best needleworker of all of them was a man. He did exquisite work and won many awards for his work. My friend’s husband took up crosstitch for relaxation, and he is so precise that you could frame the back of his work, it’s so neat. My DH used to help me cut out patchwork for quilts–he was so precise in his cutting. He also does a lot of cooking and laundry and helps with the cleaning. In fact, he chooses the appliances we have because he uses them so much.

I have a female cousin who is a blacksmith (not a farrier) who does beautiful metalwork. She has her own forge and her pieces are on display in museums and she was on HGTV. That is how she makes her living. She has done work for celebrities and movie sets. It all started when she took a welding course, normally what we would think of as a male pursuit, and her business developed from that. Forging metal is pretty heavy work.

I don’t think it is about what sex you are, it’s about your abilities and interests. If God gives you talents, you should use them. So let the man knit away!