World Knit in Public Day

Knitters (and crocheters) come Knit in Public on Worldwide KIP Days June 9 at Swift Cantrell Park. We'll be (wool) gathering by the tables and benches between the two parking areas at noon.  If it rains, it won't needle us, we'll steek over to the pavilions so bring your yarn over and some extra needles to show a passerby how easy it is! (inc 1)

You'll purl with joy at casting on new friends who love to knit too.  Did you know there are more knitters than golfers? We can K2Tog and slip someone a new stitch.

Bring your UFOs or WIP or FPs and cable right with us!  This is not a formal group, but a one-time thing, so before you cast off, let us now you will be joining us. 

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.