Monday, March 30, 2009

Knitivism



This past Friday the students on our campus staged a knit-in event at the student union in order to raise awareness (and $$$) about the genocide in Darfur. Earlier in the week I had been a guest knitter (!!) in a Women's Studies class that was also participating in the event. Beyond selfishly wondering about whether I had finally crossed the magic threshold which would allow all my yarn to become tax-deductable seeing as I was (sort of) teaching a knitting class, I was truly inspired by the will and determination of the Knitivists.

With the exception of the excitement generated during the last election, this campus tends to be one of the lesser politically engaged ones I've been at (unless beer drinking is a political act, cuz in that case this might very well be one continual May '68 round these parts). I was raised by two rabble rousers myself and admit that as an undergrad I might have handed out leaflets for a leftie organization and picketed a few meat packing plants because a. these were interests of mine and b. I was desperately trying to hang on to a dead-end relationship with the president of the progressive student organization on campus and pathetically making sure that no other PIRG chicks were horning in on my territory. (Scott S. if you are reading this you still owe me $40 and I want all my Paul Auster novels back). So it was exciting to see this activism on campus and I am glad to say that the students are a good deal more committed than yours truly was back in the day.


Students came by and the group talked to them about Darfur and taught them to knit. I chitchatted with several of the students and enjoyed seeing so much interest in both causes. My only regret is that I didn't bring some smaller wooden needles to donate as I wonder if trying to learn on those giant aluminum needles isn't much harder than it needs to be...
Harajuku Hoop Has Arrived!
Both events were exciting. One of the joys of working on a college campus is that there are groups for every possible interest. This weekend my Harajuku Hoop arrived from Hoopnotica, and ever since I have been trying to get the hang of hooping. (Thanks Stephanie for the inspiration!) My next mission is to hook up with the campus Hoopers and really revisit my youth...


19 comments:

Pikku- Kettu said...

A hoop! I used to love those things when I was a kid. :)

Rose said...

Very cool. My youngest daughter is getting a minor in Women's Studies (I'm very excited) and has been taking an interest in crafting as activism. I'm passing this post on to her. Thanks for sharing!

gale (she shoots sheep shots) said...

I'm fascinated by the hoop website. wow. I want one , not because I was ever good at a hula hoop but I want to dance around on a high ledge in pink hairy legging things. And a bikini top! And look good doing so!
(seriously it looks fun, let us know....)

Sarah said...

It's nice to see that PSUers can get enthusiastic about something other than football, beer, and burning couches. ;-)

sophanne said...

That is awesome. I agree with you on teaching with wooden needles.

Holli said...

Knitivism = totally cool! I'm loving that!!

weezalana said...

For a sec, I thought that hoop was one of the needles they were teaching newbies to knit with (and figured, um yeah, smaller needles might have been a good idea...)!

Love that there is a campus group of hula hoopers!

Michelle O said...

I took some hooping classes a few years back and loved it! I haven't been able to make it lately because I've been busy tap dancing, but hopefully will get back in to it over the summer, when I can hoop outside, next to Lake Harriet or someplace like that. Bliss.

WonderMike said...

I need a video of you Hoopdancing... STAT!!!

And, as a new teacher of Drop Spindling, let me say how PLEASED I am to be able to expense all fiber related activities.

YawnOver said...

You are so funny. I seem to have similar memories about a certain cute progressive boy circa 1985. I may have even gotten a radical haircut, memorized the Cure catalog, and dressed in black to impress him...

But hey, I learned on needles like that. I just stuck one under my arm and knitted with the other. The severity of initiation into our cult will only make them value the experience that much more.

Beverly said...

Knitivism. I love it. I may have to incite some at my campus.

I hate when ex heart throbs keep the books I shared (loaned). I want all my books (and a few cds) back, too!

Alison said...

Oh my goodness, that Hoopnotica website is so cool... I may actually take up a form of physical fitness! How fun would that be to do with all of my girls?
I have to stop checking so many blogs, I keep finding more things that I just NEED asap...
Back to the knitting-
ali

nicole said...

Tax-deductible knitting? And doing good to boot? Perfect.

Scott S. sounds like a bit of a douche. I can let the $40 slide, but not returning your Paul Auster novels? Not cool!

tiennie said...

How cool! Now I'm going to have to check out the hoops. :)

Sonya said...

I wish I could be a professional guest knitter! What a very cool way to draw attention to a cause. Who knew there was a resurgence of hooping? (And that the hula part got dropped?) My hula hoop was red, white and blue. Very patriotic.

a friend to knit with said...

you are so cool.

Kim said...

I tease my friend that the real reason he went to all the Anti-Apartheid rallies was to meet girls.

kim said...

Ah, the hula hoop! I remember it well - sort of. My mom bought me one when I was three, which is probasbly the last time I tried one... You really do rock!

spajonas said...

yay! your hoop arrived! i can't wait to hear about your experience with the hoop group.