Church and crochet

[tmpinsnty]

if i go to church this weekend would it be bad form to crochet during the sermon?

[vonnie]

I personally wouldn't have a problem with it, but I am sure that others might think it is not respectful....

[Amy]

I think it would depend on the individual church.

 

My church is pretty informal, but I still don't crochet during the actual church service. I do crochet during Sunday School (teacher's a very good friend of mine, his wife also crochets, and we're all good friends so they understand me!), church council meetings, and pretty much any church meeting I have to attend. Of course, I also put down my work when I feel it is appropriate.

 

I don't think my pastor would care at all if I were to crochet during her sermons, and most members probably wouldn't care. But I know it would bother my dh deeply. So out of respect for him I won't crochet during the service itself.

 

If it was my first time attending a church, I don't think I'd take my crochet with me. I'd wait to attend a time or two and get a feel for what the church and its people are like.

[jamielynn1985]

I actually did this once but not to actual church service but to VBS with my daughter (I chose to stay because she wasn't comfortable being left) We were guests of my landlord so I hadn't been to this church before but I thought I was just gonna be sitting there waiting for it to be over so I may as well do something. Some of the adults thought it was cool and commented on what I was making but some people looked like they were disgusted by it. Like the other said I think it depends on the church. The churches I grew up at wouldn't have had a problem but where I've moved to now, they seem a little stuck up and hoydy-toydy. I wouldn't crochet when special speakers are speaking or during prayer times and I wouldn't do something that involved looking at a pattern. To me, you don't have to see the person speaking to hear the word.

[FrLopLady]

I've seen it in a local church, but it was one with a prayer shawl ministry. I crochet during any meetings I go to, but I don't in church though as with Amy, the only one that would probably mind is my hubby, but I'm not even sure he would mind if it was a prayer shawl I was working on.

In meetings I do not crochet during prayer time (funny I'm usually working on a prayer shawl lol), but any other time is free fingers flying!

 

edit: you know you might (and I might here too) ask the pastor if he/she cares???!

[Peggy85225]

I don't think it would be appropriate.

[Granny Square]

I wouldn't; some might see your flying fingers and yarn yanking as distracting. I know some that view it on the same level as texting or playing an electronic hand-held game.

[tmpinsnty]

Well we won't be g,oing as we will be at gran's. I thank you for your thoughts though. A

[ReniC]

It would not bother me as long as there was not any noise. One thing you might do is ask your pastor how he/she feels about it.

[curlysue]

I wouldn't crochet in church, but I've thought about it. I do crochet in meetings for a club (not church related) I belong to.

 

I think in general, some people are offended when you do needlework in their presence, as they think they aren't getting your full attention. My friend's new dh got a bad first impression of me....he said my doing needlework as we visited reminded him of his ex wife....he took a negative view of it.

 

I feel empty handed sometimes if my hands aren't busy.

[HomekeepingGran]

I do not do handcrafts at church. My time there is about Him, not me or my handcrafts.

 

Just a quick observation: on a knitting forum this identical topic came up and soon became a huge, heated argument.

[RoseRed]

my first reaction was - yes, very bad form.

[Titus2woman]

I know that some people (especially boys) actually listen and absorb better while doing something. Crocheting something you need a pattern for would DEFINITELY not be appropriate, but I would love for it to be acceptable to crochet mindlessly while listening to the sermon. Our last Pastor would have been very, VERY offended if I had done that. I'm sure there are some who would think it's fine, but I'm guessing not many. (((((HUGS))))) sandi

[angelsmith52]

Well, my husband is a preacher and I asked him how he would feel about me crocheting while he preached. He said he wouldn't like it because of what others would think. Like I wasn't paying attention. But I think it would depend on the church and the people. We don't go to church with stuck up people but I think they would not like it if I crocheted. Now, I do take crochet to church on just about any other occasion! I had to take the kids to play practice and each night, I took my crochet and worked on it. I even got a couple of orders while sitting there. Just use your best judgment is all I can say.

[tnkycrochetnut]

I crochet in church usually during the sermon and any announcements . Whenever we are praying or singing or reading from the Bible I concentrate on that. My hubby and I sit in the last pew in church so I feel I am not distracting anyone. Plus crocheting while I am listening to the sermon keeps me from falling asleep. I find falling asleep very embarrassing.

 

What I have been taking to church to crochet on is potholders. I found the pattern here in Crochetville. It's the one that looks like a rectangle bag but than you fold it so the seam is in the middle and it forms a square. I try to take only something that I can crochet without thinking about what I am crocheting or having to count stitches. Also something that the only supplies I need to carry with me is the yarn (only 1 skein or less) crochet hook, and something to cut the yarn if needed. I also take this with me to doctor's appointments or any other place that I may be sitting and waiting for any reason.

 

I do like the suggestion others have made in asking the pastor first. In my case at my church the pastor is a friend and former co-worker of my hubby. We knew him as a friend before we joined his church. The church is in some ways is very informal. They are also not particular about what you wear to church. They just like for you to attend church and worship God.

[ratdog]

IMO Yes, it would be a big problem.

Church is for worship not leisure activities.

 

 

ETA: I go to a Catholic Church. It is certainly not permissible at the Celebration of the Mass to be doing anything other than fully participating in the Sacrament.

[LI Roe]

I personally would not crochet in church during any sermon, what is next, a wedding ceremony or baptism, communion or confirmation. To me, that is saying, I am here because I have to be, not because I want to be. It is only an hour or less once a week. But this is my opinion.

 

I do take my crochet to other places where I have to wait but not taking away from what is going on.

[grandmalolly]

I guess my question is why do you feel a need to crochet in church?

[eurolyons]

I don't crochet during sermons or services, but I do occasionally take crocheting with my to bible study...but as I get older, it's getting harder to divide my attention...in our bible study we are reading along while someone is reading alone...if I could just listen, it wouldn't be a problem and I'd crochet to my heart's content...

 

I don't mind if someone else would be crocheting or knitting during a service...but no one in my church does that.

 

If I ever really felt the desire to crochet in church, I'd probably talk to my priest first...

 

While crocheting (and knitting) are wonderful in that you can take them anywhere, at the same time, just because you can, doesn't always mean it's appropriate. The one rule I have about taking crocheting with me to most places is whether or not it's mindless crocheting...if I'm working on something that truly demands my full attention, then I don't take it with me...I look for a project that I can do in my sleep so to speak, so that my attention can be split...

[brendaKbrown]

I have crocheted in church for years. I keep it small and nothing that requires a lot of attention and looking at a pattern. I decided years ago that I would and could do this only if it was something that I wasn't selling. I just felt that it was wrong to make something in church that I would turn around and sell for a profit.

[RusticOkie]

Personally I don't think it's appropriate. I am a huge fan of taking my crochet with me most anywhere I go so that I'll have something to work on if I have downtime. However, I don't consider church downtime. I think it would keep me from paying full attention and even if it didn't it would give off the impression that I wasn't paying attention. Or wasn't interested enough in what was being said to put my own things aside. It's not worth offending anyone just to fit in that extra hour.

[Red67]

I would encourage you to listen to the sermon and take joy in it...after a long week..Church can be so comforting and a moment to take time and think how wonderful Life is....Blessings to you for a Happy New Year

 

(How about crocheting on the way home in the car from church )

[Miss Crochet]

An interesting question. From a European perspective, it would be very unusual as most people that attend church over here belong to one of the larger denominations that follow a set formal rite (there would be no guest speakers or extended sermons or Sunday school or whatnot), so crocheting would definitely be frowned upon in this context.

 

Someone asked why you would want to crochet in church. Actually, that's an interesting question. Were I to attend a service that included a long sermon, I would definitely want to crochet. Not for the sake of crocheting, but rather to process the information better. I've discovered in the last decade that I can't process information through acoustic channels very well - I can't grasp stuff I hear. I have to see it written down or engage in some physical activity to process it. This wasn't a problem at school because I wrote everything down (still do in meetings). I never looked at my notes again, because the process of writing them helped the information stick. Some rhythmic physical activity, such as crocheting, helps my brain focus on the information coming in through my ears.

 

Basically a church sermon or lecture or any lengthy speech would be next to impossible for me to take in without something like writing or crocheting (or, to my mother's distress, fidgeting.) But crocheting or knitting is church still looks disrespectful, as though the listener were focussed on something else, IMO.

[darski]

I belonged to a church that did an hour if standing and singing praise choruses. Well there are two things I can't do and they are stand and sing.

 

So while they were doing that I would knit or crochet and pray. it is my habit that when I pick up my hooks or needles I pray.

 

I would never crochet through a sermon or prayer times.

[CrochettingMama]

I would not crochet during any part of a church service.