crochet etiquette

[sfgwife]

IMO what is the difference from taking notes to stay awake than taking crochet to stay awake. I know some may not agree but you are there for the sermon and if that is what it takes then go for it. If you fall asleep what do you get out of it? NADA! I do like the idea of doing something for charity though. Even if it was bookmarks for the church to hand out to newcomers. How nice would that be when going to a new church. Now they do give lots of goodies at some place when you go for the first time with the paper to fill out saying you were there. Nikki

[crochetmama]

Boy oh boy have I often been tempted to take my crocheting to church service! I'm a 3rd-4th grade Sunday School teacher and even though I know I could still pay attention to the message (and stay alert too), there are all those little eyes that watch and see everything , and I wouldn't want to distract others. And, to tell you the truth, I'd probably be so self-conscious, I'm sure I'd mess up whatever I was working on anyway! So I leave it at home.

 

Like others have suggested, I take notes. (Actually note-taking is encouraged in our church, God bless 'em!) If that doesn't work, try looking up all the Scripture verses your pastor/priest/clergy person uses! That'll keep you going!

[jacqui]

I have to agree, church is the one place I don't think you should crochet. And on a personal level, I teach (college-level) and if I looked out and saw someone crocheting or knitting instead of taking notes or listening to me, I'd probably ask them (during break or after class) to not do that. What's the difference between that and reading the newspaper or taking a cell phone call? I need to have you listening to me and taking notes, and I work darn hard at not being boring. Yea, I crochet patterns I don't have to pay attention to either, but even the appearance of not paying attention is distracting and rude, to me and th eother people in class or in the congregation. Heck, it's not easy getting up there in front of 200 or 300 (or in church, more!) people, don't make it harder on me! Patty

I was taught that this is rude for the above reasons. Personally as it is your church, ask your pastor what his view is and if it offends him stop.He is the one doing the talking so his opinion would be the only one i think would count in this situation.

[Mint]

I don't think it is necessarily rude, it just depends on the situation.

 

I know there are proffessors that would kill me if I did it in class, but most are ok with it when I ask them about it before hand. My problem is that I simply cannot focus if I'm not doing something. Some classes there is enough note-taking to keep me focused, but if not I usually end up day-dreaming or doodling (and paying NO attention whatsoever). Unfortunately doodling is something I can do in class, but consumes all my attention!

 

Not so with crochet. If I bring a simple crochet project I can always pause and take notes, watch what is being written on the board, and ask questions. Not only do I stay focused, I feel more motivated to ask/answer questions to prove I'm paying attention. Of course, when I do crochet I sit in the back to avoid distracting other students.

 

So I would ask first and also explain why doing it would help you focus.

[eyenowhour]

And on a personal level, I teach (college-level) and if I looked out and saw someone crocheting or knitting instead of taking notes or listening to me, I'd probably ask them (during break or after class) to not do that. What's the difference between that and reading the newspaper or taking a cell phone call? I need to have you listening to me and taking notes, and I work darn hard at not being boring. Yea, I crochet patterns I don't have to pay attention to either, but even the appearance of not paying attention is distracting and rude, to me and th eother people in class or in the congregation. Heck, it's not easy getting up there in front of 200 or 300 (or in church, more!) people, don't make it harder on me! Patty

 

I know someone who "learned" how to crochet during class. Basically all the other girls were doing it, so they taught each other. I never dreamed about crocheting during class. i was usually too busy writing down notes. I do remember people watching movies on their laptops and thinking how distracting that was to me. I do, however, crochet while talking on the phone and no one's ever noticed.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I wouldn't crochet at church, either. It seems disrespectful. My grandma is one who falls asleep almost anytime she is sitting, including during church; she may fall asleep during church, but she is always there at least. She does her best, but sometimes she does doze off. I am sure that God doesn't hold it against her, and no one else does, either.

 

Maybe if your church is the kind that would accept it, then maybe you could get away with it, but I still don't think it is right. If you were taking notes during church, at least you would be reinforcing the week's message.

 

Maybe you should talk to your priest/pastor about it.

 

Also, I used to teach at a university, and I would never, ever, ever let a student get away with crocheting during class. I would be offended, and I would interupt class to tell the student to put it away, get out a writing utensil, and take notes. I have had to do that to tell students to turn off cell phones or to stop messing around on the computers. I think it is disrespectful.

 

Nicole

[pb&j]

I wouldn't feel comfortable crocheting in church. It doesn't seem like the right place for it. However, I do understand your dilemna, I get bored just sitting for an hour too. I usually doodle discreetly on the program. It does seem to help me pay attention and not start thinking about other things or what time it is. Hmm...I seem to remember doing the same thing during high school math too!

[kittin1982]

i understand your feelings about how sleepy you get at church.....but if you are at a more liberal church, like the one that i attend or the one that one of my former pastors started, you could probably get away with it. but my thoughts are that if you go to a very conservative church, you probably wouldn't want to crochet during the sermon. I would talk to you minister/priest to see what their thoughts are. make sure you let him or her know that you truly enjoy what they are talking about and that you learn better when you are focused. good luck!

[donnalynn2]

Just another suggestion. As I posted earlier, I, too, tend to doze off, no matter how exciting the message is. It's Sunday, my only day of the week off, I'm tired and want to go back to bed! Anyway, I always bring my Bible and if I start to get a little drozy I'll start reading. I usually read and re-read the scriptures that are being studied, but sometimes I'll go elsewhere in the Bible. I try to remind myself that God does deserve my respect while I'm in His house.

 

Again, this is a personal opinion and if your pastor doesn't mind and IF (a big IF) it doesn't distract others from listening then do it. The worst thing you could do is to distract others from the teaching...

[Sabra]

No way could I crochet during a church service. I'm Episcopalian; we do pew calisthenics. The longest we're in any one position is during the sermon, and I am always too busy listening to the priest to even think about doing anything else. But our sermons don't get too long; any priest trying to talk longer than ten minutes would probably have coffee cups thrown at him.

 

In all honesty, I couldn't stay at a church where I frequently found myself falling asleep during services! Not that that's what you asked, of course.

 

I do not think it is appropriate in general, though I do know one lady who has said that it is the common/accepted thing for women at her church to take out their handiwork during the 'teaching' part of the service.

[DesertCrocheter]

Sabra, that's hilarious! Pew calisthenics! I'm Catholic, and we have those, too! I never thought of the service's progression as a way to make sure no one falls asleep. At the end of Easter mass two weeks ago the priest said "See? For all you who don't frequent mass except on holidays, here it is Easter and we have lots of visitors and we'll still out in one hour." Gotta love a minister with a sense of humor! Patty

[Stacy25]

I'll send you one of my kids, then you won't fall asleep during church! LoL

I've never seen anyone doing it, and I personally wouldn't either, but if you think it will help you stay awake, then go for it. I think it's more rude to look over and see someone whose head is bobbing and snoring, rather than paying attention and mindlessly working on something with their hands.

[pinknightmare]

I'll send you one of my kids, then you won't fall asleep during church! LoL

I've never seen anyone doing it, and I personally wouldn't either, but if you think it will help you stay awake, then go for it. I think it's more rude to look over and see someone whose head is bobbing and snoring, rather than paying attention and mindlessly working on something with their hands.

haha, thanks for the offer but i have my own 2 preschool age boys to chase:) they are usually in sunday school, so maybe i just get a chance to relax and bam..... sleep takes over. haha. but seriously i have had this problem my whole life. i am not narcoleptic or anything, and it isn't just church either, any sort of long lecture type of setting, i either daydream or fall asleep. i try taking notes and then i doodle and then my pen goes off the page and im asleep again, bobbing my head up and down. sadly i would probably get more out of a a message on tape or tv, while crocheting or something than actually attending the event. but then, i wouldn't be "going to church" so. i am just trying to find a way to stay awake:) thank you all for your suggestions.

[Stacy25]

LoL Yes, one of mine goes to Sunday school, but the other is only 1, so she's not quite old enough.

Silly question, but have you tried standing for mass? The layout of our church is very open, and I often have to stand at the back during mass because my daughter screams and cries when I sit.

[funkyreporter]

Well, this has been a fun read through the last four pages, and I've learned some things and have some things to share though I am not one who attends church.

 

1) Ah Leah, you should NOT be learning to knit in your college classes - I am not paying tuition for you to learn to knit! (even though I call you every day during Spanish class) I know you say the teachers don't mind, but apparently, from the responses of the teachers here, they do mind!

 

2) Courtrooms are not good places to crochet, especially on the front row of the grand jury making a production out of pulling more bright pink fur yarn out - ruins it for the inconspicuous crocheters in the back row.

 

3) If your church is so sedintary that you need to crochet to avoid falling asleep... well, I don't know what to say.

 

I liked the 'pew-calisthenics' reference - THAT was funny! I think that's what I liked about the Lutheran church that I attended for a bit, the stand/sit/kneel aspect of it - though I did attend a Pentacostal church with my ex-hubby and that was wild, very charismatic - and yet there was always this man, I think he was part of the youth ministry, and he would sleep and snore so loud every time I was there - and he always seemed to be near me!...