boys crocheting

[miki421]

I thought that I was going to have the chance to teach an eight year old boy how to crochet. He's very interested in it and is always asking questions. So i asked him if he wanted to learn and he said yes, so I said ask your mom if it's ok and she said yes but guess what his dad said no. He told the boy's mother his son was not going to crochet.

I was disapponted i was looking forward to it. I guess like most men his dad thinks it's a girl thing. Too bad.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

OMG that's horrible my hubby probably won't ever try but if he ever told the boys they couldn't That really irritates me , it's not gonna make him anything he's not allready. That's just oh :irked :mad What a jerk

[threeolivemartini]

you know .. close minded people kill me.. i will not go on a rant .. i will leave it at that..

[MarvieN]

Poor kid. What a rotten thing for the dad to say. Lots of boys crochet. There was an article in one of the magazines about some boys at a home for troubled kids who crochet to help them deal with things like anger, cravings etc. They give most of what they make to local nursing homes and such. One of the blogs I read talks about her son who crochets, I've taught my 10 yo to crochet too. I wonder if that father would refuse to let his daughter learn to rebuild a car engine if she wanted to learn that? I mean, after all, that's a "guy" thing.... ugh. I'll shut up now...

[Ambersafghans]

I definetly understand why the father wouldn't let him crochet. But, I taught my brothers to crochet. Andrew is the only one who really does it but that was mainly to do Christmas gifts. He does some things for Charity now but Dad doesn't want him to be consumed with it (Which he isn't right now) And I perfectly understand why. It is mainly a girl thing. (And being an auto machanic manily a boy thing)

But I don't think it's bad to know a little bit about it anyway.

If you want to see something that Andrew did mainly by himself ( I helped him attach the squares) Check this out.

Amber

[Mom w/a Motif]

Ggrrrr....:mad

 

My twelve-year old son crochets. He has made two dishcloths, and three GBA cases, one for his 11-year old friend, who asked him to make him one! All my boys "try" to crochet, even the two year old. Their dad doesn't say anything about it. (Except, "You're not going to sit around and crochet all day, take out the garbage!":) ) I don't understand his father not wanting him to crochet; but maybe some day this boy will do it "on his own".

 

"close-minded people kill me"

Me, too.

 

Tina

 

timelesscreations.blogspot.com

[MommaChelle]

That's so sad! My husband has crocheted (helped me crochet a blanket - ok, tried to help me lol - ) when we first got together, and I tried to teach my stepson a while back also. I think its great if boys want to learn to crochet!

[wrenlover]

Sorry if I am about to step on a toe or two. My apologies in advance.

I am not believing what I am reading:thinking2 . Since when is crocheting only a girl thing? My daughter is signed up for car mechanics class for her junior and senior years in high school.

Woman have smaller hands and make "Great" mechanics cause their hands can fit into those tight places. She also flies Model airplanes and loves cars (shes still very much a girley girl). In my opinion we all should be allowed to try anything we find interesting. We have enough to do in life that isn't't so fun and interesting. Live a little.

I am stepping Off my soapbox now.

 

Lisa

[Stacey]

While I can understand that his dad might get concerned that the boy would be picked on by other boys, I think it should be up to the kid. It's a hobby. It's not harmful, and it's educational. What's the big deal?

 

BTW, I crochet *and* I'm an ASE-certified mechanic (used to do it for a living, but injured my back a while back--not while working on a car, though--and can't do it for a living anymore). Working on cars didn't make me any less feminine, any more than doing crochet would make this boy turn "girly".

[miki421]

I thought that it was a very chauvanistic thing for him to say but it's his decision. I just feel kind of sad because the little boy is really interested and really wants to learn how to crochet. Oh well that's life. Thanks for all of your support.

[threeolivemartini]

you know what.. i am not gonna hold back.. i dont feel ANYTHING should be categorized into "BOY" or "GIRL" things..

 

i wouldnt know half the things i do if those kind of ideas where perpetuated in my family and I am so thankful they were NOT! My Grandfather was thought to be very forward thinking to "let" me work in his wood shop when i was young.. this is what his friends though because it was a "boy" thing to do.. that kind of mentality should have left with high button shoes and corset as far as I am concerned and its the main reason we have so much bias and hate in this world ..

 

i truly believe its that kind of thinking that leads to very detrimental things later...

 

this is why there are people that hunt down and hurt others becuase they do "girl" or "boy" things when they are the opposite gender.. it pisses me off to no END! its wrong.. its so very wrong..

 

I would like to see what happens to the first person that accuses SP of not being manly because he knits.. he is an army special forces green beret... knitting to me does not make him less manly as a matter of fact i think it makes him more so to do it and not care what others think...

 

*breathing*.. couldnt jsut sit here and not have a response to what i was reading..

[miki421]

You know three olive martini, I agree with you. It is wrong to teach him to be a sexist. It's a close minded thing to do. It's not like he was hurting anyone or himself. I consider crochet to be an art form. Anyone should be able to do it without feeling labeled. This is the 21st century, right?

[Empress Busy Bee]

i truly believe its that kind of thinking that leads to very detrimental things later...

 

I agree with that.

My son had a doll when he was two and he only played with it for a year at most. He learned to chain stitch when he was about 10 or so. He's quite grown up now and I believe he's a better person for trying things and being exposed to lots of different ideas.

 

Maybe you should show that boy's dad these links:

 

Crocheting men:

 

groups.yahoo.com/group/menwhocrochet/

 

www.crochet.org/newslet/nl1296a.html

 

www.purethoughts.net/crochet.htm

 

Knitting men:

 

knitting.about.com/librar...020600.htm

 

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6913654

 

www.gaiser.org/menwhoknit/

[Stacey]

Didn't some famous football player do needlepoint? Rosie Greer, maybe?

[memflag]

Bof my boys crochet, well they are learning to at any rate. They are only 6 and 8. They both also do counted cross stitch and plastic canvas.

 

When I was doing the Memorial Flag Project, some of my best cross stitchers were men and ALL of them were retired military. Usually Vietnam Vets or special forces.

 

My Father taught me how to fix cars and build models and fish. I used to play GI Joe with my brothers figurines and my Barbies. My oldest son actually has a Cabbage Patch Doll that he used to carry around that he named "Mr. Cabbage". That doll went with him to pre-school and kindergarten.

 

I don't mean to babble, but men like that wouldn't see the forest for the trees. Personally, I think it should be up to the kid about something like that and not the Dad.

 

Comments like that just burn my britches!!!! :mad

 

Elizabeth

[Empress Busy Bee]

Yes he did.

[Stacey]

You know, I was thinking about this while I was working this afternoon, and I remembered a conversation I had with a friend (a man, who's very skilled at spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, tatting, etc) a few years ago. We were talking about crafts that are generally considered to be "women's work". He mentioned that when he was growing up, nearly all the older men in his family would knit in the evenings.

 

Something I just found: A Rich History of Global Knitting Traditions

A quote from that page:

In Peru and Bolivia, knitting is primarily men's work.

 

Just goes to show that even traditional "rules" about what's "women's work" and what's "men's work" vary from place to place and over time.

[wrenlover]

I believe ladies that Rosie Greer was a Knitter. He may very well have done needlepoint, but knitting was what he did to relax. I bet that father would not have told Rosie he should'nt knit.

 

Lisa

[wrenlover]

Hey,

 

I just did a search of celebrity knitters and Russell Crowe is a knitter. HELLO Ladies he can come and knit with me anytime.

I don't even knit. Good reason to start I suppose!:woohoo :woohoo :woohoo

 

Lisa

[wrenlover]

There is even a picture of Russell crowe here, Check it out!

 

www.worldknit.com/celebrityknitters.html

 

 

Lisa

[mythunderbird]

OMG, i can not believe what i am reading. i disagree amber, crochet is a art form, not a boy/girl thing. who says that boys can't crochet or do other things. i believe that crochet actually started out as a"manyly"thing. the irish sailors did it to pass the time and also to help with the ships running(knots and sails ect.) please rethink your statement. maybe it is the way you are being raised and thats fine,. but i DO NOT AGREE, sorry thats how i feel. if people would be less ignorant about the arts, we would have a much bigger following. that father by denying his son the chance to learn is robbing him of a wonderful outlet for stress and anger. my cousin who is a firefighter for heavens sake, has asked me to teach him to crochet and he is doing fine with it. and his buddys at the firehouse all think it is great. in fact they want me to come and teach them, which i will as soon as my schedule allows. poor little boy. maybe mama should just teach him anyways. i would!!!!!:mad :mad :mad :mad :mad vicki

[RebeccaVelasquez]

i think that's just too bad. my son is working on leearning to knit and crochet. he's 7. i fully intend to teach my younger 2 sons, as well as my daughter! hubby has tried off and on as well. i think it's great!

 

hey, ken, where are you? join the crusade :sb

[Ambersafghans]

I don't know who it was, maybe already been mentioned but there was a football player who knitted. And for some reason () no one made fun of him. :)

But I can understand why his Dad might feel that way and frankly, he has veto power as head of the home. Which his son will one day be. This seems to be a hot issue. I don't think it was ment to be. But I don't think we should be judging this Dad at all. For whatever reason he's made the decision for his son, I asume with his best interest in mind.

So Sorry for the disappointment, (Oh I forgot who started this thread. Sorry) Maybe later in life if he is still interested he will come back to you.

 

 

 

Amber

[Crochet Dreamer]

You know its funny because my grandson just called me this morning and asked me if I would teach him to crochet so that he can make his own hats and wrist bands. I told him that I would love to teach him how to crochet. All of my grandkids want to learn how to crochet and there are 9 of them. 5 girls and 4 boys and they all want to learn how, even the boys. I'll teach them all how to do it because I think its a great hobby and craft for all to learn. And very enjoyable watching things take shape. They all are very excited about learning to crochet and I will be teaching them during Easter break. They all have a week off from school. And they all want to stay at Grandma's house :eek2 But I love them all.:)h

Debi )

[threeolivemartini]

he has veto power as head of the home

 

this is the type of mentality that seriously kills me... i feel parents should encourage their children in WHATEVER interests they may have .. if i aboy wants to sew and be a designer let him .. if a girl wants to work on cars more power to her !

 

 

i am certainly glad my parents encouraged me to do what i wanted and to learn new things and to think for myself...

 

we had a deal in our house if we were serious enough to want to do something .. we had to stick to it for at least 6 months.. we couldnt quit .. until the 6 months were up.. that made us think hard about what we may or may not want to do and it also taught us about commiting to and sticking to somehting.. my parents ran our household as a partenership not a dictatorship.. and i am so glad for it... we grew up thinking we could do anything we wanted to .. and you know what.. I CAN! and its because my parents were supportive.. and didnt shut down our desire to learn or creativity