Would you knit at church, temple or mosque?

[Jyotsna]

Hi mamas,

I'm curious to know if you mamas would knit while you are at church, temple or mosque? I took my knitting with me to temple last night (we listen to live musicians, sing along, and listen to speakers). Several people were interested to know what I was doing. When the program started, I continued to knit, but noticed that others were still curious about what I was doing. I stopped for bhajans (songs) and prayers.

Would you do it?

[michelleklu]

No, I'm pretty sure the people at my church (Roman Catholic) would view it as disrespectful since I'm not devoting my full attention to God. When I was in Catholic elementary school, my friends and I got in trouble for braiding our hair during Mass. Also, the parents I know wouldn't let their kids bring their Nintendos in so we wouldn't do the knitting thing either.

[soxthecatrules]

I think it all depends on the tone of the service. If its our normal Sunday morning service, absolutely not. If its a casual family night w/praise and worship, some speaking, then yes. You could always bring something along with you and judge the situation and then decide. That way you're covered both ways.

[E.V. Lowi]

No, I wouldn't.

[dawningmama]

When we regularly attended UU services, there was yarnworking going on all over the place. I also knit in meetings at work. I find having something to do with my hands actually helps me pay more attention to the goings on. Of course, UU fellowship is pretty casual, our small group in particular!

If I felt like it was distracting to others, I would probably stop or sit alone in the back.

[Think of Winter]

Not at my Catholic church.

Now I really want to try our local UU church, though! (Like I could knit and try to keep my 2 and 5 yr old quiet, though.)

[4evermom]

Wouldn't dream of it (another Catholic perspective) though I can see it might be acceptable in other types of churches.

[Magelet]

I will do it almost anywhere, but not in temple. It feels disrespectful to me. I also like to have my 100% attention on G-d, whereas in daily life, 99% attention on whats going on is usually good enough, since I can knit say a scarf without looking at it, and if its a very simple pattern, I don't really need to think much about it, or spinning for example. But it does require some thinking about. Honestly, its not even so much a matter of should and more a matter of can. My attention is so much on praying and listening to the service and thinking about G-d that I just couldn't manage to knit at the same time, despite it needing very little attention. It would be distracting to me.

[Mirta]

I'm Catholic, and my friend brings her knitting to church because her husband is in the chorus and needs to be there really early to practice before Mass, so she knits then, but she doesn't knit during the actually Mass.

[Ruthla]

I don't, because I'm generally only in shul on Shabbos and Yom Tov (holidays) when there are various restrictions on work, knitting/crocheting being among them. Even on the rare occasions when I'm in shul on a day that knitting is allowed (for example: Purim is coming up and there are no work restrictions that day) I'm just too busy- on Purim it will be too crowded to knit, I'll want to hold the Megilla (Book of Esther) and the grogger (noisemaker to drown out Haman's name) and any spare pieces of my costume. (Then again, as Grandma from the Red Riding Hood story, knitting could be part of the costume... )

[grniys]

Originally Posted by Magelet

I will do it almost anywhere, but not in temple. It feels disrespectful to me. I also like to have my 100% attention on G-d, whereas in daily life, 99% attention on whats going on is usually good enough, since I can knit say a scarf without looking at it, and if its a very simple pattern, I don't really need to think much about it, or spinning for example. But it does require some thinking about. Honestly, its not even so much a matter of should and more a matter of can. My attention is so much on praying and listening to the service and thinking about G-d that I just couldn't manage to knit at the same time, despite it needing very little attention. It would be distracting to me.

That's how I feel, too.

[jjawm]

I knit during Sunday School, but not the service.

[sewchris2642]

No. My focus is on God and on worshiping him during services. Now on fellowship get togethers is another matter. That is focused on each other and I have crocheted, done hand sewing, counted cross stitch or quilted during those times.

Chris

[Jyotsna]

Thanks for your responses. I'm almost curious to see if anyone else brings hand work to temple this weekend. We have two parts of our service. One is called Arti, and it is all prayer (singing memorized songs) and actively worshipping god. This is the final part. I didn't knit during Arti, and would not.

The first part is when the children are in their Sunday school programs and the adults are singing songs. The program has prayers meshed throughout the songs. But anyone can get up and move around, check on the childrens classes, (and lots of volunteer activities are going on at this time). Most of the mothers of young children sit in the back and talk, and tend to their children. This is the time I'm talking about. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear.

[notjustmamie]

Here is another thread with a similar topic from the Spirituality forum.

As I posted there, I probably wouldn't crochet in church, not so much because it would distract me as it would likely be a distraction to others. I agree with PP who mentioned other services. If the focus was more a social gathering than gathering to worship God, I would feel comfortable doing whatever, but Sunday morning services where the focus is worship and teaching, no.

Now, I've visited other churches where the atmosphere would be completely conducive to crafting during the service, so it really depends on where you go.

[kay4]

Originally Posted by Magelet

I will do it almost anywhere, but not in temple. It feels disrespectful to me. I also like to have my 100% attention on G-d, whereas in daily life, 99% attention on whats going on is usually good enough, since I can knit say a scarf without looking at it, and if its a very simple pattern, I don't really need to think much about it, or spinning for example. But it does require some thinking about. Honestly, its not even so much a matter of should and more a matter of can. My attention is so much on praying and listening to the service and thinking about G-d that I just couldn't manage to knit at the same time, despite it needing very little attention. It would be distracting to me.

Ditto this!

[shepardsfleece]

No, I wouldnt take my knitting to church. I may be a knitting feind, but at church I only have one thing on my mind!

[kimiij]

No. I wouldn't do that for many of the same reasons pp have already stated. I see a church service as a time to participate in individual and communal worship. If I were doing other activities at the same time, it would kind of diminish my intentionality about my own participation.

[wombatclay]

Unitarian here... I knit during services and it's pretty common in my community to do handwork during the sermon. I get the feeling it isn't uncommon in UU churches though. In some there are even organized programs for donating items knitted during the service (like "this month" everyone knits afghan squares and later someone makes up/donates the blanket, or everyone knits NICU hats, or scarves for the shelter, or whatever).

But I think a lot depends on your community and on "why" you're there. Different religions use their gatherings for different purposes...

[~Megan~]

Lots of people knit at the church we've been attending. I would be it's hard for me to do because I usually have baby in a carrier.