FAQs while KIP

I do most of my knitting and crocheting in public because I have other things to do when I get home. It serves as a sort of ice breaker because people who otherwise don’t have one word to say to me use it to strike up conversations. Here’s a list of frequently asked questions and comments that people make when they encounter me engaging in my craft. My actual and imaginary responses are in brackets.

-Is that knitting or crochet? What’s the difference? [If I’m knitting I pull out a hook or vice versa.]
-What are you making? How long will it take? [Answers vary.]
-What can you make? [Hats, scarves, sweaters, ponchos, muzzles…]
-Why don’t you make stuff to sell? [Because most people are not willing to pay for the labor involved in making something. If I’m lucky I’ll barely recoup the cost of materials.]
-My aunt/grandmother used to do that. I still have the quilt she made me. [Is that right? She probably made you an afghan. Quilts are sewn.]
-I used to know how to crochet/knit when I was little, but I forgot how. [It’s not hard to pick it back up.]
-I didn’t know people still did that! [Raised eyebrows.]
-I couldn’t do that. I’m so uncoordinated. [It doesn’t require as much coordination as you think.]
-You must save a lot of money. [Quite the opposite. It’s more expensive to make my own sweater than to purchase one that was machine-made in Asia from the local big box store.]
-You must be really patient. [No, actually, knitting/crocheting makes me more patient. I don’t get antsy when I have to wait around for something.]
-Aren’t you too young to be doing that? [Your question implies that only the stereotypical grandmother knits. That idea is not only tired, it’s flawed because almost all the older women who knit/crochet learned how to do so when they were little girls. As if something magical happens to a woman the moment she turns 65 and poof! suddenly she’s endowed with the skill. Give me a break.]