<\/p>\n

And their thoughts on your stereotypes<\/span><\/h5>\n

Words by Kendall Wenaas<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Picture a knitter. <\/span><\/p>\n

Wait, stop\u2014if the person you see in your head is over the age of 60, that\u2019s not the knitter we\u2019re talking about. And if you\u2019re imagining a woman, we\u2019re still not on the same page.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knitting isn\u2019t only a ladies\u2019 craft. Anyone can benefit from expressing their creativity through the therapeutic outlet. It\u2019s practical. It\u2019s social. And just about anyone can do it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now there are classes, organizations, meetups and groups\u2014all dedicated to knitting\u2014especially in the Midwest. The Des Moines metro area alone has three shops: <\/span>Hill Vintage and Knits<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Knitting Next Door<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Yarn Junction Co in Valley Junction<\/span><\/a>. Des Moines residents Josh Irwin and Stephan Maras are both members of the <\/span>Des Moines Metro Knitters<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irwin, age 33, has always been interested in creative endeavors. He tried knitting when he was 19, but it took special circumstances to get him hooked. \u201cI think it was about 2006 when I was dealing with a lot of stress\u2014still trying to acclimate to a place where I didn\u2019t know many people, college was really a challenge, and work stress was tremendous.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Irwin learned firsthand about the health benefits that knitting can provide.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe repetitive nature of knitting is very calming and centering,\u201d he said. \u201c<\/span>Scientific studies<\/span><\/a> have actually shown that knitting and similar crafts are beneficial to mental, spiritual and physical health. The benefits are akin to meditation and prayer. Knitting lowers your blood pressure and can soothe anxiety and depression.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maras, age 48, was getting his masters in library science back in 2007 and wanted to reward himself. He\u2019d taught himself to knit a few years prior, and opted for professional knitting classes as his next step. Not long after, he was knitting and going to meetups every chance he got.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe meetups are great, and everyone is supportive,\u201d Maras said. \u201cThey don\u2019t care about gender.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the members of the meetup feel that way, the general public often thinks of knitting as a primarily female pastime. Yet the hobby hasn\u2019t always been gendered. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, knitting used to be <\/span>male-dominated<\/span><\/a>. Back in the 1400s, knitting guilds were exclusive groups of men who would teach apprentices how to knit. Before that, according to Arabian legend, knitting was originally invented by Arabian fishermen while they were trying to catch fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

The meetups are great, and everyone is supportive. They don\u2019t care about gender.\u201d<\/p>\n

-Stephan Maras<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Eventually, knitting machines were invented (the first one was invented by a man), and men knitted less and less. Then, sometime between then and now, it turned into a female-dominated hobby. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even still, way more men knit today than you might predict. The <\/span>Craft Yarn Council<\/span><\/a>, a trade association for knitters, estimates that 38 million people in the U.S. knit or crochet and about <\/span>2 million are men and boys<\/span><\/a>. While there aren\u2019t male knitting guilds like there once were, there is a society for male knitters\u2014<\/span>Men Who Knit<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maras knit socks (his very first project), shawls, scarves and has begun working on a sweater. Now, he said he easily spends 20 hours a week on his projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maras is a perfectionist though\u2014he\u2019ll undo an entire evening\u2019s work if he realizes it has a slight mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s called \u2018frogging\u2019 because you \u2018rip it, rip it, rip it,\u2019\u201d he joked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irwin knits regularly too, but doesn\u2019t seem to get as frustrated by mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it keeps me sane, especially when I have a bad day at work,\u201d Irwin said. \u201cSeldom does a day go by that I haven\u2019t knitted for at least an hour. If I\u2019m reading a book or watching TV, I\u2019m knitting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Irwin is currently working on a<\/span> Great American Aran Afghan<\/span><\/a>, a blanket created by knitting 20 squares, then knitting those squares together (a huge undertaking), but has knit scarves, hats, mittens, socks, shawls, cowls, wraps and a stuffed teddy bear for his niece, among other projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tamara Sprole started Des Moines Metro Knitters in 2005, so she\u2019s gotten a chance to know both Irwin and Maras. Irwin goes on Thursday nights and Maras goes on Fridays. The group also meets on Saturdays and holds an <\/span>annual retreat<\/span><\/a> at a local hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJosh and Stephan are both very skilled,\u201d Sprole said. \u201cI like to watch them knit because they both have great stitches and color sense\u2014they\u2019re great knitters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Meetups, like Des Moines Metro Knitters, turn knitting into a group hobby. Both guys credit the community as irreplaceable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve met so many people because of our shared hobby,\u201d Irwin said. \u201cI\u2019ve made several life-long friends as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sprole notes that they have all types of people come to the meetups\u2014sure, it\u2019s a majority of women, but it\u2019s certainly not all women. The group is also diverse in skill level and other interests.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Irwin and Maras\u2019 thoughts on the gender stereotypes around knitting\u2014they both roll their eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just think anyone who makes a judgment about you because you knit has more problems than you do,\u201d Irwin said. \u201cKnow what I mean?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

We do.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And their thoughts on your stereotypes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n