Tuesday is the official World Wide Knit in Public Day, but since many of us work and shouldn’t take a day off to sit and knit in public, the event has been expanded to run from the second Saturday to the third Sunday in June, every year. In 2005, Danielle Landes decided that she wanted to show the public that ‘not only grannies knit’. She started organizing this annual event and in 2005, had 25 local events. The number of official events almost tripled the next year, and it has been growing in popularity ever since, and has become a world-wide phenomenon, with events in over 13 countries.  

    Knitting is often a solitary act, since it is so easy to knit just about anywhere and sink into your work without thinking of all the other knitters out there. Since the formation of the guild, almost three years ago, I have been amazed and astonished by all the knitters in my local community that I never realized knit. I’ll often hear my name called from down a grocery aisle, in line at the library or bank, at my daughter’s school and so many other places that I don’t generally think of as places to meet fellow knitters, and we will stop and talk to each other about our latest projects or events. World Wide Knit in Public Day is just about these chance encounters and bringing the gift of knitting to everyone, making the world a little bit smaller, for at least one week every year.

    Last year, the guild hosted an event at the Seattle Center. It is an incredibly blustery, gray and chilly day and I know that Charisa (2011 SKG President) thought, ‘who would go out in this weather, just to sit and knit?’. Well, she was pleasantly surprised when she was kept company by 30 – 40 other knitters, who wished to share the reasons that they knit, with the public.  

    This year, the guild is attending the event that the Everett Public Library staff has organized (check here for details). Stop in for any length of time, tomorrow and bring your friend or neighbor who might want to learn. We will have New Knitter Kits available and there will be knitters available, who are eager to share their knowledge with you.  There will also be an event, tomorrow, at the Edmonds Library, with others . If you aren’t able to make the Everett event, then check out the WWKiP website to find an event near you.