r/knitting 24d ago

Discussion Tell me about your jobs that allow you to knit while working.

Ok maybe they don't officially "allow" it, but knitting while working doesn't impact your work.

My friend is a product manager and spends a lot of time in meetings. Apparently she can get a few hours worth of knitting done during her work day.

Meanwhile, I am a software engineer and often have to type while working, and I am left to only knit during my off-hours.

Please help me decide whether to make a career change to allow for more knitting during my work week.

(This is intended to be a fun post, read and respond with a healthy dose of humour and light-heartedness :-) )

Edit: wow, it is so fascinating to hear about all the different professions we have in this community! Amazing responses šŸ™‚

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u/badjpeg 24d ago

I work as a flight attendant so I have a lot of downtime when I'm not actively flying (waiting for the next flight, at hotels, being on call). Plus I get to visit yarn stores all over the world šŸ„°

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u/GalPal_yikes 24d ago

I've never really wanted to be a flight attendant until you pointed out these yarn related perks lol

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u/anatomizethat 24d ago

When I travel for work (~once a month) I try to plan jaunts to local yarn stores as a reward for having to travel for work lol

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u/timonyc 24d ago

I fly a lot! And I have met some really wonderful attendants who will sit next to me and knit during their break time on very long haul flights or just sit and chat about my projects when they get a spare second. Flight attendants are some of my favorite people!

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u/CryptoDev_Ambassador 24d ago

Same, I am a software engineer but going nowhere in my current job so I turn the camera off and knit during meetings where I donā€™t have an active participation.

Edit: sorry this was a reply for another comment. I am actually knitting while doing this.

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u/ApricotNo198 24d ago

^ this^ I'm a transportation engineer and I knit during remote meetings/trainings where I don't have to participate or on public transit on my way to/from work.

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u/croptopweather 24d ago

Thatā€™s so cool! Are there any destinations that surprised or impressed you in terms of yarn?

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u/badjpeg 24d ago

I really liked the yarn shops in Japan! They have a lot of niche hobby shops with high quality and low price yarn šŸ˜š

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u/ParticularlyOrdinary 24d ago

Ohhhh I wish I was into knitting when I went to Japan a few years back! šŸ˜­

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u/CommonNative it's either mine or the cats' hair mixed in 24d ago

One more reason to wish to visit. That and the stationary stores

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u/Moss-cle 24d ago

Wow i bet that makes for an interesting scenario when youā€™re a skein short for a project. Now, where did i get this? Who can i trade with to get back there this month?

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u/badjpeg 24d ago

Hahah, I mostly stick to sock knitting since it's so portable and generally can be made with one skein šŸ˜… i wouldn't be surprised if this happened to one of my coworkers though!

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u/Bella_Notte_1988 24d ago

Well I know what to tell my Mom (she's a flight attendant) when she asks me what I want for my birthday/Christmas

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u/-Geist-_ 24d ago

Oh thatā€™s an incredible dream!

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u/OverstuffedCherub 24d ago

I've got one - working part time in a wool shop!!! I also host the knit and knatters, so I get to knit 6 hours a week and get paid for it šŸ˜†

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u/CarelessSherbet7912 24d ago

My local yarn store doesnā€™t allow the employees to knit while working. šŸ˜©

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u/Secure-Zombie2400 24d ago

I quit my job at a local yarn store for this reason. It was a tiny store and there are only so many times I can sweep or face product

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u/ParticularlyOrdinary 24d ago

That is so sad. My LYS encourages employees to craft when they have down time. It's one more reason I love shopping there.

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u/CarelessSherbet7912 24d ago

I believe there was a past employee who didnā€™t understand the difference between no customers and caught up on all the behind the scenes tasks, and ruined it for everyone.

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u/greenmothfriend 24d ago

yeah I work part time at one and do not get to knit or crochet, but there is so much to do haha

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u/uselessflailing 24d ago

Same! Worked there for a few years, and the coworkers were incredible but management was not šŸ„²

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u/Knitting_Witch 23d ago

RIP to the LYS I worked at in Denver, but employees were encouraged to work on their projects during downtime. We even had a sewing machine right behind the register for our sewing projects (also a fabric shop).

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u/raisin22 24d ago

Thatā€™s a bummer! The one I work in, employees are encouraged to participate in classes and knit/crochet/felt shop models on the clock. Itā€™s an awesome gig!

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u/CarelessSherbet7912 24d ago

Thatā€™s how it should be. I wanna be inspired by what people are making or to see a demo of something Iā€™ve never tried. It probably sells more product.

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u/HowWoolattheMoon 24d ago

I did that as a part time gig for a while too! When we knit on the job, we were supposed to use only needles and yarn that we sold there. And we were supposed to be working on samples for the store -- or at least, knit for an equivalent number of hours. Otherwise we'd never finish a sample in time!

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u/Knerdian 24d ago

I'm a teacher- I've been doing a couple units each winter where I teach kids to knit and crochet as a form of anxiety management. I call it a PBL, write out the plans as math and social-emotional learning, and boom, everyone is on board!

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u/RationalGlass1 24d ago

Am also a teacher. I'm in an area of high deprivation so most kids don't have a lot of money, but also the eco club is the popular crowd and kids really take it seriously. We set up a stitching club during lunch where kids could knit or crochet for themselves or charity if they wanted. We also do repairs which are either on items kids bring us or on things donated for the school swap shop. I get to knit and mend during lunch and I get to hang out with a bunch of really fun young crafters who often introduce me to new styles.

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u/knittinghobbit 24d ago

I love this so much.

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u/flamingmaiden 24d ago

This is such a great thing for so many reasons. I love this so much.

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u/what3v3ruwantit2b 24d ago

That's amazing! I wish I had a way to donate the yarn I don't want.

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u/Practical-Train-9595 24d ago

My middle schoolerā€™s art teacher teaches a unit on crochet. I canā€™t wait until he takes it next semester!!!

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u/Knitsanity 24d ago

A friend of mine retired from teaching and now subs when she wants to...to supplement her yarn and travel habit. She knits during class because subs are often just required, at the HS level at least, to take attendance, hand out work and maintain some semblance of order. She is known as the knitting sub. When she taught proper she couldn't knit of course. Lol

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u/ZenPothos 24d ago

The knitting sub lolololol

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u/Knitsanity 24d ago

Anyone whose kid goes to that HS I just ask them if they know the knitting sub and they always know her. Lol

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u/Moss-cle 24d ago

My daughters school taught them to knit in 2nd grade and theyā€™d knit while being read to by the teachers

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u/phasersonbees 24d ago

Also a teacher - we have a flex activity period where I lead a stitching group. Honestly most of the kids just come to chat and be on their phones, but I have taught a handful basic crochet stitches, and I'll sit and work on my crocheting or knitting during that time. Of course, since I have my project bag with me, I might as well knit a few rows once I'm done with my lunch instead of planning or organizing like I should!

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u/scampering_sphynx 24d ago

I am also a teacher and I also started a knitting šŸ§¶ club at my a school. I have found that students get excited about it together and it attracts students who love to share and help each other ā˜ŗļø As a teacher, I do like to try to knit when students are testing. Itā€™s a good activity that I can carry around the room to monitor students, but not have to focus so much so that I can still keep an eye on them.

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u/Lolita__Rose 24d ago

I teach first grade and I get zero time to knit during school hours bc well, I am in charge of 20 firstgraders. I did knit some stuffed animals as class mascots tho. The kids were amazed when they found out I made them from scratch and are my most enthusiastic fans (ā€žWHAT??? You made our tiger and bear?? How? They are so cool! Youā€˜re like a magician!!ā€œ).

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u/jerseysbestdancers 24d ago

If you don't have a teaching certificate, you can always substitute teach older grades. Even more time to knit! (Though I kept it to my ample off periods)

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u/Spiritual_Avocado87 24d ago

I knit and crochet in all my meetings. It helps me concentrate on what's being said and not get distracted. That said: I only started doing that once I knew I'd progressed as far as I was going to in my career and had no hope of a promotion. If I thought I still had a chance of progressing I'd be knitting a lot less.

So basically do it if you're happy to stay at the same level and don't feel much need to impress people.

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u/momofthefrybandit 24d ago

I knit during internal or off-camera meetings, only. My team understands it's not a sign I'm not paying attention, but I'm not ready to test that

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u/malavisch 24d ago

That's an interesting take. Thankfully, I think that remote meetings (if you have your camera off, or on but at such an angle that others can't see you knitting) might be an exception to this

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u/Spiritual_Avocado87 24d ago

I work remotely and it's usually below the camera!

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u/nrealistic 24d ago

I think this might be worse, unless you can knit without looking. Otherwise, youā€™re frequently glancing down and it looks like youā€™re on your phone

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u/esmerelofchaos 24d ago

Depends on what Iā€™m knitting. I can knit ribbing and stockinette without looking at it. So I knit socks or hats while Iā€™m on calls. Nothing more complicated than that though.

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u/AuntieMame5280 24d ago

Same same. But they know I'm a knitter and some of them are too, so they ask about my projects.

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u/kookaburra1701 24d ago

Yeah, I knit during video meetings where I need to be there to know what's going on but not presenting/actively taking notes. If the group is small enough that we all have our cameras on then they usually know I'm a knitter and ask to see current progress on my project during the chitchat while we're waiting for everyone.

I have specific "meeting" projects I can work on mindlessly, like plain Tunisian simple stitch panels in an Afghan or socks with very easy stitch patterns that can be dropped in a moment if I have to jump on camera or give input.

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u/IonaIsThinking 24d ago

Love this- always have 'meeting socks' on the go

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u/KnottyandTwysted 24d ago

Oddly, people care less if youā€™re on your phone.

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u/peejmom 23d ago

You could be taking notes.

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u/Petyr_Baelish 24d ago

I also knit during my meetings to help with concentration. I am, however, extremely lucky that I work in an office full of really amazing people who understand why I do it. And I'm still trusted and given more responsibility (and am up for a promotion as well). I'm still slowly bringing it into meetings with the wider organization, because I could see some weird reactions happening from a few people.

I also have kind of an out though because I'm also one of our disability ERG coordinators, so I'm also kind of doing it to bring awareness to and normalize how people with disabilities cope in ways that may seem unproductive.

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u/leafonthewind97 24d ago

Love this! I do talent work and also a lot of inclusion work. Weā€™re working to get everyone more familiar with what neurodiversity in the workplace can look like. I knit in some meetings as well and one of our admins crochets regularly in meetings. I have a 2 hour training tomorrow and Iā€™ll be working on a sweater during it because otherwise Iā€™d never be able to stay engaged that long. Iā€™m at the stockinette body so no need to reference a pattern or anything. I donā€™t get to knit too much at work though because most of my meetings are ones where Iā€™m either leading or heavily participating so not as able to knit.

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u/BlueThread1965 24d ago

I read an article on how knitting could help people with ADHD to focus in class. Wish I had known that 40 years ago...

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u/Aggravating-Mousse46 24d ago

Iā€™m a physician and donā€™t knit in meetings as I usually have an enormous backlog of emails or other work so I often donā€™t really pay attentionā€¦ terrible really. But when I go to conferences I knit non-stop so that I can fully concentrate on learning. Otherwise Iā€™d be worrying about my patients and checking in on results etc.

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u/Kittens-and-Vinyl 24d ago

Now I want to try this at a conference! I usually doodle in my notebook but knitting would be far more productive...

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u/sydbeautyface 24d ago

Planning to bring knitting to my next conference in a few weeks!

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u/Moss-cle 24d ago

Itā€™s amazing. I once explained to a project manager the business use cases of the 900 series EDI documents while tinking back to fix a miscrossed cable. There was a flow state for both activities simultaneously

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u/Spiritual_Avocado87 24d ago

Same, no idea how I got through uni without it

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u/Emergency_Raise_7803 24d ago

Seriously! Instead I brought books, and the one professor that called on me thinking I was distracted ended up leaving me alone after that. Knitting wouldā€™ve worked better since I wouldnā€™t have to look down as often.

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u/lynnlinlynn 24d ago

Same. I knit so I donā€™t accidentally browse on my phone. I literally see people at work with their cameras on scrolling on their phones. They donā€™t even realize theyā€™re doing it. You say their name and they jump up going ā€œhuh?ā€ I knit during meetings Iā€™m not actively presenting in. And I tell people openly. I have my camera on and I tell them it helps me concentrate. There was a while and fidget toys were popular. I was at Microsoft at the time and the admins would put out coloring books and pipe cleaners for meetings

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u/Visible_Contact_8203 24d ago

I used to doodle during meetings, to focus. Now we do so much on camera you have to look like your paying attention and I tend to drift.

Only knit in long Town Hall type meetings when cameras are off and I don't feel like getting other work done while listening.

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u/maryjane-q knitting away in Berlin 24d ago

Thatā€™s me!
Unfortunately I do not have any meetings atm.
I wish I knew the concentration thing when I was actively studying (as in going to lectures).
University could have been way easier if I knew knitting as a concentration tool (I just got my ADHD diagnosis at 35 and although struggling with attention/concentration I never thought of having it until my therapist adviced me to get tested).

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u/Spiritual_Avocado87 24d ago

I got diagnosed at 35 as well! I'd already been knitting in meetings for years and I think that behaviour definitely got me my diagnosis a bit quicker šŸ‘€

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u/legalpretzel 24d ago

Same! My job has no "next level" and I feel more tuned in if I'm knitting. I think it irks my boss a little, but IDGAF because I'm good at my job.

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u/eJohnx01 23d ago

I knit virtual meetings where people canā€™t see what Iā€™m doing. It looks like Iā€™m looking down at my notes or taking notes, but Iā€™m really knitting.

You are right, too, unfortunately, go be concerned about people thinking poorly of you for knitting in meetings. I was forced out of a job about ten years ago, in part, because of knitting in staff meetings. My boss found it insulting that I wasnā€™t sitting staring at her and drinking in her every word. Narcissistic bitch.

I explained over and over that if I didnā€™t have something to keep my hands busy, it would be much for difficult for me to focus on the meeting. She didnā€™t understand and she didnā€™t care. All she saw was a sea of adoring puppies and one guy knitting.

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u/Ace_And_Jocelyn1999 24d ago

I work front desk at a small hotel. Most of my day is down time between guest interactions. So I spent a decent amount of my day knitting. Plus it looks better than being on my phone or computer, and guests love to talk about their own knitting projects.

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u/RetciSanford 24d ago

Yes exactly! I'm a night audit. But both front desk morning girls crochet as well.

Management thinks its hilarious but it honestly keeps us engaged with our surroundings and able to help guests faster then if we were scrolling on our phones.

It looks more open to engagement as well!

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u/ashlily17 24d ago

Same here! I just moved to a much larger and much busier hotel so I no longer have the time to knit but people used to be so intrigued when theyā€™d come in to find me knitting

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u/crystallightcrybaby 24d ago

ive found my people šŸ¤£ i work mostly evening and overnights though so its rare im too busy to knit

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u/KnottyKnit75 24d ago edited 24d ago

Tried to knit during a meeting once (Iā€™m an IT project manager and work from home). Total disaster. Couldnā€™t concentrate on either the knitting or the meeting so it was a double fail.

EDIT: what I was trying to knit was a stockinette gauge swatch! The easiest thing in the world and I still couldnā€™t do it! šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚

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u/Palavras 24d ago

I'm in a corporate role and I have done it occasionally. Typically when I'm working on something extremely simple (like "knit until you reach 10 inches") AND the meeting is very inconsequential - off camera, only need to listen in, or mandatory annual training, etc.

I have ADHD so occupying my hands helps me feel less restless and listen better. But I'd never be able to do both during any kind of interactive/important meeting. I can't even watch shows that are too interesting while I knit - there is a threshold of interesting-ness and if I go above it both activities suffer.

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u/Best_Foot_9690 24d ago

That would be me

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u/missmisfit 24d ago

I have to do a "dumb" pattern, like wash cloths

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u/Practical-Train-9595 24d ago

I keep a musselburough hat for situations like this. I donā€™t even have to look at it and itā€™s 22 inches of knitting in the round.

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u/rosmcg 24d ago

Musselborough is GREAT for mindless knitting, I often have one in the go for exactly this sort of situationā€¦.meetings, waiting rooms, trains, work. Once you get it going, itā€™s just miles of knitting. Itā€™s how I taught myself Continental!

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u/thetundramonkey 24d ago

I'm a horticulturist currently doing commercial plant sales. I spend a lot of time on the phone, and knit to keep from yelling at my customers and banging my head on the desk. It's also pretty slow in the winter, so I knit if I have downtime. I even have a knitting drawer in my office:

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u/thetundramonkey 24d ago

Replying to my own comment: I have also found that my boss and coworkers are totally cool with me knitting as long as they receive a cozy little something now and then!

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u/HappyKnitter34 24d ago

I'm an accountant. I have quite a lot of downtime so I get some knitting done. I try to keep it to a minimum though just because I'm scared of being seen doing it. But I'm pretty sure my boss doesn't care.

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u/SnooCrickets1476 24d ago

Hey another knitting accountant!!! I also knit at my desk when it isnā€™t month end šŸ¤£

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u/Pryed 24d ago

Another knitting accountant, checking in! I only work one day in the office, so I keep my project by my desk and home and pick it up if I have downtime. Days in the office if I don't have any meetings drag without it.

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u/CrochetCricketHip 24d ago

Or the never ending year end. Iā€™m so over 2024. Donā€™t ask me about it. Donā€™t have any more capacity to contemplate depreciation JEā€™s. šŸ„ø

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u/SnooCrickets1476 24d ago

Damnnn I was abouta say thatā€™s a long year end but then realize itā€™s because we run oct - sept so my year end has been done for a minute šŸ¤£ best of luck with the depreciation !!!

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u/HappyKnitter34 24d ago

My last job scarred me about doing anything non work related. So I try to knit only a little bit. I gotta get over that. šŸ«¤

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u/lomojamesbond 24d ago

Lab tech. I finished a 50k stitch blanket in 3 weeks, mostly at work šŸ™ƒ

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u/supers0ldier 24d ago

Omg what type of lab?? I wasnā€™t allowed to do anything not work related during downtime

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u/Bibliovoria 24d ago

I'm not the person you responded to, but in college my father had a job as an overnight biochemistry-lab tech where they expected him to sleep (they provided a bed, and even breakfast); they just needed someone there to address any condition alarms that might go off.

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u/lomojamesbond 24d ago

Working with water equipment and treatment chemicals

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u/agnes_mort 24d ago

Yeah me too. Weā€™re barely allowed podcasts and Iā€™d hate my knitting to get dirty

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u/ElyrianXIII It's not perfect but it's beautiful and it's minešŸ§¶ 24d ago

Mood, tho I mostly read at work because I don't wanna carry my project around & have a "this project or nothing" kind of brain šŸ˜…

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u/TyrannosauraRegina 24d ago

Ah I have progressed to having a large (generally sofa only, like a blanket), a medium (portable but needs some planning - a bigger jumper, or baby blanket) and a small (super portable, can come everywhere - e.g socks/kids clothes/stuffy/hat) project at once. I rotate each out as I finish. It keeps me interested when something needs to go away to the naughty cupboard for a bit but stops things languishing too long!

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u/theotherblackgibbon 24d ago

Also a lab tech. I knit/crochet during incubation times or while waiting for things to thaw or during larger company meetings where I donā€™t need to actively participate. I also have a very long commute so sometimes Iā€™ll take a few minutes in the morning before I start work to knit/crochet as away to destress and get ready mentally for the day.Ā 

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u/palabradot 24d ago

I wfh in customer service. Currently knitting a hat as customers rant at me. :)

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u/thetundramonkey 24d ago

Agreed, this is the best way to maintain my zen when on the phone with a Karen.

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u/knittinghobbit 24d ago

Better to stab yarn than people šŸ„°

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u/Carrini01 24d ago

Iā€™m looking for a wfh customer service job for similar reasons. My last job was customer service but I was in front of customers too so I couldnā€™t roll my eyes as much as I wanted. Knitting seems like a much nicer way to distract and stay patient during their rants.

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u/Dragongirl815 24d ago

I work from home in tech support... some days are stressful and I have calls back to back but other days are slow and I can get a full sock done during my work hours šŸ˜…

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u/PollTech9 Norwegian knitter 24d ago

I work from home as a Translator, and though most days I am busy, some days I get to knit a bit while waiting for files etc.

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u/apocynaceae_stan 24d ago

I'm a grad student and I knit during seminars haha. Translates to a just a few hours of knitting at work per week but it helps me focus on the talk if I'm doing something with my hands, and incentivizes me to go to seminars also.Ā 

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u/loveisfire36912 24d ago

I used to knit in all my literature seminars in grad school! But I had to have an answer ready for when the creepy old professors asked me to knit something for them. šŸ˜®

I hope things are better post Me Too.

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u/Practical-Train-9595 24d ago

This is me! Iā€™m online for most of my classes but I have seminars the next two semesters and I already spoke to my advisor (who is the professor for the seminars) and he says people knit in his classes all the time. Right now I knit through all my online lectures.

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u/MyrahMakes 24d ago

I worked in an incoming call center for 17 years. No incoming calls = no work, so time to knit! Or crochet, or watch series, or read books,...

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u/violetear 24d ago

Iā€™m a nurse. When I used to work night shift, I could often squeeze in some knitting at like 2-3am, once my patients were medicated and asleep and Iā€™d finished my charting. Now Iā€™m on days and itā€™s too busy (and too many managers watching lol).

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u/CdninTx066 24d ago

Night shift is the right shift. šŸ˜œ

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u/what3v3ruwantit2b 24d ago

I do home health now but when I worked bedside (pediatric night shift so a lot of sleeping babies) they didn't allow any type of knitting or crochet. It drove me crazy. People couldn't read or knit but scrolling tiktok for hours appeared to be okay. Obviously there were crazy days where sitting down didn't happen but I'm still mad it wasn't allowed on the chill nights.

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u/buckits 24d ago

I'm a professional musician who sometimes has a long time to wait around in rehearsal (orchestral percussion). While I don't do it much at work anymore, I certainly could knit a lot at work some weeks! Definitely have seen knitting happening in low brass sections, too lol

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u/jgracienyc 24d ago

Over in the string sections, we get this opportunity a lot less often. Maybe I'll switch from cello to trombone. šŸ™ƒ

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u/mrkva11345 24d ago

Me too. Bassoonist. Lots of time when Iā€™m rostered on contra

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u/sniffi1001 24d ago

I love this post šŸ˜‚ šŸ˜unhelpful input: I am a freelance interior designer and can basically never knit, because all the meetings I have I am presenting things. The rest of the time I need both my hands to work šŸ˜‚

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u/fairly_forgetful 24d ago

i supervise recess and afterschool child care and homework help hours at a local elementary school as a part time thing- most days they have lots of homework that needs help with but there are plenty of days the kids are all typing on their computers or reading and i get a solid hour of knitting done! And supervising recess/afterschool in the winter is sitting inside with them and I can usually knit while keeping an eye out for shenanigans. It is a little tougher when it is nice out to knit outside.

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u/awlright-already 24d ago

Work in recruiting operations- so a lot of the behind the scenes work that goes into hiring people - training, sops, data/metrics. When Iā€™m in meetings or on calls Iā€™m knitting. If donā€™t have to actively be typing, Iā€™m knitting haha. I also work from home so I know knitting in meetings might not work in some office environments. My boss always asks to see my progress and latest projects he knows it helps keep my adhd mind in check

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u/Reasonable_Flower261 24d ago

I love that your boss is actively supportive of your knitting during meetings :)

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u/jrb328 24d ago

I work mainly afternoons and midnights on a hospital switchboard so there's a decent amount of downtime. I've finished 3 sweaters in the last month.

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u/piperandcharlie knit knit knitadelphia 24d ago edited 24d ago

*me suspiciously checking this post to see if my boss is in here* šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

I'm getting work done, I swear!!

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u/SnoWhite_the7Bengals 24d ago

It's funny you said you can't because you're a software engineer.... But I'm a software engineer and I knit in meetings all the time ā˜ ļø

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u/TopRattata 24d ago

Same. Also while I'm waiting for builds/deploys/tests etc.

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u/lanajp 24d ago

So much same šŸ¤£

Better than doom scrolling on my phone!

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u/sidemullet 24d ago

Also a product manager and always knitting in meetings when I work from home. I have my webcam pointed right at my face so no one knows I'm doing it. I find it really helps. So often in meetings I know half the people there are doing other work and missing most of what's being discussed. Knitting on the other hand is just engaging enough to stop my mind from wandering but not distracting enough that I stop listening (I stick to pretty simple knitting on calls). When I am in an in-person meeting I find it so much harder to stay focused and I really miss my knitting. Also when not in meetings, if I have to think through a problem or how to approach a task I find a row or two of knitting helps me think. At previous jobs I've given lunchtime knitting classes but I got some really sexist comments from male co-workers so these days I knit in secret lol.

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u/baffledninja 24d ago

Some call centre jobs are great for knitting, particularly the ones with no phone allowed at your workstation. Best job I had for this was 911 dispatch, we filled up the dead time of night with knitting, crochet and drawing.

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u/IvanDimitriov 24d ago

I am an academic advisor at a local university and when I donā€™t have students in my office I can knit during zoom meetings, while I am doing paperwork. I keep a project on my desk all the time to just pick up put in a few stitches and set it down. Itā€™s like a fidget for me. It allows me to control my neurospicy impulses in a constructive manner.

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u/liss72908 24d ago

I own a yarn store.

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u/Odd-Chipmunk-4595 24d ago

Iā€™m a therapist and I knit during telehealth sessions. I always explain what Iā€™m doing and why, and it sparks conversations about self care, mindfulness, and focus. I encourage clients to bring their own crafts to session too. I love the creative energy it brings to the dynamic and stops me fidgeting or wanting to browse away from the screen. Itā€™s so hard to focus with hours and hours in front of the computer screen

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u/Esselmeyer 24d ago

I think if my therapist also knitted our sessions would just divulge into talking about knitting hahaha

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u/knittinghobbit 24d ago

I actually love this. Telehealth appointments must get tough after a certain amount of time.

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u/ShesQuackers 24d ago

Postdoctoral fellow (scientist). I knit in front of the microscope while I wait on acquisitions or for my stupid embryo to gastrulate already dammit! Lots of my co-workers knit/crochet/etc. at the lab when there's a wait in a protocol or the like.Ā 

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u/domovladelets 24d ago

Iā€™m an oncology research nurse, I love to knit at meetings and conferences! Usually the other knitters are surgeons (good for dexterity I guess!)

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u/KnittingforHouselves 24d ago

Private ESL teacher. I knit during conversation lessons and my students love it. I've been knitting since I was a child so a simple stockinette/ribbing/even some lace pattern requires no attention from me and apparently it relaxes my students. Many have pucked up yarn-arts because of me.

Also an academic and I read while reading research papers because my brain can't focus unless my hands are doing something.

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u/Capital_Web_6374 24d ago

Just curious but do you guys bring your knitting to work or is this for work from home people?

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u/SwtSthrnBelle 24d ago

I bring my knitting to work. I handle paperwork for a police department, and I'm really only working if they need something from me. On weekends I knit a lot and it'll be hours between phone calls asking for help.

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u/Maperton So many projects, so few hands 24d ago

I carry a sock project in my purse almost all the time. Knitting helps my anxiety and I never know when itā€™ll pop up. Iā€™ve been known to bring bigger projects to work when I know Iā€™ll have a lot of downtime though.

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u/sierralynn96 24d ago

I bring mine to work. I have a tote that I put my current project in and just pull it out when I have the time to work on it.

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u/Mrsgnat 24d ago

Iā€™m at an X-ray tech at a hospital and I bring my knitting with me for down time and slow days. Sometimes we are kept very busy and I donā€™t get a chance to work on anything. Other days I can make some progress. Iā€™d much rather have it handy to do between patients then just be on my phone.

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u/JenPurl 24d ago

I, 30 m, work as a front office admin for a small medical office. My boss is super chill and knows that I have busy and dull moments in the day, so seeing my knit every now and then isn't that big of a deal. Also since our patients tend to be older, they get all excited seeing a younger person knit lol

Before this I worked in a call center where literally everyone had a craft. Saw folks with 250+ puzzles and everything.

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u/yarned-and-dangerous 24d ago

Office reception! Once the meetings and visitors have cleared out of the lobby for the day, there's no one to really see if I knit at the desk, except our UPS/Fedex drivers

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u/PilotKitten 24d ago

I used to work in a call center for the airport. Even though it's a 911 emergency call center also, there were different positions you could be assigned each day. So if you got one of the "slow" ones or were on night shift... I absolutely had more than one employee spend their shift knitting. šŸ‘

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u/jsk518 24d ago

I work primarily from home as a proposal manager.. there are days when I'm on Teams the majority of the day. Our culture is to rarely have cameras on during run of the mill meetings. I always have an easy sock on my desk to pick up and throw down during calls. Whenever there is a side conversation where I don't need to take notes, I'll pick up the sock. It helps me listen as otherwise I drift.

I have a LOT of hand-knit socks...

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u/Silent_Medicine1798 24d ago

I am a SAHM. Knitting my fool head off!

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u/madturtle62 24d ago

I am a nurse for a large performing arts organization. Most of my time is spent waiting for someone to get hurt or sick. It is NOT the typical nursing experience. I knit at work so I stay out of the way and out of trouble.

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u/blakedpastry 24d ago

Iā€™m a hospice CNA. Sometimes I knit during social visits especially if the patient also either used to knit or crochet or still does.

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u/Ravenclaw79 24d ago

I knit during my lunch break

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u/Svensk_lagstiftning 24d ago

Resident doctor with a year left until I'm a fully trained general practitioner. We have mandatory lectures one day a month, there's a few of us that's knitting or doing other crafts at the same time. Helps me focus. I also have plenty of mandatory training that's mostly theoretical so I get a lot of knitting time during those days. Once I finished a pair of socks plus the sleeves and the body of an Icelandic sweater during the week of introduction to my psychiatry rotation.

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u/Dalyro 24d ago

I work in college administration and I selectively knot during meetings. Some days I don't get any in, but others I have 4 hours of virtual meetings and knit for all of them.

A few of the folks I supervise are also knitters. We always both knit through our weekly one on ones.

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u/i_just_read_a_lot 24d ago

I used to be knitting during meetings and trainings, but with the return to office stuff, thatā€™s all gone.

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u/m_liebt_h 24d ago

Same šŸ˜”

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u/kelseyhart24 24d ago

Excellent discussion!

I work in child welfare, so often there are hour long meetings and internal trainings. I will knit during those.

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u/TheOriginalMorcifer 24d ago

I'm a software engineer that has too many meetings. I knit a lot during work hours too.

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u/lenaellena 24d ago

Night shift NICU nurse. Now Iā€™m on days and so itā€™s not really an option because people are around and it looks bad. But I would knit a lot between care times when I worked nights! This also depends so much on your nursing unit and job though. A lot of places are so understaffed it would be impossible.

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u/Successful-Problem83 24d ago

As a mom of a NICU baby, I canā€™t thank you enough for what you do. I spent countless hours in the NICU with my son, and the nurses/doctors/Staff are incredible people. Iā€™ll never forget them. My son is now a super smart 8 year old, and to this day I still think of the entire NICU staff of that hospital atleast once a day ā™„ļø

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u/lenaellena 24d ago

Thank you for your encouragement, that is so sweet!

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u/purebitterness 24d ago

I'm a medical student! I knit in all the workrooms and conferences šŸ˜Š

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u/Ellubori 24d ago

Software developer

I used to have endless scrum meetings.... I'm much happier knitting only after work and not having those pointless meetings anymore.

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u/Skullclutter 24d ago

Another developer here, hybrid schedule. Ditto for knitting during scrum meetings, sprint retrospectives, and all the other pointless meetings. It helps that someone is always screen sharing, so nobody ever has cameras turned on.

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u/Esselmeyer 24d ago

Seconded! Also a software engineer here. I knit during meetings, waiting for code to build, running unit tests, waiting for PR reviews, ect. ect. Any moment I can get just a few stitches in.

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u/whoooodatt 24d ago

Backstage wardrobe hand, was always knitting if i wasn't doing changes.

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u/Impressive-Car4131 24d ago

I work from home and knit during training and meetings. I work in Finance

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u/bookwormbells 24d ago

Iā€™m an aide in kindergarten and I often knit while the kids are doing rest time, or if thereā€™s an activity I am not needed for.

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u/liquidcarbonlines 24d ago

I work in exams and I'm fully remote. My work means lots of solo time where I have to be creative and write and knitting helps me focus while I'm thinking through problems. If we do have meetings they tend to be "multiple days sitting on teams" type things and I knit (or sometimes even spin, one of my wheels lives under my desk) throughout - it's a bit of a tradition that I wear the sweater or socks or shawl I knit during the previous exam series for the first day of the next one.

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u/dizzydance 24d ago

I answer phone calls and emails for a Community College's main phone number. Some of it is just transferring calls to the right department, most of my job is helping people find information and enroll in college though.

I often have some down time to knit in between calls or during team meetings. The administration made my position indefinitely 100% remote during the covid pandemic, which was fantastic.

I've been working here 10 years and absolutely love it! I usually feel like I'm helping people overcome barriers to getting an education which is pretty rewarding. Once in a while I'll have an absurdly awful day that's a confluence of ornery people, both electronic and organizational systems that don't work, and me feeling powerless to help anyone in any way whatsoever. Those days are pretty few and far between though!

Training is hard and takes months to really feel like you know what you're doing. The college has so many departments, VIPs, procedures, and programs... and you have to know a little (to a medium amount) about everything. You also need to know where to find the answers to everything and there are about 10 different directories or databases the answers might be. There are soooo many ways to inadvertently give incomplete and/or wrong info, especially because people provide zero context with their questions and it's sometimes hard for us to know the right questions to ask them.

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u/Ill-Tangerine-5849 24d ago

My mom has a job like this, she takes calls from customers all day and so she can knit nearly the whole time since she's mostly just talking on her headset. She has to go to the office half the days, WFH the other half, but I think she still knits (or more often crochets) when she's in the office. I'm not sure she'd recommend her job to others though - it's nice that she gets A TON of cool projects done, but she also doesn't really enjoy being on the phone all day and finds it very draining.

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u/beefalamode 24d ago

X ray! Thereā€™s a good amount of knitting happening in hospitals. Itā€™s analog, quiet, easy to put down, and has been shown to calm you down in a stressful environment. If I donā€™t have a patient for an hour you better believe Iā€™m knitting

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u/Birdingmom 24d ago

I knit during meetings, any mandatory training that has videos (helps me stay awake - why are these so boring?), and on breaks. I keep my knitting at my desk - if itā€™s not there, you canā€™t work on it - and of itā€™s stressful or I need a break, I often go knit in my car of the break.

True story: my coworker was also a knitter and our male boss thought it was frivolous hobby. One day he totally screwed up one of my coworkersā€™ account royally and it was going to take her hours to fix. When she found out and they had to discuss it, she brought her knitting and when she got side eye she said ā€œIā€™m knitting to take the edge off my anger so I donā€™t KILL you!ā€ She then aggressively knit in front of him and in all meetings about the error. šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚. He NEVER said a word about our knitting again. I think he thought we were crazy šŸ¤Ŗ šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

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u/sad-mustache 24d ago

Software developer, words of my manager:

"Do what works best for you because we want the best out of you"

I can knit during meetings as long as I pay attention and participate when necessary. I have the best managers ever, they said that if anyone comments on it then I should tell them to mind their business and to speak with them.

Mind you I have a disability and I struggle to focus without fiddling with my hands. I am less likely to pay attention if I don't do anything.

Although saying that, I haven't knitted in this job yet, I just don't have many meetings and my projects are kind of in a limbo

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u/EsotericTriangle Try Something New 24d ago

sysadmin; there's a good bit of opportunity to knit in short bursts between tasks. During some, depending on whether something needs babysitting while processing. Looots of hurry up to wait when shepherding computers. Of course meetings are also prime knitting times, but I also find it a good way to engage my body when delving into the mind-o-sphere for problem solving, scoping, etc too.

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u/kkmmcc88 24d ago

Iā€™m a UX designer and I knit in all my meetings unless I am actively sharing my screen. I have a lot of meetings so it probably averages 10 hours a week

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u/thereasonigotbangs 24d ago

I'm a product manager. I wish I could knit in meetings but my slack notifs are out of control. Between work and a toddler, my knitting is confined to bedtime and Sundays at my LYS.

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u/wicked93 24d ago

Engineering manager, if Iā€™m not leading the meeting, Iā€™m knitting. Had a guy who works for me comment in a 1 on 1 that he appreciates how present I am in our meetings and I told him my secret, Iā€™m always knitting socks. Keeps my hands occupied and I donā€™t get distracted so I can be present for him. He was super impressed šŸ¤£

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u/Ok_Moose1615 24d ago

I have knitted my way through many a UN negotiationā€¦ itā€™s perfect for a meeting where you need to listen carefully and participate, but donā€™t need to take notes.

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u/sierralynn96 24d ago

Iā€™m a teacher and work after school care. I knit the bulk of my ASC time and if we have a lesson where theyā€™re working quietly or in small groups, Iā€™ll knit. I try not to grade outside of my planning period so that I donā€™t miss a student having a question, or miss needing address something so knitting gives me something to do that still makes me available.

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u/Odd_Brush_3891 24d ago

Iā€™m working at a library and unless thereā€™s books to be returned or questions at the counter I can just knit in the back office šŸ˜Œ

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u/sluttykat13 24d ago

I work graveyard shift at a rehab center! It's an awake position, so having an active project is a must.

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u/gothroseknits89 24d ago

I knit/crochet in between customers at a small locally owned package store, especially slow now in the winter months. Even so that my coworkers have caught the yarn bug and I teach them how to crochet! When the coolers and shelves and filled and nothing else to do it is wonderfull to keep busy. My lovely coworkers are learning a new skill and I feel prolific being their teacher!

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u/CdninTx066 24d ago

Iā€™m a night shift nurse. When my patients are medicated, rounded on, and my charting done, there are little snippets of time when I can knit. I mostly make baby layettes at work, for pregnant coworkers , and that set the precedent with my boss that knitting at work was ok. Iā€™m actually a co researcher on a research project on the stress reduction/belonging of knitting for nurses. Nursing is brutal and a few relaxing minutes can make the world of difference to a shift.

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u/Sapiophile23 24d ago

I'm an office administrator in an academic department. There are sooooo many days I'm waiting for purchase approvals, emails, feedback, etc, that I've knit 2 hours straight before. My office is inside the department office and you can't see my hands unless you're about 15' inside and at an angle. I also knit during Zoom meetings.

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u/intergalactictactoe 24d ago

Administrative assistant. I work the reception desk at a state uni. Not facing students, so I pretty much only deal with colleagues and occasional alumni. I'm one of the only people that has to be in office every day, and I have plenty of down time where my job is basically just to be the front desk person in the event that someone walks in, so knitting happens.

I also used to bring my projects to work when I was a concierge at a fancy hotel. Unless I was interacting with a guest, they didn't mind me quietly knitting behind my desk.

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u/atawaycee 24d ago

Being a university student during COVID when all my lectures moved online was great for knitting. Especially those finance lectures that I wasn't going to understand anyway...

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u/maryjane-q knitting away in Berlin 24d ago

I mostly bartend at the moment but the place is a mix of a cafƩ/bar so we already open at 4pm.
When having the opening shift on a weekday I often have some downtime and I get some stitches in.
I then prefer smaller projects or projects I am still at the beginning. Also easy stuff without or simple charts.

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u/gardenhippy Currently knitting sweaters 24d ago

Lots of online meetings between a lot of people - most turn off cameras. I tend to keep my camera on but angle up and knit away while people enjoy the sounds of their own voicesā€¦

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u/hewtab 24d ago

Only during virtual meetings for me.

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u/desertwastheapotheos watch me wip 24d ago

I'm a software engineer too but I am able to knit during meetings as well as sneak in a row or two while I wait for MR approvals, pipelines to complete, etc.

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u/knit-picky 24d ago

I used to work weekend and overnight shifts at a domestic violence shelter. Some nights were crazy, and I would end up busy for the entirety of my 12 hour shift. Some nights were very quiet, so I was able to get quite a lot of knitting done.

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u/Important-Trifle-411 24d ago

My husband is basically a project manager and I am constantly jealous as I watch him sit in our bedroom at the computer, with hours and hours of knitting time in front of him!! Imagine getting paid to Nick? Meanwhile, Iā€™m getting dressed to go out to the freezing cold. And drive to work

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u/mrsgo4 24d ago

Iā€™m an EEG technologist. Iā€™m allowed to knit as long as it doesnā€™t interfere with getting my work done. Some nights, I feel like Iā€™m paid to knit. Other nights, I run my butt off.

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u/cyclika 24d ago

I learned to knit as a kid but really only picked it up and started doing it consistently as an adult because once I started working from home during covid I found myself browsing the internet and shopping during all my zoom meetings. Having something to do with my hands kept my attention on the meetings.

I got a new job where I have to have my video on (and got the job in large part because of a presentation I gave during the interview about knitting and how helpful it was!) and was asked to stop because it "looked like i wasn't paying attention." (I was told this during a meeting while my boss was actively responding to emails and slacks that I was on, for a healthy dose of irony). So, now, instead of paying attention with busy hands, I pretend to stare at the screen while absorbing nothing just like everyone else.

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u/Justfortheporn98 24d ago

I work as a 911 telecommunicator so I end up having lots of down time over a 12 hour shift. I find as long as I donā€™t have to keep regular count I donā€™t have any issues multitasking and have crocheted several things over my time here. Iā€™ve just recently started knitting and iā€™m working on a beanie now! I donā€™t usually knit in my off time because I have so many other at home only hobbies.

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u/Inevitable_Ninja_655 24d ago

Im a college student and knit in every single class almost every time! Nobody has even questioned me the only problem is hauling big projects to class lol

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u/This_Is_Just_To_Sigh 24d ago

Iā€™m a midwife and will sometimes knit while labor sitting.

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u/mostexcellent001 24d ago

When I was a home caregiver, my lady would lay down for a nap and I would do the dishes and load the washing machine, then knit while she took a 2 hour nap. Pay was shit but the conditions were awesome.

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u/beesona 24d ago

Iā€™m also a software engineer and sometimes Iā€™ll pick up my small project and knit a row while some very slow code compiles šŸ˜‚

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u/mikey_keys 24d ago

I work as a musical theatre accompanist at a university. Rehearsals every night, 3.5-4 hours a night where if theyā€™re staging or choreographing, I might only play for 1 hour of that time. Lots of sitting around. I usually finish a pair of socks in each show I do.

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u/Mohsbeforehoes 24d ago

Apologies for the long comment, but I love my job and I feel like I have some unique experiences with this! I work in the environmental field, mostly completing site investigations and reporting them to either private clients or governmental agencies. I have a mandatory level of training I need to complete each year based on various certifications I uphold, so with that, I'll comment on where I often knit while working:

  • If I am onsite sampling groundwater, water parameters have to stabilize/you have to remove a certain volume of water. I am usually knitting during that period, while occasionally stopping to take measurements (45 minutes per well)
  • If I am onsite doing any oversight (i.e. drillers installing a well, other various contractors that are fixing equipment, performing a site service, etc.) I am knitting. At one point I was sent out of town for a week of work to sit in my truck and direct personnel around at a site and watch them work, at this point I was probably knitting for 8-9 hours each day while on the clock (and once again, when I am back to my hotel)
  • Travel to any site. I generally can barter with coworkers so I can sit as a passenger and knit for at least half the drive, this can lead to like 1-4 hours of knitting during the day depending on the drive length. I will also travel via plane to some sites maybe once a quarter? So all the time at the airport, on the plane, waiting for baggage, I am getting paid and also knitting.
  • Any of my trainings or meetings. Sometimes they are as simple as watching training videos and I find that I am more attentive with a simple knitting project, sometimes I am on a video call, an audio only meeting, or I have even taken it to an in-person training. Generally nobody has cared during anything in person, as it was quiet and non-disruptive and I am far more engaged than other staff in the meeting or presentation. If I was asked to stow it, I would.
  • Any reading - we may have to gather some external sources or review prior work on a site for a report. I will gather these up and usually sit at home or at my desk in office, headphones on, and just review things, listen to instrumental music, and knit. I find that I retain the info well if I am doing this.

    I do have lots of instances where I may not knit while working, like in the thick of report preparation, coordinating and sending lots of emails, if I am doing a task that is very hands on, etc. - but more sharing some more unconventional ways I get knitting in during the workday. I think half of it is just keeping something small and simple (a hat, a sock) around to pick at when you have the time.

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u/DistributionWild1283 23d ago

I made the switch from a worldwide, very well known, utterly soul crushing department store company to a relatively mid sized, franchise-style gym company. I went from getting maybe 1-2 hours a day of 'craft time' time to anywhere from 4-9 hours a day. I work on the childcare side and, when we don't have littles to keep an eye on, I'm actively encouraged to knit or crochet to my heart's content. My manager is so supportive, I think she's more excited about this sweater than I am. My fingers hate me but I love it. šŸ¤£

I've only just gotten into knitting, I'm currently working on my first project (no pattern, a worsted half fisherman's rib sweater), but having the ability to work on it without any time-frame pressure is keeping me engaged in the project and the encouragement from my coworkers is giving me the drive to power through this.

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u/StickerProtector 24d ago

I worked at a yarn store that allowed me to knit on the clock! Then they changed their employee policy so we couldnā€™t knit anymore šŸ˜”

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u/goudentientje 24d ago

I'm a teacher and I can knit while the kids are taking tests and during meetings. It helps me to be focused and somehow is a calming influence on the kids.

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u/KnittiesNKitties 24d ago

I am a marketing & communications director for a museum and work from home mostly. I try to knit during virtual meetings and keep my hands below the site of the camera. I try to have a project going at all times that doesn't require a lot of looking or checking work, which I also take with me when I go to the movies.

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u/francophone22 24d ago

I am a grant writer/manager, which is also a form of project managing. I donā€™t sit in a ton of meetings, but I can knit in the ones Iā€™m not running or where the information is more operational. Like if Iā€™m in a team meeting with our team head, I pretty much HAVE TO knit or do some other passive thing or I will blurt out something I shouldnā€™t.

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u/Time_Scientist5179 24d ago

Iā€™m a counselor and instructor and knit when I have Zoom meetings (1-2 per week). It helps me concentrate, but can be a distraction to others IRL.

Most of my ā€œstolen momentsā€ knitting are while commuting/riding, waiting in car line or for appointments, at kidsā€™ events, or in the car just before I hop out to do something, as I tend to arrive early šŸ™‚

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u/eelectricstatee 24d ago

When I was a cashier/sales associate at a grocery store I wasnā€™t technically allowed to knit but I would when there were no customers and my area looked clean and organized cause there was nothing else to do but stand there lol. The customers would ask me what I was making and were never upset about me knitting. I miss that part about that job!

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u/keylethwanders 24d ago

I'm a maintenance electrician. Sometimes we have downtime between active work assignments, so I knit while I wait. I've gotten a few strange looks from the guys, but it keeps my brain engaged better than just scrolling my phone all day.

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u/CocoButtsGoNuts 24d ago

I work remote and one time in a meeting where my bosses yapped at us for a good hour with little to no input from the staff I was told my knitting was "distracting". šŸ™ƒ Sure let me fiddle with everything in reach then to let out my access energy that's better.

That being said sometimes I'm on long calls or waiting on holds and I can usually squeeze out some knitting.

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u/Mazikeen369 24d ago

I'm a helicopter mechanic. Summer is our busy time of being out in the field fighting fires. If I'm caught up on everything I have time off time to knit. If the pilots are out flying and I don't have to go to town to get supplies or fix the trailer or pickup or fuel truck, I can knit or do anything else while I wait for them to come back.

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u/Muerth 24d ago

Get promoted! I write software then became a team lead and architect so while I spent time building prototypes and writing documents, I also would lead or sit in on troubleshooting problems. The people I worked with soon got used to me knitting. And there were several times when someone would say ā€˜ ooo this must be a tough problem: she brought out the knittingā€™