This Saturday, June 11, 2022, is World Wide Knit in Public Day! Can you believe it? A whole day dedicated to knitting in public—like it's the most normal thing in the world! (Because it should be, right?! 😉) Keep reading to learn the details about this annual holiday including its mission, what takes place, and what you can do to participate!
Celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day!
I remember the first time I ever knit in public. It was at a park, and a woman suddenly came up to me and said, "I love your knitting! What are you making?" We ended up chatting about all things yarn and knitting, and I left the park feeling so inspired and connected. It was such a cool experience!
That's the beauty of World Wide Knit in Public Day . It's a chance to break down those barriers, share our love of knitting with the world, and maybe even make a few new friends along the way.
What is World Wide Knit in Public Day?
World Wide Knit in Public Day (WWKIPD) was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes and takes place on the second Saturday of each June. Astrid Salling from Denmark took over organizing WWKIPD in 2011 and has helped in the growth of the event globally. World Wide Knit in Public Day is the largest knitter-run event in the world, with local events that have taken place in at least 57 countries, including Australia, China, Ireland, and South Africa.
Mission of WWKIPD
The slogan for World Wide Knit in Public Day is “Better living through stitching together,” and I think the keyword here is “together.” As many of us know, knitting can often and easily be a lonely hobby, done from the comfort of our couches while we binge our favorite tv shows. The main mission of World Wide Knit in Public Day is to help knitters connect by getting them off of said couches and out to a local event or location with their knitting!
Another perk behind World Wide Knit in Public Day is to show knitters and non-knitters alike that knitting can be a community activity and that the knitting community itself is so diverse. It also helps raise awareness of knitting existing as a modern craft and art form.
What takes place on WWKIPD
For every World Wide Knit in Public Day, a volunteer or group of volunteers organize knitting events in their local communities. Volunteers have the freedom to make the event what they want, so events may include vendors, classes, or just an opportunity to sit and knit with other local knitters.
If you're looking to connect with fellow knitters, check out my blog post about social media platforms with strong knitting communities for some great places to find your tribe!
How to Knit in Public: Fun Ways to Celebrate WWKIPD!
If World Wide Knit in Public Day sounds like something you’d like to participate in, there are a number of things you can do:
You can register to attend your local Knit in Public (KIP) event! Registration for events usually opens in January, but many events allow you to register up until the day of!
You can help your local volunteer(s) organize for next year’s KIP! If there is a KIP near you, see if you can contact the volunteer(s) and ask if there is anything you can do to help. With registrations often opening in January, there is usually digital marketing work that needs to take place, event planning, and day-of set up. I’m sure the volunteer(s) would love a helping hand!
If you’re looking to be even more involved, and you don’t see a KIP near you, you can organize your own KIP for next year! The WWKIPD gives you a good idea of what goes into the planning before you commit to registering your event.
If there isn’t a KIP near you (or if you’re more of a lone ranger), you can still participate! Simply take your knitting off the couch. Go to a park, a coffee shop, a baseball game, whatever, and knit, knit, knit.
I absolutely love that there's a special day like World Wide Knit in Public Day that encourages knitters to get outside and connect with others. While I highly encourage you to participate in World Wide Knit in Public Day , I also want to challenge you to knit in public on other days throughout the year! Let’s show the world what today’s knitting community looks like and show off the amazing art that we stitch up.
Make sure to share this post with your knitting friends so we can get more knitters out and knitting this Saturday, June 11th, for World Wide Knit in Public Day!
