BitterSweet Blog

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Mar

18

Stitching and Bitching – why the pub is the perfect location for interest groups

By Kristy | Posted: March 18, 2010

Think pubs are just for drinking in? Think again. While many people choose to go to the pub to enjoy a pint and talk to their friends, those with creative and crafty leanings are visiting their locals for a drink, a chat, and a spot of knitting. Stitch and Bitch groups are the new knitting circles, but the members are typically younger than you’d think – in case you’d missed it, knitting underwent somewhat of a revival a few years ago and is now a hobby of people as diverse as A-listers such as Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston to graffiti artists.

The parallels between knitting and beer are clear – both are interests previously seen as belonging to a certain group of people (older ladies for the former, men for the latter), which have both rightly begun to cross over to a wider audience. Why should these activities be confined to a certain group? A big reason for BitterSweet Partnership’s existence is that we believe that the women who have been put off trying beer are missing out – a belief clearly shared by the growing knitting community, who see it as a relaxing, fun and creative activity that isn’t just for your grandmother!

These groups are friendly and inclusive, with the London branch stressing on their website that “Everyone is welcome. Everyone.” It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned pro or a novice knitter, as every other meeting has guides on hand to show you the ropes. And you can have a beer at the same time! I’ve always been a fan of pubs (having worked in the trade) and believed they can serve an important function in a community, as a public, welcoming and demographic place for adults to meet and interact. Stitch and Bitch groups are a great example of how more women are using these spaces to get together and express themselves – and I’m all in favour of that.