Sometimes I forget that there are people who don't know or care anything about the world of knitting. One of my grad school advisors was very big on the concept of subcultural art. I eventually got my degree in drawing and painting working in an area described as subcultural, i.e., a whole world within the larger world that exists without the knowledge of the larger world. Not like a ghetto but rather an area of common interest that draws a group of people together. There may be some generally agreed upon rules or guidelines that define the group. But generally the subculture itself is the all consuming thing. Knitting is like that for me.

Had an email from a friend yesterday wanting to know if I was going to Stitches West. I'd really like to do this but can't for mostly economic reasons. To just be surrounded by all those people who have the same interests and enthusiasms that I have; to see the huge marketplace of fibers and fiber tools. This has got to be the ultimate groupie extravaganza. Sort of the Mecca of Fiber Artists. And yet there's a whole world of people who don't even know this event is taking place, and probably wouldn't care even if they did know.

Last night was "Knitting with Joanne", my Tuesday night regular get together. There are usually just three of us. But it's a recurring event that I look forward to and thoroughly enjoy. And I spend four days a week working in a knit/yarn shop. When I'm at home I'm surrounded by all my works in progress, boxes and bags of yarn, books and magazines about knitting as well as all the tools of the trade. And then, of course, there are all the knitter blogs that I read everyday.

The danger of living in a subculture is that in one's own mind the subculture becomes the mainstream. Sometimes I'm surprised that not everyone, in fact not many people at all, views knitting as an important activity. I've been known to decline invitations because I really wanted to stay home and knit. Now that I'm retired I don't have much to keep me from indulging myself.

So that's what I'm thinking about today.