Hobbies/gender relationship

I think that it is cool that you want to do cross stitch, I have done cross stitch since being about 7 years old and as I have become older I find it very therapeutic. I do not think that it matters whether you are male or female. In fact my hubby became quite interested in what I was doing and even did a little one himself and he was ever so proud of himself!

So, you found a bargain somewhere! I do not think that you are weird, or that hobbies are gender linked. I am just surprised that you are on here on a Saturday. I am having a hard time thinking that this is Saturday, because we started practicing our Christmas music at church this morning. I have been to church, therefore it is Sunday.

We learn something new all the time about you. Hehe. I do think that certain hobbies are thought of as male and female. Needlework is one of them, it shouldn't be that way though. I remember back in the day the big guy Rosie Greer liked to knit. Even his first name was female sounding. Household things needlework, sewing, cooking cleaning things like that are thought of as womens work, it shouldn't be that way. Things are changing for the better. More and more men are taking on so called "womens work" in the household. All men should know how to sew a button or repair a rip. Go for it and when you are done with your project you will have to show it off and post a picture.

What a sad world this would be if times had not changed by not with hobbies being for one gender or the other. I am sure way back when that they were but not now. I see nothing wrong with you learning and doing cross stitch or any other type of needle work, sewing........well anything. I loved to help my son when he was little working on the "boy" hobbies, model cars, model planes, building things. I wish my daughter's had taken wood working or mechanics in school, my son did take home making, not sure what all those classes are called now days, but she learned how to sew and how to cook. I say go for it..........you can do it and it will be fun and you will enjoy it and the finished product will mean so much to you.

Lol............ Well i will say this my husband is way better at crocheting then I am and he can make more....I am way better at target shooting, so I definitely say not weird. By the way cross stitching is fun, I love it... it's something my mom taught me and we did together.

Hello my friend!!!I think that it is the society we live in that relates hobbies to gender. In my opinion there is nothing wrong to do needle work. I think you should go ahead. Happy mylotting!!!

Heavens no! You are not weird! Lots of men do crafts that were once set aside for the female gender. But those days are passed. That was when men did the bread winning and women stayed home and sewed the clothes, etc. Or in more victorian times women couldn't read a newspaper but they were expected to do needlework whether they wanted to or not! thank goodness times have changed. Wasn't there a football player, Rosie something, that did needle work? I taught my son to crochet because he wanted to learn. why not? He also was fascinated with the sewing machine. He's now a rocket scientist, so you can't say it did him any harm. I once saw a young man tatting with a little bobbin and thread. He said he loved it and was making designs to glue on Xmas cards. He even had plans to start a company making them. So, do what you want and enjoy it!

Absolutely nothing wrong with that Grandpa Bob, whatever interests you shouldn't be governed by the stereotyping that says that boys play with cars and girls play with dolls. I had a friend who worked on embroidery and the things he made was fantastic and he turned professional and became very successful and he starting teaching embroidery. So enjoy!

If it relaxes you and you find yourself at ease doing this needlework, I would not be preoccupied with what the others might say about me. I think that most hobbies are gender related. A man doing needlework might sound a bit weird. But who are we to judge? When I was a young boy I used to help my mum in knitting and crochet. I never learned to do it myself but I loved to watch her doing this work.

Hi GRANDPA BOB--Nope you're not weird for wanting to do needlepoint...The professional football player Rosey Grier was probably the first to break through the barriers on not only doing needlepoint, but macramé as well. Here are a few links about him and his needlepoint..he even has a book about it http://www.flickr.com/photos/69799427@N00/sets/491625/ http://www.amazon.com/Rosey-Griers-Needlepoint-Men-Grier/dp/0802704212 {Warning: These are not referral links but links about Rosey Grier's needlepoint work} As for me, I've done a bit of carpentry work...which is usually considered a "guy" thing to do..LOL

I don't think it should be gender related....some of the best cross stitch I have ever seen was done by a man....and also I knew a guy that could knit the most beautiful sweaters....he had an injury to his hand and they had him learn for therapy! Man were they pretty. Do what ever you want and don't let anyone tell you that's its something you shouldn't be doing....

Hey grandpa Bob! It's been a while. Wow, you're into cross stitching? I like to cross stitch as well. I started out with the ballerina. It's a good way to spend time relaxing. I don't find it weird though. As long as we can do it and we like it, it's perfectly fine. It really depends on the individual's preference. Even make up can be a man's hobby. An example would be one who likes clowns or who performs as a clown. Most of the hobbies do seem gender specific. But it depends as well on the perception of the 2nd person. For me, as long as someone's enjoying his/her hobby (except if the hobby is preventing another person to do his/her hobby) whatever it may be, it's perfectly ok.

You're not weird at all. My oldest brother used to make his children's clothing and made all the curtains in their house. His son, my nephew, enjoys cross-stitch and he's about as manly as a man can get! It's fun doing things with your hands, especially if you're making beautiful things.

Hmm... if you're a grandpa, you may be old enough to remember Rosey Grier, the pro football player who wrote the book Needlework for Men? I doubt many men would dare tell him that needlework is just for women! I think there are some hobbies and crafts that have come to be associated with one gender or the other, and there are probably some that are attractive to more men or more women, but a lot of that is just the way we were brought up. Where needlework is concerned, a lot of the needlecraft we do today grew out of things men (and women) originally did as a matter of survival - crochet, for instance, probably started as a quicker way to make fishing nets. I say if you found a craft item that cost you 25 cents and you're going to have fun learning how to do it and take pride in the accomplishment, more power to you! (Oh, and please post a picture of it when you finish! I love cross-stitched Christmas stuff!)

...it's the first sign of senility.. NO! I'm kidding! I've heard of plenty of macho guys doing stuff like that.. I myself am thinking of taking up car rebuilding.. No not really, I'm kidding agian.. but I would like to build furniture.. or my dream cabin..

A lot of men are taking up crafts that were at one time traditionally considered women's crafts as women are taking up crafts that were considered men's crafts. There are a number of men that are famous quilters and I know a number of women that are wood carvers. so these days crafts are not gender specific. So go ahead and enjoy your needle work. I think you will find it relaxing.

Hi Grandpa Bob, Even when I was at school as a female I was in the aeronautics and woodwork classes although the aeronautics teacher told me to go and do needlework instead because I had written Mick 4 Me in a heart on the front of my work book LOL. so for me no I don't think it strange for a guy to want to do needlework or tapestry but old fashioned atitudes will sometimes use the expression 'oh thats womans work' bu in this day and age anything goes and tapestry is an art and many many are artistic, look at you with your gardening, now to me that is an artform also. Do what you feel happy doing and don't worry about what others think. Ellie :D

My hobby is to do someones housework for them wearing the right clothes for the job. I find it very relaxing and of course as a transvestite I enjoy wearing female clothes and being accepted as a female doing the work.

I think anyone should do any hobby that they find interesting. Male or female shouldn't enter into it.

I think you should feel free to do any hobby which makes you happy, GB. Lots of men in Australia knit, and apparently it gives them a lot of peace and happiness. They also enjoy tapestry and cross-stitch - a friend of mine has an uncle who has made many beautiful wall hangings which have won prizes in shows. You are certainly not weird, and I hope your new hobby brings you great satisfaction and joy. It's a wonderful feeling to create something.