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A knit at the movies: Edina movie theater hosts old-fashioned hobby
FOX 9's Maury Glover has more on a group of knitters practicing their craft while enjoying movies at an Edina theater.
EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Knitting is an old-fashioned hobby that got new life during the pandemic, but a group of knitters has found a new way to enjoy the art of spinning a yarn.
‘I love the sense of community’
Big picture view:
Usually, going to the movies involves a bucket of popcorn and some soda to wash it down.
But on this night, a go bag and knitting needles are the essential ingredients to have a good time.
"I've basically been coming since they started. We're about at the one-year mark. This is a monthly ritual for me at this point," said knitter Jamie Stromberg.
A knit at the movies
The backstory:
Once a month, about 60 movie goers who share a common thread get together at the Edina Mann Theater near 50th and France to see what unspools.
"I like that it keeps my brain active. I also have ADHD, so it helps me concentrate, which not everyone knows," said Kate Bispala, owner of Harriet and Alice yarn shop in Edina.
Lara Valente, who owns Dandelion Fiber Company in South Minneapolis, came up with the idea for crafting at the movies after seeing similar events on the West Coast.
She partnered with Harriet and Alice to stitch together a monthly gathering of like-minded knitters.
"I think the appeal is community. It's kind of being around a bunch of people, going out with your friends, making a night of it. A lot of knitting and crafting can be a little bit solitary at times, but it can be kind of a group thing, and it can be social," said Valente.
Sew fun
What they're saying:
This month, the main attraction is Drop Dead Gorgeous, a send-up of beauty pageants that was filmed in Minnesota in the early 90s.
"We did Dirty Dancing last month and that was a huge hit. We all sang along the entire time. It was fabulous. That movie aged really well. We're trying to keep them on theme. Technically chick flicks, but fun ones," said Valente.
The theater keeps the lights up, so the audience can see what they are doing, but some bring their own knitting lights to make sure the only loose ends are on the silver screen and not in their passion projects.
"I'm using my hands to do the knitting and then I've got eyes and ears and they can focus on the movie. so it works, it works together." said Stromberg.
The opposite of fast fashion
Local perspective:
The crafts run the gamut from knitting and crocheting to needle point and even Lego building and the end results are just as varied.
"So you're going to have sweaters and shawls and things like that. Of course, socks, I'm sure and it just depends," said Valente.
Organizers say knitting saw a resurgence during the pandemic because people had time on their hands and were looking for something to do with them.
"There's a lot happening in the world that's hard to process. I don't think humans are meant to process this much data, and I think that this kind of slows you down a little bit and allows you to just focus on one thing," and Valente.
They hope events like this will make a tight-knit community even tighter in the future.
"I've just enjoyed every minute of it. It is quite the event every month, and to continue to just grow the community and have fun with more people every month is great," said Bispala.