They worried knitting would make them less masculine. Then these New Yorkers met the guys

This story originally appeared on The Advocate. Avi Molder worked quickly through the stitches of a shirt at Cleo’s Yarn Shop in Brooklyn. He first learned to knit through his mother, and honed his skills more fully as an adult. At the shop’s monthly men’s night, Molder found a comfortable place to practice — and spend time with the boys. “I definitely wouldn’t hang out with an exclusive group of men and not knit,” Molder, a New York City resident who works in publishing, told The Advocate. Contemporary knitting is borne from household labor historically done by women, and hobbyists say the craft is often still viewed as intrinsically feminine. But across the country, groups of men gather regularly at yarn shops, community centers, and overnight retreats just to knit together. By carving out these spaces, men are using the craft to forge bonds around their masculinity; and, in equal measure, to deconstruct it.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.