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These men are brawny, have facial hair and know their way around needles — knitting needles, that is. Meet the members of the group that calls itself Man Who Knit.

Founded in 2009, these avid male knitters from Bandung, Jakarta and Yogyakarta have been attracting attention from the public and the media with their outside-the-box crafting skills. They fully embrace the concept of knitting to entertain.

This is evident in the videos they post on their Web site, themanwhoknit.blogspot.com, which feature hands-free knitting (yes, with toes) and needle-free knitting (just with fingers) to the beat of rock and bossa nova music.

Wiku Baskoro, 28, is one of the group’s seven members who regularly meet in Bandung. He said his interest in the craft stemmed from a knitting class he took at Tobucil, a bookstore and creative community center in the area.

“I love making things with my own hands. I thought, why not try knitting? I ride a motorcycle everywhere so I thought it would be cool to knit myself a scarf to wrap around my mouth and nose,” Wiku said.

He said he was aware of the public opinion of knitting as an activity associated with women, especially grandmothers. “That is still the prevailing view,” he said.

“But people have been mostly tolerant. The girls, especially, may [initially] think that we’re doing this for fun. But after they see us knit, they say that they have to acknowledge that our skills are superior even to women.”

Does the hobby make them lesser men, so to speak, in the eyes of their significant others?


“Our girlfriends are fine with our hobby because we can give them scarves that we knit ourselves. Or maybe we don’t get teased because we’re not dandy or effeminate. We’re burly men with beards and long hair,” Wiku said with a laugh.

Mulyana, 25, another group member, said he had never heard any negative comments about his fondness for knitting. “My dad is a cook and people think cooking is a woman’s job,” he said.

“My parents have a very laid-back attitude about their children’s hobbies. The important thing is to be all-out at it. If you like it, why be afraid?”

Mulyana discovered knitting when he was given a pile of unsold yarn from Tobucil to do with as he pleased. The senior at Pendidikan Indonesia University, who is majoring in art and minoring in textiles, has been hooked ever since.

“We were not taught how to knit on campus. So my friends were excited because I can teach them how,” he said.

Mulyana has even incorporated knitting into his final school project. “I call it the Mogu dolls,” he said.

Mogu is an acronym for monster gurita (octopus monster). His project, which can be seen on his Mogus World blog, centers on plush dolls made of woolen pompoms. The dolls have their own personalities and inhabit a knitted coral reef.

“Other students have projects that they abandon after they graduate. I want mine to be something I can continue developing,” he said.

“With Mogu, I want to create a blog, write a book about them, even launch a solo exhibition. It’s an art form. And knitting is part of my medium.”

Mulyana said his passion for knitting had even become a means for him to earn money. He has been selling hats, scarves and bags. “Orders increase during the rainy season,” he said.

Hats go for Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000 ($6 to $7), while scarves are sold for Rp 60,000 to Rp 80,000. “Sometimes, when I need money, I just knit stuff. I can knock out a scarf or a hat in two days by knitting three hours every day,” he said.

The other members of Man Who Knit are as zealous as Mulyana about spreading their love for knitting. “Last year, we gave a workshop for senior editors at a magazine in Jakarta,” Wiku said.

“Those older men were so excited about their new skills. They posted pictures of every inch of their knitting progress. It was a hoot!”

During the group’s recent workshops, members have been focusing on learning yubiyami — the art of knitting without needles. The technique involves looping and weaving the yarn around the fingers of one hand.

They have also experimented with yubiyami using shredded plastic bags in an attempt to recycle them.

“Women usually find it more intriguing to learn how to knit when they see that the instructors are men,” Wiku said.

“Sometimes, we will be waiting for participants to come to our booth [when we take part in exhibitions] and if no one pays any attention to us, we start knitting. Usually, people start coming after that.

“Knitting is like any other hobby,” he said. “Once you’re hooked, you’ll want to explore it and become better at it, just like with any other hobby, like playing guitar or drawing.”


1. Wash your hands before knitting. Use any kind of soap available, depending on the sponsor. Try not to buy your own.

2. Work on your courage and confidence.

3. Be single-minded and patient. Failing that, go back to point No. 2.

4. Create a favorable atmosphere. Drink tea or coffee. Listen to music.

5. Be cheerful or you’ll get the chill.

6. Choose the yarn that you like. If you can’t make up your mind, then you’re not single-minded. Go back to point No. 3.

7. Choose your knitting needle. If you still can’t work up the will to knit, ask forgiveness from your parents, family, girlfriend, ex, even your other woman. Maybe there are past sins you’re unaware of that are blocking your mojo.

8. Knit with what you know! Let’s go! Cast on!

9. Develop a network especially among knitting experts so you can ask for help in case of trouble or difficulties in casting off.

10. Pay attention to where you knit. The more spectators there are, the better it is, because this opens up the chance of being reported on by the media. This has been successfully proven!

11. Once you finish knitting, don’t forget to show off. Take pictures and post them on the Internet. Tell your friends so you’ll become more famous.

12. Most important, never be afraid of the snags!