FTMs into crafts?

[BeefxCake]

Sometimes i felt like the only anchor i had to being a girl was my hobby in the crocheting/knitting/cute crap hobbys i had.
i like cute stuff, what can i say. i would never wear something super frilly or girly but making things like hats and stuff for my friends is awesome. i'd take my crocheting into classes and other places. I draw things like this:   (actually i will draw this stuff but my style has drifted to more:  http://fav.me/d5ybhb4)

and i have quite a story about my hobby and my gener identity. very recently i came across a video game, it's called persona 4. if you have an interest in vide games, this game is amazing. it tackles so many issues. including transgender and homosexuality. but not in such a way where it's in your face or portrayed a disgusting or anything, just as a part of the characters self that they come to terms with...well anyway, what i was getting at was there was one character n particular that shattered my image of my hobby being restricted to my girly nature.

a thug of a character named kanji tatsumi: http://fav.me/d6bslvt  is one of the people you encounter in the game. he walks around like the biggest tough guy in the game. you soon find out he knits as a hobby in secret. (he doesn't want to be ridiculed by others for his 'girly hobby') as the game progresses he get's feelings for an FTM named naoto. anyway, i won't go too into details about him but basically he just wants to be able to make his cute stuff and not be seen as weak or girly, which really changed how i saw my hobby. as it was, just a hobby, i didn't hve to be a girl to do it. and thus more questioning of my gender came after and whatnot. i shouldn't let a game affect me so deeply OTL. but if you've ever played it you know what it does to you... persona man, deep stuff...

anyway rant aside, how many FTMs out there knit and or crochet or sew? do you feel demasculated by your hobby? or is it just something you do and don't think anything about wether or not it makes you feel womanly or manly or whathaveyou.

[SaveMeJeebus]

anyway rant aside, how many FTMs out there knit and or crochet or sew? do you feel demasculated by your hobby? or is it just something you do and don't think anything about wether or not it makes you feel womanly or manly or whathaveyou.

I should ask this question to the guy i know.

I understand where you are coming from, but you said yourself, you shouldn't let a game -heck, anyone convince you what you do or don't do is 'girl' or 'manly' thing. I think it's admiring seeing people doing things that's "odd". I saw a picture of a guy knitting on the train the other day, that's freaking awesome.

For what it's worth, i don't knit, crochet, or sew, but i am tempted to give it a try one day.

[BeefxCake]

it's good fun, it's nice o see somethin you've made and be able to say, hey i made that and it's functional and it ooks great.

i did make it sound like i was influenced by a game but i think my pointwas is my eyes were opened to the possibities that happen in the world. it could have been anyone, heck that guy you saw on the train coulda made the same revelation to me as the character i mentioned because i'd never seen it before.  i ust make a big deal of fictional characteres motly cuz im just not that social XD

[DriftingCrow]

I knit, sew, spin yarn (I am such a weirdo lol, but I am saving all of my dog's fur that comes out when I brush her, I plan to spin it one day. She's a Pomeranian and wicked soft, it'll be an awesome sweater or hat or whatever one day), crochet, dye fabrics (super fun!), every once in a great while I needle-point. . .

yeah, a lot of "girly hobbies".

I don't really think much about gender with my hobbies, since knitting/crocheting used to be men's work (back on the fishing boats), women just took it to the next level. I also just really enjoy doing these sorts of hobbies, because I like how far back the history goes with them, its like a modern-day connection with the past. I think its interesting how we do something (like knitting) for fun nowadays while women used to have to do it for work/survival.

[Nero]

Oddly enough, I'm just getting interested in crafts and stuff - interior decorating, making stuff, fashion (I'm due to take a sewing class next month (never sewn so much as a button in my life).
I don't know what it is. Never was remotely interested when living as a girl.
It took me several years after transition to admit I was interested in trying fashion design. The whole 'non-manly' aspect and all. Still not sure how I feel about it. I'm just taking a couple classes to see.

[SaveMeJeebus]

it's good fun, it's nice o see somethin you've made and be able to say, hey i made that and it's functional and it ooks great.

i did make it sound like i was influenced by a game but i think my pointwas is my eyes were opened to the possibities that happen in the world. it could have been anyone, heck that guy you saw on the train coulda made the same revelation to me as the character i mentioned because i'd never seen it before.  i ust make a big deal of fictional characteres motly cuz im just not that social XD

I don't think i have the patience for it though. Both my nan and younger sister do. My nan has made pillow cases, birth-date word-thingies  , teddy bears, and blankets. She made baby blankets for me, my siblings, and nephews. And also made me Rupert the bear when i was little. I think i still have somewhere. To be able to do something like that, and then pass it on, what a great gift.

I don't understand how people make such a big deal out of fictional characters. The guy i know, he's very weird 

[Soren]

I wasn't really interested in more than origami and paper cutting before I started transitioning. Now I have piles of things for all of my "girly" crafting things. Right now I'm dc crocheting a Cheshire Cat scarf. (I just hope I can pass while wearing ten feet of pink and purple)

I'm glad I'm not the only male crafter here. Most of the ones I know are women....

[Edge]

anyway rant aside, how many FTMs out there knit and or crochet or sew? do you feel demasculated by your hobby? or is it just something you do and don't think anything about wether or not it makes you feel womanly or manly or whathaveyou.

I sew, but I'm not very good at it yet. I do not feel emasculated by it. There are clothes I want that don't exist yet and no one else is going to make them for me.

[BeefxCake]

well this i awesome, glad to see guys that are into crafting/sewing and stuff.

really awesome actually makes me feel a lot better. XD

[Erik Ezrin]

I don't crochet, knit or sew, but have been tempted to try it. I have given a shot at crocheting and knitting, but it's so slow it got me kinda bored, lol. I rather draw or paint stuff from my imagination, as it has more freedom, etc. and I'm more at home in that field of art. (is drawing/painting girly? I don't think so... but meh... *shrugs*) I have sown a few things for my larp characters costume, and I still have "learn how to sew AWESOMETASTIC stuff" on my list, lol.
I also like crafting stuff with clay, and I would LOVE to learn leatherworking (but that is a more 'unisex'/'male' hobby I guess)
I don't think it's girly at all. Pfff, what does it even matter! Does liking cute things makes you a sissy, gay, or a girl? Of course not! That offsets my bs alarms, lol

I, for one, like a lot of stereotypically 'male' things, but also some more typical 'female' things. I'm a bit of a mix, but girls don't call me a lesbian, and guys -probably- won't call me gay.

[Darkie]

I don't think i have the patience for it though. Both my nan and younger sister do. My nan has made pillow cases, birth-date word-thingies  , teddy bears, and blankets. She made baby blankets for me, my siblings, and nephews. And also made me Rupert the bear when i was little. I think i still have somewhere. To be able to do something like that, and then pass it on, what a great gift.

I don't understand how people make such a big deal out of fictional characters. The guy i know, he's very weird 

I am so jelly by this statement. NO ONE knows who Rupert the bear is, so the fact that you do makes me so happy.

[Danielle Emmalee]

I am so jelly by this statement. NO ONE knows who Rupert the bear is, so the fact that you do makes me so happy.

Rupert the Bear is pretty well known in Canada, I would assume he would also be in the UK since that's where its from.

[Femboy]

Oh gosh, I LOVE to craft! I love making terrariums, embroidering pillows, sewing dresses, doing nail art, and pretty much anything crafty and ~girly~ that I can get my hands on.  Crafting has helped me through some pretty rough times.  It helps me feel like I have value as a person when I create these little (and sometimes big) projects, even when I'm feeling totally worthless.

To answer your question re: feeling emasculated, that's not an issue for me personally.  But to be honest I don't think that's a feeling I've ever experienced, nor is it one I think I ever will since I'm not really invested in masculinity. 

[Darkie]

Rupert the Bear is pretty well known in Canada, I would assume he would also be in the UK since that's where its from.

Yea, I live in the Midwest of the US, so almost no one has heard of him.

I've always kinda wanted to make a terrarium, but my cat would destroy that.

[Danielle Emmalee]

Yea, I live in the Midwest of the US, so almost no one has heard of him.

I've always kinda wanted to make a terrarium, but my cat would destroy that.

What kind of terrarium?

[Darkie]

What kind of terrarium?

Fairy.

[Danielle Emmalee]

Fairy.

That's cool.  Maybe to keep your cat from destroying it, you could make it more like a biodome with some glass over it or something.  Of course that makes it quite a bit more expensive.  Don't have a room you could keep the cat out of?

[Darkie]

No, we have a very tiny house. Although, I might try and make one next year on the porch.

[Femboy]

I usually make succulent terrariums in all sorts of glass jars and containers : 3 relatively cat proof   

[Darkie]

I usually make succulent terrariums in all sorts of glass jars and containers : 3 relatively cat proof   

Would mason jars work?  I got a lot for canning and then didn't use them cause the bunnies outside at all my veggies. Sept my cherry tomatoes.  Those took off.  Fresh cherry tomatoes are so good.

I also cross stitch sometimes, make simple kandi-like theme bracelets to sell at conventions and I am starting making teddy bears to eventually make pokemon-themed bear backpacks.