Baseball season is in full swing and that means knitters, crocheters and stitchers can come together for  Stitch N’ Pitch events at major and minor baseball games nationwide. Schedules for Stitch N’ Pitch games and links to buy tickets are available online here.

This year there’s a special event planned to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for “Most People Crocheting Simultaneously” at the New York Mets game on June 5. If you want to attend you must RVSP at guinness@stitchnpitch.com and plan on showing up early at 2pm.

Read on for an interview with Libby Butler-Gluck, publicist for The National Needlearts Association, to learn about the history of Stitch N’ Pitch and how to get involved.

Can you give a quick history of how Stitch N’ Pitch began? Stitch N’ Pitch started at the Seattle Mariners 6 years ago when some ladies in the front office suggested that they have a knitting night.  With little promotion over 1000 people came in the first year.  The very next year, The National Needlearts Association (TNNA) adopted the program and went out to all 30 Major League Baseball Teams, to date TNNA has held events hundreds of Stitch N’ Pitch events with Major and Minor League Teams.

Would you say baseball games and stitching were very popular before Stitch N’Pitch was created?
I definitely know people who were bringing their stitching to baseball games before Stitch N’ Pitch began and it became even more popular after.  We all sit in a section together so its very social and we still get some interested “stares” but now it doesn’t seem so weird.  You definitely get attention and looks from people when you are knitting or stitching solo at a baseball game.

Any special reason why the New York Mets are hosting the Guinness World Record Stitch N’ Pitch event?
NY has some fantastic stores and awesome fans.  No particular reason we just thought it would make a great location especially because CitiField is just one year old.

The record breaking event only for crocheters? Or are knitters and other needleart enthusiasts allowed to participate to break the record?
If you show up we will teach you how to crochet.  We have people bringing “newbies” and we welcome anyone who wants to learn.  We will have teachers on hand for quick lessons.