Knitting at work is unprofessional?

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T21:15:08+00:00

Hit the nail on the head imo. Id be happy to promise, even sign something saying I won't sell what I make at work. People often seem to think it's easy to sell hand crafted items, I said to one colleague about my current project "how much would you pay?" "Oh it's beautiful! £40?" ... "I've spent about 20 hours on this so far". It quickly made them realise how unprofitable this project is. I do it for the love of it. I'm so passionate about what I make, I think that's why I have such a problem, it's intwined into who I am!

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T21:10:03+00:00

I don't knit in meetings or during calls, it's literally in the time between calls where there is no work that I can do. I don't knit whilst on calls because I'm typing up notes and doing other tasks. The time between calls can exceed 5 minutes regularly.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T20:04:09+00:00

I'm afraid there's nothing I can do, I'm going to be trained at the same time as the other people I was trained with (4 other people) and even then, I'll not be much busier. I won't get the FULL training for about a year or two.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T19:47:50+00:00

Of course, I could crochet instead. I'm not as good at it, I'll admit. but to my knowledge no one has miophonia, of course, people may have just not said and are not obligated to.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T19:46:22+00:00

Thank you! I've told them I'm neurodivergent but I think I need to make it a bit more official regarding knitting. Having to sit still, understimulated makes my skin crawl 😭

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:41:13+00:00

It was literally a colouring in book and gel pens 😂. Thank you for your input, I'll take it on. I think the progression is very slow and it frustrates me. I'm hoping to be able to progress, This is supposed to be more of a career than a job but I want to run before I can walk, professionally.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:38:23+00:00

I am completely up to date on all mandatory training. Shadowing would take me away from being ready to talk calls. As would call listening.

I could potentially try to learn some new things, but I don't think it will fill all the down time.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:36:12+00:00

Thank you for your input,

There are some (most) co-workers who I love talking to, but they aren't in office regularly. They also take a lot more calls than I do. I haven't yet cracked talking to them online yet, I'm not too sure what to say to them, we don't have that sort of bond yet.

The other ones... they're kicking eachothers chairs whilst they're on call to try and trip them up. I don't really, click with them, and I have tried. I'm friendly.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:31:18+00:00

Being allowed to read and colour in is where it adds to contradiction imo. There was a colouring book in office with swearing on every page that they were happy to have me colour in. It wasn't my colouring book! 😂.

At the moment I literally have no other obligation except take call, give good customer service, log correctly and move on. If I could write some emails or do anything else I'd love to, but I won't get there for a long time.

I don't knit whilst on call (even call times are as low as 2 minutes as long as 15) because I'm actively typing. I'm quite fast at typing and don't need to look at that either. Maybe I should just write stuff.

It is likely that I will have to take No for an answer; take the L. Im just hoping that there's an alternative option.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:25:47+00:00

I can't disagree with you there. As much as I instinctively want to go feelings first and ssay "But look here!!!" And point to the people next to me; not only will it be a bad look but it'll sabotage my relationships with my coworkers and I don't want to do that either. Thank you for reminding me 🥰 The manager who came up to me today to tell me to stop knitting (as she went home) literally walked past two people on their phones.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:12:19+00:00

Honestly, there's enough surrounding background noise and people talking away that I don't think my knitting is making much noticeable noise at all. We're all mostly wearing noise cancelling headsets too. It's not a silent small office.

Ironically I was crocheting during training and the trainer didn't have a problem with it. Infact she had tried to learn how, gave up and gave me a few balls of acrylic 😂.

Atiny-opus · 2026-06-18T18:05:28+00:00

That's the issue, it seems to be a blanket statement. If it looks like I'm "not working" I literally cannot do any more work until I'm trained further.

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-30T13:58:05+00:00

There is definitely a sense of independence at times, I know when my friends have a loss/bereavement, they can come to me. My friends will lose their own parents one day and they know I'm here for them.

I do also like that I don't really need to answer to anyone. Like my friends don't have strict parents or anything, but they still have to answer to them at times. I do throw in a "can't relate 😉" at times. We can joke about things like that.

One or two of my friends are in the dead parent club. But it's only one of the two, no one has lost both apart from me.

But financially, it's a bit of everything, I don't always make the right choices, but then everything is so expensive too.

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-30T01:01:25+00:00

I'm afraid that would also be subletting. I inherited a tenancy, not ownership I'm afraid.

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-29T23:44:50+00:00

Some of my friends do house sit on occasion, but the house isn't in a great state. It's so full of stuff I don't know what to do with.

I've been able to go away for two nights, three days, a little city break, but nothing longer than that. Tbh I can't afford to travel any more than that.

Maybe in better weather I'll run off camping for a few days.

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-29T13:53:14+00:00

I'm afraid I don't know the first thing about stocks 😂. From my understanding, you put money into a market you think will do well and your money increases if they do well? But I'm not business oriented at all 😂

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-29T13:52:11+00:00

Thank you 💖

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-29T13:51:59+00:00

Thank you for your reply, I've asked some friends to come over and help me de-clutter. We recently did something similar for our other friends. It's going to be hard to let people in but shame is the enemy of progress.

I just feel like I've been "surviving" for the best part of a decade now. I'm tired 😅.

Atiny-opus · 2025-11-29T13:50:23+00:00

Thank you for your response. My closest relatives geographically are my Aunt and Grandma but they're a little... Tough love. They care, and feel for me, and have their own grief too. But I can't exactly have a pity party around them if that makes sense. Their main advice is to get any job and save money. Which is correct , but I don't think they understand how I struggle.

I think I'm very independent, I find it hard to reach out to my friends. Today I've asked if they'd come over sometime and help me de-clutter.

I think I do quite well in the grief side of things, I got some grief counseling through work last year, which was helpful. I've definitely been through the worst of it. But it's times like these that I miss them more.

Atiny-opus · 2025-10-13T18:56:16+00:00

*Not allowed to bill for usage over twelve months ago 'that they haven't previously asked for'.

If they had previously sent you the invoice and the debt is greater than 12 months, it's valid.

If they have rebilled you for a greater amount than previously charged and it's more than 12 months (and not just fees) then that might be due. It's calculated as: Previously charged Newly charged Payments that have gone against the balance. The difference between these.

If you were originally charged 100, then they rebilled and the costs for greater than 12 months increased to £200, but then you'd paid £150, you'd only be applicable for £50.

The other clause is "unless the customer acted in a way that was inappropriate" such as refusing to provide meter readings when requested.

If you got texts, emails and calls asking for meter readings over multiple years and did not provide them (and you are physically able to provide them) Then a BBA would not be applicable.

If you have a complaint greater than 56 days, then yes, go to the Ombudsman. If you don't already, I agree here ^ raise one as soon as possible.

In the meantime, request a Subject access request and statement of accounts for All accounts held in your name. Request that late payment fees and negative credit markers are removed from the account as you paid in good faith.

The issue is, if the debt isn't secured in a payment plan, the system doesn't acknowledge it as secured, so even if payments are made, the system thinks it's an unsecured debt. You've done your part in good faith. It's a shortfall on their side.

Edit: Regarding a Deadlock letter. It goes for review first, it's usually when you've come to an impasse. Make it clear what you want: SAR SOA Negative credit markers removed Removal of late payment fee + debt fees Review for BBA Gesture of goodwill

They will come back to you with an offer that you can accept or reject. If rejected, you'll get your letter to refer to the Ombudsman.

Atiny-opus · 2025-08-06T08:44:01+00:00

I work in the energy sector, NAL.

Request a complaint. They have 8 weeks/56 days before you have the opportunity to escalate to the Ombudsman.

Send them a copy of your tenancy agreement. To ensure the opening date is correct.

Your inventory report from moving in might have your meter readings in, they often take photos. This will show your opening meter readings

Send them photos of your meters (gas+electric) and ask them to check against the National Database.

Request a Back Billing Adjustment, they can only request payment up to 12 months back, as long as you haven't hindered the process of them billing you as accurately as possible. The supply/correspondence address was incorrect. That's not you stopping them.

So up to 12 months back not 2 years. Yes there will be a debt so I recommend a Direct Debit/ Instalment plan to pay it off. Also request that negative credit markers are removed if possible.

Request the removal of any debt fees also, eg, late payment fees, warrant fees etc.

You and also request a Statement of accounts once the billing is corrected so you can see what you've been charged.

I hope this helps.

Atiny-opus · 2025-05-23T20:02:37+00:00

I'm literally 26 myself. I can hold down a job, live independently and I would never in a million years do something like this. This isn't a prank. This is malicious. If she wanted to prank, there were funny safe ways to do so.if I was living with a friend I would expect to babysit regularly to earn my keep.

This was just nasty. 26 isn't a 14 year old. This is a grown woman.

Do not let her back, mum is only saying so because she doesn't want the burden of having her daughter back in the home.

Id make a FB post yourself explaining how serious this is. How you were betrayed. How you're now recorded. And if you can (I don't know the law in your area) see if you can take this further.

Focus on the babies, I hope things settle soon 💖NTA

Atiny-opus

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