With my family in MI, we would have some handwork to do if we are all sitting around 7 no one had a problem with it.
When I moved here 18 yrs ago I thought I'd just sit & visit & possibly 'learn' something about this family I married into.
Didn't learn much that I wouldn't have heard while I did hand work so I started taking binding to work on. I can talk & do basic hand work as the same time. I can even answer a question and keep up with the talk around me. I also found out that the in-laws aren't that important to my mother-in-law whether we cook the dinner or not.