"What are you making?"

I was asked more than once yesterday. 
I had made the effort to go to a "knit and natter". It is the alternate gathering to a meeting I attend once a month.
The reason for going was simple. I will not be at the next meeting and there might have been questions about another event I am involved in.There were questions. I duly answered several. 
And there was the "what are you making" question as well. It is a common question.
And it is one I am going to try not to ask in future. No, it isn't because I am not interested. It is because I hope I am more interested than an answer like "socks" or "a  hat" or "another scarf". 
I think I would like to show people I am a little more observant than that. It might be more interesting if I can ask them about the actual pattern they are using or ask them about the yarn. Unless it isn't pretty obvious then asking what someone is making seems to me to be the equivalent of the polite "how are you?"  
I was reminded of the Senior Cat's brother. He could, towards the end of his life, get thoroughly tetchy. He was in the supermarket one day with the man who did so much to help him. The assistant at the checkout asked him, "How are you?"
His response was "Bloody awful."
And the response was an automatic, "That's nice."
The story was repeated later - to much amusement.
But I wonder if it really was that funny. The assistant would not have had the time or desire to engage in conversation but what about the rest of us? How  often do we say, "How are you?" and not really care or want to know? How often do we give the inquirer a polite rather than an honest answer?
Yesterday I stopped and explained what I was doing to someone. I am not sure it was what she expected but, suddenly, she seemed much more interested.
     "Come and have a look at  this," she said to someone else. I was able to show them both how something is done.
Later I prowled around for a little while and took in what other people were doing. I could have asked what people were making more than once but it was obvious. Instead I asked two elderly people how they were feeling now - because I really did want to know.  One of them thanked me for some biscuits and the other showed me one of six scarves she is knitting for those who care for her on a daily basis. We talked properly to one another. 
I really do need to stop asking meaningless questions. I need to ask questions to which I want to know the answers. It might take a bit more thought but I will be better informed.