Absolutely. Totally agree.

Thank you! And no worries/hard feelings if you need to skip this one.

@@WOOLNEEDLESHANDS Oh, I'll finish it!

Absolutely. 100% agree.

eh, if there is I haven't found it. also, nothing against people who like acrylic yarn - you do you, sure you have reasons to choose it - but personally, I'd rather not add microplastics to the ocean if I can avoid it. on the other hand, I see a lot more people complaining about acrylic yarn hate than people who are actually snobbish about acrylic yarn.

I would argue that a person who prefers to use acrylic yarn (for whatever reason) to make their own clothing is participating in a very practical and sustainable practice and not someone deserving of the passive aggressive suggestion that contrary to you, they must want to add microplastics to the oceans. I think that it’s ok to share this concern (microplastic pollution) with folks in a way that is unassuming and neutral, however using your own virtue to suggest that the person you’re addressing is in some way lacking in that same virtue is not an effective way to create an open discussion about the issue.

Seriously!! I started knitting 30 years ago and I only did hats and scarves because for a long time the only yarns I could afford to buy were scratchy acrylic. Now it seems like a lot of companies are coming out with such super soft acrylics and blends and I can finally afford to make a sweater or dress 😆

I totally understand that and I’ve been there myself. Damned if you do; damned if you don’t keep ‘em. 😂

I wondered if they meant that being a test knitter is overrated, rather than having your pattern test knit being the overrated thing?

Yes! THANK YOU! I feel the same way, I'm always knitting the smallest size of patterns and getting more ease than suggested because the sizes don't go small enough to choose a different size. Totally understand the need for larger sizes too, I feel their pain on a different level.

This resonates with me as well. I am also a very loose knitter and have a bigger bust 34 in, but my waist is only 28 in, so the smallest sweaters always end up oversized on me. I wish more patterns had XS and XXS options. A sweater with a finished circumference of 38 in may be only 4 in of positive ease on my chest, but it’s almost a foot of ease on my waist. 😔

Yes. Absolutely. And you are not alone in this opinion. Finding "adult" patterns that still fit very small adults is difficult for many of the same reasons larger knitters experience. And typically, where a pattern may have three or four sizes beyond the L size, there will only be one size below the S. And as you can attest to here, fully grown adults come in sizes far smaller than your average small.

You could perhaps try Japanese and Spanish patterns as they typically are fitted to smaller bodies than English/North American and Northern European patterns.

I think suggesting these types of patterns is great because Japanese and Spanish patterns are gorgeous, and you're right, some regions "specialize" in smaller sizes, however this commenter (Linnea) may be American or Northern European and it would be nice for her to feel as if her size is represented to some extent in the same way larger sizes are represented or encouraged to be represented within the context of size-inclusivity. All of this though definitely strengthens my resolve and opinion that we need to, as makers, invest some of our time into learning how to modify patterns to fit our size/shape. There are so many sizes and so many shape factors to consider that at the end of the day, some sizes or shapes will be left out, something will miss the mark in terms of fit, and it will come down to us (the maker) to make up for that. Circling back though, maybe the suggestion of seeking out patterns from regions that are known for a particular range of sizes is really a good jumping off point. Good food for thought.

Oops! I see this is a very old podcast, so your Aran sweater is certainly long finished!

It’s my pleasure! Your posts are so thorough and thoughtful. Such great information. Thank YOU. ❤️

I was thinking the same thing.

I agree. I've test knit, and I felt that I had to make the pattern as written, instead of making it fit my body. And now I have an item that needs to be frogged.

Yep. You can. However the results will still yield what you see here. Ask me how I know. 😏

This is definitely a tricky subject. I get and appreciate the sentiment of the anti-fat tax, but as someone who sews, the bigger I've gotten, the more I have to spend on materials. Same goes for yarn. I do feel like a true volume discount is great if it works for that vendors business. But I recently saw a discount specifically for anti-fat tax that was clearly stipulated could only be used if it was for a singular garment of a larger size, and that this discount was on the honor system and they wouldn't be able to offer it anymore if they found out it was being abused. So one person could get a discount for 7 skeins of yarn, but another couldn't, based on how it was being used. I'm still sort of working through how I feel about that. I know it's well-intentioned, and the goal is more equitable access, but I wrestle with whether or not it's truly equitable.

@@myndolin I find it unfair. It mays be well intended, but it will clearly push people to lie. Yarn is expensive for everyone, not only large people. Someone buying 7 skeins to make 1 sweater, or someone buying 7 skeins to make 2 sweaters should pay for the same amount

@myndolin I think the argument of the tax ban is that the cost of extra materials/time can average itself out. For example, if it costs $40, $70, and $100 to make a SM, M, and L sweater then the average cost of the sweater should be $70 for all sizes. Essentially, the smaller sizes take on the added cost in materials for the larger sizes. This can be a deterrent for customers in the smaller size range though since $40 is more affordable and appealing than $70. But, it makes it more affordable for the larger sizes since $70 is more affordable than $100. From a maker pov, I knit clothing on both ends (small/xs for me and xl for my two kids and husband). I know their sweaters will be more expensive and time consuming while mine will be quicker and cheaper. I mean, if I knit 1 sweater for each of them that’s like the equivalent of 6 sweaters for me. It’s just how the math works. I don’t know what the right answer is since I can understand both the ethical and financial dilemma. I do believe large fast fashion companies have the ability to balance out the costs better without needing that extra tax. Small makers, not so much.

This is a very real consideration in handmade businesses when it comes to equitable pricing. Within the context of selling handmade items, splitting the difference between the cost of each item variant/size and charging that to your customers makes the prices equal and seemingly more equitable while still bringing in the same overall profit, should you sell the items in an equal volume. However what happens here, and to suggest one reason why small businesses hesitate to do this (sell handmade items for the same price regardless of size), is because there is no guarantee that all of the items will sell and if the only items to sell are the ones that are reduced in price (because of the averaging out of production costs across the size variants), the maker is making less on the overall sales. Profit and loss is a huge factor in whether a business stays afloat and these sorts of equitable pricing measures where production cost is averaged out between product variants can have a big impact on a small business if the items don't sell equally well. Charging the customer based on the production cost of each item ensures that you make back your production costs plus the profit you need to keep going. It's a difficult one as it relates to small business, but definitely one that, like you mention, may be easier in the larger markets.

Also one of my big pet peeves. I'm so often inspired by what I see on IG, and so often the yarn information isn't included. There is a particular yarn brand that I LOVE, that is notorious for showing one of their patterns being worked up or finished, and what bases they used, but no mention of the colors. Makes no sense to me. Especially if it's something I don't have access to locally and have to buy online.

@@myndolin makes no sense.