Reacting to Your Crochet + Knit HOT TAKES part 2

let me know your thoughts! these are all just my opinions- always open to hear your perspectives.
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00:00 intro
01:05 universe
03:09 the hot takes
27:36 outro
#crochet #knit #hottakes #crochethottakes #madeinthemoment

[@maeghi]

My hot take: people are allowed to crochet or knit (or have literally any other hobby) without ever trying to monetize it

[@gnm125]

This! Because I always get told to sell the things I make but I would hate for my hobby to become an obligation. I like being able to choose what to make and when

[@Jess-cv7mb]

Yesss! I’ve been knit/crocheting for +10 yrs and the phase where I hated it the most was when I would sell it (early 2015-18 Coachella era lol). I don’t blame myself, as it what got my uni books and fees paid but I hated making items for profit.

[@gentledragons6170]

I 100% agree with this. When I first started crocheting I made things simply for the fun of it and often gave them away as gifts. Friends and family started pushing me to sell my items (mostly amigurumi pieces), and eventually I listened. It became pretty stressful for me. I struggled to price items because I worried I was overcharging (even though, in reality, I was probably severely undercharging based on what minimum wage is in my area and what other artists were selling their pieces for). I also started ONLY crocheting items to sell, rather than crocheting anything for myself, and it took a lot of the joy of creating out of it for me. I thought certain items would sell well and when they didn’t I was left with a ton of stock that I didn’t want/need. And honestly, it felt crappy to try and place monetary value on something I had poured time and love into making. It ended with me needing to take a 3 month long break from crocheting. I’m now back to creating, but I refuse to sell anything I make. I am instead making things for myself or as gifts for loved ones, but I will never again sell a single piece I make. I’m so happy that other artists can and do sell their creations, but it simply isn’t for me.

[@juulian1306]

Yes! I've been told that about a few of my hobbies but people don't realize that I'm totally mediocre at each of them (or they are trying to be nice). I'm far from skilled enough to justify charging people money. Also: I just want to have a fun and I want to be allowed to do something else when it stops being fun.

[@TheGrownUpMillennial]

I made a crochet dog for my niece and showed a picture to someone and they said I should sell them. I pointed out that with the time it took me, it would cost $200 and no one would be willing to pay that. But my niece still carries it around and sleeps with her puppy and that is worth so much more to me.

[@inspirction]

My hot take (specifically about looking for patterns on ravelry) is that I think more designers who make fun/cute patterns for clothes for kids should consider making adult versions too. Just because I'm a grown ass adult doesn't mean I don't want a fun sweater covered in chickens. or with a big ass dinosaur on it. (also frankly? more goth patterns. I think there should be more goth patterns)

[@meowmaster]

Absolutely agree!! As someone who can't find their "childish" style in most stores, it's so sad that I can't find patterns to make them for myself either! I've lost count of the amount of times I've stumbled upon an adorable garment pattern, only to find they only had sizes for babies and kids. Luckily I'm able to just freehand stuff, but that gets frustrating sometimes and I just want to follow a pattern

[@Ninoky]

100% agree. The first thing I ever handmade for myself (it was a sewing project I got into crochet much later on, with amigurumi) was a bunny eared bag. I fell in love with it but everywhere I looked it was only available in the size of those tiny children bags for like 4 years olds. I love pastel/cutesy stuff and I have been an adult for a really long time now xD. So I figured if no one makes the stuff I like for adults then I will just have to do it myslef. This led me down the road of trying to learn many crafts (I am no expert I just dabble in them at best) and figuring out a lot of things for myself. Which is not a bad thing I like doing these things I've got a buch of fun hobbies now. It's just sometimes I wish there were at least more patterns for adults like us.

[@VAHelix]

Take the kids pattern, find an adult base that matches or comes close and make it. Ann Budd Books are great for this, because she gives you a basic recipe and you add as you go. I can not tell you how many patterns use her numbers, aka math, for sizing.

[@whitneyhendrix8075]

Agree. Every time I see a lil boy in a dinosaur shirt/ jacket I want it in my size

[@dustthewolf6620]

I agree. I didn't find this pattern on ravelry but I found a raccoon sweater but quickly found out that it was for kids. I wanted a raccoon sweater :(

[@sydneyfreeman3461]

‘Banana hammock’ also refers to a skimpy and tight fitting Speedo style swimsuit 😂

[@madeinthemoment]

I learned that the hard way after googling it ........

[@Molly_muffers]

@@madeinthemomentI choked on my Pizza on this part 😂 because my husband has been asking for one for over a year and I just googled it like a week ago

[@christinaluo]

i did truly love that emma found actual hammocks for bananas

[@N33k5]

Thank you for giving the explanation so I didn't have to 😂

[@sevenandthelittlestmew]

Just a follow up to the original comment: they’re specifically for men. To hold in that “banana”. 🤢

[@claireherrington6328]

my hot take is that i truly can't imagine wearing a knitted or crocheted tank top in the summer, but i still think people look good in them

[@yaycaffeine]

You gotta try linen or bamboo yarn, it's pretty breathable :)

[@GrungeGranny]

YES I’m too big and too sweaty

[@SebastianSeanCrow]

I feel this

[@34wetstoats]

I think that's very climate dependant, wearing thin plant fiber tops in like mid 20 degrees is completely fine

[@icannotbeseen]

I'm wearing a crocheted tank top from worsted weight right now in summer temps and wholeheartedly agree. won't do more of these things, can't think of a weather this would be good in

[@Illuminaturee]

as a bisexual I think bistitchual is absolutely HILARIOUS and actually not offensive. It makes sense too and realtes more to being billingual than bisexual imo

[@neea8807]

I'm bisexual ans bistitchual too and since puns are part of the Bisexual Way Of Life I think it makes sense that most of us wouldn't be bother (Hooker for crocheting is more touchy to me, since it's the same word. But I'm not a sex worker)

[@mammoneymelon]

i'm not bisexual so i ofc don't wanna talk over y'all but personally i think puns related to sexual orientation can be really funny because the people making the jokes are usually lgbtq+ or allies who aren't trying to be demeaning. the "hooker" thing seems to be meant to invalidate sex workers. like "haha, isn't it funny that i'm calling myself this when it's actually used to degrade sex workers? it's funny because it'd be embarrassing to actually be one."

[@emmiesreads]

agreed! i think it’s hilarious as a bisexual girly

[@malainakarpinski9499]

I hadn't heard of the pin before this, but I'm also bi and I think it's hilarious. Part of the bi community is simply puns so I think it works. The hooker one is....a different story. But I'm here for bistitchual

[@guillermodeltortle]

I'm also bisexual and I'm ok with the bistitchual phrase, I just don't really use it even though I can knit/crochet

[@MidnightSimmer]

Slow fashion is about MAKING YOUR CLOTHES LAST!!!!!! oh my gods! I'm so sick of people misunderstanding the concept of slow fashion. It's about making your clothes yourself, or altering clothes you already own to make them last. The whole fast/slow thing IS NOT ABOUT HOW QUICKLY ITS MADE! ITS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE GO THROUGH THEIR CLOSETS. I have been well beneath the poverty line my entire fucking life and I'm so sick of my peers excusing fast fashion bc they mix up the right to be clothed and the privilege to have CUTE clothes. Fast fashion is NOT about making clothes accessible to the poor its about worker exploitation and profit using a popular industry.

[@Izzy-cp8yt]

Yes, this is exactly why I've often sung the praises of learning basic sewing skills (a running, whip, and ladder stitch are all fairly simple and will mend most clothing). I have shirts from Forever 21 and H&M (both fast fashion) that are 10-13 years old because I wash them gently, hang dry them if they're especially delicate, and mend them when a seam pops. Yes they were purchased as fast fashion - unfortunately that's what I could/can afford. But my motto for a long time has been if I have to buy it, I'm going to maintain it to the best of my ability.

[@misspoppyp]

Louder for the people in the back. I've always thought this but could never articulate it as clearly as this comment. Thank you!! Fast fashion = new closet every month / slow fashion = new clothes whenever necessary

[@kimu.6227]

Currently mending the crotch in one of my pairs of pants. I could afford to buy a new pair but I prefer to save the money and the materials. Also I like my clothes. I mend and fix all the time.

[@damieng.1397]

Thank you for saying this! I feel like I've had these thoughts cut could never figure out how to articulate them

[@MicahRion]

+

[@TLYarnCrafts]

Stawwwwwwwp! Not you shouting me out while I'm screaming at the screen "GRANNY SQUARES ARE THE BEST!!" lol they're really so fun, and the tutorial can help a lot

[@madeinthemoment]

Ahhhhh always !!! You are the reason that jaida and I got over our fear of granny squares ❤️

[@annayakuhana3007]

My hot take is that size inclusivity should be proportional to the price of the pattern. For creators who spend a lot of time to ensure their patterns fit all body shapes, they should be charging more. Hobby creators who put out a "how I made this for me" for $0.99 shouldn't be criticized for not being "inclusive"

[@bailey1368]

I would call this an actual hot take. I also agree cause I am a larger fiber artist who also makes pieces for others. I expect to pay more for my pieces because of the time and the resources used. Like if I was sewing a dress for myself I am going to have to buy more fabric and spend more time on any details of the piece, and I can't get upset cause that's just how it is.

[@leighhauserman9549]

It think pricing higher for larger sizes is really just practical and not coming from a lack of inclusion. You’re literally using more yarn and time and having to retest the pattern.

[@Gr95dc]

@@leighhauserman9549 I also don't think it's fair to adjust prices which ends up increasing the price for people of not xl sizes. That doesn't sit well with me tbh. I guess that's my hot take.

[@leighhauserman9549]

@@Gr95dc i understand that society in many way can be fat phobic, as a bigger woman. But this is not it. Expecting to pay the same for an XL as a S is taking advantage of creators. We are taking about single artists that run small businesses and probably can’t afford to not charge for the extra cost.

[@Gr95dc]

yes I agree with that, that's what my comment is about @@leighhauserman9549

[@elsa3282]

Once I sat and knit outside a library and an older woman came up to me and was VERY excited to talk to me about knitting and crocheting. She said her hands had gotten to bad to knit. I said to her that many of my younger friends crochet and knit, she was so happy!

[@Diaries_of_Hope]

Same, I take a WIP with me basically everywhere, dinner, to the doctors, car trips etc. and I always have an elderly or just like older people in general always being amazed that I crochet 😅

[@croshetti]

my hot take is social media makes me feel as if i dont work hard enough or fast enough or well enough on my own crafts that take me time and dedication because i feel like im falling behind to everyone else even if im working on something around the clock

[@madeinthemoment]

ugh yes I feel this too !!!!!!!!

[@pokelover02]

Yes! It stops feeling like slow fashion when everyone feels forced to produce, produce, produce

[@SpikyEaredPichu96]

Agreed, this is part of why I only follow a very few social media people. Even on KZbin, I am picky about who I subscribe to and watch; I want to watch chill folks that I can learn from and might want to craft with

[@LeiranNZ]

Some videos like 'what I crocheted in a month' have made more things that what I make in a year. It sometimes looks a bit wasteful bc I don't think they get to wear/use all of it. (But maybe they gift alot of the items to friends and family) With my own projects at least I know I'll wear/use most of it bc I put alot of thought into what I'm gonna make bc I work very slowly (still learning.. lots of frogging to fix mistakes)

[@fiend-ish1090]

and it feels so unhealthy too on the influencers part. thats why i hate "how much can i crochet/knit in x time?" videos bc pushing yourself to work more like its a challenge instead of stopping when you need to isn't a good mindset to have. maybe its just bc i get strained wrists when i crochet/knit too much, but it always makes me worry about the ppl watching and thinking they have to work unreasonable hours to be good enough

[@charlottecaywood1099]

On the topic of older people reacting to younger generations style and methods, I also think the shared interest in making fiber arts can be a really cool bridge. I joined a group of elderly women who knit at my library and it’s such a cool respectful space of different ideas and opinions. I respect them and I feel they respect me back, rather than dismissing me for being young. It’s cool to find inter generational interests and fiber arts definitely can be one 🤟

[@madeinthemoment]

such a good point! I love that!

[@jennyt7048]

I was going to say something similar. The number of older people who've come to talk to me on the bus or in a cafe while I knit is incredible. I also think alot of current yarn fashion is actually harking back to the 60s/70s yarn styles

[@tishabloom1166]

Same here, I went into a local yarn store where a bunch of older women were knitting and talking about their children (and in one case, grandchildren) and I asked if I could sit with them and knit and immediately they start talking to me and relating about experiences, like I think it really does depend on the people

[@mammoneymelon]

YES most of the older people who've found out that i crochet have been really excited to see that younger generations are still doing yarn work and are impressed by how innovative people can be

[@lilymulligan8180]

I once was telling an older lady (a stranger) about how I like to knit & crochet. She asked me who taught me, I told her I taught myself with KZbin videos. Her response? "Wow... That's sad." 😂😂😂😂

[@Terrestriellie]

Re: acrylic yarn, I agree that it shouldnt be shamed as its the least pricey and most accessible option. However, i remember seeing a segment on "Joe Lycett's Got your Back" a consumer interest show, which detailed how much wool as a byproduct is wasted and sold for literal pennies in the united kingdom because of lack of demand. I absolutely feel that we could live in a world where natural fibres are more accessible, but we arent because plastic is deemed to be more profitable. In the same interest, i learned recently how often hemp fibres were used in fabric before the rise of cotton and petroleum, and i wonder if hemp could be used to make yarn fibres as well as fabric more sustainably?

[@BloggerErin]

I’ve seen bamboo fiber yarn as well! I’ve only used wool/cotton or recycled cotton/acrylic blend yarn as of yet, but I have had the privilege of learning as an adult who can (on occasion) afford the pricier option. I’m not selling anything and I’m also a big frogger, so there’s that. I did find that my wool blend yarn has held up VERY well, especially for me practicing new stitches and frogging them. I’ve had the same skein to practice on since the beginning of the pandemic with only minimal splitting, so I think that says a lot about the the strength of the more natural fibers. 😊

[@green_goose1]

I have seen a few hemp yarns, but they're usually pretty rough texture. You could definitely still use it, but I don't know if it would be useful for as many projects as other fibers

[@malainakarpinski9499]

I looooove bamboo yarn, I think it does split easier but it's so soft, it's very drapey and not too structured though. I also love working with wool but my skin does not, I am a bit allergic to it. So for me I've found that acrylic is really useful for when I make amigurumi because it has structure and cotton is too rough for toys imo, but I like bamboo for shawls or even a stuffed animal that I'm okay with being more floppy. I've not tried hemp yarn yet, but I'd be interested in it.

[@deniseoxland151]

That’s true about the UK and wool and when you can get it it’s so expensive. I have seen fleeces put on bonfires by sheep farmers, absolutely shocking. I use a lot of acrylic especially for young children and babies. They grow out of clothes so quickly. I think people would buy wool in the UK if it wasn’t so expensive, maybe the people who produce it need to look at that.

[@tossoutacc9241]

I just started learning how to crochet and the one that made me “get it” was acrylic. Bulky and fuzzy yarn I literally could not learn with because I kept getting my stitches confused and it was messing me up

[@homestylealchemy]

That piece about the average person not being compensated ethically is so true. When I learned how to sew a t-shirt, my attitude shifted about what is considered an "inexpensive" product. We treat labor as disposable.

[@MissKit091]

On the older generation hot take: I find that when I am wearing a project, usually it is an older person that will stop to say "did you make that?? It's beautiful!" I'd say probably 8/10 times, easy

[@alecosaurusrex1266]

My hot take is that crochet shorts don’t really make sense. I think they look fun but I cannot imagine wearing those in the summer when it’s hot and sticky. It’s one of those “just because you can doesn’t mean you should”

[@SahbaMobini23]

When I first learned to crochet I made a tank top and yes. I shouldn't have done that. I wore it once in the spring and that was enough LOL. Even a mesh stitched top is warm and definitely better for cooler weather

[@ley4983]

my thought is: comfy lounge shorts

[@BloggerErin]

I get warm super easily, even in the fall/winter (Midwest-east coast) so I like to wear those types of pieces in the colder months and sometimes layer over them. Lol 😂

[@FoxInTheStudio]

They're super cool and wicking in cotton though~

[@MaeilYogurt]

I did a maxi skirt with cotton yarn and never wear it because of how hot it gets. I live in a tropical state idk why I even made it 🤕 now the few patterns I have for shorts are collecting dust I learned my lesson lmao.

[@Albinojackrussel]

As a larger lady i strongly disagree with you on the pricing of different sizes. Yeah if im buying fast fashion or even slow fashion sewn garments I will probably get annoyed if the pricing is different. Because fabris is typically a miniscule part of the production costs, and the different in labor is also small. But a larger hand knitted or crocheted item does just take a lot loger to make, and use a lot more yarn, which is often a significant portion of the production costs. To me saying a larger top should be the same price as a smaller one is like saying that a larger stuffy should be the same price as a smaller one.

[@doingmybest9040]

I agree with you! I was a bit surprised with Emma's take. If it takes an artist much longer and the materials cost a lot more, it makes sense to charge a little extra! And with a lot of small business endeavors, there's no guarantee that a lot of that piece will sell. So if you're pricing in a way that the smaller sized pieces will balance out the loss from the larger sized pieces, you could just be at a loss completely.

[@anxiousopossum]

I’m another super plus sized person who agrees with you here. If I’m asking an artist to put in the extra time and materials to make something for my size (3-4x) , I don’t see any issue in properly compensating them for the extra time and materials it would take compared to a small or medium. Honestly for handmade clothing, it makes sense to me to charge per size, even for the different straight sizes. I like the toy / stuffy comparison.

[@jaybee4118]

I’m a larger person, and also someone that has made garments for a living. I priced for an average sized person and it evened out for all sizes. I saved on stuff for small people. BUT the most important thing is pricing to allow for some profit, then you have wiggle room and don’t make larger people like me feel crappy because of the extra time and material.

[@Zoopop13]

i slightly agree, but my take is clothes in the store are all priced the same, with the exception of plus size depending on store. plushies are priced differently by size. all for non fiberwork. i feel it should be priced like that. it just makes sense to me.

[@degmsp9529]

im so sorry to reply to a comment you made months ago, but this is exactly how i feel! i've been trying to crochet a cardigan for myself (3xl dude) and it has taken SO long because of the amount of crochet-ing necessary. the amount of time and yarn necessary between xl and 3xl is not zero!!

[@angelajohnson2830]

For a handmade garment, pricing is based on size because the difference in time/ materials is much higher. When a garment is mass produced it doesn’t take significantly more time to make a large than a small.

[@FloraSprout]

Yeah, saying handmade things should be priced universally feels really entitled. Unfortunately larger sizes take more time and materials to make. That's just the truth, and that isn't anyone's fault. Are creators not supposed to advocate for fair pay for their work and material costs because it feels unfair? No one it entitled to anyone's labor...I've gone from 250 to 150 pounds in the last year and a half and I spend so much less time and materials making clothes now, it's unreal. If someone is handmaking garments for sale, they deserve to have that difference taken into account. It should of course make sense and be a proportional price scale based on the time and materials but if the garments have substantial differences in material and labor costs that's just reality.

[@anathema2325]

It actually does take more time for professional production to make bigger sizes as well. The amount of parts that can be cut at once is much less becouse it warps the pattern sooner and its more unwieldy for the seamsters. Not to mention the patterns need to be reworked if you want a model to work for a wide size range

[@xx_robotkrew_xx1446]

I completely agree. Like if you make a size small bikini top, it might take about one thing of yarn to make ( depending on the size of course. I don’t crochet so my terminology will probably be incorrect ) where as a size 4X might take like 2-3 things of yarn. It was weird hearing her talk about it because, if the materials cost more, and you naturally spend more time on the garment, then you should be able to price it more

[@KyliaT]

@@FloraSproutfor, it’s stupid to say that a size xs should cost the same as an xxxl.

[@jaybee4118]

I made it work. I priced for an average size, allowing for a profit so I could absorb extra costs now and again. I did it full time for ten years, only stopped because I emigrated to a new country on the other side of the planet and I just didn’t want to start building a client base again.

[@JustCallMeAnonymous]

I only just heard the term bistitchual and I found it really funny because not only do I crochet and knit but I am also bisexual.

[@sunny-ub2gb]

same!! to me it doesnt really read as making fun of us, it makes me want to learn to knit so i can say im bisexual AND bisexual

[@lilymulligan8180]

My hot take is that I would never waste my time making something just for practice or just to sell. I only have so much time to dedicate to this hobby, I'm making my projects for ME! I would only make things for other people for *very* special occasions (example, I crocheted a blanket for my best friend's wedding gift), but that's way too much time and energy for Christmas or birthday gifts. As for selling, I get way too attached to my projects as I make them; I would only ever consider selling something if it ended up not fitting me properly.

[@emmiesreads]

agreed!! my bf’s mom and is always telling me that i should make stuff to sell. why can’t my hobby just be my hobby? i made this vest for ME! w my time!

[@theedwardianwriter]

Totally agree! I hand spin too, using a spindle. My mom once asked why I don’t sell the things I make. Then I explained that the amount of hours I put into every piece would be untenable (also, I don’t work on things at a consistent pace and have a dodgy wrist that sometimes prevents me from crafting for weeks at a time). I keep myself to 1 family gift per year because of the time it takes me. This year I handspun and hand knitted a shawl for my grandma. I began in February, working during lunch breaks, allergy shots, and sometimes at home and only finished the object by mid-August. I’m super proud of the work, and am so excited to gift it to my grandma, but I don’t think I could ever bear to sell it.

[@IzzyGooch]

Hobbies can’t just be hobbies in this current climate 🥲 constantly being told I should set up a shop but I don’t want to make money from it, it’s my only hobby and I don’t to turn it into more work

[@waffles3629]

​@@theedwardianwriter and people always low-ball it too. My father told me I could sell a scarf I made "For a while $15". When I pointed out I spent $30 on yarn I bought during a 50% off sale he called me greedy. Yeah, that scarf took me over 200 hours, aka a full months work, last time I checked you can't survive on $-10 because you effectively paid someone to take a months work. Even charging $1/hour it would still be like $250 if I could get the yarn on sale again.

[@waffles3629]

I have one exception to my "I don't crochet for gifts" (besides small things that take less than 1 hour) and that's my sister I love dearly. A few people made fun of the wedding present I made, which was a dragon egg dice bag with pockets that took *hours,* because apparently "it's so cheap and just yarn". Oh, well going off minimum wage it's at least a $300 gift, what did you bring? Most people loved it though, sadly most of them asked where I bought it and got very confused when I said "Well the yarn was from Michael's".

[@KeitieKalopsia]

As a bi/pan woman, puns are our way of life. “Bistitchual” made me crack up. Besides, it also runs along the lines of words like bilingual and biracial, so it’s not alone. It’s got distant cousins!

[@EmptyTheTanks]

I agree. “Hooker” seemed based on shock value and is inherently dehumanising to sex workers, where as “bistitchual” is based on a word that is not derogatory at all. Of course we can’t speak for all bisexuals, only ourselves, but I definitely agree with you. I didn’t find it offensive as a bi person

[@poogissploogis]

Thank you!! As a linguist I think it's silly to try to claim the whole prefix "bi-" for the bisexuals. And let's be real, the modern crochet community is very queer-coded, there's lots of bisexuals among us!

[@leaschmitt2496]

I wanna add a comment about the acrylic yarn sustainability thing as a product designer who thinks a lot about sustainability, greenwashing and material choices. First off, there is some theory behind sustainability. We often think about the concept of the circular economy. You've probably heard about it with the slogan "Re-use reduce recycle". It basically explains that the most sustainable thing to do with a product is to keep using it as long as possible and mainting it to prolong it's lifespan (in this case gentle washing, proper storage etc.) The next best thing is repairing (like mending). After that you get to refurbishing (in the textile industry this would probably be unraveling your project and making something new out of it). Then you get to recycling, then to burning for energy and at last just dumping in a landfill. Now. You gotta think about the life cycle of your project. Let's say you have a woolen project and an acrylic project. First you need to look at how much the environment is impacted to produce the yarn. All options are damaging here. cotton uses a lot of water and often fossil fuel based fertiliser to grow, wool is made from sheep who also use a lot of water, land area etc to grow and they exert a lot of methane in the atmosphere. acrylic is made from fossil fuels. It is not at first glance super obvious which is worse for the environment but if i were to guess, the production of acrylic yarn is probably the least strenuous on the environment of all above options. The same thing is true for plastic bags. nowadays people are pushing the paper or reusable cotton bags as more sustainable alternatives but making paper bags is way worse for the environment, bc of cutting trees, carbon and water use etc. and cotton bags just use so many resources that you'd need to use each bag a rediculous amount of times to make them less environmentally damaging per use than plastic bags. Then there is the is the issue of recycling. let's say the project is so well used that you really cannot reuse, repair or refurbish it anymore. The wool garment could technically be composted but wool also takes a surprisingly long time to decompost. The fibres are relatively dense when wetted and it is very hard for bacteria to penetrate and break it down. It takes even longer in landfills because the conditions are not optimal for composting. Organic material breaking down in landfills also creates a lot of methane which is a very strong greenhouse gas. Acrylic of course would not really break down and just sit there in the landfill or be burned for energy. However, it is important to note this. Most yarns are not 100% natural or 100% synthetic. Most are a mix so they cannot be broken down anyways. Also mono materials are way easier to recycle. A 100% acrylic sweater could technically be remolten and remade into new plastic products. Once it is 99% acrylic and 1% wool that isn't possible anymore. Secondly it also just depends a lot on how good recycling is in your area. Does it go to sorting and recycling centra or does everything just go straight to landfil? If all the trash in your area just gets burned for energy it doesn't really matter if it was acrylic or wool anyways. My point is just that there is a lot of nuance when it comes to material choice relating to sustainability and often the lifecycle of the product really makes more of a difference in sustainability than material choice. My honest opinion is that acrylic yarn is probably not as bad if not better than some of the natural yarns out there (in terms of sustainability). However wearing your garment a lot of times and repairing it probably also makes more of an impact than material choice and lastly, unless you're home composting your 100% cotton sweater it's probably just gonna end up polluting a landfill anyways. Some last advice is that if you really are looking for the most sustainable yarn option possibly available, these are my recommendations. 1. Recycled yarns (remember that using new rescources is almost always worse than using recycled ones) 2. 100% Hemp yarn (is actually even carbon negative to grow, doesn't use a lot of water to grow, is positive for biodiversity and is a very strong long lasting fiber) 3. 100% Linnen yarn (kinda similar to hemp but slightly worse in terms of soil impact, carbon absoptions, biodiversity etc, but still a brilliant, eco friendly alternative) hemp and linnen alo both are antibacterial (no sweaty smells), naturally temperature regulating and get softer with each wash so they're pretty amazing choices. If anyone has anymore questions about this that i didn't go into very deep in thi comment, feel free to ask because This topic goes way more in depth but I just kinda gave an overview here.

[@TC-rv6sz]

This is the best comment on here! Circular economy math is often surprising and paradoxical, but it's absolutely useful to take into account when discussing sustainability.

[@merandasomnolentgamer8323]

The proper order is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, but YES.

[@reitheist]

Isn't a ton of wool thrown away every year though? Like yeah it requires a lot of water and sheep produce methane, but not consuming wool isn't generally going to decrease the amount of sheep being raised. I'm not saying it's the most eco-friendly option, but it's something to consider if you're considering acrylic vs. wool.

[@leaschmitt2496]

@reitheist I mean, wool is an organic material so in theory if it's not being used it'll just go back to the soil

[@reitheist]

@@leaschmitt2496 Didn't you say acrylic was less harmful for the environment than wool above? I agree, wool being put into a landfill is less of an issue than acrylic being trashed due to its shorter decomposition time. Your phrasing led me to believe that you were saying wool produces more waste than acrylic

[@jahbern]

THE BEST thing about granny squares (when you are a mom, but probably for anyone who has to go places and sit and wait for hours and hours) is that they are portable. You don’t need to have a whole blanket with you everywhere you go. It is so so so much more convenient and less distracting when you are in a meeting crocheting a granny square vs throwing a giant blanket around as you turn 😂 Plus, parents of little kids already haul so much junk around. (And I crochet over my ends because weaving ends is torture!)

[@rochellecraig1597]

My hot take is that many patterns look the same and that it’s really hard to find a pattern that uses interesting lace stitches.

[@amara560]

It can be hard! There's some helpful filters on Ravelry luckily

[@bekas79]

Love your takes on everything. About the "chunky aesthetics vs sustainability" issue, I'd say sustainability is a different concept than minimalism. Of course sustainability also calls for a *reduction* aspect in our daily consuption, but wearing layered, thick, warm, and even maximalist outfits in no way undermines the possibility of a truly sustainable lifestyle. Our individual responsibility of being sustainable goes through many other factors entirely. To put it bluntly, sustainability is not an aesthetic - even though some brands may have marketed us into feeling like it might be. IF ONLY global pollution and climate change could be solved by just... knitting thinner sweaters...

[@bestaqua23]

Yes . I don't drive a car . I'm pretty sure thet helps more with the environment then the question of how many ( thrifted ) jank I have on my body

[@tossoutacc9241]

Also it’s not really an outfit thing it’s like a fashion industry thing. The shien haul people who throw away outfits after a new season are the issue, and corporations tossing out perfectly good merchandise. It isn’t regular people buying or making clothes and wearing them for years

[@carolinabaldini1432]

I ageee with what you say but I do think that that type of trendy clothes go out of style or look dated way faster than a classic style. I think that is a bit the argument. The idea of having something that you are going to use fo 5- 10 years and not something that you are going to stop using because it goes out of style. Of course there are people who love that style and will use it if it's trendy or not.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

In regard to older people being like indifferent to newer things in fiber arts…I have a tale of two yarn shops, both owned by older women. One has since closed because the owner retired but one of her employees ended up opening one and it is very similar in quality. With that shop, the owner was very up to date on newer patterns, yarns and tools. She had shop samples from designers like Stephen West and Joji. She’d stock beautiful indie dyed yarns as well as higher quality acrylic yarns. She had a mix of fibers too like bamboo, yak, tencel, etc. So younger knitters like myself would go there but also older knitters would be inspired to branch out of their comfort zone and try different things. The other shop is a different story. It’s been there for decades and walking in there is like going back in time. The yarns are mostly big box store acrylic and many have been on the shelves for years and years because she doesn’t really have sales to refresh her inventory. The very few times that I’ve been there, the other shoppers were 60+. This business model must be working for her because she’s still in business. The shop space itself is amazing with a really cool vintage vibe and tons of space. I guess my point is that it can go both ways…two older women, two very different shops.

[@blackhellebore89]

I've seen the same in quilt stores as well. Some of those older quilters are super creative and modern! And some younger ones really like the farm house vibe

[@Rekeronse2543]

it does make me sad when people harp on acrylic yarn, I don't think I know any young fiber artist that learned with natural fibers just because it's often 10+ dollars for less (albeit higher quality) product. I do feel like there's a future where plastic waste could be processed into practical, good quality fibers. It might not make plastic disappear, but it would be a step in a better direction. Here's hoping anyhow

[@rabbitlovesraven]

I'm hoping that at some point in time that we do start to make acrylic yarn out of recycled materials (there are a few brands that have started to but I can't remember which ones), but also that at some point some of the more natural fibres such as cotton (not just kitchen cotton) or bamboo start to become more affordable because I typically use acrylic yarn for projects because it's honestly cheaper; I can buy 4x the amount of yarn in acrylic than I can in a natural fibre most times...

[@verena1242]

The problem with acrylic yarn is not only its production, it also releases microplastic into our oceans with every wash. You can not solve that Problem other than avoiding acrylics

[@Mielikkiii]

but is this an US problem? I see everyone mentioning acrylic is cheaper but I can see cotton in similar price points (the cheapest acrylic tends to be a little bit cheaper but also there are many acrylics that are more expensive than many cotton ones so the average is more or less the same)

[@Rekeronse2543]

@@Mielikkiii yes I’ll clarify! Accessibility is honestly a lot more localized than I think people realize, at least in the north east of the US there’s not as much cotton or other natural fiber production at all compared to Southern/Midwest & of course Europe ! As for the microplastics comment above yours; I want to be an optimist, but the idealism of cleaning & halting new plastic production is easily undermined by microplastics. The microplastic is already here and it’s going to get way worse if we don’t stop new plastic production, so do we settle for the amount of plastic & therefore microplastic that we already have to deal with or do we just continue production of more plastic? There has to be a first step somewhere

[@rabbitlovesraven]

@@Mielikkiii Where I live, Acrylic is cheaper. I was just at the craft store the other day and the cotton that isn't meant for just dishclothes and hotpads is around 7-10 dollars for a tiny skein whereas the acrylic I can get a 1lb skein for about the same price

[@schenanigans]

As a bisexual, I've never heard bistitchual before and it's a really good pun, wish I knitted so I could use it myself lol Also, granny squares are the devil

[@blackhellebore89]

Crotchet is done in stitches too 😊

[@mossryan4027]

I wear a lot of my crochet and knit pieces to the thrift shops I get my yarn from and idk if it's just where I live but they're all run by older people, like around 60-80 years old. I'm a regular now and the women always compliment my work and ask what I'm working on (I wear a lot of cat beanies, shrugs/boleros, and bags that are more "contemporary" in style) and I've only ever got 1 negative comment about my work being "unusual." At first they were surprised and made comments about how young I am (27 y/o) but once I told them crochet and knitting is quite popular with younger people they were so happy and thought it was really great.

[@mammoneymelon]

i've found that most older people just get excited to see that young people are still into arts and crafts. i think since they mostly talk to people in their age range they kind of convince themselves that young people must not be into stuff like yarnwork or scrapbooking, so they're just happy to see that the arts are still alive

[@thebadpoet]

My hot take is don’t make baby clothes out of wool. Yes, it will be beautiful and it’s traditional, but there are excellent synthetic baby yarns which are hard wearing and easy care. Don’t make new parents hand wash the baby garment, or even lay flat to dry. It’s too much work for modern life.

[@Ac3_Silvers]

Also babies have stupid sensitive skin and are more likely to react to the animal fibers. It’s why baby-specific yarns are usually synthetic or otherwise hypoallergenic, their skin and immune systems are too delicate to take the risk.

[@kristenhanisch8508]

When my sister had her last baby she was going through a phase where she considered herself to be a "crunchy granola" mom (she's where I first heard the term) and decided to use cloth diapers because... I have no idea why. Instead of using waterproof covers she knitted a few pairs of pants out of wool to use as "diaper covers" with the intention of allowing the wool to soak up the urine and not having to wash them very often, or at least that's the understanding I had after she explained it to me. I don't know how long that lasted, but ew.

[@Ac3_Silvers]

@@kristenhanisch8508 Oh good gods that's... I've done a bit of babysitting and stuff, even if I don't have my own kids, and even I know that even if it wasn't an allergy risk, you HAVE to wash that kind of thing out (cloth diapers and diaper covers) because you need to SANITIZE them because, if you weren't aware, bodily waste HAS A TON OF BACTERIA IN IT and the wool won't just... sanitize it magically. also, I can hardly imagine the smell...

[@kristenhanisch8508]

@@Ac3_Silvers Yeah, I can't imagine how bad that would be for the skin! Because of financial reasons I did cloth diapering with my first for several months, and one of the reasons I stopped was because the weather turned cold again and no matter how well I tried to launder everything correctly and dry it well it seemed like he couldn't stay dry enough anymore and was always getting rashes. And I was using actual diaper covers. And yeah, it takes a LOT to do cloth diaper laundering the proper way, but it's not good for baby if you skimp out.

[@fairyRoxxi]

for crocheted slippers/ house socks ive love adding the no slip fabric to the bottom, i found it in the sewing section lol. made my homemade slippers last longer than store bought!

[@Byte_Back]

hot take - I dont gauge swatch 90% of the time since I prefer all of my clothes to be stupidly oversized, so I just go up ~2 sizes and wing it

[@SamRabbitx]

My hot take is kind of along these lines: size inclusivity is largely the responsibility of the person making the item. If you see a garment and want to make it for yourself, its up to you to figure out how to engineer it to fit you the same as you would sewing your own garment. Know your measurements, experiment until you get the correct fit with your yarn wear. It's unreasonable to expect pattern makers to accommodate for every size and shape there is. People are incredibly varied.

[@LouleyK]

Speaking as an older person I say 'bring it on!!' I love watching younger creators coming up with new stuff, it's such an amazing time for being fearless, it comes naturally when you're younger but it doesn't necessarily dissappear with age - it just mellows a bit! Embrace the age you're in and celebrate the knowledge of the other ages around you - it's coolest when we're learning from each other ❤

[@macmacroosa]

i know a lot of people feel like hobbies should be 100% fun and carefree and exempt from morals, but to me personally, a big part of knitting, crocheting, and sewing is delighting in a tedious process and de-programming myself from the instant gratification world i live in. the promise of “chunky knits” is that they work up fast. if i wanted a sweater in two days, though, i may as well amazon prime it. it’s a valuable experience to have to put gradually work into something over the course of a month, and crafts can teach us that we don’t need the reward instantly for something to be “worth it.”

[@anzaia2164]

What bothers me about those trendy super-chunky pieces is that that kind of unspun yarn unravels, pills, and warps super quickly.

[@ChocolateFantasies]

i personally do not like when pattern tester calls require applicants to have a crochet-related account (this is mostly on instagram). like why? just because i don't feel up to the task of maintaining a separate account and "content"-izing my personal hobby, doesn't mean i am any less qualified to give feedback on a pattern 😅

[@emmao6578]

yes this bugs me so much, just ask me to send you a few images of my work if you really want to gauge what level I'm at or something, cause I know some designers try to make sure they've got a reasonable range of beginners to more advanced when testing. If the requirement is that someone has a large audience they can promote the pattern to then you should probably be compensating them in the same way a brand would for an ad which would be significantly more than usual for pattern testing.

[@poogissploogis]

The reason why is all marketing. Designers want that added benefit of cross promotion to advertise their new pattern, and if you're just a personal account that posts crochet stuff sometimes, your audience is not going to be exclusively people who are interested in crochet, so your posts about the pattern are gonna mostly fall on deaf ears. A lot of people don't realize that testing the pattern is only part of the pattern testing process lol

[@michellem9444]

Also, as far as the age thing goes: my knitting/crochet group has members of all ages and genders. We have 20yo members that have been crafting since they were 5yo, and 65+yo members that just started crafting a year ago. We learn so much from each other, both techniques-wise AND lifestyle-wise! As a group, we've learned that creativity flows best with open minds and hearts. :)

[@thatcrochetchick369]

About the granny square blanket. You could do a community blanket with your channel and have people send in granny squares. You could crochet a border around every square and join as you go that way. Then you’d get a cool granny square blanket that you (almost) didn’t have to make.

[@mrs.robinhood6023]

On the topic of pattern testers: Honestly so sick of pattern designers making you feel like you earn to be a pattern tester and that it's special and a privilege to test their patterns for them. Many testers also demand it to be made VERY quickly (and yes it's fine to have a time limit but like make it doable for someone who has a job and such that they need to prioritize). Essentially it's unpaid work, hours of unpaid work, often for someone who demands more from you than just testing and giving feedback on the pattern. To share, tag friends and essentially make ads for someone just to get the chance to work for them with little to none compensation is exploitation. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of good pattern designers who value and maybe even offers to compensate their testers for their time. And ofc not all pattern designers demand that you advertise them when testing their patterns etiher.

[@sighthoundlady15]

I guess it’s kind of wild to me that there’s as many people as there are volunteering to be pattern testers to begin with? Like what are the motivations to do this? People that are such fans of a designer that they volunteer their money, time, and hours of labor? I guess I assumed they received some kind of compensation? Money? Yarn? Recognition?

[@mrs.robinhood6023]

@sighthoundlady15 I fully agree with you! Like I wouldn't volunteer without getting compensated unless it's a design that I really want to make or it's a small designer that I reaaaaally like and want to help.

[@sennap7109]

​@@sighthoundlady15 idk how common it is but some artists give the testers access to future patterns for free. Doesn't charm me but ig if u like their styles enough it's worth for some

[@damdamfino]

I have an 18 inch difference between my full bust and my waist. This “size inclusive” movement in patterns does not include me - in fact, it’s made it a bit harder because people think they’ve solved my problems. “Oh this pattern goes up to size 48!” “Yeah - that doesn’t really mean shit to me! Because I’m not a 48 everywhere else!”

[@rosimoone5068]

hey, me too! the difference hovers between 16 and 19 inches depending on my weight and posture at the time and its frustrating enough to have to grade between sewing pattern sizes, let alone having to combine sizes on knits. I don't know what the solution is though, unfortunately, i don't have enough experience knitting to really feel comfortable combining sizes

[@ichh6212]

Tbh I don't expect that size inclusive patterns can take every different body shape into account as I only see them as inspirations for my own handmade garment. There are a number of books out there that actually cover the topic of adapting knitting patterns to your own body measurements. Because tailoring the garment is such a complex topic I don't think it will be part of patterns any time soon unless someone designs something specifically for your body type so that you can benefit from it. I'm not saying this to say that your criticism is invalid. But because most sweaters I see are quite shapeless. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you'd ask me to describe 90% of the trending patterns I'd use the following words: Boxy, straight lines, maybe an A-line shape if your lucky, often misfitting raglans or circular yokes. That is what is easy to design and easy to produce.

[@damdamfino]

@@rosimoone5068 I’m still perfecting my technique, but I’ve gotten better at making a full bust adjustment to patterns. Quick tip to help you start - measure your high bust (around your torso, under the armpits, but above your bust flesh) and pick your “base size” based on that, then adjust to fit your bust accordingly. This will make the sweater fit everywhere else. Good luck!

[@damdamfino]

@@ichh6212 you’re not wrong, and I’m not wrong. I’ve said it elsewhere many times before, that I can’t expect every designer to plan for as drastic a bust shape as my own. So I know this and wasn’t commenting on that in my original comment. But I can’t help but roll my eyes at the designers patting themselves on the back and expecting praise because they’ve graded a sweater designed for small busts up to a 62”. Some of them act like they’re curing world hunger. I know it’s a good thing to be more inclusive, but I just feel like they’re narrow-sighted on how “inclusive” it really is. And I hope there’s some empathy to my viewpoint - which is that I’m a little bitter at the fact that I have to *pay money* to access knowledge and information on how to make properly fitting clothes, when a majority of people don’t have to find knowledge behind a paywall or have to learn an entire second set of skills just to get what everyone else has - properly fitting clothes. Without paying the money or investing the time to learn the skills, we just get sloppy and Ill-fitting clothes I guess? Yay.

[@VultureSkins]

I’m not active within the crochet community, but one of my favorite things about it as an observer is seeing people post about lovely interactions they’ve had with older crocheters and crafters. There will probably always be a generational gap, but I think it’s important to remember as we age and become that older generation, that it is a choice. You can choose to be dismissive of new methods or artists/hobbyists, and you can choose to engage with the younger generation, hear them out, and maybe lend advice.

[@amelia13131]

All the older people who I've talked to about knitting, crocheting, sewing, and quilting have only ever been excited for me and interested in what I'm making, and so happy to see a young person learning their craft. I wonder if that hot take was more of a chronically online perspective lol because I've seen that sentiment online (rarely) but never irl.

[@TailoredTakes]

I’m cackling at your interpretation of banana hammock lol that’s amazing. A banana hammock is a male thong 😂😂😂 Is this knowledge that will die with Millennials?!

[@maisieraeteague8146]

I'm a blind crafter. I like having a bowl for my yarn😂❤or I'm feeling around on all 4s

[@megm6569]

"You can't buy your way into being more sustainable" 100%

[@SomewhenDesigns]

The slippers discussion is interesting because I make my husband slippers (knitted, felted wool with leather soles) because they last so much longer than any store bought ones we've found - and I can patch/mend them if they get holes. Sustainable/slow fashion: we also as a generation own SO MANY more clothes than anyone who wasn't incredibly rich - so our insistence on clothes being "affordable" is based on wanting to be able to buy multiple new items per month instead of, maybe, one or two dresses per year.

[@bnso3692]

Hear me out tho - for your next channel anniversary / subscriber milestone, throw a granny square live stream. People crochet along with a similar yarn type, then send you their squares - gifting you the blanket as a thank you for the great content 💕

[@maribelishooked4378]

I love that the younger people are having their own take on this craft. I love made to fit patterns that way I make it to fit me.

[@cassbrunn6310]

You should do the 6 day star blanket for your couch! It’s such a good blanket for those afraid of blankets because it gets big so quickly! Also great for using up scraps!

[@michellem9444]

I agree that acrylic gets too much shame. Some people just CAN'T wear wool because of allergies, skin conditions, etc. I've used acrylic for multiple gifts for that reason. Also, having multiples WIPs is fantastic! I have 3-4 at any given time, for various reasons. I have an easy project to take to my knitting group; I have a harder project to do alone with my full concentration; I have a heavy blanket project that I didn't feel like working on during the hot summer months, but I KNOW I'll want to go back to it as soon as frost sets in again. This is supposed to be FUN! So don't let anyone guilt you that you're "not doing things the right way". In creativity and crafting, there is no "right way". LOL

[@Mbull4935]

As a knitter/crocheter that has lanolin allergies, THANK YOU!! I cannot work with wool because I would be itchy and blotchy for days so I stay away from wool (I know there are other wool types that don’t have lanolin) just to be safe. Acrylic is what I work with most.

[@blackhellebore89]

I don't mind crocheting with acrylic (or weave with it), But I think the way that I knit and tension wool I just get the jeebies from the feel of it - so it's a sensory issue for me. I also get too hot easily and prefer to have garments in wool/natural fibres. But boy you can get some fun skeins in acrylics for scarves etc.

[@michellem9444]

@@blackhellebore89 That's fair, and I think it's great that we all have choices that suit our needs. Everyone should feel free to do what works for them. :)

[@barbaraeckman2588]

I am an “old person” and I LOVE hearing perspectives like yours. Your ethics and kindness and inclusivity are so lovely to hear, and create such a lovely little nest to rest in for a while. Please keep going!!

[@arstyashley]

The “hooker” word play make me feel icky and I’m glad someone was able to verbalize that! I like the “size matters” with hooks or needles as a wordplay that has a naughty connotation but doesn’t dismiss sex workers

[@CobraCreates]

My hot take is that if you aren't crocheting over your ends then you are missing out! Once I learned to crochet over my ends instead of weaving them in at the end I never looked back. (obviously this doesn't work for every project but I've been able to do it most of the time) Acrylic has its place, for sure. For me personally I can't wear a garment made of acrylic yarn because it makes me overheat like crazy. But of course that's a me thing. A lot of people are totally fine with it, and that's okay!

[@Oxymoroness]

For the craft world in general, many people in older generations CRAVE more interaction and inspiration from younger generations. And the people I know who have mastered their craft, absolutely will try new things, techniques and tools - but they also WANT to show off to the "kids" (sub- 50's) how they learned when they were kids. There is value in both experience and experimentation, and there are plenty of older people who know this. That said, there are also a fair share of old grumps and snobs. Ignore those and hang with the fun old people!

[@yurikam8]

I get the chunky knit criticism with regards to hope mcauley but not for Kara's knits. She makes patterns which means that the person recreating the knit has the option to choose which kind of yarn they want to use. I'm knitting one of her sweaters atm and decided to use acrylic yarn since it's affordable and I want to wear it during winter a lot :) A non-fiber arts take: your voice is so relaxing to listen to, I watch your vids while I knit/crochet haha!

[@madeinthemoment]

100%. Plus she makes a lot of patterns that aren’t chunky knits. She has a lot of variety in her designs.

[@sophiam9779]

thank you!! i’ve done a few of her patterns and a couple of tests for her and she tends to give lots of options, and her use of the “lite” patterns in lighter weights is really smart. calling her designs “ugly” is a massive disservice to her.

[@anxiety8054]

Crocheting pants to wear in the summer is insane to me

[@jam33033]

I was so worried for you when you started talking about the banana hammock and didn't know what it was. That said I have seen a knitting pattern for those.

[@nicola.p]

Love your innocence with the banana hammock 😂 I was waiting for the 'editing' comment once you found out.

[@sylviabellie4297]

I found the "tagging and saving a pattern test post is weird" part of this video interesting. I actually didn't expect you to have that take! As someone whose crocheted plushies for two years, and just started taking instagram more seriously in May, its been a very slow ride for me engagement wise. I started creating my own patterns this summer when I had barely any followers or engagement at all, and no one was seeing my patterns or even my regular posts. When I started doing pattern tests and having people save the post, share it, etc, to be accepted as a tester, I found that a lot more people were able to find my pattern! I don't find the marketing behind this to be malicious at all, if anything I love sharing and helping other people promote their pattern tests because it boosts others in the community as well as helping out my own brand. There's nothing wrong with looking for engagement, thats how we all grow on social media.

[@Izzy-cp8yt]

As someone who runs a primarily uv resin insta, personally my take is that there's a difference between basic engagement and excessive requests. I personally don't mind things for giveaways and such that only ask for something like a like and comment. However, I've also seen ones where you have to like, comment, save, share on a story, and follow 5-8 accounts, and that was just too much for me. I don't like following accounts just because, since they aren't necessarily related to my interests, and it feels disingenuous to give them my follow when I'm not likely to give them honest engagement in the long term. So I think there's a midline where it crosses from basic algorithm gaming to excessive.

[@AurelUrban]

Testers are essentially doing unpaid work for a designer, it's not a privilege to be accepted as a tester. You need the testers, they don't need you. So it's bad form to ask them to promote you just to be considered for testing. That's why in the video she said "just do a giveaway post at the same time". Looking for engagement is absolutely fine but there's a time and place for it.

[@conor8185]

ive always found the argument that blocking is unnecessary very silly. unless youre making a basket or something felted, letting those fibers relax is super important. idk why you would want to wear something stiff when blocking takes like 30 minutes and most of it is just waiting for the water to soak through. plus... you're gonna wash it eventually. imo, as long as those fibers have relaxed (whether by water or heat), it's blocked. blocking doesn't have to mean stretching and pinning.

[@madeinthemoment]

yes!!! Wearables really do look best when blocked !!

[@quinnwinter6361]

You can usually find a granny square blanket at a thrift store! I’m a big fan of saving other peoples hand made things when I can

[@madeinthemoment]

that’s such a good idea !!!!

[@janeybeasley9525]

My hot take is as an older person, I’m grateful for younger people’s new ideas, I’ve learnt so much and still learning and change to different ways of doing things. So please keep pushing the boundaries and giving us new ideas, cos I love it ( I’m 65 btw) ❤

[@Tempestscorner]

THANK YOU!!!! The "hooker" trend drives me insane in the fibre community. It's not our word. Thank you for talking about it!

[@WholesomeHooker]

Subscribed on the back of this comment! Clearly you are good peeps.

[@tracypoop]

it’s also just not funny? to me at least lol like it’s definitely an older generations humor i feel

[@mammoneymelon]

i've never heard someone say that but i have a feeling the people who say it don't respect or advocate for sworkers also, there are better examples of wordplay if you wanna use silly millennial mom humor (i don't mean that as an insult, i think it's fun)

[@Tempestscorner]

@@tracypoop sadly it seems to be more the younger "hip" fiber artists that use it 😭 the older generations do as well but I see it more in the younger humans.

[@mieonthemoon]

I could only see it work if it's used by a sex worker who crochets. Otherwise, don't use it.

[@margotchurchill5593]

I buy cheap t-shirts from Target. I’m a teacher, and I’ve gotten so many ink / pencil stains on my shirts from kids and their work. When the stains don’t come out anymore, they become my summer workout shirts. They are worn to a thread before I replace them. I would define that as slow fashion!

[@deebrandao5679]

my hot take is that, while is totaly fine to not like sewing crochet projects, if you always avoid patterns that have sewing involved from the begining you are holding back your potential and limiting what type of projects you can do in the future by never learning how to properly sew your crochet projects. the same goes for how to work with measurments for wearables. Not only do you limit what kind of projects you can make you lose the opportunity to fully costumise the fit to how you want it to fit. You don't have to only follow made to measure patterns or use patterns that involve sewing over no sew patterns but those are very important skills to have in this craft.

[@FoxInTheStudio]

Agree fully. I hate the sewing aspect of amigurumi because that's where error will ruin the project... But the only way to get better is to do it. So I've started having a sewing day and that helps 😅

[@maanknitwear]

I think the hot take on chunky knits not being slow fashion related to how fast you can actually knit the chunky knits. You can easily knit up a little chunky top up in an hour, but still charge $$$ for it or have another FO to share on your instagram. It takes away from the slow nature of fiber arts and makes it fast fashion: as much output in the littlest time possible

[@AurelUrban]

That's not what fast and slow fashion means. It doesn't matter how long it takes to make the garment, what matters is how long it LASTS, how long you wear it and how often you wear it.

[@TheSeattleStitcher]

Re: inclusive fits should be made to fit “odd” shaped bodies. I feel like there has to be some kind of limit to what it included in a singe $7-$15 USD pattern. How much do we expect every single designer to do. There are some things as a knitter/crocheter that you have to learn to adapt yourself. Although when it comes to size specifically I do agree that more sizes need to be the standard.

[@ThePockyMonster]

6:20 my granny square blanket is my pride and joy, making all the squares did take me several months though but that’s because it was something I’d pick up between other projects

[@wooogie672]

16:33 i also don’t like when designers ask for you to tag at least one other “crochet friend” or whatever in their pattern test calls. it just makes the barrier to entry unreachable for people who are new to the community on social media. idk anyone on crochet/knit ig and it’s really annoying to have to do that just to be able to be considered

[@FoxInTheStudio]

I don't know if this is a take or not, I love making amigurumi but I hate having to use polyfil. I would love a natural filling that was moth resistant. Edit: As someone who has been larger and now mid, I disagree entirely on the person wearing the item not paying for the material and time they get to wear.

[@DetLutar]

Instead of using polyfil, some people save their yarn scraps and then use them as filling for amigurumi! I haven't used my scraps yet but I keep most of them for the day my polyfil stash is empty :)

[@FoxInTheStudio]

@@DetLutar I started out using yarn scraps but now they get used for weaving 😅

[@emmao6578]

​@@FoxInTheStudio I know someone that cuts up old holey socks/tights/pants or anything else too worn to be repaired and mixes it in with their polyfill to make it go further. You can just use the scraps for stuffing if the ami is just going to sit on a shelf or be a doorstop as it makes them very solid but if it's going to be hugged and cuddled you need a bit of polyfill in there to keep the squishyness. Not a full replacement but a good way to reuse old holey clothing

[@FoxInTheStudio]

@@emmao6578 Definitely what I'm going to do for the door stops!

[@52188972]

i think that many trendy slow fashion brands are basically greenwashing. it can be pretty tough to buy plus size, sustainable clothing in a style that suits the persons individual style. i'm so grateful that i know how to sew, crochet, embroider, alter clothing etc. many of us cant afford the prices set by these brands, especially when it can be really challenging to find stuff that fits you well when you are plus size at all, let alone in a brand that has all the other features you might want. i agree with you that we should be focusing more on the attitude of consuming less or appreciating it more when someone makes something creative, rather than simply shaming people that wear fast fashion. again, if you wear a fast fashion item 100 times, then yes, the working conditions were probably terrible, but from an ecological standpoint, is this actually worse than spending $200 on an ill-fitting shirt that sits in your closet unworn until eventually being thrown away/donated?

[@knitoriousamy4903]

I didn't completely understand the last hot take either - but as an "older" generation yarn store employee - even though we clearly cater to traditional fiber arts in our retail offerings - whenever a "kid" comes in who's geeked out about fiber - I AM IN LOVE!!! Unfortunately they often leave empty handed when they see all our light weight expensive yarn - but the whole time they are there I am chatting them up and imploring all about their makes. It literally makes my day anytime this happens. So yeah - some of us are for sure not afraid - we are super excited.

[@milkglassfairy7641]

As a knitter… omfg blocking is so necessary. Blocking is just the final stage of a project now for me. It’s not finished if I haven’t blocked it. Lol.

[@poogissploogis]

Yes! Not to be catty but those people saying it's not necessary probably have never tried it and have no clue that their work could look so much better.

[@angelagenx6629]

In regards to older generation vs younger generation. I’m in my 40’s and have been knitting/crocheting for about 20 years so not sure if that makes me “older” or “younger”, but my take is that it’s so cool how people discover their love for fiber arts and keep reinventing it with new ideas, it’s what’ll keep these crafts going for generations to come. People learn from all sorts of ways now, books, KZbin, blogs, tik tok, etc, it’s super easy for a non traditional artist to be seen now and show unique ways to use yarn where non traditionalists weren’t showcased as much a long time ago, of course there’s always exceptions. I’ll use Vogue Knitting as an example, and since I don’t have any super old copies I’ll just make the assumption that traditional, more wearable garments would sell the magazine better than putting in quirky styles vs the Vogue Knitting within the last two decades (where my knowledge of the craft would start) the styles are pretty quirky and don’t appeal to me, like the weirder the better and I guess that sells the magazine now, which is what turned me off to the magazine altogether. The older generation was probably taught from someone older than them in their traditional way of doing the craft and creating more traditional items. People made items they could wear for the long haul. Personally, if I’m going to spend a lot of free time (and money) on something I don’t want it to go out of style faster than I can make it. I’m going to choose classic patterns and shapes that stand the test of time. There’s a market for the new, quirky guild, there’s a market for the old, classic guild. Create whatever you want as long as you’re creating.

[@Sirius_Majoris]

All the "older generation" crocheters I know are actually fascinated by what people these days do with crochet/knitting. I had no idea some didn't like it

[@TheOnlySnaps]

I think its extremely important to have accurate size grading for bigger bodies. My girst cardigan was a little disheartening bc i made it to my size? like i followed the pattern and its all just a little off? like to fit my arms the cuffs are too big and i had to lace them tighter, and like its too short for me and idek WHY bc im short. ofc im super proud of it and proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone. I will always have a special place in my closet for it, but its like disheartening to the point of i havent even blocked it bc it really wont change enough about it? anyways following a pattern by Toni from tlyarn carfts and hers is work to x inches and i feel like that is so much better!!

[@christinelandry7774]

My hot take is I'm very impressed with younger people crocheting. I'm 67 and have been crocheting since I was a kid. It's wonderful seeing younger people being innovative.

[@theknottyboss]

The new thing of tester calls asking people to share/tag just for a chance to be considered, is my current gripe!!! Testers are already doing us such a huge favor, using their time/money/resources and not just testing but providing feedback, photos, sometimes even promoting the release. All things that will end up making the designer money. Expecting them to promote your pattern before even getting picked, feels so wrong.

[@hannaha1474]

For granny squares, I think I've only made ones that have a unique or challenging design. I notice that I especially like floral ones. Rn, I'm working on a granny square sweater with 3D daisy squares and hopefully will be finished before winter and will have the opportunity to wear it in the snow!

[@myfanwydavies]

omg a 3D daisy granny square ????? i need this in my life

[@TeaAndTankControls]

Goodness, there are a lot of tensions and preconceptions in the wider fiber craft world. I'm spoiled in the tiny circle of mostly tatters I'm staying in. I do agree with a lot of your points. You approach these topics with a lot of common sense.

[@SuzanneSwint]

Thanks, so much! I love both of your channels and guess what? I am “old” and began experimenting with the fiber arts only in the past few years. My resourceful grandmother is my inspiration, she made hand crocheted bedspreads in tiny gauge cotton and quilted completely by hand. These gems are timeless and spectacular. As a newbie to the sport, I enjoy learning from all of you amazing creators. I always want what you are wearing😊

[@Ratqueenaisy]

Nooooo not the banana hammock 😂

[@miles3295]

with the size and pricing one here's my solution: make the largest size and charge based on how long that one takes to make and the cost of the materials for that one, that way you aren't losing money on selling larger sizes

[@shearetherford9120]

I really love these talks! As someone who is new to crochet, you’re giving me a chance to develop my own opinions on these issues I will surely run into as I continue interface with the hobby in a more social setting. I love and agree entirely your stances on size and income inclusivity. Thank you for putting your opinions out there!!

[@thegirlwithredspecks]

12:18 Crochet in French means “to hook” its a phonetic play on words that I actually first heard from a comedian that happens to crochet. We don’t even use the term hooker for sex workers any more and while I wouldn’t call it a dead term, I think it’s more tongue in cheek and a play on language that it is an excuse to be edgy. But that’s just me 😅

[@Strawbs_36]

Oh the innocence with the banana hammock 😅 bless you that made me giggle lol

[@shebangsdrums5601]

I have been a tester and am a new designer so I see it from both sides. I gotta say... I never mind posting a story or whatever as part of the testing process. That will never turn me off a testing experience. As a small account (1200 approx followers) I can only dream of getting the views and engagement of the bigger accounts. What can turn me off a Tester Call big time is a short turn around. Eg expecting testers of all sizes to churn out a garment in the same length of time. By this I mean size XS/S is obviously gonna take literally half the length of time to make than a plus size one.

[@allyas]

Another thing that annoys me with the acrylic debate is people running to comment sections to say "But Merino is so soft!!" or "But natural fibres are more breathable" as if nobody ever heard of it. Yes, but I still get itchy with Merino wool, and I'd rather sweat than want to remove my skin after 2 minutes 😊😊😊 Also, it's so much more expensive! And cotton just doesn't work for all projects, as much as I'd like too, but it's too heavy, not warm enough and doesn't hold its shape. I'm doing other things for the environment, let me crochet my plastic cardigan in peace.

[@Hannah-Peach]

In my opinion most small creators do the whole tag and save thing on tester calls as instagram is becoming such a terrible app to get reach on posts etc. Hashtags don’t even work anymore in terms of widening your community. I also don’t think the tester calls are necessarily to get more testers. In my experience all the patterns I’ve tested have been 4-6 testers but ofc that’s only my experience

[@d3w15]

i absolutely ADORE granny squares. theyre perfect for me because i love love love repetitive actions like doing the same thing over and over again (ps im working on a granny square blanket right now too ;) im obsessed)

[@lilly7891]

so obsessed with these types of videos

[@Treegona]

On the bulky yarn sustainability topic: If you're making it from roving yarn, and you're *not* anticipating that it'll felt to hell, you aren't making a durable item. Fisherman's sweaters are sometimes knit from unplied yarn too, but here the felting isn't a bug it's a feature. When I look at the projects using this bulky roving, I just feel like they aren't made to felt in the same way. And that isn't sustainable. Even aside from how I feel some of those items are very niche statement pieces rather than an integrated part of a wardrobe. Your sourcing can be as sustainable as you like. It's never going to be as sustainable as using what you already have for longer. So making something with a short lifespan will always be worse :/

[@Jordan-db2og]

I made a granny square blanket as my first ever project, except I couldnt be bothered to make so many granny squares so I just kept going and made an infinity one (I think that's what theyre callled?) and I LOVE it, it's my couch blanket

[@blackhellebore89]

My baby blanket from my Nana is just one giant granny square.

[@MsDee255]

I haven’t really ever noticed any kind of rivalry or resentment between older and younger knitters and crocheters, if that’s what that last person means by “afraid”. Admittedly, I’m an older (55) mostly knitter / sometimes crocheter, and I’m kind of wedded to my old school from-the-bottom-up jumpers and cardigans. I almost always use straight needles over circular, and I love me a granny square blankie. But I also love to watch a lot of the younger KZbinrs - including yourself - making the most amazing, colourful, textural designs and watching top down sweater tutorials and huge chunky crochet blankets and whatnot that I may never do myself. I really admire the way knitting and crochet has progressed since I learned way back in the late 1970s, even if I don’t really practice a lot of the newer ways myself.

[@Livvia2204]

19:56 I honestly think acrylic is just as sustainable as natural materials (if not more). If the item is being put to use, the material doesn’t matter. Acrylic yarn lasts for years. My grandma made a blanket 20-30 years ago with acrylic and it’s intact after many washes. I can’t speak for other materials bc I’ve only used acrylic and cotton. I think as long as the acrylic projects are getting put to use, it’s not the end of the world. And I agree with you about that it depends on preference and the project. Certain projects hold up better with certain yarns

[@emilykaneshiro2894]

to me the debate around acrylic yarn is complex. I used to use it all the time and i've learnt that if i'm making something to be used/worn alot it just doesn't hold up. wall hangings, plushies and decor are fine but i think that if you want to cherish a jumper you should look at a different material. reclaimed yarn is always an option to find even just higher quality synthetic yarns.

[@nerfninja6]

Slow fashion is a mindset imo. Any fashion can be slow fashion when you make a commitment to use it until it's no longer usable.

[@gracefoster7587]

One thing about the Hope Mcauley and Kara’s knits chunky sweaters is they look like they’re done with thick roving and I’m just confused as to how people wear them and how they get washed? Maybe I’m missing something but it looks like it gets ruined if it gets washed. Obviously you don’t have to (and really shouldn’t) wash clothing after each wear, but it’ll get dirty eventually. If it’s not a practical piece of clothing (not washable), then I don’t think it’s super sustainable and doesn’t contribute to slow fashion.

[@sophiam9779]

ive done a few of kara’s designs and done a couple of tests for her! spot cleaning is the best for the really chunky patterns, or i’ll use a wool wash and a fabric shaver to prevent pilling. she also makes a lot of patterns that aren’t with that thick roving yarn, and always includes options for other yarns if that isn’t your thing.

[@RobinSilcock]

As someone who is allergic to wool, acrylic is really the best available option for me! Thank you for chatting about it.

[@strawberrypespo1808]

TIME STAMPS 3:11 topic 1 7:00 topic 2 8:30 topic 3 10:33 topic 4 11:46 topic 5 13:28 topic 6 14:28 topic 7 16:30 topic 8 19:20 topic 9 21:08 topic 10 22:00 topic 11 24:28 topic 12 25:44 topic 13 TIMESTAMPS (WITH NAME SPOILERS) . . . . . . . . . . 3:11 granny squares 7:00 blocking 8:30 "just because you can knit or crochet it doesn't mean it needs to be" 10:33 "even ff they have to redo their pricing structure sellers should not charge more for xl+" 11:46 "calling yourself a hooker as a way to be quirky and fun is dismissive to prostitutes and weird" 13:12 "not making patterns above sizes above size xl is so outdated and not harder than grading pattern sizes for smaller sizes" 14:28 "chunky knits like hope McCauley and kara knits are ugly and a bad representation of slow fashion." 16:30 "i don't like when a pattern test asks for extra things (eg save/share post before you apply)" "having to tag someone on a post to be able to test a pattern is absolutely absurd." 19:20 "acrylic yarn is fine/good" 21:08 "it's ok to have lots of WIPs. starting a new project doesn't mean abandoning the others." 22:00 "slow fashion is not always accessible to low-income people and it's important to take that into account when discussing fast fashion, because the negative effects of it also affect them disproportionately." 24:28 "size inclusive means also having the peice adaptable to people with weird proportions." 25:44 "older generations are afraid of how experemental/fun/brave younger generations are with fiber arts."

[@DakotahMiskus]

So innocent on the banana hammock thing lol

[@Diaries_of_Hope]

The whole WIPs discussion is so valid though, I just get so bored at times doing a continuous pattern sometimes, that I really need to switch it up. Currently I’m working on a granny stitch baby blanket, a hexagon cardigan, and a bulky wool scarf and I just switch between the three depending on my mood 😅