I felt pressured to buy only indie/hand-dyed yarn to knit with after watching all the knitting podcasts online. I also felt like I needed to have a stash. Now I much prefer to watch people who knit with commercial yarn just as much as they do with hand-dyed yarn. I think this is just a hobby, I don’t want to spend all my savings on it!
Do you have recommendations for people who use commercial yarns? I have the same exact issue, I don't want to only watch people who can afford to spend $200 dollars on a sweater! And it seems every person I watch does that, and it's a weird unspoken assumption that everyone can do the same. No shame in it if you can afford it, but I definitely can't.
@@hannabirkbakhovaldt2700 oh! I’ll have to check them out ^_^ (And now that I know there’s a market, I might end up making a few videos if I can ever get a free moment. I like making videos and all I have is commercial yarn 😅)
You are right! I'm not concerned about hand dying at all. I don't know why this is considered to be to special. But I am concerned about how much more plastic we are throwing into the world, so my rule is 'will this harm the planet when I no longer need it?' That means I try to knit in natural fibres and I try to avoid buying unnecessary equipment. The magic of knitting is in the human hand, not in the equipment.
40 yrs ago (yes, a boomer), I became interested in embroidery so I purchased a few excellent tools. Well-made tools can last a lifetime and offer pleasure while practicing your art, craft, or hobby. I have found this with knitting and crocheting. Important to be mindful in selections
So true! I sew and do embroidery, so I have a lot of products for both. Many of them I bought years and years ago, some were gifts, and some I got when my mom passed away. She sewed a lot, too.
I buy like this every chance I get. I’d rather pay $30-40 for something that will last a lifetime than to pay $15-20 for something I have to replace every couple of years
I agree! I learned that in other crafts. Great quality tools will last, and can really make a difference in your comfort and ability to enjoy your work. I’m not a boomer, but I suppose I’m close, and I also have the money to spend on these things. Do you NEED any of the stuff mentioned? Nope! But if you want it and it makes your life happier and/or better, you should do you. We shouldn’t be pressuring people into living their lives in the way we want. We shouldn’t pressure people to own stuff they don’t need, but don’t try to pressure me to not love my high end needles or not to have as many projects going as I feel I want to have. Also, one definitely shouldn’t spend money that stretches your budget more than reasonable. But beyond that, my opinion is you do you!
I really needed this!! Consumerism has her sharp little claws in me so bad, and it's hard when so many people in the community are always telling you that you need this or that every time you log onto social media. That, and the guilt from having so much acrylic yarn already in my stash that people have made me feel is unusable since it isn't wool. Thank you for the breath of fresh air!!
Don’t let people shame you about acrylic yarn it’s great for baby items and for gifts when you don’t think that the receiver is going to take the time to care for a wool item. Also some people are sensitive to wool.
@@Candiceknits I bought yarn this weekend that is being discontinued that is 50% cotton 50% acrylic to make granny square blankets for two little friends who are 3 and 6 months. They will need to be washed frequently so thus a natural choice. I DO make things for me out of wool, but because I love it.
If you enjoy using acrylic yarns, go for it. I don't have a lot of acrylics in my stash, but the ones I do, I use for my grandkids or for charity knits. That's my aesthetic, though. Affordability is also a big factor. Yes, I have a lot of wools, but a good deal of them were given to me as gifts (I got 6 skeins for Christmas!) and giveaways.
I frequently own and use acrylic and acrylic blends for myself because it's what I can afford and is what is accessible to me. No shame in using it, not just for gifts, but even for yourself. I love knitting and the community can be fun but there is an enormous amount of group think and it can be incredibly insular in regards to what yarn 'everyone' is using, what items they're making, what patterns they use, etc. I've definitely felt the acrylic shaming, weirdly more in the knitting space than in the crochet one. I use wool too, but I think people should use what they can and what they want. There are no wrong ways to do this hobby. Just have fun.
I too have become aware of the "acrylic shaming" and, because I do have about as much acrylic as wool in my stash, I looked into the issues with acrylic. I do see the problem with microplastics. I did a deep dive into recycling acrylic fibres and found NOTHING, at least not here in BC. I can't turn it into something harmless, can't burn it, can't bury it. Giving it away just passes the problem along. So, based on what I read I decided to continue to knit with it but treat it like non-superwash wool. I soak it and lay flat to dry, hoping that I am reducing the shedding of particles in the washing machine and the dryer. I am always looking out for inexpensive non-superwash wool and over time hope to reduce my purchase of acrylic. Sigh. I do enjoy using acrylics, especially for baby items and those sensitive to wool. I would never shame any hobbyist for using materials that are available and affordable.
This is my input as an old Boomer with tons of discretionary income: I buy it all. Some stuff is useful and some is decorative. The proper tools are time savers and protect your yarn and fabric. The decorative stuff makes me happy. I can't believe I knitted for nearly 40 years without a ball winder and swift. They are such time savers and make the neatest little balls. I spent an entire evening winding a ball of laceweight by hand. I ended up with a tangled mess that took me hours to sort out. Equipment and supplies like mats can be stored in shallow boxes under the bed. Cut up a box each time I block a project. Cardboard that gets soggy and curls up. No thank you. Tiny scissors are easier on the hands, and you're less likely to cut too deeply accidentally. I love my yarny lifestyle and everything that comes with it.
Much agreed on the ball winder/swift. I used to hand wind all the skeins into cakes and got somewhat good at it, but it was still taking me just about an hour for each 100g of skein (I did this for years). Honestly, if you have wound 10 skeins by hand and have any storage space at all, it's time to get even the cheapest ball winder/swift so you won't spend 10 hours on your next 10 skeins!
As a GenXer with NO discretionary income,I have none of the gadgets. I even recycle yarn from old or thrifted sweaters(a tedious process). And yet somehow,I still can enjoy knitting~!!
I would say small scissors is a tentative necessity. I mainly work with lace to sport weight yarn and used to use fabric scissors and be super careful. This past Christmas I was given a pair of decorative embroidery scissors... Game changer! They are tiny and super sharp and give me more joy when snipping yarn
I love winding yarn by hand. It's something I do when my hands are tired from knitting. I feel like it gives me a chance to really preview the yarn, find out if it has any knots or other defects, etc. I just put it on the back of a chair or around my knees and wind it with my hands. Also I like balls of yarn. They look quaint and cute to me.
I laughed so hard when Tina from Simply in Stitches in a recent video said "I don't have a yarn winder but I do have (the back of) this chair" and proceeded to use it to hold her yarn while she wound it.
It's always annoyed me, but I've started doing it while doing readings for school, and it's perfect! I also prefer the look and feel of balls, and don't do ALL of the ball winding before starting a project. I just do them as I need them, so it's not too overwhelming. Thanks for this comment though, because I keep seeing videos with winders, and just can't understand why we NEED one.
For the hand dyed yarns - Don't feel pressured to buy the yarn because its a limited release. It is likely that a similar yarn will come around again or something you love more will come along. I ran into that issue when I first started buying but I'm more particular now and much happier with my purchases.
Totally agree. I even think that if you buy everything on first sight, you'll have so much that once you come around to it, you probably won't love it as much anymore. Same goes for patterns, fabrics etc.
Also, dyeing your own yarn with food coloring is very cost effective (same pattern, same kind and weight of wool, same outcome, one blanket cost over $200 in yarn, the other less than $70), so even if it doesn't come round again you can take a shot at recreating it.
I struggled a lot with the limited pre-order dyers. It still gets me sometimes! It causes so much pressure and anxiety on the potential consumer. Now I have a stash full of yarn that I bought out of anxiety because I was worried if I didn’t buy from the pre-order that I’d never see it again. There’s one dyer in particular who really leans into the exclusivity too, and I realized after a while that tbh they recycle colorways a lot. Just tweak a color and give it a new name. I hate that the pre-order thing has become such the standard too, when I see new indie dyers trying to start they replicate that model. Baby Cat Yarns is my favorite indie dyer now because she appears to be the only indie dyer who’s entire thing is being dyed to order. Any color, any base, any amount, any day. She’s great
This is an interesting perspective. Thank you for sharing it! I always appreciate hearing how others view this hobby. If we’re being truly spartan, we really don’t need anything but one pair of needles and a ball of yarn. At the end of the day, what someone chooses to use is about ability and preference. If someone doesn’t have disposable income or space, they might only knit one thing at a time. That also might mean they can’t buy a lot of yarn due to lack of storage. Maybe they also forgo certain tools. If they don’t knit outside their house, they might not see the point of small foldable scissors or how a closeable project bag keeps everything in the bag (and not rolling around the bus or under the craft night table). I think there is a difference between buying stuff willy nilly because you think you should, and mindfully building up your tools and materials to support how you like to engage in your craft. I’ve been knitting for 30+ years and I appreciate the technical innovations that didn’t exist when I was in my early 20s. For me, I don’t get stressed by lots of yarn. It’s pretty and it’ll get used at some point. I like to knit multiple projects at once so I have lots of project bags. My project bags are an expression of my personality and interests. Some are cheap from Amazon and some support independent artists. Same idea with my yarns. I’m happy using cheap commercial yarns but also am able to support indie dyers and do. I also have the space to make this hobby as stress free as I need it to be to focus on the knitting. So I have mats and pins, a ball winder and table top swift, “fancy” stitch markers to differentiate parts of the pattern, and a stash that includes different fibers and weights. I have had a lot of these tools and materials for over a decade (or more!) so really, for me, these are investments in this craft I’ve been practicing for most of my life. I don’t need all of these things but I am glad I have them.
I too have most of these things, but I did not start out with them and I appreciate that I can afford them now. They make a lot of my projects easier, so I knit way more now than I did when I first started, or even 10-20 years ago.
There isn't anything wrong with having these things! I think the issue is that it seems like almost every knitting podcaster has and uses a lot of the things you've pointed out, and there's an underlying assumption in the way they talk about these things that everyone can afford them, 'needs' them and uses them. It's fine to approach crafting in the way one prefers especially if it's a hobby that one has engaged in for decades. But the community wide assumption that spending upwards of $1000 - $2000 dollars a year on hand dyed yarn for projects (not even counting stash acquisitions) and putting them all in $70 projects bags is a regualr realistic thing that is a baseline for most people is kind of ridiculous. And no one is explicitly saying it, but it's definitely an _assumption_ that floats around a lot. And it isn't just a thing that comes from people who've accumulated stuff over an entire lifetime, it's people who have been knitting for a year, or 5 or 10, and who are regularly buying a ton of hand dyed yarn or project bags or the like. Again, people can do what makes them happy, there's nothing wrong with these things. But it is markedly difficult to find podcasters who consistently knit things in budget yarns, or acrylic/acrylic blends, or who are more minimalist in their owning, or who aren't frequently spending a ton of money on this hobby. And I don't think that's a good thing for a community where most people can't afford to approach the hobby in this way, or just don't want to. Knitting should be an accessible fun craft and it's hard for it to be that way to new and experienced people alike when the modus operandi for this online community is spending a ton of money and buying a ton of things before you even knit the first stitch. There should be more balance in how 'influencers' approach this craft, and there just isn't. Many of these things are just fun _extra_ bits that you can _add_ to your knitting, but the way the community is now, it's very easy to feel like you can't reach optimal enjoyment of your hobby if you aren't spending a fortune. And to some degree that's intentional, because some podcasters and influencers seem to be either business owners, or work with companies/businesses, so there's monetary benefit to them trying to convince their viewers that you actually _do_ need this notion, or yarn or pattern!
I'm all for community ownership! One member of our knit&stitch group purchased a ball winder and swift because she had the funds, and she lets the rest of us use them. Another member picks up needles at second-hand shops and shares them with the group. Excess yarn, patterns and fabrics are freely gifted at meetings. No need for every individual to own every item - share and share alike! 💞 Also, our LYS lends equipment for free to members of the local fiber arts guild, which anyone can join. If there aren't fiber groups in your area, reach out and organize - we knitters can definitely do community!
I really enjoyed this and it was nice change of pace from seeing knitting podcast videos that always seem to end with a big yarn haul. I’ve been thinking more critically and what knitting channels I watch and how they approach displaying consumerism. One thing I’ve done is be really honest with myself about whether I like how a sweater turns out. Twice this past year I’ve frogged entire finished sweaters and used the yarn to knit different sweaters I’m much happier with.
I've come to realize that as much as I like the look of mohair it is really impractical in my climate. Even somewhere really cold, if you're indoors there's heating (too hot for mohair) and outdoors you'll still need a coat. I started knitting about 12 years ago, before the huge mohair trend, and back then it never even crossed my mind that I would ever want to knit with it. Fast forward to 2020 and I totally felt like I was missing out before I was able to get a bunch of mohair. It can make any project so much more expensive, and in my case, just ends up making it harder to wear. I feel like there's a misconception that when it's recommended in the pattern you absolutely need it to get a decent result but I've knit a bunch of mohair patterns with 100% friggin cotton and the resulting piece is absolutely fine, and much more wearable where I'm at.
I like the fuzziness of mohair and since my house is rarely above 60 degrees in the winter, I enjoy the extra warmth. I usually use alpaca instead because of the cost difference.
Brushed alpaca or suri alpaca is a great sub for mohair if you still want that fluffy, haloed look. As for functionality of mohair; not the appearance; it does make things warmer but also stronger. So if you want to knit socks sans plastic (nylon) hold it with your yarn and you will have a super strong, durable, warm fabric for the socks.
I used to be one of those people who buys ~everything~ when they first get into a hobby. I started knitting 12 years ago and picked up a ball winder and blocking mats&pins from knit picks and honestly, I'm glad I did! They've been indispensable for me. I also picked up a set of addi interchangeable circulars and I use every size (except the jumbo size 15's I chose as an add-on). And these things have traveled with me from my parent's home, to dorm rooms, to tiny attic bedrooms in crowded houses and apartments with roommates and finally to my own apartment. I always make room for the stuff I'm going to use on a regular basis. Looking back, I think I may have waited a bit longer to get some of the more expensive tools, but, if you're planning to do a hobby for your lifetime I think investing in tools that helps save time and lend to a nicer final result is totally worth it. Except yarn bowls lol. I want one so badly but cannot justify the purchase.
Thank you for supporting budget or acrylic yarn! I feel so strongly about it. Modern acrylics can be really great. We can't all afford those wonderful natural yarns that we woul love to own.
Yep! It took me 2 years buying yarn on sale at Michaels to have enough yarn for my blanket! It needs to be machine washed and dried I also, have a cat that sheds ! 😂
I know I commented earlier after only watching half but I wanted to reiterate how glad I am that you made this video. So many people get carried away by how cute and aesthetic the TH-cam and Instagram yarn community is. I think the influencers forget that most of their viewers are either beginners or just doing this as a hobby. Hobby yarn crafters cannot afford the crazy expensive accessories nor should we attempt to buy them. I love my yarn ball winder but I wound balls by hand for 10 years before that and I never hand any issues. A swift is simply unnecessary for most people that cannot afford the fancy hand dyed yarn anyway. Project bags?!?! The idea of spending any amount over $5 on a bag to hold yarn? Absolutely not. A grocery bag will work just fine for me. Pretty stitch markers that use lobster claw clasps that are hard for many people to open and close? No thanks. My yarn scrap or Bobby pins work just fine. I love my lightbulb stitch markers for holding my live loop on crochet project just so they don’t unravel but a Bobby pin and a little luck works just as well at preventing unraveling. I hope more TH-camrs recognize where many of their viewers are at and come back down to earth. You are such a relatable yarn crafter and I hope you continue to make videos like this. Have a great day!
The needle set yes! When I first started knitting the upfront cost of an interchangeable needle set was super intimidating. In the end I just acquired the needles I needed for projects I wanted to make and have now ended up with interchangeable needles from 3 mm - 4.5 mm. I don't really gravitate to projects with larger needle sizes, so very happy that I didn't splurge on a set with needles I wouldn't have used!
I do have a scissor fetish. I extended my crafting mojo, by learning to sew my own gorgeous projects bags. Never thought I would become a sewer, but loving it.
I find it funny you mentioned the tiny scissors because I was recently contemplating getting some. I always keep a dental floss pack in my knitting project bags and use the floss cutter to cut my yarn lol its great for traveling too because I dont have to worry about the scissors poking holes in my bag or getting taken away when flying! Great video!
a set of interchangeable needles is wonderful and time/money/effort saving, but only if you knit a lot, not once in a while. Children playing mats are amazing perfect replacement for blocking mats and for a quarter of the price. Thank you for all your wonderful content!
I use a yoga mat, works really good! You can also use a rag rug or cotton rug. And yes, project bags!! I don’t have any but got old totebags from concerts and stuff I wanted to support so I just use those. Both for projects and grocery shopping haha. I do need a pair of smaller scissors tho, not very cute but portable, i take my knits everywhere and I don’t want to be accused of wearing a weapon 🙈😂
This is my first time watching your channel. What an interesting episode to stumble upon! You are so right that we don’t need so many things. I am overrun by my things related to this craft and I need to reign it in a lot. That said, I also appreciate that you took the time to mention accessibility. For every person that is something different. I have been through several ball winder and swift combinations before finding what works best for me. I can’t use my knees or the back of a chair. I will have a mess in no time. I actually have a pricey umbrella swift mounted in a floor stand, and a motorized ball winder mounted on a rolling hospital bed tray. This is what works for me because table space is a premium and I can’t actually get on the floor. (I’m in a wheelchair.) That said, I probably have more than 100 knitting bags (I don’t need them all!), thousands of stitch markers, and hundreds of needles. It’s nuts. BTW I’m in Maryland and I host a weekly knit group on Zoom (and on my back patio when the weather is nice) if you’re ever interested. Let me know and I can send info.
Same. My Stacy is huge, and the reason for it is that I have friends who are Indi dyers, and I get custom colors. Over the years, with my family, buying yarn as gifts has gotten out of control. Since the pandemic, I started destashing by shopping my stash. I make all my sweaters and tees due to my sensitive skin. I appreciate you mentioning the disabled knitters. I agree there is so much that people get pushed and you don't need.
loved every part of this video!! you really got me with the having an extensive stash one BUT i do agree, i've definitely noticed that i feel a constant sense of stress & guilt over the amount of yarn i have & it makes me hesitant to start new projects that *aren't* knitting from stash. i really appreciate your thoughts (& this trend) overall!!
This is the best knitting video I have seen as a beginner. I’m an avid collector of every hobby I start and love to by so much stuff. This is stopping me from wasting my money, thank you!!!
Well done you..... I am an old boomer, and sometimes I am just amazed at what people think they need, and a lot of podcaster's stashes resemble yarn stores. The main thing is to not feel pressured, one way or the other. I am not on social media so it isn't a problem for me....as I said I am old😊
Project bags... My favorite! I bought a great one from a second hand store, 5$ and it's an old lunch purse... Anything that has the right format for the specific project I am working on... Otherwise, reusable shopping bags are my go-to.
As a knitter who started knitting right when blogs were still popular and Ravelry groups were huge but Instagram was just starting to gain serious traction i suffered from MAJOR FOMO. Those self striping sock yarns that sold out within minutes of a shop update- Had to have it! The kit for the new popular knit of the week, how fast can i get it shipped? Project bags that all the ‘popular’ knitters had- i need 2! Stash… OMG if it’s not a “S.A.B.L.E.” (Stash Aquired Beyond Life Expectancy) sized stash like ‘do you even call yourself a knitter”😂? Then there was the spinning phase… you couldn’t POSSIBLY be a Fiber Arteeeste if you didn’t spin your own yarn and know the properties of how each sheep breed behaved, and all the different spinning techniques! It was an adrenaline fueled time that left me exhausted and to be honest i ended up just stuck creatively! I had all the ‘stuff’ and for what? to keep up with some imaginary club? I started realizing i spent more time following social media then actually KNITTING! I went from finishing projects to being paralyzed with bags full of half started items and no clue where to start. I’ve dreamt of having a ‘im not unalive but my creativity is Estate Sale’ ~all to say love the video, happy to find your channel, and hope more people really start saying these things and getting back to what brought us together in the first place, the making!
Bravo! Just how many project bags does one person need? Do they really need to be seasonally appropriate? I would venture to day I could find dozens of various sized fabric, vinyl or leather bags that other things have been packaged in. Horror of horrors, I frequently have used lovely old purses as project bags 😲. They even have interior pockets.
so glad I found this video of yours! just subscribed, I love your perspective I definitely feel like there is a pressure to use indie yarn! and while I'm having a great time diving into that after knitting for years but only just discovering the online crafting community, I'm really wanting to watch creators that also use more accessible options. YES THE TINY SCISSORS 🤣 I recently bought 1 pair that I can keep in a ready-to-go notions bag, but other than that I use my set of fabric shears my mom got me years ago with a sewing kit I'm also really into makeup and so I'm familiar with the silly idea that you HAVE to pay exorbitant amounts for quality products and it gets me really fired up too lol
This was such a great video!! I feel like consumerism/over-consumption is such an important thing to talk about in general, but I think it's such a great conversation to have about knitting (especially because knitting is one way to combat over-consumption of fast fashion, but that doesn't exclude knitting from promoting over-consumption, it's just in a different sense). This is such an important conversation to have, so thank you for starting it!
Great video. I’ve knit for decades. Most of these items didn’t even exist when I started knitting (and I was 7 with no income). I blocked with towels only for years. Add a fan and your garment will dry quickly. Stitch markers were always yarn scraps. Project bags were any bag you could find. The gadgets are not necessary.
I don't knit but I do crochet and I feel like almost all of these apply to both, so this was very helpful. I just started and I felt overwhelmed by getting every yarn I liked, getting tools, etc. But I have come to realize that is fine to just get the yarn I'm going to use at the moment, and I don't need all of the tools if I have other stuff that works as well
I didn't have a winder for a while and didn't have a problem until I got into fingering and lace weight yarns 😅 definitely the winder was a game changer when I had a skein of mohair or fingering!
I love videos like this. I'm new to the channel, but I like it here and will watch other videos of you, too. I think what you said about thinking hard if you really need to buy something is so true. I love my interchangeable needle set, because I never get gauge and it stresses me less to know that I can easily switch sizes. On the other hand my crotched hook set was a total waste of money, because I don't crochet as much. For me, having everything I need in a project bag is super important. I travel a lot, but even sitting on the couch, I love that my bag has different pockets to store stuff without getting tangled in the yarn. I have a small notebook, a pen, a few stitch markers and blockers, a crochet hook to fix errors in my work and scissors. So I can easily grab my bag and get started. I think it heavily depends on how you work, where you work, etc. And as for the small scissors. I at first got a cheap small one from a set of kitchen scissors. For my birthday I got a super intricate, handcrafted crane scissor and I love them. I think stuff like this are great gifts for knitters
Here in Ukraine we mostly buy yarn in balls and don't need to wind them, and I really appreciate this. This skins looks really good for me only in pictures. And the culture to make cakes from them sounds for me so hard. I don't want to wind and find even storage for all this products for winding))) as also for storage blocking mats I agree that we don't need most of things, I think they are for made for gifts, but not to buy them on your own ☺️
@@annikak.837 Thanks a lot for support and kind words And for sure knitting and ability to make beautiful things helps to deal with all this news and missile terrorists attacks We believe in our soon victory
In Hungary I can find both forms. I like skeins because I can prewash them. Therefore the dimensions of the finished piece wont change that much. The other reason is that I like the undyed version of yarns which is sometimes very dusty.
@@melisekpalma That never occurred to me before, it would be so much simpler! I wonder if different stitch patterns like rib or lace would change the size of the project despite pre washing it...
I used to TRY to knit, but all my plans only ever ended in half finished projects or were reduced to a small test patch. Or I would crochet tiny clothes for cuddly toys and such, freehand. And then I got my ADHD diagnosis at 43, and started to understand more about how my brain works, and started on medication... In the first two years after I started treatment, I FINISHED more projects than I'd done in the previous 43 years... I mostly stick to "ADHD friendly yarn" (colour variegated, ombre, anything that gives me interesting colour changes without creating more ends to weave in...), I hunt down my self-named "Netflix knits" (anything simple enough that I can knit while watching my shows), and I'm more realistic and forgiving with myself. It helps me cut back on new WIPs, it makes it more likely that I will actually FINISH something, and it allows me to enjoy knitting rather seeing it become a chore. But I also recognize that I have TWO separate hobbies: One is BUYING yarn, the other is actually DOING stuff with it. ;) Best buy? See-through plastic bins for storing my yarn (of which I have... quite a lot). Makes me go downstairs and look through my stash rather than forget it exists and order more yarn... Second best buy - interchangeable circular pins, saving me from DROWNING in a million circular pins when I abandon a WiP and need to buy a new set of pins... Now, I just need a new wire. ;) Also makes it easier when you need to switch to a bigger or smaller pin in the middle of the pattern, you just attach the correct pin on the right side and knit a round before switching out the left pin.
I never imagined someone would consider yarn bowls and tiny scissors a "trend". For me those kind of objects are simply there to make the process of knitting more enjoyable if you find them interesting or good for you, not for *everyone* to buy them.
The joy of it for me is in the actual moment of creating and the zone I get into, so one project at a time is all I need. I think we’re kinda conditioned to think buying more stuff is gonna make it more fulfilling or enjoyable but that’s absolutely not true! At the end of the day it’s just me and my lil zone
I do enjoy multiple projects on the needle at once (I usually have multiple books on the go at once as well) and it suits me… I will finish them all. I think everyone works differently. But I am trying to be more deliberate and mindful about what I buy this year. I genuinely feel it’s a far healthier (and more financially responsible) approach for me. I love your mauve sweater btw
You make a lot of good points. There are youtube videos out there who make viewers feel that they should make sweaters from the young new designers using expensive yarns. I say make what appeals to YOU, not what is popular, and use your stash or yarns you can afford instead of consuming the latest trend or using what expensive yarn the you tuber has been paid to advertise.
some things i didn't buy after a little critical thinking skills on my end: 1) an expensive yarn bag: saw one youtuber using this really pretty bag toh hold their yarn and a huge blanket project. i never even used a bag before, my yarn balls just used to roll around various corners of the house and I washed my projects afterwards 😭 but my boyfriend's mother gifted me cosmetics in a drawstring bag and it really worked out for me, so I didn't have to purchase another expensive bag. 2) cable needles: i usually make cables with my other knitting needles (slightly smaller size) and didn't even know these small needles existed till I came around a pattern involving them. however, i thought about how i have already made various projects before purchasing them (they're just not really necessary) 3) blocking mats: i learnt knitting/crocheting from my family and nobody ever blocked anything! they used to wash these projects and they would naturally loosen up after a while! 4)crochet hook set: i don't crochet a lot since I learnt knitting, and i already have 5 hooks (without handles). i saw people purchasing hooks with cute handles, however i never felt discomfort with the grip OR appearance of my tools. 5)a lot of yarn?: my family taught me to buy as i go! whenever i visit a yarn store i have a list of items I am planning on knitting/crocheting. i refuse from buying yarn from online stores because it leads to an impulse buying spree (in my case) and only visit yarn store once an year. i recently also learnt how to upcycle yarn from sweaters. about this video, it's nice how you mention a lot of things about accessibility issues. i completely agree. some people with mobility issues/injuries/old age (etc) can use all these products to help themselves. i would like to add, everyone's needs are different. just a few years back, it was not an unknown fact that you don't need excessive accessories in order to excel in any field. what mattered was your perseverance, quality of result, output and dedication. nowadays, not to say it's the consumers fault, but with marketing campaigns and social media were influenced easily, compelled to buy products which we didn't even require! all we can do as consumers, is to not fall in these traps and be mindful in this consumption, for our own economical reasons! it doesn't make our craft or love any lesser than the other. we aren't bad artists if we don't have these! everyone must have a chance to have hobbies which destress us and provide stability in our lives! to create something by our own hands is marvelous, 15 new products can't provide the amount of satisfaction we get from finishing a project and being proud of our work
I bought blocking mats after finishing my first sweater because I thought I had to, and when I pulled them out the package I was like "Oh lord... they're essentially floor mats with a grid." They're handy! But I've only used them that one time and I've been knitting/crocheting for a few years now and I just do the towel method with a fan and flip the garment over part way through.
omg YES and they take up so much space!! Lol. Also agree on project bags, I've used a small ish reusable bag I got from a clothing for most of my projects.
I'm a really conscious buyer so I actually don't own anything that I don't use extensively in my knitting process (okay... a yarn ball, but I made it myself when I was throwing pottery). Regarding stash, I just want to say that if you're a long time knitter, this is the kind of things that "happen", I think (at least in my case). I've been knitting for 9-ish years and I've never tried to build a stash, but leftovers or projects that didn't work out led to a substantial amount of yarn. That's why 2023 is "destashing year" for me. Cost of living has increased significantly in Europe, so I'm definitely more careful about my spending. I find it actually super exciting to think of projects that would work with the amount of yarn available. Lovely video!
Loved this discussion and I totally agree! I’ve definitely been influenced to buy things that I don’t need or use and honestly haven’t enhanced my knitting experience.
For me, I almost got a ball winder and swift combo for my birthday last year. Then I realized I didn't need it. For one, I'm a super slow knitter so I'm not winding yarn very often. For another, I'm able to hand wind my yarn just fine, especially with the help of one of my bar stools. I'm a pretty conscious consumer, and I take weeks and sometimes months to decide if I really want or need something. And this process saved me buying something I didn't need and cut out that potential impact on the planet.
I appreciate your insights. I am what some may call “a boomer” and many of your ideas are what knitters have used for years before all the hype of specialty items. I do love them and don’t need them. Thank you for sharing and enjoy your knitting.
Totally with you on project bags. I tend to (a) work on one project at a time and (b) knit mostly at home, so I don't need a lot of project bags. My favourite one, in fact, cost me $6 at Value Village and is a brightly coloured LeSportSac nylon handbag of many pocketses. (So many pocketses!) Pretty as the multi-hundred-dollar leather bags are, I'd rather spend my money on yarn. I also just don't get the appeal of fancy stitch markers. Give me a box of the lightbulb ones and I'm good to go. Bonus if they're in a lot of colours. But I'll absolutely recommend a ball winder and swift to any new knitter. They're such a time saver, and my time is worth something to me. As is avoiding repetitive strain injury in these aging muscles. And I do have blocking mats and pins (and blocking wires) because I started with shawls and lace shawls need to be pinned out. (I don't do many shawls any more, because what a pain in the arse blocking them is!) And I did buy a quality interchangeable needle set, because I love the flexibility they offer, even if I don't use the 7, 8, or 10 mm needles very often. (I have used them all at some point now, and it's only been three years.)
The twisted yarn is called a hank, and the ball winners actually create cakes, not balls. Also, acrylic is bad specifically because washing and wearing it contributes to micro plastic pollution. It is a huge issue we as crafters NEED to deal with. There are other options that are equally non-allergenic and don't shed pollutants, AND we need to be yelling at manufacturers to give us more better options without the plastics involved.
Those options aren't accessible to most people, and i'm hard pressed to know options that are also as diverse in feel and use as acrylic or animal fibres. Cotton is good but it isn't great for cold weather garments and it's hard for many people from different countries to find forms of cotton that are appropriate for clothes let alone feel soft and warm like acrylic often is. Recycled fibres are often scratchy and also not common in many countries. I have literally never seen recycled fibre yarn in my LYS, and cotton/wool cost profoundly more than acrylic does. I have no shame about using what I can afford and what is available, and you aren't gonna fix climate change by not allowing people with less disposable income to knit with what they can afford. Also, in the grand scheme of things, I think the giant companies creating massive amounts of waste are significantly more responsible for the state of the climate than knitters using acrylic yarn lol. Yes sustainability is important and we should all do what we can, but lets also be reasonable about how much of an effect our choices make on the issue, and where responsibility lies. Shaming people out of using what is accessible to them when they are creating a fraction of a fraction of the waste is incredibly silly. The planet isn't dying primarily because of micro plastic pollution created from washing hand made acrylic garments. Consumers can only do so much, and a lot of this issue lies with huge companies and governments.
Just found your podcast. You are right, we only need the needles and yarn. I am guilty of owning most of what you described, however, I only added things as I needed them and some items were gifted. I really do enjoy the ball winder, swift, and blocking boards, these are recent additions and I knitted for years (decades) before I added them. I have knit bowls, but frequently just use clear zip-sealed bags to store yarn, patterns, etc. Love being able to look and see exactly what is in there. I use plain jump rings that you can buy in the jewelry department of craft stores for stitch markers and the little bulb safety pins for place markers. Probably one of the most useful items is a maker journal/notebook where I document changes and keep a record of what I made.
Thank you so much for this video! I was feeling pressure to have a few projects worth of yarn sitting around at all times from watching TH-camrs and their stashes, but after just a few extra skeins I felt stressed by the mere sight of them, making knitting less enjoyable for me. Will be donating anything I don't have immediate need for. Thanks again!
Re: scissors, I used to travel a lot and I actually just put nail clippers in my project bag! No fears of TSA, I have many, it cuts yarn well, AND I have nail clippers handy if I need em!
I really enjoyed this discussion and am happy to have discovered you. I’m looking forward to viewing your other episodes. But aside from your content, I need to tell you how much I appreciate your presentation skills. You speak in normal conversational tones, which is rare among knitting podcasters. I don’t want to go into detail, and maybe I’m the only one who instantly turns off most of the uptalkers who seem unable to end a sentence, but I just want to say again that I think you’re an excellent presenter. I can listen to you, so now I will choose to listen to you. ❤️
Well this IS a breath of fresh air. It’s like the difference in buying designer clothing or accessories vs getting something nice at a dept store. I want to learn to knit a sweater but have been scared to waste over $100 in hand dyed yarn ! I feel like I can/should start with a child’s size sweater in a cotton blend - duh! I LOVE the hand dyed stuff, silk and cashmere blends who wouldn’t- and understand why many of the knitting pods promote the indie dyers. However I love your point that you are NO less a knitter if that is not budget friendly for you/us. Great message ❤
I have a cheap "umbrella style" swift, but NO ball winder. I tried the back of the chair, and the swift is much better. But I don't really need a ball winder because I wind the ball itself by hand. I clamp the swift on a nearby table and let it free spin while I wind at my own speed. BIG TIP if you hand wind: make sure not to wind too tightly! It can damage the fibers. As I'm winding a ball, I'll usually keep two fingers under the yarn I'm winding, just to make sure there's a little slack in the yarn.
I picked up a 6 bottle wine carrier at Kroger for like a dollar and I love it for working on things with multiple skeins of yarn. I put a pouch with scissors and stuff in one pocket and yarn and my small project like mittens and stuff in the other spots. Works great. Also old window screens are good for blocking and drying sweaters on, the T-pins don’t harm them. Set a soup can under each corner so there is lots of airflow.
This is the first video I've watched of yours and I wanted to say that I think you are really good at this! I watch a ton of knitting podcasts and I really enjoyed your content and especially your delivery.
I bought a pair of sock blockers 2 years ago and they're still in the packaging. I'm not even that interested in knitting up any socks. It was a case of thinking, "Maybe one day..." NOPE. Just wasted my money.
I think I might still have my Mother’s sock blockers from the 1940’s and a pair of argyle socks she knit for my Father. Not sure what my Husband did with them, since I never knit socks. Maybe someday🤔
Same. My Stacy is huge, and the reason for it is that I have friends who are Indi dyers, and I get custom colors. Over the years, with my family, buying yarn as gifts has gotten out of control. Since the pandemic, I started destashing by shopping my stash. I make all my sweaters and tees due to my sensitive skin. I appreciate you mentioning the disabled knitters. I agree there is so much that people get pushed and you don't need.
I love the idea of de-influencing to encourage sustainability. On the topic of yarn sustainability (and note that I do love seeing yarn stashes that rival LYSs :-)), I have a "rule". If I don't use an object that I've made and a) it doesn't use intarsia/mohair/unspun yarn and b) I still find value and beauty in the yarn, I'll rip back the object to reclaim that yarn (much as if it were a 2nd hand sweater from a thrift shop). I've done this more times than I can count. Sometimes I need to do it more than once to find the right project for that yarn. And every time I unknit (which is a labour-intensive project of its own sort), the yarn potential returns. As does my creativity pertaining to that yarn. No handmade object is off limits. That's one of the ways that I continue to be able to knit compulsively without having a closet full of 800 sweaters and shawls. Also, it saves money and improves my knowledge of yarn properties as applied to various projects.
I really didn’t want to spend money on a project bag, and I remembered I had kept those little bags that sheets come in. Fairly good for a sock project bag, though beware the needles will poke through. 😂
This is such a good take! I often feel very pressured because it seems like working on 5-6 projects at the time is the norm, while I barely have the money to work on one project at the time lol
the tiny needle nose scissors- i didnt think i needed them. got them as a gift- turns out theyre a life saver when hair gets tangled in your yarn/project. i get long hairs wrapped so tightly around my yarn that i cant remove them with my fingers and those just fix it so quickly
I have wound skeins into balls by hand and it can take forever if you have a lot! I found that if you ask the seller of the yarn shop, they usually have a ball winder and are willing to wind it into a ball for you for free. For blocking mats, i read that an extra mattress (like in your guest bedroom) can be used, you can put plastic wrap over the top to prevent the wet garment from soaking the mattress and the pins can easily pierce the plastic.
One of my favorite things to use as a project bag are those cheap drawstring backpacks that get given away as event freebies, mine is from a college tour for a school I didn't even attend haha
I love this video! there's so many things I have gone without in my knitting just because I couldn't afford all the fancy stuff. by getting creative with solutions you can absolutely knit and even knit a lot without spending very much money. I also unwind sweaters to use the yarn, as well as thrift for destashes. so I have only ever bought yarn from yarn shops when I had gift cards. I didn't know it was controversial to unwind sweaters but I'm not suprised! I agree with you that textile waste is so ridiculous, I can't se anything wrong with sourcing our craft materials from what is essentially a waste stream. Thanks for your thoughtful video!
I agree with you on the point of considering if one really needs a big amount of yarn to stash. When I began my fibre journey I (mostly for financial reasons) purchased a mystery box of 11kg of scrap yarn without labels. This helped me get started and not feel like I had wasted money when my beginner projects were wonky and uneven. I've now crochet with this yarn for about two years and am FINALLY getting to a point when I can comfortably shop for yarn for specific-ish projects. I'm in hindsight really glad I did it this way, because now I know much more about what kind of things I like to make and what kind of yarn I like to work with. I'm getting started with knitting and I find it so much fun to plan out what yarns to purchase for my wearables! :D
One tip from this old boomer. I do have those play mats that I use for blocking. I store them upright behind a dresser. They can also slide under a bed, if you’re not storing other things under there. I agree you don’t need a lot of stuff to knit, but having a set of tools along with my project is so handy. I agree, lots of things can be used in place of knitting bags, but they’re fun to have and ask for if someone wants to buy me a gift. I have several of the items that you mention are unnecessary and I use them all the time. I do like the idea of simple, inexpensive substitutions, though. Your comments came across as a bit judge-y rather than suggestions. Thanks for taking the time, it gave us lots to think about!
This was such an interesting video to watch and really provokes some thought which is brilliant! I agree that it's important to talk about these things especially when social media influence has such a big part in peoples' lives in this day and age, we shall say haha. I also am one that found some play-mats with the pop out numbers for children at a car boot sale here in England, UK for £2 last summer - they've worked so brilliantly as blocking mats still to this day (and the child-like 25 year old brain of mine lowkey loves matching it all together too)!! 😂 Thank you for this video Mandy! 🥰 Hope you are doing well and the move went (is going) well!!! 💕
I wind my yarn by hand around a used up TP roll/paper towel roll so that it'll sit like yarn wound up via a swift and ball winder once it's slid off the cardboard roll. Sure, it'll have to be tossed out after a few uses due to losing it's shape, but as a cheap/free alternative it saves me money in the long run since TP is always needed. 😅😂
I live in Romania and here the idea of buying project bags is weird and unnecessary. I personally use old pillow cases that I don't use anymore. Hand dyed yarn is so expensive and the shipping is expensive...we stick with commercial yarn
I have so many steeking scissors! I'm not one to have a bunch of projects going at once, but sometimes might have 2 or 3....I like a pair in each project bag. I also keep a pair in my (non-knitting) bag, a pair in my car and a pair at my desk. I found it has reduced my stress around not having the tools I need at hand - I do knit on the go A LOT. Not sure I *need* them, to be fair, but I do like having them at the ready. That being said, I have engaged in many of the suggestions you've made. Lots of excellent points made here, thanks for the great video.
@@WorldOnAString I have to say since making this video 2 years ago I have acquired some little scissors and I love them. Not a need! But certainly nice to have!
I’m an “old boomer” of 72 years. I was raised by a mother who grew up during the “Great Depression.” I was raised to research, question and look for an alternative for much of life’s tasks. Good luck with your knitting and vlogs.
My grandparents were Depression babies and I also learned a lot of this. mindset from them! My favorite item to gift has been an afghan to my great aunt because I feel like she really understands the value of a handmade item
i wish this video existed when I first hyperfixated on crocheting and knitting. I have WAY too much yarn that I can't even use practically for the types of projects I do and for the warm climate here 🤣I will vouch for the play mats as blocking mats though! super convenient since they're easy to set up depending on the size/shape of your project, plus the pins stick into them and stay there. I have also used one of those flat chair cushions for smaller projects before I got the play mats. it's the type that you tie to the back of wooden chairs? I'm not sure if it's common over there. I do love your points in the video! some things I wish I could apply in my own yarn craft but I can't since some systems I have in place are to accommodate my disability. but definitely still gave me some insight on mindfully choosing my tools. thanks! :D
THANK YOU!! This video really helped me getting some of my thoughts straight. I'm currently working on a blanket made out of yarn saved from old socks and other scraps and it's bringing me so much joy. I'm also keeping this wip in a salad bowl from my kitchen 😂 Some of the totally non-necessary knitting accessories I have bought bring me just as much joy. This helped me accepting that I am the only one who knows what is and what is not something I want or need to have for my knitting hobby.
Thank you for this video! I just came across it on my feed, and had to watch for like 2 minutes before subscribing lol. I'm someone who has knitted for years but only recently stumbled into the knitting spaces on social media, and I've certainly had to fight the fomo at times! There's a lot of maximalism in this community, and while that works for some, I personally have a spending problem as is. This video grounded me and made me feel seen & validated ❤️
There is a lot of pressure via social media to always be buying new tools and yarn and make the trendy patterns and have a high volume of output and it is easier than we like to think to get swept up in that instead of going at our own pace and to our own tastes and preferences. I do love pretty tools that aren't absolutely necessary though, I figure if I am going to spend hours doing my hobby I feel like it is okay to indulge in buying tools that make the magpie part of my heart sing to use. I have a small carved wooden box I keep my tools in (including small fancy scissors lol) and I always love when I sit it down on the table and open it up to work on my knitting
loved this concept! There are certainly a lot of "alternatives" I used in my own knitting. One of the knitting accessories that tends to irk me though are notions pouches; they often seem a bit crammed and impossible to organize unless you're dropping hundreds on stitched leather organizers with designated spots than end up quite bulky anyway. Instead, I have a little bento-style lunch box from Walmart that I use to organize most of my notions and then keep a few stitch markers and tapestry needles in a small pill bottle that lives in a project bag. I've been thinking about putting together a similar kind of video on thought-processes around yarn-buying specifically, and I agree with you that it's so hard to capture the nuance, but It's certainly possible to be observant of patterns without coming across as overly critical!
Less than two minutes in and already impressed with your practicality. When I start a new hobby I get everything and end up spending money I don’t need to. Why, why, why? So good on you!
Yes to all of this. Seriously, the exact same thoughts are going thru my head right now. I am all for supporting small businesses, but the price of project bags is ridiculous-so I make my own if I want one. I rarely knit the “it” sweater when everyone else does-I knit what I will wear! I have culled my crafting supplies and feel so much better! You really don’t need a lot to create beautiful items; I am working thru my small stash so I can buy yarn when I want to make something instead of the yarn languishing, waiting for it’s turn to be used.
For blocking pins, I've found that they are much cheaper in the sewing section of crafts stores. I do have some blocking combs, which are really useful for blocking lace work.
I like this a lot. The one thing that I didn't think I needed and then kept wishing I had was mini scissors, but that's because I worked as a substitute teacher and brought my knitting and wished I always had a pair handy. But it was one of those things that I went "oh, I'd use this a lot and keep wanting to reach for it", and I think that's a great way to think about purchases. Do you find yourself wanting it because a time came up where you'd use it? If yes then probably a good buy, but if no then maybe not
after spending three hours manually winding two hanks of yarn, i finally decided (after crocheting/knitting for a solid 5 years) to get myself a swift! just a swift though, since i thought about it and realised i really dont mind physically winding it, it just always seems to get itself tangled
I’ve been knitting for over 40 years, (boomer, sorry lol.) When I started knitting some things did not exist; circular needles, interchangeable needles, modern project bags, indie yarn…really indie anything, fancy stitch markers, skein winders and swifts, blocking mats, Ravelry, the internet, etc, …you get the point. I was still able to knit and enjoy my craft without those things. However, I will say that I now own many knitting tools and they have enhanced my knitting experience quite a bit. I’m also at a place in my life where I have the space to keep them and the financial ability to invest in them. You are right, there is no shame in being thrifty and I was a thrifty knitter for many years. The one thing that I have that I really don’t use are fancy stitch markers ( they get caught in my knitting), and my yarn bowl. I use it some times with a one skein project. I just had your TH-cam channel pop up on my home page. I really enjoyed this video and will definitely watch again.
Love your sweater! I agree on the yarn bowl - I see no need. I did just buy myself some small scissors but it was for embroidery floss because I think that's what your meant for? I'm not sure. I also agree on the whole project bag thing. I have a lot of bags from my Mom and knitting has helped me to appreciate what bags I have but going out and buying one for projects seems a little silly to me. Thanks for affirming that I can use a reusable bag too lol.
Omg the tiny scissors get me too! I have never understood them. I was an early childhood Ed major in college, so I have an absurd number of kiddie scissors that I use when I’m on the go lol. Plus, they’re not as easy to lose as the cute teeny ones
I'm watching your video as I'm knitting my first sweater and am SO AMUSED because I'm using the same yarn bowl you showed🤣 it's ironically one of my most used yarn items
I’ve only just discovered your channel and am loving your videos 😊 I thoroughly enjoy how articulate you are and how relatable your content it. It’s so sad and anxiety provoking to see so many people presenting themselves on social media as “perfect” and all about the newest thing. I love that you’re enthusiastic about your hobby but also incredibly realistic ❤
Years ago, my mom bought me a starter pack of needles that I haven't used in years. Just recently, I dug into it and found a stitch holder and a row counter, something I may actually use now that I am knitting more complex patterns in loom knitting (I kept failing at the needles, but became unusually adept at loom knitting). But the three sets of needles... I may try again, just because the needles are a pretty blue and gold; or, I could use them to transfer stitches from loom to loom. 🤔 It's always good to think of what you can do with what you already have. Speaking of, I met a gal who is knitting on a pair of toothpicks; too cute!
I'll say something about little scissors: they're good for cutting threads in sewing close to the fabric. And I also use small snips to keep on my nightstand for projects or also cutting because regular scissors are just too bulky for one clip
First time I saw your channel in my feed. I think back to when I first started knitting at the age of 11years old. All I needed was needles yarn and sewing needle. Even as a young adult, I didn't have much money, so the yarn and the needles were the most important. I was so over the moon with my first interchangeable needle set from Boye! I never had a project bag until my 40s. I know as I have gotten older and have more disposable income, it is easy to buy all of these convenient items. Enjoyed your take as an influencing de-influencer.
Thank you for sharing! As a new knitter, this video has helped me to navigate what is a necessity and what may not be. I always thought I'd want to purchase yarn for a specific projects as opposed to collecting a stash. This can help prevent a lot of waste and allow greater freedom in project selection (If I had a stash I would feel obligated to choose a project based on the yarn I need to use up!). I appreciate you validating that choice! Also, thanks for the tips regarding hand winding. I thought hand winding was a little too intimidating, but willing to give it a go!
I had previously felt that I needed more and more... now I am changing my thought process and I am working towards stashing down my supply of yarn to only keep 1-2 projects worth of yarn around above what I am already working on. I'd enjoy feeling less pressure from my own stash about what I need to work on.
ive been making my nephew a blanket for his first birthday, ive been working on it for a few months (im a beginner to knitting). I'm a student and I cant currently afford to buy yarn thats not acrylic/craft store. I felt a bit bad for using acrylic yarn because id heard that it had a reputation for being too cheap so its nice to hear reassurance surrounding that :)
The majority of my yarn stash is secondhand/vintage yarn, or gifted to me. I always tell people that if they have yarn they aren’t going to use, to give it to me because I’m constantly knitting/crocheting so I will find a way to use it up!
New here and love your pod. You bring up excellent points! Tayler Earl is the pod caster for Wool, Needles Hands 😊 🧶🤗 Yeah I hear you on the project bags!! Especially now that some are getting these swank leather ones.. Yikes 😬 those of us on a budget make our own or liker you said, get creative 😊 ❤️ Have a great day! 🌺
I felt pressured to buy only indie/hand-dyed yarn to knit with after watching all the knitting podcasts online. I also felt like I needed to have a stash. Now I much prefer to watch people who knit with commercial yarn just as much as they do with hand-dyed yarn. I think this is just a hobby, I don’t want to spend all my savings on it!
Do you have recommendations for people who use commercial yarns? I have the same exact issue, I don't want to only watch people who can afford to spend $200 dollars on a sweater! And it seems every person I watch does that, and it's a weird unspoken assumption that everyone can do the same. No shame in it if you can afford it, but I definitely can't.
The strikkechick knits mostly in commercial yarn
Hanna thank you for the recommendation. I'm allergic to wool so I use a lot of commercial yarn.
@@hannabirkbakhovaldt2700 oh! I’ll have to check them out ^_^
(And now that I know there’s a market, I might end up making a few videos if I can ever get a free moment. I like making videos and all I have is commercial yarn 😅)
You are right! I'm not concerned about hand dying at all. I don't know why this is considered to be to special. But I am concerned about how much more plastic we are throwing into the world, so my rule is 'will this harm the planet when I no longer need it?' That means I try to knit in natural fibres and I try to avoid buying unnecessary equipment. The magic of knitting is in the human hand, not in the equipment.
40 yrs ago (yes, a boomer), I became interested in embroidery so I purchased a few excellent tools. Well-made tools can last a lifetime and offer pleasure while practicing your art, craft, or hobby. I have found this with knitting and crocheting. Important to be mindful in selections
So true! I sew and do embroidery, so I have a lot of products for both. Many of them I bought years and years ago, some were gifts, and some I got when my mom passed away. She sewed a lot, too.
Well said. My Gingher scissors are 40 years old.
I buy like this every chance I get. I’d rather pay $30-40 for something that will last a lifetime than to pay $15-20 for something I have to replace every couple of years
@@noragarza1197 I love my Ginghers… they’ve got beautiful heft and they cut through cloth like it’s not even there 🥰
I agree! I learned that in other crafts. Great quality tools will last, and can really make a difference in your comfort and ability to enjoy your work. I’m not a boomer, but I suppose I’m close, and I also have the money to spend on these things. Do you NEED any of the stuff mentioned? Nope! But if you want it and it makes your life happier and/or better, you should do you. We shouldn’t be pressuring people into living their lives in the way we want. We shouldn’t pressure people to own stuff they don’t need, but don’t try to pressure me to not love my high end needles or not to have as many projects going as I feel I want to have. Also, one definitely shouldn’t spend money that stretches your budget more than reasonable. But beyond that, my opinion is you do you!
I really needed this!! Consumerism has her sharp little claws in me so bad, and it's hard when so many people in the community are always telling you that you need this or that every time you log onto social media. That, and the guilt from having so much acrylic yarn already in my stash that people have made me feel is unusable since it isn't wool. Thank you for the breath of fresh air!!
Don’t let people shame you about acrylic yarn it’s great for baby items and for gifts when you don’t think that the receiver is going to take the time to care for a wool item. Also some people are sensitive to wool.
@@Candiceknits I bought yarn this weekend that is being discontinued that is 50% cotton 50% acrylic to make granny square blankets for two little friends who are 3 and 6 months. They will need to be washed frequently so thus a natural choice.
I DO make things for me out of wool, but because I love it.
If you enjoy using acrylic yarns, go for it. I don't have a lot of acrylics in my stash, but the ones I do, I use for my grandkids or for charity knits. That's my aesthetic, though. Affordability is also a big factor. Yes, I have a lot of wools, but a good deal of them were given to me as gifts (I got 6 skeins for Christmas!) and giveaways.
I frequently own and use acrylic and acrylic blends for myself because it's what I can afford and is what is accessible to me. No shame in using it, not just for gifts, but even for yourself. I love knitting and the community can be fun but there is an enormous amount of group think and it can be incredibly insular in regards to what yarn 'everyone' is using, what items they're making, what patterns they use, etc. I've definitely felt the acrylic shaming, weirdly more in the knitting space than in the crochet one. I use wool too, but I think people should use what they can and what they want. There are no wrong ways to do this hobby. Just have fun.
I too have become aware of the "acrylic shaming" and, because I do have about as much acrylic as wool in my stash, I looked into the issues with acrylic. I do see the problem with microplastics. I did a deep dive into recycling acrylic fibres and found NOTHING, at least not here in BC. I can't turn it into something harmless, can't burn it, can't bury it. Giving it away just passes the problem along. So, based on what I read I decided to continue to knit with it but treat it like non-superwash wool. I soak it and lay flat to dry, hoping that I am reducing the shedding of particles in the washing machine and the dryer. I am always looking out for inexpensive non-superwash wool and over time hope to reduce my purchase of acrylic. Sigh. I do enjoy using acrylics, especially for baby items and those sensitive to wool. I would never shame any hobbyist for using materials that are available and affordable.
This is my input as an old Boomer with tons of discretionary income: I buy it all. Some stuff is useful and some is decorative. The proper tools are time savers and protect your yarn and fabric. The decorative stuff makes me happy. I can't believe I knitted for nearly 40 years without a ball winder and swift. They are such time savers and make the neatest little balls. I spent an entire evening winding a ball of laceweight by hand. I ended up with a tangled mess that took me hours to sort out. Equipment and supplies like mats can be stored in shallow boxes under the bed. Cut up a box each time I block a project. Cardboard that gets soggy and curls up. No thank you. Tiny scissors are easier on the hands, and you're less likely to cut too deeply accidentally. I love my yarny lifestyle and everything that comes with it.
I can’t agree more!
I aspire to have your life 😏
We thank you for keeping the knitting community moving along and funded so products are available for the more careful shoppers
Much agreed on the ball winder/swift. I used to hand wind all the skeins into cakes and got somewhat good at it, but it was still taking me just about an hour for each 100g of skein (I did this for years). Honestly, if you have wound 10 skeins by hand and have any storage space at all, it's time to get even the cheapest ball winder/swift so you won't spend 10 hours on your next 10 skeins!
As a GenXer with NO discretionary income,I have none of the gadgets. I even recycle yarn from old or thrifted sweaters(a tedious process). And yet somehow,I still can enjoy knitting~!!
I would say small scissors is a tentative necessity. I mainly work with lace to sport weight yarn and used to use fabric scissors and be super careful. This past Christmas I was given a pair of decorative embroidery scissors... Game changer! They are tiny and super sharp and give me more joy when snipping yarn
@@marytreaty9357 I like them because they fit into my little box of the super-essentials.
I love winding yarn by hand. It's something I do when my hands are tired from knitting. I feel like it gives me a chance to really preview the yarn, find out if it has any knots or other defects, etc. I just put it on the back of a chair or around my knees and wind it with my hands. Also I like balls of yarn. They look quaint and cute to me.
Agree! 😊🧶
This is why I wind by hand. I like to do a preview of the yarn so I know what to expect and if I need to cut a bit out or re-tie a broken connection.
I laughed so hard when Tina from Simply in Stitches in a recent video said "I don't have a yarn winder but I do have (the back of) this chair" and proceeded to use it to hold her yarn while she wound it.
It's always annoyed me, but I've started doing it while doing readings for school, and it's perfect! I also prefer the look and feel of balls, and don't do ALL of the ball winding before starting a project. I just do them as I need them, so it's not too overwhelming. Thanks for this comment though, because I keep seeing videos with winders, and just can't understand why we NEED one.
For the hand dyed yarns - Don't feel pressured to buy the yarn because its a limited release. It is likely that a similar yarn will come around again or something you love more will come along. I ran into that issue when I first started buying but I'm more particular now and much happier with my purchases.
Totally agree. I even think that if you buy everything on first sight, you'll have so much that once you come around to it, you probably won't love it as much anymore. Same goes for patterns, fabrics etc.
Also, dyeing your own yarn with food coloring is very cost effective (same pattern, same kind and weight of wool, same outcome, one blanket cost over $200 in yarn, the other less than $70), so even if it doesn't come round again you can take a shot at recreating it.
I struggled a lot with the limited pre-order dyers. It still gets me sometimes! It causes so much pressure and anxiety on the potential consumer. Now I have a stash full of yarn that I bought out of anxiety because I was worried if I didn’t buy from the pre-order that I’d never see it again. There’s one dyer in particular who really leans into the exclusivity too, and I realized after a while that tbh they recycle colorways a lot. Just tweak a color and give it a new name. I hate that the pre-order thing has become such the standard too, when I see new indie dyers trying to start they replicate that model. Baby Cat Yarns is my favorite indie dyer now because she appears to be the only indie dyer who’s entire thing is being dyed to order. Any color, any base, any amount, any day. She’s great
This is an interesting perspective. Thank you for sharing it! I always appreciate hearing how others view this hobby.
If we’re being truly spartan, we really don’t need anything but one pair of needles and a ball of yarn. At the end of the day, what someone chooses to use is about ability and preference. If someone doesn’t have disposable income or space, they might only knit one thing at a time. That also might mean they can’t buy a lot of yarn due to lack of storage. Maybe they also forgo certain tools. If they don’t knit outside their house, they might not see the point of small foldable scissors or how a closeable project bag keeps everything in the bag (and not rolling around the bus or under the craft night table).
I think there is a difference between buying stuff willy nilly because you think you should, and mindfully building up your tools and materials to support how you like to engage in your craft. I’ve been knitting for 30+ years and I appreciate the technical innovations that didn’t exist when I was in my early 20s. For me, I don’t get stressed by lots of yarn. It’s pretty and it’ll get used at some point. I like to knit multiple projects at once so I have lots of project bags. My project bags are an expression of my personality and interests. Some are cheap from Amazon and some support independent artists. Same idea with my yarns. I’m happy using cheap commercial yarns but also am able to support indie dyers and do. I also have the space to make this hobby as stress free as I need it to be to focus on the knitting. So I have mats and pins, a ball winder and table top swift, “fancy” stitch markers to differentiate parts of the pattern, and a stash that includes different fibers and weights. I have had a lot of these tools and materials for over a decade (or more!) so really, for me, these are investments in this craft I’ve been practicing for most of my life. I don’t need all of these things but I am glad I have them.
I too have most of these things, but I did not start out with them and I appreciate that I can afford them now. They make a lot of my projects easier, so I knit way more now than I did when I first started, or even 10-20 years ago.
There isn't anything wrong with having these things! I think the issue is that it seems like almost every knitting podcaster has and uses a lot of the things you've pointed out, and there's an underlying assumption in the way they talk about these things that everyone can afford them, 'needs' them and uses them. It's fine to approach crafting in the way one prefers especially if it's a hobby that one has engaged in for decades. But the community wide assumption that spending upwards of $1000 - $2000 dollars a year on hand dyed yarn for projects (not even counting stash acquisitions) and putting them all in $70 projects bags is a regualr realistic thing that is a baseline for most people is kind of ridiculous. And no one is explicitly saying it, but it's definitely an _assumption_ that floats around a lot. And it isn't just a thing that comes from people who've accumulated stuff over an entire lifetime, it's people who have been knitting for a year, or 5 or 10, and who are regularly buying a ton of hand dyed yarn or project bags or the like. Again, people can do what makes them happy, there's nothing wrong with these things. But it is markedly difficult to find podcasters who consistently knit things in budget yarns, or acrylic/acrylic blends, or who are more minimalist in their owning, or who aren't frequently spending a ton of money on this hobby. And I don't think that's a good thing for a community where most people can't afford to approach the hobby in this way, or just don't want to.
Knitting should be an accessible fun craft and it's hard for it to be that way to new and experienced people alike when the modus operandi for this online community is spending a ton of money and buying a ton of things before you even knit the first stitch. There should be more balance in how 'influencers' approach this craft, and there just isn't. Many of these things are just fun _extra_ bits that you can _add_ to your knitting, but the way the community is now, it's very easy to feel like you can't reach optimal enjoyment of your hobby if you aren't spending a fortune. And to some degree that's intentional, because some podcasters and influencers seem to be either business owners, or work with companies/businesses, so there's monetary benefit to them trying to convince their viewers that you actually _do_ need this notion, or yarn or pattern!
I'm all for community ownership! One member of our knit&stitch group purchased a ball winder and swift because she had the funds, and she lets the rest of us use them. Another member picks up needles at second-hand shops and shares them with the group. Excess yarn, patterns and fabrics are freely gifted at meetings. No need for every individual to own every item - share and share alike! 💞 Also, our LYS lends equipment for free to members of the local fiber arts guild, which anyone can join. If there aren't fiber groups in your area, reach out and organize - we knitters can definitely do community!
This is amazing!
Thanks for pointing out that we can start our own tool co-op.
I really enjoyed this and it was nice change of pace from seeing knitting podcast videos that always seem to end with a big yarn haul. I’ve been thinking more critically and what knitting channels I watch and how they approach displaying consumerism. One thing I’ve done is be really honest with myself about whether I like how a sweater turns out. Twice this past year I’ve frogged entire finished sweaters and used the yarn to knit different sweaters I’m much happier with.
You are a total knitting badass, that's really all I can say to that.
I've come to realize that as much as I like the look of mohair it is really impractical in my climate. Even somewhere really cold, if you're indoors there's heating (too hot for mohair) and outdoors you'll still need a coat. I started knitting about 12 years ago, before the huge mohair trend, and back then it never even crossed my mind that I would ever want to knit with it. Fast forward to 2020 and I totally felt like I was missing out before I was able to get a bunch of mohair. It can make any project so much more expensive, and in my case, just ends up making it harder to wear. I feel like there's a misconception that when it's recommended in the pattern you absolutely need it to get a decent result but I've knit a bunch of mohair patterns with 100% friggin cotton and the resulting piece is absolutely fine, and much more wearable where I'm at.
The mohair knitting is all peer pressure I reckon. I will not go near the stuff.
I like the fuzziness of mohair and since my house is rarely above 60 degrees in the winter, I enjoy the extra warmth. I usually use alpaca instead because of the cost difference.
That would be a great all-cotton yarn brand name... Friggin Cotton. I'd buy it.
@@1sweetpeach lol, same!!
Brushed alpaca or suri alpaca is a great sub for mohair if you still want that fluffy, haloed look.
As for functionality of mohair; not the appearance; it does make things warmer but also stronger. So if you want to knit socks sans plastic (nylon) hold it with your yarn and you will have a super strong, durable, warm fabric for the socks.
I used to be one of those people who buys ~everything~ when they first get into a hobby. I started knitting 12 years ago and picked up a ball winder and blocking mats&pins from knit picks and honestly, I'm glad I did! They've been indispensable for me. I also picked up a set of addi interchangeable circulars and I use every size (except the jumbo size 15's I chose as an add-on). And these things have traveled with me from my parent's home, to dorm rooms, to tiny attic bedrooms in crowded houses and apartments with roommates and finally to my own apartment. I always make room for the stuff I'm going to use on a regular basis. Looking back, I think I may have waited a bit longer to get some of the more expensive tools, but, if you're planning to do a hobby for your lifetime I think investing in tools that helps save time and lend to a nicer final result is totally worth it. Except yarn bowls lol. I want one so badly but cannot justify the purchase.
Thank you for supporting budget or acrylic yarn! I feel so strongly about it. Modern acrylics can be really great. We can't all afford those wonderful natural yarns that we woul love to own.
Yep! It took me 2 years buying yarn on sale at Michaels to have enough yarn for my blanket! It needs to be machine washed and dried I also, have a cat that sheds ! 😂
I know I commented earlier after only watching half but I wanted to reiterate how glad I am that you made this video. So many people get carried away by how cute and aesthetic the TH-cam and Instagram yarn community is. I think the influencers forget that most of their viewers are either beginners or just doing this as a hobby. Hobby yarn crafters cannot afford the crazy expensive accessories nor should we attempt to buy them. I love my yarn ball winder but I wound balls by hand for 10 years before that and I never hand any issues. A swift is simply unnecessary for most people that cannot afford the fancy hand dyed yarn anyway. Project bags?!?! The idea of spending any amount over $5 on a bag to hold yarn? Absolutely not. A grocery bag will work just fine for me. Pretty stitch markers that use lobster claw clasps that are hard for many people to open and close? No thanks. My yarn scrap or Bobby pins work just fine. I love my lightbulb stitch markers for holding my live loop on crochet project just so they don’t unravel but a Bobby pin and a little luck works just as well at preventing unraveling.
I hope more TH-camrs recognize where many of their viewers are at and come back down to earth. You are such a relatable yarn crafter and I hope you continue to make videos like this.
Have a great day!
The needle set yes! When I first started knitting the upfront cost of an interchangeable needle set was super intimidating. In the end I just acquired the needles I needed for projects I wanted to make and have now ended up with interchangeable needles from 3 mm - 4.5 mm. I don't really gravitate to projects with larger needle sizes, so very happy that I didn't splurge on a set with needles I wouldn't have used!
I agree on this one !
I do have a scissor fetish. I extended my crafting mojo, by learning to sew my own gorgeous projects bags. Never thought I would become a sewer, but loving it.
Okay but the glide of fabric shears? That is unmatched
@@knitsbymandy Another vlogger prefers bonzai shears. Apparently, they are perfect.
I find it funny you mentioned the tiny scissors because I was recently contemplating getting some. I always keep a dental floss pack in my knitting project bags and use the floss cutter to cut my yarn lol its great for traveling too because I dont have to worry about the scissors poking holes in my bag or getting taken away when flying! Great video!
Great idea
Mind-blowing hack! Hehe I'm going to try this
Cool. But don't we already have seam rippers? I sometimes use nail clippers, myself.
I recommend a sharp set of nail clippers. Portable, "safety edge " and frugal. 😊
a set of interchangeable needles is wonderful and time/money/effort saving, but only if you knit a lot, not once in a while. Children playing mats are amazing perfect replacement for blocking mats and for a quarter of the price.
Thank you for all your wonderful content!
I use a yoga mat, works really good! You can also use a rag rug or cotton rug. And yes, project bags!! I don’t have any but got old totebags from concerts and stuff I wanted to support so I just use those. Both for projects and grocery shopping haha. I do need a pair of smaller scissors tho, not very cute but portable, i take my knits everywhere and I don’t want to be accused of wearing a weapon 🙈😂
Smart! Wish I thought about the yoga mat earlier
Do you pin on a yoga mat? I need to block a shawl when I’m finished with it and it definitely needs to be pinned into shape. 😬
@@fleeperification yes i do!
@@Bookupied thanks!
I also use a yoga mat to block my projects
This is my first time watching your channel. What an interesting episode to stumble upon! You are so right that we don’t need so many things. I am overrun by my things related to this craft and I need to reign it in a lot. That said, I also appreciate that you took the time to mention accessibility. For every person that is something different. I have been through several ball winder and swift combinations before finding what works best for me. I can’t use my knees or the back of a chair. I will have a mess in no time. I actually have a pricey umbrella swift mounted in a floor stand, and a motorized ball winder mounted on a rolling hospital bed tray. This is what works for me because table space is a premium and I can’t actually get on the floor. (I’m in a wheelchair.) That said, I probably have more than 100 knitting bags (I don’t need them all!), thousands of stitch markers, and hundreds of needles. It’s nuts. BTW I’m in Maryland and I host a weekly knit group on Zoom (and on my back patio when the weather is nice) if you’re ever interested. Let me know and I can send info.
As a disabled knitter thank you THANK YOU for mentioning needing some of these items for accessibility!
Same. My Stacy is huge, and the reason for it is that I have friends who are Indi dyers, and I get custom colors. Over the years, with my family, buying yarn as gifts has gotten out of control. Since the pandemic, I started destashing by shopping my stash. I make all my sweaters and tees due to my sensitive skin. I appreciate you mentioning the disabled knitters. I agree there is so much that people get pushed and you don't need.
loved every part of this video!! you really got me with the having an extensive stash one BUT i do agree, i've definitely noticed that i feel a constant sense of stress & guilt over the amount of yarn i have & it makes me hesitant to start new projects that *aren't* knitting from stash. i really appreciate your thoughts (& this trend) overall!!
This is the best knitting video I have seen as a beginner. I’m an avid collector of every hobby I start and love to by so much stuff. This is stopping me from wasting my money, thank you!!!
Well done you..... I am an old boomer, and sometimes I am just amazed at what people think they need, and a lot of podcaster's stashes resemble yarn stores. The main thing is to not feel pressured, one way or the other. I am not on social media so it isn't a problem for me....as I said I am old😊
Project bags... My favorite! I bought a great one from a second hand store, 5$ and it's an old lunch purse... Anything that has the right format for the specific project I am working on... Otherwise, reusable shopping bags are my go-to.
As a knitter who started knitting right when blogs were still popular and Ravelry groups were huge but Instagram was just starting to gain serious traction i suffered from MAJOR FOMO. Those self striping sock yarns that sold out within minutes of a shop update- Had to have it! The kit for the new popular knit of the week, how fast can i get it shipped? Project bags that all the ‘popular’ knitters had- i need 2! Stash… OMG if it’s not a “S.A.B.L.E.” (Stash Aquired Beyond Life Expectancy) sized stash like ‘do you even call yourself a knitter”😂? Then there was the spinning phase… you couldn’t POSSIBLY be a Fiber Arteeeste if you didn’t spin your own yarn and know the properties of how each sheep breed behaved, and all the different spinning techniques! It was an adrenaline fueled time that left me exhausted and to be honest i ended up just stuck creatively! I had all the ‘stuff’ and for what? to keep up with some imaginary club? I started realizing i spent more time following social media then actually KNITTING! I went from finishing projects to being paralyzed with bags full of half started items and no clue where to start. I’ve dreamt of having a ‘im not unalive but my creativity is Estate Sale’
~all to say love the video, happy to find your channel, and hope more people really start saying these things and getting back to what brought us together in the first place, the making!
Bravo! Just how many project bags does one person need? Do they really need to be seasonally appropriate? I would venture to day I could find dozens of various sized fabric, vinyl or leather bags that other things have been packaged in. Horror of horrors, I frequently have used lovely old purses as project bags 😲. They even have interior pockets.
Yes! I use my various tote bags. Actually project bags are never big enough for my needs anyway. Hehe
so glad I found this video of yours! just subscribed, I love your perspective
I definitely feel like there is a pressure to use indie yarn! and while I'm having a great time diving into that after knitting for years but only just discovering the online crafting community, I'm really wanting to watch creators that also use more accessible options.
YES THE TINY SCISSORS 🤣 I recently bought 1 pair that I can keep in a ready-to-go notions bag, but other than that I use my set of fabric shears my mom got me years ago with a sewing kit
I'm also really into makeup and so I'm familiar with the silly idea that you HAVE to pay exorbitant amounts for quality products and it gets me really fired up too lol
This was such a great video!! I feel like consumerism/over-consumption is such an important thing to talk about in general, but I think it's such a great conversation to have about knitting (especially because knitting is one way to combat over-consumption of fast fashion, but that doesn't exclude knitting from promoting over-consumption, it's just in a different sense). This is such an important conversation to have, so thank you for starting it!
Great video. I’ve knit for decades. Most of these items didn’t even exist when I started knitting (and I was 7 with no income). I blocked with towels only for years. Add a fan and your garment will dry quickly. Stitch markers were always yarn scraps. Project bags were any bag you could find. The gadgets are not necessary.
I don't knit but I do crochet and I feel like almost all of these apply to both, so this was very helpful. I just started and I felt overwhelmed by getting every yarn I liked, getting tools, etc. But I have come to realize that is fine to just get the yarn I'm going to use at the moment, and I don't need all of the tools if I have other stuff that works as well
I didn't have a winder for a while and didn't have a problem until I got into fingering and lace weight yarns 😅 definitely the winder was a game changer when I had a skein of mohair or fingering!
I love videos like this. I'm new to the channel, but I like it here and will watch other videos of you, too.
I think what you said about thinking hard if you really need to buy something is so true. I love my interchangeable needle set, because I never get gauge and it stresses me less to know that I can easily switch sizes. On the other hand my crotched hook set was a total waste of money, because I don't crochet as much.
For me, having everything I need in a project bag is super important. I travel a lot, but even sitting on the couch, I love that my bag has different pockets to store stuff without getting tangled in the yarn. I have a small notebook, a pen, a few stitch markers and blockers, a crochet hook to fix errors in my work and scissors. So I can easily grab my bag and get started. I think it heavily depends on how you work, where you work, etc.
And as for the small scissors. I at first got a cheap small one from a set of kitchen scissors. For my birthday I got a super intricate, handcrafted crane scissor and I love them. I think stuff like this are great gifts for knitters
Here in Ukraine we mostly buy yarn in balls and don't need to wind them, and I really appreciate this. This skins looks really good for me only in pictures. And the culture to make cakes from them sounds for me so hard. I don't want to wind and find even storage for all this products for winding))) as also for storage blocking mats
I agree that we don't need most of things, I think they are for made for gifts, but not to buy them on your own ☺️
Lots of love to you from Finland! I hope knitting makes it a little bit easier to handle the difficult situation. 🙏
@@annikak.837 Thanks a lot for support and kind words
And for sure knitting and ability to make beautiful things helps to deal with all this news and missile terrorists attacks
We believe in our soon victory
In Hungary I can find both forms. I like skeins because I can prewash them. Therefore the dimensions of the finished piece wont change that much. The other reason is that I like the undyed version of yarns which is sometimes very dusty.
@@melisekpalma That never occurred to me before, it would be so much simpler! I wonder if different stitch patterns like rib or lace would change the size of the project despite pre washing it...
I used to TRY to knit, but all my plans only ever ended in half finished projects or were reduced to a small test patch.
Or I would crochet tiny clothes for cuddly toys and such, freehand.
And then I got my ADHD diagnosis at 43, and started to understand more about how my brain works, and started on medication...
In the first two years after I started treatment, I FINISHED more projects than I'd done in the previous 43 years...
I mostly stick to "ADHD friendly yarn" (colour variegated, ombre, anything that gives me interesting colour changes without creating more ends to weave in...), I hunt down my self-named "Netflix knits" (anything simple enough that I can knit while watching my shows), and I'm more realistic and forgiving with myself.
It helps me cut back on new WIPs, it makes it more likely that I will actually FINISH something, and it allows me to enjoy knitting rather seeing it become a chore.
But I also recognize that I have TWO separate hobbies: One is BUYING yarn, the other is actually DOING stuff with it. ;)
Best buy?
See-through plastic bins for storing my yarn (of which I have... quite a lot). Makes me go downstairs and look through my stash rather than forget it exists and order more yarn...
Second best buy - interchangeable circular pins, saving me from DROWNING in a million circular pins when I abandon a WiP and need to buy a new set of pins... Now, I just need a new wire. ;)
Also makes it easier when you need to switch to a bigger or smaller pin in the middle of the pattern, you just attach the correct pin on the right side and knit a round before switching out the left pin.
Your brother bought you a ball winder and Swift unprompted??? That is a REALLY GOOD GIFT 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I was very proud of him!!
I never imagined someone would consider yarn bowls and tiny scissors a "trend". For me those kind of objects are simply there to make the process of knitting more enjoyable if you find them interesting or good for you, not for *everyone* to buy them.
The joy of it for me is in the actual moment of creating and the zone I get into, so one project at a time is all I need. I think we’re kinda conditioned to think buying more stuff is gonna make it more fulfilling or enjoyable but that’s absolutely not true! At the end of the day it’s just me and my lil zone
I do enjoy multiple projects on the needle at once (I usually have multiple books on the go at once as well) and it suits me… I will finish them all. I think everyone works differently.
But I am trying to be more deliberate and mindful about what I buy this year. I genuinely feel it’s a far healthier (and more financially responsible) approach for me.
I love your mauve sweater btw
You make a lot of good points. There are youtube videos out there who make viewers feel that they should make sweaters from the young new designers using expensive yarns. I say make what appeals to YOU, not what is popular, and use your stash or yarns you can afford instead of consuming the latest trend or using what expensive yarn the you tuber has been paid to advertise.
some things i didn't buy after a little critical thinking skills on my end:
1) an expensive yarn bag: saw one youtuber using this really pretty bag toh hold their yarn and a huge blanket project. i never even used a bag before, my yarn balls just used to roll around various corners of the house and I washed my projects afterwards 😭 but my boyfriend's mother gifted me cosmetics in a drawstring bag and it really worked out for me, so I didn't have to purchase another expensive bag.
2) cable needles: i usually make cables with my other knitting needles (slightly smaller size) and didn't even know these small needles existed till I came around a pattern involving them. however, i thought about how i have already made various projects before purchasing them (they're just not really necessary)
3) blocking mats: i learnt knitting/crocheting from my family and nobody ever blocked anything! they used to wash these projects and they would naturally loosen up after a while!
4)crochet hook set: i don't crochet a lot since I learnt knitting, and i already have 5 hooks (without handles). i saw people purchasing hooks with cute handles, however i never felt discomfort with the grip OR appearance of my tools.
5)a lot of yarn?: my family taught me to buy as i go! whenever i visit a yarn store i have a list of items I am planning on knitting/crocheting. i refuse from buying yarn from online stores because it leads to an impulse buying spree (in my case) and only visit yarn store once an year. i recently also learnt how to upcycle yarn from sweaters.
about this video, it's nice how you mention a lot of things about accessibility issues. i completely agree. some people with mobility issues/injuries/old age (etc) can use all these products to help themselves.
i would like to add, everyone's needs are different. just a few years back, it was not an unknown fact that you don't need excessive accessories in order to excel in any field. what mattered was your perseverance, quality of result, output and dedication. nowadays, not to say it's the consumers fault, but with marketing campaigns and social media were influenced easily, compelled to buy products which we didn't even require!
all we can do as consumers, is to not fall in these traps and be mindful in this consumption, for our own economical reasons! it doesn't make our craft or love any lesser than the other.
we aren't bad artists if we don't have these! everyone must have a chance to have hobbies which destress us and provide stability in our lives!
to create something by our own hands is marvelous, 15 new products can't provide the amount of satisfaction we get from finishing a project and being proud of our work
I bought blocking mats after finishing my first sweater because I thought I had to, and when I pulled them out the package I was like "Oh lord... they're essentially floor mats with a grid." They're handy! But I've only used them that one time and I've been knitting/crocheting for a few years now and I just do the towel method with a fan and flip the garment over part way through.
omg YES and they take up so much space!! Lol. Also agree on project bags, I've used a small ish reusable bag I got from a clothing for most of my projects.
I'm a really conscious buyer so I actually don't own anything that I don't use extensively in my knitting process (okay... a yarn ball, but I made it myself when I was throwing pottery).
Regarding stash, I just want to say that if you're a long time knitter, this is the kind of things that "happen", I think (at least in my case). I've been knitting for 9-ish years and I've never tried to build a stash, but leftovers or projects that didn't work out led to a substantial amount of yarn. That's why 2023 is "destashing year" for me. Cost of living has increased significantly in Europe, so I'm definitely more careful about my spending. I find it actually super exciting to think of projects that would work with the amount of yarn available.
Lovely video!
Loved this discussion and I totally agree! I’ve definitely been influenced to buy things that I don’t need or use and honestly haven’t enhanced my knitting experience.
For me, I almost got a ball winder and swift combo for my birthday last year. Then I realized I didn't need it. For one, I'm a super slow knitter so I'm not winding yarn very often. For another, I'm able to hand wind my yarn just fine, especially with the help of one of my bar stools. I'm a pretty conscious consumer, and I take weeks and sometimes months to decide if I really want or need something. And this process saved me buying something I didn't need and cut out that potential impact on the planet.
I appreciate your insights. I am what some may call “a boomer” and many of your ideas are what knitters have used for years before all the hype of specialty items. I do love them and don’t need them. Thank you for sharing and enjoy your knitting.
Totally with you on project bags. I tend to (a) work on one project at a time and (b) knit mostly at home, so I don't need a lot of project bags. My favourite one, in fact, cost me $6 at Value Village and is a brightly coloured LeSportSac nylon handbag of many pocketses. (So many pocketses!) Pretty as the multi-hundred-dollar leather bags are, I'd rather spend my money on yarn. I also just don't get the appeal of fancy stitch markers. Give me a box of the lightbulb ones and I'm good to go. Bonus if they're in a lot of colours. But I'll absolutely recommend a ball winder and swift to any new knitter. They're such a time saver, and my time is worth something to me. As is avoiding repetitive strain injury in these aging muscles. And I do have blocking mats and pins (and blocking wires) because I started with shawls and lace shawls need to be pinned out. (I don't do many shawls any more, because what a pain in the arse blocking them is!) And I did buy a quality interchangeable needle set, because I love the flexibility they offer, even if I don't use the 7, 8, or 10 mm needles very often. (I have used them all at some point now, and it's only been three years.)
Oh, AND. Enamel pins. I think they're cute, but I never know what to do with them once I have them, and they quickly get forgotten.
The twisted yarn is called a hank, and the ball winners actually create cakes, not balls.
Also, acrylic is bad specifically because washing and wearing it contributes to micro plastic pollution. It is a huge issue we as crafters NEED to deal with. There are other options that are equally non-allergenic and don't shed pollutants, AND we need to be yelling at manufacturers to give us more better options without the plastics involved.
Those options aren't accessible to most people, and i'm hard pressed to know options that are also as diverse in feel and use as acrylic or animal fibres. Cotton is good but it isn't great for cold weather garments and it's hard for many people from different countries to find forms of cotton that are appropriate for clothes let alone feel soft and warm like acrylic often is. Recycled fibres are often scratchy and also not common in many countries. I have literally never seen recycled fibre yarn in my LYS, and cotton/wool cost profoundly more than acrylic does. I have no shame about using what I can afford and what is available, and you aren't gonna fix climate change by not allowing people with less disposable income to knit with what they can afford.
Also, in the grand scheme of things, I think the giant companies creating massive amounts of waste are significantly more responsible for the state of the climate than knitters using acrylic yarn lol. Yes sustainability is important and we should all do what we can, but lets also be reasonable about how much of an effect our choices make on the issue, and where responsibility lies. Shaming people out of using what is accessible to them when they are creating a fraction of a fraction of the waste is incredibly silly. The planet isn't dying primarily because of micro plastic pollution created from washing hand made acrylic garments. Consumers can only do so much, and a lot of this issue lies with huge companies and governments.
These conversations are really important. I see the value in talking about this in other hobbies and fashion.
Just found your podcast. You are right, we only need the needles and yarn. I am guilty of owning most of what you described, however, I only added things as I needed them and some items were gifted. I really do enjoy the ball winder, swift, and blocking boards, these are recent additions and I knitted for years (decades) before I added them. I have knit bowls, but frequently just use clear zip-sealed bags to store yarn, patterns, etc. Love being able to look and see exactly what is in there. I use plain jump rings that you can buy in the jewelry department of craft stores for stitch markers and the little bulb safety pins for place markers. Probably one of the most useful items is a maker journal/notebook where I document changes and keep a record of what I made.
Thank you so much for this video! I was feeling pressure to have a few projects worth of yarn sitting around at all times from watching TH-camrs and their stashes, but after just a few extra skeins I felt stressed by the mere sight of them, making knitting less enjoyable for me. Will be donating anything I don't have immediate need for. Thanks again!
Re: scissors, I used to travel a lot and I actually just put nail clippers in my project bag! No fears of TSA, I have many, it cuts yarn well, AND I have nail clippers handy if I need em!
So many folks using nail clippers! I love it
I really enjoyed this discussion and am happy to have discovered you. I’m looking forward to viewing your other episodes.
But aside from your content, I need to tell you how much I appreciate your presentation skills. You speak in normal conversational tones, which is rare among knitting podcasters. I don’t want to go into detail, and maybe I’m the only one who instantly turns off most of the uptalkers who seem unable to end a sentence, but I just want to say again that I think you’re an excellent presenter. I can listen to you, so now I will choose to listen to you. ❤️
Well this IS a breath of fresh air. It’s like the difference in buying designer clothing or accessories vs getting something nice at a dept store. I want to learn to knit a sweater but have been scared to waste over $100 in hand dyed yarn ! I feel like I can/should start with a child’s size sweater in a cotton blend - duh! I LOVE the hand dyed stuff, silk and cashmere blends who wouldn’t- and understand why many of the knitting pods promote the indie dyers. However I love your point that you are NO less a knitter if that is not budget friendly for you/us. Great message ❤
I have a cheap "umbrella style" swift, but NO ball winder. I tried the back of the chair, and the swift is much better. But I don't really need a ball winder because I wind the ball itself by hand. I clamp the swift on a nearby table and let it free spin while I wind at my own speed. BIG TIP if you hand wind: make sure not to wind too tightly! It can damage the fibers. As I'm winding a ball, I'll usually keep two fingers under the yarn I'm winding, just to make sure there's a little slack in the yarn.
this is big relatable!!! I've found myself being more resourceful?? creative?? when I walk myself off a ledge of trying to buy myself out of a problem
it can be fun sometimes to figure out how you can use what you already have
I picked up a 6 bottle wine carrier at Kroger for like a dollar and I love it for working on things with multiple skeins of yarn. I put a pouch with scissors and stuff in one pocket and yarn and my small project like mittens and stuff in the other spots. Works great. Also old window screens are good for blocking and drying sweaters on, the T-pins don’t harm them. Set a soup can under each corner so there is lots of airflow.
This is the first video I've watched of yours and I wanted to say that I think you are really good at this! I watch a ton of knitting podcasts and I really enjoyed your content and especially your delivery.
Thank you so much! It’s taken a while to get in the groove of making videos so I appreciate it :)
I bought a pair of sock blockers 2 years ago and they're still in the packaging. I'm not even that interested in knitting up any socks. It was a case of thinking, "Maybe one day..." NOPE. Just wasted my money.
I think I might still have my Mother’s sock blockers from the 1940’s and a pair of argyle socks she knit for my Father. Not sure what my Husband did with them, since I never knit socks. Maybe someday🤔
Same. My Stacy is huge, and the reason for it is that I have friends who are Indi dyers, and I get custom colors. Over the years, with my family, buying yarn as gifts has gotten out of control. Since the pandemic, I started destashing by shopping my stash. I make all my sweaters and tees due to my sensitive skin. I appreciate you mentioning the disabled knitters. I agree there is so much that people get pushed and you don't need.
I love the idea of de-influencing to encourage sustainability. On the topic of yarn sustainability (and note that I do love seeing yarn stashes that rival LYSs :-)), I have a "rule". If I don't use an object that I've made and a) it doesn't use intarsia/mohair/unspun yarn and b) I still find value and beauty in the yarn, I'll rip back the object to reclaim that yarn (much as if it were a 2nd hand sweater from a thrift shop). I've done this more times than I can count. Sometimes I need to do it more than once to find the right project for that yarn. And every time I unknit (which is a labour-intensive project of its own sort), the yarn potential returns. As does my creativity pertaining to that yarn. No handmade object is off limits. That's one of the ways that I continue to be able to knit compulsively without having a closet full of 800 sweaters and shawls. Also, it saves money and improves my knowledge of yarn properties as applied to various projects.
Kudos to you for reclaiming your projects, I love that attitude. Especially when it can be tough to rip back our own work.
I remember my mum reknitting some wool 3 times before she was happy with the garment. I too am happy to unravel & start again.
I really didn’t want to spend money on a project bag, and I remembered I had kept those little bags that sheets come in. Fairly good for a sock project bag, though beware the needles will poke through. 😂
This is such a good take! I often feel very pressured because it seems like working on 5-6 projects at the time is the norm, while I barely have the money to work on one project at the time lol
the tiny needle nose scissors- i didnt think i needed them. got them as a gift- turns out theyre a life saver when hair gets tangled in your yarn/project. i get long hairs wrapped so tightly around my yarn that i cant remove them with my fingers and those just fix it so quickly
I have wound skeins into balls by hand and it can take forever if you have a lot! I found that if you ask the seller of the yarn shop, they usually have a ball winder and are willing to wind it into a ball for you for free. For blocking mats, i read that an extra mattress (like in your guest bedroom) can be used, you can put plastic wrap over the top to prevent the wet garment from soaking the mattress and the pins can easily pierce the plastic.
One of my favorite things to use as a project bag are those cheap drawstring backpacks that get given away as event freebies, mine is from a college tour for a school I didn't even attend haha
I love this video! there's so many things I have gone without in my knitting just because I couldn't afford all the fancy stuff. by getting creative with solutions you can absolutely knit and even knit a lot without spending very much money. I also unwind sweaters to use the yarn, as well as thrift for destashes. so I have only ever bought yarn from yarn shops when I had gift cards. I didn't know it was controversial to unwind sweaters but I'm not suprised! I agree with you that textile waste is so ridiculous, I can't se anything wrong with sourcing our craft materials from what is essentially a waste stream. Thanks for your thoughtful video!
I agree with you on the point of considering if one really needs a big amount of yarn to stash. When I began my fibre journey I (mostly for financial reasons) purchased a mystery box of 11kg of scrap yarn without labels. This helped me get started and not feel like I had wasted money when my beginner projects were wonky and uneven. I've now crochet with this yarn for about two years and am FINALLY getting to a point when I can comfortably shop for yarn for specific-ish projects.
I'm in hindsight really glad I did it this way, because now I know much more about what kind of things I like to make and what kind of yarn I like to work with. I'm getting started with knitting and I find it so much fun to plan out what yarns to purchase for my wearables! :D
One tip from this old boomer. I do have those play mats that I use for blocking. I store them upright behind a dresser. They can also slide under a bed, if you’re not storing other things under there. I agree you don’t need a lot of stuff to knit, but having a set of tools along with my project is so handy. I agree, lots of things can be used in place of knitting bags, but they’re fun to have and ask for if someone wants to buy me a gift. I have several of the items that you mention are unnecessary and I use them all the time. I do like the idea of simple, inexpensive substitutions, though. Your comments came across as a bit judge-y rather than suggestions. Thanks for taking the time, it gave us lots to think about!
This was such an interesting video to watch and really provokes some thought which is brilliant! I agree that it's important to talk about these things especially when social media influence has such a big part in peoples' lives in this day and age, we shall say haha. I also am one that found some play-mats with the pop out numbers for children at a car boot sale here in England, UK for £2 last summer - they've worked so brilliantly as blocking mats still to this day (and the child-like 25 year old brain of mine lowkey loves matching it all together too)!! 😂
Thank you for this video Mandy! 🥰
Hope you are doing well and the move went (is going) well!!! 💕
I wind my yarn by hand around a used up TP roll/paper towel roll so that it'll sit like yarn wound up via a swift and ball winder once it's slid off the cardboard roll.
Sure, it'll have to be tossed out after a few uses due to losing it's shape, but as a cheap/free alternative it saves me money in the long run since TP is always needed. 😅😂
I have been a crocheter for decades and have only been dipping my toes into the knitting community for the past year or so and it is soo different.
I live in Romania and here the idea of buying project bags is weird and unnecessary. I personally use old pillow cases that I don't use anymore.
Hand dyed yarn is so expensive and the shipping is expensive...we stick with commercial yarn
I have so many steeking scissors! I'm not one to have a bunch of projects going at once, but sometimes might have 2 or 3....I like a pair in each project bag. I also keep a pair in my (non-knitting) bag, a pair in my car and a pair at my desk. I found it has reduced my stress around not having the tools I need at hand - I do knit on the go A LOT. Not sure I *need* them, to be fair, but I do like having them at the ready. That being said, I have engaged in many of the suggestions you've made. Lots of excellent points made here, thanks for the great video.
@@WorldOnAString I have to say since making this video 2 years ago I have acquired some little scissors and I love them. Not a need! But certainly nice to have!
I’m an “old boomer” of 72 years. I was raised by a mother who grew up during the “Great Depression.” I was raised to research, question and look for an alternative for much of life’s tasks. Good luck with your knitting and vlogs.
My grandparents were Depression babies and I also learned a lot of this. mindset from them! My favorite item to gift has been an afghan to my great aunt because I feel like she really understands the value of a handmade item
i wish this video existed when I first hyperfixated on crocheting and knitting. I have WAY too much yarn that I can't even use practically for the types of projects I do and for the warm climate here 🤣I will vouch for the play mats as blocking mats though! super convenient since they're easy to set up depending on the size/shape of your project, plus the pins stick into them and stay there. I have also used one of those flat chair cushions for smaller projects before I got the play mats. it's the type that you tie to the back of wooden chairs? I'm not sure if it's common over there.
I do love your points in the video! some things I wish I could apply in my own yarn craft but I can't since some systems I have in place are to accommodate my disability. but definitely still gave me some insight on mindfully choosing my tools. thanks! :D
THANK YOU!! This video really helped me getting some of my thoughts straight. I'm currently working on a blanket made out of yarn saved from old socks and other scraps and it's bringing me so much joy. I'm also keeping this wip in a salad bowl from my kitchen 😂
Some of the totally non-necessary knitting accessories I have bought bring me just as much joy.
This helped me accepting that I am the only one who knows what is and what is not something I want or need to have for my knitting hobby.
Thank you for this video! I just came across it on my feed, and had to watch for like 2 minutes before subscribing lol. I'm someone who has knitted for years but only recently stumbled into the knitting spaces on social media, and I've certainly had to fight the fomo at times! There's a lot of maximalism in this community, and while that works for some, I personally have a spending problem as is. This video grounded me and made me feel seen & validated ❤️
There is a lot of pressure via social media to always be buying new tools and yarn and make the trendy patterns and have a high volume of output and it is easier than we like to think to get swept up in that instead of going at our own pace and to our own tastes and preferences. I do love pretty tools that aren't absolutely necessary though, I figure if I am going to spend hours doing my hobby I feel like it is okay to indulge in buying tools that make the magpie part of my heart sing to use. I have a small carved wooden box I keep my tools in (including small fancy scissors lol) and I always love when I sit it down on the table and open it up to work on my knitting
loved this concept! There are certainly a lot of "alternatives" I used in my own knitting. One of the knitting accessories that tends to irk me though are notions pouches; they often seem a bit crammed and impossible to organize unless you're dropping hundreds on stitched leather organizers with designated spots than end up quite bulky anyway. Instead, I have a little bento-style lunch box from Walmart that I use to organize most of my notions and then keep a few stitch markers and tapestry needles in a small pill bottle that lives in a project bag. I've been thinking about putting together a similar kind of video on thought-processes around yarn-buying specifically, and I agree with you that it's so hard to capture the nuance, but It's certainly possible to be observant of patterns without coming across as overly critical!
Would love to see this style of video about yarn! I also may be stealing the idea about the pill bottle, that is genius.
Less than two minutes in and already impressed with your practicality. When I start a new hobby I get everything and end up spending money I don’t need to. Why, why, why? So good on you!
Yes to all of this. Seriously, the exact same thoughts are going thru my head right now. I am all for supporting small businesses, but the price of project bags is ridiculous-so I make my own if I want one. I rarely knit the “it” sweater when everyone else does-I knit what I will wear! I have culled my crafting supplies and feel so much better! You really don’t need a lot to create beautiful items; I am working thru my small stash so I can buy yarn when I want to make something instead of the yarn languishing, waiting for it’s turn to be used.
For blocking pins, I've found that they are much cheaper in the sewing section of crafts stores. I do have some blocking combs, which are really useful for blocking lace work.
I like this a lot. The one thing that I didn't think I needed and then kept wishing I had was mini scissors, but that's because I worked as a substitute teacher and brought my knitting and wished I always had a pair handy. But it was one of those things that I went "oh, I'd use this a lot and keep wanting to reach for it", and I think that's a great way to think about purchases. Do you find yourself wanting it because a time came up where you'd use it? If yes then probably a good buy, but if no then maybe not
after spending three hours manually winding two hanks of yarn, i finally decided (after crocheting/knitting for a solid 5 years) to get myself a swift! just a swift though, since i thought about it and realised i really dont mind physically winding it, it just always seems to get itself tangled
I’ve been knitting for over 40 years, (boomer, sorry lol.) When I started knitting some things did not exist; circular needles, interchangeable needles, modern project bags, indie yarn…really indie anything, fancy stitch markers, skein winders and swifts, blocking mats, Ravelry, the internet, etc, …you get the point. I was still able to knit and enjoy my craft without those things. However, I will say that I now own many knitting tools and they have enhanced my knitting experience quite a bit. I’m also at a place in my life where I have the space to keep them and the financial ability to invest in them. You are right, there is no shame in being thrifty and I was a thrifty knitter for many years. The one thing that I have that I really don’t use are fancy stitch markers ( they get caught in my knitting), and my yarn bowl. I use it some times with a one skein project. I just had your TH-cam channel pop up on my home page. I really enjoyed this video and will definitely watch again.
Love your sweater! I agree on the yarn bowl - I see no need. I did just buy myself some small scissors but it was for embroidery floss because I think that's what your meant for? I'm not sure. I also agree on the whole project bag thing. I have a lot of bags from my Mom and knitting has helped me to appreciate what bags I have but going out and buying one for projects seems a little silly to me. Thanks for affirming that I can use a reusable bag too lol.
Omg the tiny scissors get me too! I have never understood them. I was an early childhood Ed major in college, so I have an absurd number of kiddie scissors that I use when I’m on the go lol. Plus, they’re not as easy to lose as the cute teeny ones
And they aren’t as likely to poke a hole in your sofa when you lose track of them!
I'm watching your video as I'm knitting my first sweater and am SO AMUSED because I'm using the same yarn bowl you showed🤣 it's ironically one of my most used yarn items
I’ve only just discovered your channel and am loving your videos 😊 I thoroughly enjoy how articulate you are and how relatable your content it. It’s so sad and anxiety provoking to see so many people presenting themselves on social media as “perfect” and all about the newest thing. I love that you’re enthusiastic about your hobby but also incredibly realistic ❤
Years ago, my mom bought me a starter pack of needles that I haven't used in years. Just recently, I dug into it and found a stitch holder and a row counter, something I may actually use now that I am knitting more complex patterns in loom knitting (I kept failing at the needles, but became unusually adept at loom knitting).
But the three sets of needles... I may try again, just because the needles are a pretty blue and gold; or, I could use them to transfer stitches from loom to loom. 🤔 It's always good to think of what you can do with what you already have.
Speaking of, I met a gal who is knitting on a pair of toothpicks; too cute!
I'll say something about little scissors: they're good for cutting threads in sewing close to the fabric. And I also use small snips to keep on my nightstand for projects or also cutting because regular scissors are just too bulky for one clip
First time I saw your channel in my feed. I think back to when I first started knitting at the age of 11years old. All I needed was needles yarn and sewing needle. Even as a young adult, I didn't have much money, so the yarn and the needles were the most important. I was so over the moon with my first interchangeable needle set from Boye! I never had a project bag until my 40s. I know as I have gotten older and have more disposable income, it is easy to buy all of these convenient items. Enjoyed your take as an influencing de-influencer.
Thank you for sharing! As a new knitter, this video has helped me to navigate what is a necessity and what may not be. I always thought I'd want to purchase yarn for a specific projects as opposed to collecting a stash. This can help prevent a lot of waste and allow greater freedom in project selection (If I had a stash I would feel obligated to choose a project based on the yarn I need to use up!). I appreciate you validating that choice!
Also, thanks for the tips regarding hand winding. I thought hand winding was a little too intimidating, but willing to give it a go!
Excellent topic and one we need to hear more often!!!!
I had previously felt that I needed more and more... now I am changing my thought process and I am working towards stashing down my supply of yarn to only keep 1-2 projects worth of yarn around above what I am already working on. I'd enjoy feeling less pressure from my own stash about what I need to work on.
ive been making my nephew a blanket for his first birthday, ive been working on it for a few months (im a beginner to knitting). I'm a student and I cant currently afford to buy yarn thats not acrylic/craft store. I felt a bit bad for using acrylic yarn because id heard that it had a reputation for being too cheap so its nice to hear reassurance surrounding that :)
Excellent video. You tackled this rarely-mentioned topic with kindness and grace.
The majority of my yarn stash is secondhand/vintage yarn, or gifted to me. I always tell people that if they have yarn they aren’t going to use, to give it to me because I’m constantly knitting/crocheting so I will find a way to use it up!
New here and love your pod. You bring up excellent points! Tayler Earl is the pod caster for Wool, Needles Hands 😊 🧶🤗 Yeah I hear you on the project bags!! Especially now that some are getting these swank leather ones.. Yikes 😬 those of us on a budget make our own or liker you said, get creative 😊 ❤️ Have a great day! 🌺