Was recently dogpiled in a forum discussing the heartless top, which requires encasing wire in icord edging to give structure and shape to a heart cutout in the piece. It's finicky as hell so I used single crochet to encase the wire and then sewed the icord on later to achieve the same clean look. I mentioned this and mentioned that it seemed like the way the pattern had it written out was needlessly complicated and was only done that way to make sure only knitting techniques were used in the pattern. It just seems kind of silly to me to use an advanced and very fiddly knitting technique in place of a basic crochet technique. People (mostly knitters, tbh) basically jumped down my throat about how ridiculous it would be to expect designers to know both techniques.

This reminded me of a creator I follow on tiktok who's a knitting pattern designer who watched and recapped the whole "game of wool" show that came out a while back. A complaint she brought up over and over again was that the audition process apparently called for people who could both knit and crochet, and she was mad because this prevented her from applying. But I think this is fair?? It's a game show so you're supposed to be showing off the best of the best, highly skilled artisans. It makes sense for them to have a focus on one or the other, but when competing at such a high level I think it's pretty fair that you know both! It's not called "game of knitting" or "game of crochet". It'd be like if cooking shows never had any baking challenges. Like yes it's a different craft and skillset, but it's still something you should know. Especially if you want to call yourself a skilled fiber artist.

The whole thing honestly feels like an extension of knitting elitism because I almost always see this attitude from people who exclusively knit. And if you're someone who only knits that's fine! But just because you don't have another skill doesn't mean it's a ridiculously difficult thing to ask for!

People looooove to get mad at you for using acrylic, and love to think that makes them morally superior, but then they don't even know why acrylic is 'bad' ??? Woo hoo you can afford to buy expensive fibers, good for you! Most of us can't. But that's not even my issue. Why, on earth, aren't you buying actually good yarn, if you're so superior to us? All you can manage to scrounge up is aggressively sourced silk from the worst store you can find? Seriously?

When did we stop researching hobbies before buying hundreds of dollars in supplies and diving headfirst into an ultra-complicated project? What happened to going to the library, or watching YouTube tutorials to learn a new skill?

Why are people so incredibly LAZY? You’re telling me you can throw money at the thing but you cant bother investing a few hours of research into what you want to do? I am a completely self-taught crocheter, knitter, quilter, and cross-stitcher, with my sights set on learning embroidery next. Each time I would watch several video tutorials, look at other peoples’ finished projects, take experienced artists’ advice at a reasonable beginner project, and go for it. I used the simple, “easy” projects as practice to develop my skills before I made the thing I actually wanted to make. Yes, crochet dishcloths and quilted potholders are “boring” projects, but simple and “boring” is part of foundational skill development. People are so obsessed with instant gratification that they completely skip these vital steps.

I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for people who really think they can buy 7 extra-jumbo yarn and some knitting needles and make a sweater with no pattern, no guidance, and no experience. You are quite literally making it harder to learn the thing because you refuse to learn the thing. Not to mention the historical and cultural significance of these hobbies that are also deserving of consideration. It really isn’t hard to care a little bit.

Offered to hem jeans for my sister and my mother. I’m doing original hems on a machine that doesn’t have a free arm and I always forget how boring and annoying hemming is…

I love my family more than I hate hemming pants and that says a lot! But I’m feeling crabby about it rn so I am here to commiserate.

I really hate when I see a post where someone wants to get a smell out of vintage knitwear or quilts or hobby supplies and people are like "Just get an ozone machine, they are on amazon."

If you are telling someone to buy a machine that removes the oxygen in a room, also tell them to remove their pets and plants and stay out of the room until it has ventilated.

Hey everyone, i have small vent i really need to talk about, And thats how almost same are crochet booths or crochet content creators Now.

(Its not meant on all of course)

Like literally i open CrochetTok to find some inspiration what to do, and instead of original patterns/ideas i just find the same bees, stingrays, octopuses etc. (I believe you know what im talking about)

Im crocheting for like 5 years now and i find out one thing; only thing that can limiting you Is your own imagination, and that make your own pattern wnich is no-sew or fast to make is really easy.

So why are people why are people choosing crochet things everyone are crocheting over originality?

On one half i know why; Fast to make, cute, people are buying it.. i understand to it, but in the same time i absolutely not.. why not to cherish more original crochet creators?

These are way too small to cover a regular sized human body, so genuinely what’s the point? Is it meant to be a lap blanket? Or for their pets maybe? Or possibly a baby blanket. Idk, the design is nice but them being so small doesn’t make any sense to me. I know a blanket is a lot of work but still. I’m currently making a bouquet blanket for myself and I’m going to make it like the size of my bed

So many FB groups are. just riddled with AI. Mods won’t take a stance.

I just got into it with a mod of a spinning group (may her stash suffer a moth infestation) who scolded me for calling out AI on someone’s AI-generated post (she’s 70 and now her feelings are hurt, and 70 year-old feelings matter more than anyone else’s!)

It’s not going to get better. Locally, event coordinators are using AI to make posters and flyers. Newcomers and 70 year-olds can’t recognize the signs.

Etsy is a wasteland.

I dunno what else to say or do. That’s my complaint: AI can suck it.

Despite ostensibly designing womenswear, it seems like a lot of designers aren’t aware that the hips can often be the widest part of someone’s body, even on petite women. A lot of people have to knit these sweater patterns to end right at the waist because even when making the recommended size, there’s no way they’d go over the hips with no shaping. Nevermind that a cropped 100% wool sweater is kind of a stupid and impractical garment. Can we please take into account something other than chest measurement?

I might be being harsh and I apologise if I am but I was taught to make in three's. As in you split your time and give as much care and understanding to each portion of the work.

1/3rd of your time drafting/cutting and fully understanding the construction before you start that.

1/3rd of your time constructing the garment

1/3rd of your time finishing the garment (pressing, hand finishing etc etc).

I feel like so many people go into making something without understanding the construction, or they don't do any finishing and you waste time and make mistakes this way. I also think if you're hand making something, you want the outcome to be of a higher standard than something bought off the rack, but instead people seem to often aim for the standard displayed in mass produced garments. You're the one in charge of the choices and construction methods and yet the outcome often falls short because you haven't given each step the same amount of attention.

It irks me to no end, what do you mean you're half way through and don't know/understand the next step? You rushed your cutting or your finishing and you aren't happy with the outcome. It's the same as measured twice cut once, understand the construction fully, then begin.

Granted I don't have much experience with commercial patterns and sometimes their instructions are convoluted but read through them twice, understand why you're cutting something on the bias, or the grain, understand the fabric choices. There's a lot to consider before you begin.

Edit: this doesn't apply to materials driven pieces or art pieces of course which can absolutely change direction during the construction, especially for moulage. 😅

​

Obviously this does not apply to all, or even most men in the sewing community! But I've noticed, particularly in more technical sewing communities, a lot of shock (mostly coming from men) about how difficult sewing is. Just recently on the pattern drafting subreddit there was a post about how a guy who wanted to start his own brand was really surprised and frustrated by how hard pattern drafting was. I bought a sewing machine on FB marketplace from a different guy who ALSO wanted to start his own clothing brand and similarly just 'couldn't figure out how to use it' and didn't expect it to be so hard.

I've been sewing my whole life, and it comes across as really bizarre (and maybe inadvertently kind of misogynistic?) to expect drafting clothes patterns, tailoring, or even just using a sewing machine and working with different fabrics and techniques to be something you could pick up relatively quickly. There's nothing wrong with being new and struggling with something!! But the hubris kind of comes across as devaluing the labor of craft/sewing/creating clothing.

Did I buy the recommended yarn?

Did I buy a similar to the recommended yarn?

Did I swatch?

Did I wet block the swatch?

Did I try the project midway?

Did I learn to purl, instead of knitting the entire thing in the round?

No.

I'm devastated and in literal tears, I sob like a full-dipered baby, because my project looks like trash.

Dev-ass-tat-ed!

I love creating. I'm an engineer, i love making things. But everything ive ever made is just "arts and crafts" and I'm salty about it.

I quilt, I knit, I weave and I cross stitch and embroider. Do you know the math I have to do make a good quilt pattern? Do I shy away from actual pattern making because figuring out the curves for making a pattern to fit multiple sizes is beyond my advanced degree in engineering brain?

But it makes me so fucking mad that because its women who predominantly do it, that makes it "arts and crafts" sorry no, this is fucking art!

Similar to all the women "DIYers", who are doing full scale woodworking and cabinetry. We are artisans! Don't sell us out or undervalue our work!

Im so tired of this meme getting regurgitated online by crocheters at every turn.

That's all.

For context, it's annoying that people bring this up as if to imply that knitting is less skilled because it can be replicated by machine. It is a cool fun fact but just because something can be done by a machine does not mean it is easier to do by hand than crochet. And for the record I do both so this gripe isn't that my feelings are hurt because I can't crochet lol.

I admit this is petty and I feel like such a grouchy old lady but the appropriation of fast fashion and knitting has gotten ridiculous.

Fiber arts are more than hobbies, they are skilled crafts. It doesnt take talent to learn knitting or crochet, it takes learning. You have to build your skill set and understand how it works and WHY. As with any skill, there are steps that are boring and you dont want to do. Gauge swatching, weaving in ends, blocking, PURLING (the horror), they can all be avoided if you dont want to do them but you do need to know how to do them and be ok with doing them with the same care and attention you give to making your miles and miles of boring petiteknit stockinette stitches.

Also, there will be lots of unintended lessons learned and thats ok too. Ive made dozens of projects that didnt turn out. Ive spent months of hours and hundreds of dollars on a project just to have it ruined in the block in 10 minutes. Frogging isnt a failure, its a lesson. It sucks but its valuable.

Fiber arts are slow and methodic and do not fit well within the internet sphere, where everyone is trying to get as much as they can as fast as possible. They are a lesson of what you can accomplish in small increments, and also impermanence. Slow down, pay attention, and quit whining. That shortcut isnt a shortcut, its going to make your FO look like shit and make you feel like you wasted your time and you suck. You dont, you just need to shift your perspective and learn to do it right.

Here is the thread where you can share any minor gripes, vents, or craft complaints that you don't think deserve their own post, or are just something small you want to get off your chest. Feel free to share personal frustrations related to crafting here as well.

This thread reposts every Friday.

I know this is BECish which is why I’m posting it here, but the advanced knitting sub is plagued with stolen bot reposts—four in the last ten days—and it fucking annoys me that they always get 100+ upvotes and a few ’omg your work is beautiful how did you do those sleeves’ comments, and even after this is pointed out in the comments, the upvotes keep going up until the goddamn thing is deleted. They’re easy to spot: it’s always a title, one picture only, and no text, from a new account. I’ve instituted a rule with myself now that I never upvote or post a comment until I’ve checked it’s legit. And it‘s fucking lame and it makes me sad. That’s all.

Now I am not usually at all judgemental when it comes to podcasters flashing their yarn stash, or showing their latest hauls, infact I actually enjoy watching them! I believe that if you are can affort to purchase more yarn, then no one should be judged on what they spend their money on......however, I have just had to switch off 1/2 way through a 'help me organise some commercial stash' podcast simply because it made me so overwhelmed! It was cringeworthy!.....Rachel is the podcaster and she lives in the UK!...

This podcaster had hoards of yarn stored in every room in her home! The only room she didn't mention was her bathroom/lavatory, which I wouldn't be surprised if she said she had yarn in there too! She has it stored in her living room, kitchen, hallway, on her landing, in her and her husband's bedroom, and also in both her children's bedrooms (they are bother 10+). And as she was going through all this yarn, and talking about how overwhelmed it all makes her feel, she was also showing another haul she had only received days earlier and talking about yarn that was on its way!

This was the first yarn stash/tour/haul video that I actually had to stop watching because I felt uncomfortable watching it! Has anyone else felt like this, and what do you say or do!? In my experience, I have only ever seen viewers leave comments like, 'wow, what a great stash!', or telling that podcaster 'to try and not be too overwhelmed' - but is that helping really them or just 'giving them the ok' to keep on adding to their stash, which is obviously making them overwhelmed, thus making their problem bigger?