🤝 Community Knitwits in the Fiber Arts Hobby - Drama in the fiber arts

[Accept Only Substitutes]

Substituting yarn can be tricky, and sometimes results in a completely different fit. You can choose something with the same fibre content, weight and so on, but the stretch percentage is slightly different and it doesn’t hang right. It’s not always something that can be spotted in a gauge swatch, either. Rowan is notorious for designing patterns to work in certain yarns that only they sell, for example. Having said that, a good yarn store will usually know enough to point you in the right direction, or you can see what other people have done on Ravelry.

Oh sure, that’s definitely a fair point. I still say it’s entitled to demand every designer to give multiple options of yarn because some people might not be able to afford the one the designer chose. It’s more how they went about it, yelling at and shaming a small designer. Very much a mob mentality.

 

[Urbicide]

But math is ~hard~ and like I can’t use my brain enough! Seriously, crafters are some of the dumbest people alive. There was a whole thing a number of years ago about ~privilege~ because someone made a sweater, but the yarn was $30 a skein and no one has $300 for yarn!!! I think she did make it go up to size 7-billion, but at that size, no shit yarn is expensive.

These idiots though, apparently had never thought that that designers use of yarn could be considered a suggestion, and they could easily substitute with a different, cheaper yarn.

I see this in the cross stitch group I’m in now, every day it’s the most retarded questions. Someone posts a photo of a very simple project “I don’t have the chart”, dude, you don’t need a chart, stitch from the photo. Or “I don’t like these colors” , so use different ones? You don’t need permission to make a project your own.

Bean soup theory

Spoiler: Explanation if you don’t know

Came from a tiktok recipe where a woman was making a 7 bean soup recipe and someone in the comments replied with “what can I substitute if I don’t like beans”
Basically used to refer to helpless people who refuse to take basic logical steps to help themselves and insist that they must be catered to in every scenario even when it is something that does not apply to them based off their needs

 

[Trapper]

Oh sure, that’s definitely a fair point. I still say it’s entitled to demand every designer to give multiple options of yarn because some people might not be able to afford the one the designer chose. It’s more how they went about it, yelling at and shaming a small designer. Very much a mob mentality.

The mob mentality gets extreme, and the entitlement is insane. There are thousands of other patterns they could make, or as you pointed out, they could be creative and/or use their brains. If someone has a deformity or disability, they appreciate they differ from the norm and adapt the pattern to suit them, but if someone is just fat or broke, it’s society’s problem instead.

 

[Otterly]

“I don’t have the chart”, dude, you don’t need a chart, stitch from the photo. Or “I don’t like these colors” , so use different ones? You don’t need permission to make a project your own.

People are either willing to try or not, and funnily, the latter group tend to be really loud and obnoxious about it.

Substituting yarn can be tricky, and sometimes results in a completely different fit.

It can indeed - there’s a great website called ‘yarn sub’ which helps with this, and this is also something I do use revelry for, to see what other yarns people use and what the outcome was.

 

[toilet_rainbow]

KnitPicks and its parent company have been accused of wrongthink. An Instagrammer formerly affiliated with them claims that the company did not want her and other crafters to show off their Melt the Ice hats on their platform. Not to not create them with their yarn, period, or to not wear them, period. Just don’t post any political content in sponsored content for the company.







The comments to this thread really illustrate just how impossible the purity standards are. A bunch of “private equity is as fascist as Trump and capitalism themselves,” “oh, but that small family owned company is full of Trump supporters,” “don’t buy from Europe, because of tariffs,” or “but I don’t want to buy from my LYS because I live in Texas and what if the owner is a Republican and not vocal about it?”












OP tried to crowd control by addressing consumer choice privilege etc, to no avail




The ones convinced that the red hat will save the nation were particularly offended at this




Reminds me of this Ravelry Facebook thread I came across where a commenter told OP that anyone not 1000% for the red hat at all times is “lacking in basic humanity.”



OP’s crime? Asking if anyone was knitting anything else other than the MTI hat because it was the only item she was seeing after endlessly scrolling the page (which was indeed true; take Ravelry the website at that time and this Facebook group was that twenty fold). Oh, the humanity



It’s deeply ironic that they panic this much about red MAGA hats, yet practically worship the red anti-MAGA hats like the most fanatical MAGA people are with their pro ones.

As for the pattern maker’s fundraising, there is a claim by them that they reached $750,000 in proceeds.



Still no proof of donations. Not holding breath. Many comments about it appear to be getting deleted if they’re not ignored. Unsure how standard that is in the knitting community (Knitting for Olive never shared their UNICEF for Gaza donation receipts, either), but surely a small business can share at least one? This is the bare minimum I’m talking (example from a popular indie polish maker)



IDK, between how Needle and Skein is acting with not only the pattern but also the drama of fundraising and publicity surrounding it, I just get a bad taste in my mouth. Feels “off.” Someone tag me if it’s revealed my gut feeling is justified later down the road.

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

Oh no, a business doesn’t want to offend large swathes of their customer base! Shocking, a company staying apolitical. How absolutely evil. I wish more companies and people with large followings would do that, and I’m even fairly liberal. I don’t want to know your personal opinions; I’m not your friend, I’m your customer/fan.

I used to test knit for them, and in the application I had to give my social media handles, because they wanted to make sure none of the test knitters were posting about the project they’re working on before it’s released.

If you don’t want to abide by the rules the company you’re partnered with, don’t partner with them!

 

[Cherry Milk]

But I thought Red hats = MAGA? Now red hats = good? FFS. I can't keep up with this rightthink.

 

[UvaUvamVivendoVariaFit]

Another perfectly good hobby based on binary taken over by people triggered by binaries.

 

[Ikea Shelf]

Ryan Gosling wears a variation of a Mary Maxim sweater in the new Project Hail Mary movie. The Kniternet has gone crazy with people asking how to make the sweater and sharing screenshots from the movie. I think it’s cute and sweet. I would rather have a group trying to figure out how to make a sweater than mindlessly buying a Taylor Swift cardigan. Inevitably, someone will post how Mary Maxim is evil for cultural appropriation of the Cowichan sweater designs. Someone posted a link to knitwithpurpose.com. It talks about the history of Cowichan sweaters and sells authentic ones. There were a couple of interesting things I noticed on the site. First was that it was colonization that introduced knitting needles to the Salish people. Before that, they were weavers. And second was their collaboration with Jimbo. I guess this guy was on RuPaul’s Drag Race. I love that a site to fight cultural appropriation of sweater designs is fine with a man literally in womanface.

 

[Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet)]

That isn't a Cowichan sweater. I'm not sure it's in bulky yarn even. It's coloured rather than in natural colours and the wolf isn't a Salish style. It's just a sweater.

Colonization also introduced spinning wheels. Before that they were using whorls. And I think also sheep.

 

[NoodleFucker3000]

Yeah its not that, buuuuut the tribes that make those sweaters would probably love the business. The whole idea that culture cant be shared does more to hurt than it does to help.

 

[Ballsack Pussylips]

There's another Westknits drama:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DW90pNKCGFw/

This is the interview:

https://www.youtube.com/live/a_TmAnx7eCU

I'm unable to download it and preservetube won't take it either.

I thought there must be a reddit thread about this and I was right:

https://old.reddit.com/r/craftsnark/comments/1shtcpf/blocked_stephen_west/

https://archive.ph/EIL6u

That reddit pitchforker gave me the link to the video. The person is a complete idiot though. The dude who was crying about his MKAL pareidolia swastika, is now a painted as a Nazi, because he promoted his newest MKAL on a podcast.

 

[Ballsack Pussylips]

Sorry for the doublepost, but I can't edit my post anymore and I finally managed to download the video.

 

[𝕺𝖑' 𝕯𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖘𝖔]

But math is ~hard~ and like I can’t use my brain enough! Seriously, crafters are some of the dumbest people alive. There was a whole thing a number of years ago about ~privilege~ because someone made a sweater, but the yarn was $30 a skein and no one has $300 for yarn!!! I think she did make it go up to size 7-billion, but at that size, no shit yarn is expensive.

I like how a lot of crafters want to be recognized as Artists but don't have a creative bone in their body. Like I am a hardcore advocate for textile arts, but I don't think following a pre written pattern makes you an artist any more than someone who goes to karaoke with their friends is a musician or someone who makes hellofresh meals is a chef. Creativity isn't simply making something according to someone else's specifications, it's coming up with your own ideas and using your skills to execute them.

I’m not saying this woman herself is a cow. I’m saying that the knitting community on Reddit is one huge cow because this woman got hundreds of comments for this poorly knitted sweater just because she’s fat. Normal sized women are lucky to get a dozen comments on things that are well constructed.

But these are the people who also say crafting isn’t inherently political because they can make a pattern that spells out fuck ice

Every crafting community on reddit is like that, they're hugboxes for mediocre people. Last time I looked at the sewing one it was full of low quality projects getting applause because the makers were fat, gay or troons. Saggy lapels, bad cutting, awful fabric choices

 

[The Salt Mines]

I'm shocked that some people in that thread have just realized that Stephen West is a snarky gay man and that a snarky gay man might snark on his own fanbase. Super lame he put out that apology. Just fucking own that you're tired of your fanbase huffing their own farts.

It's a pity he's a shawl god and has so many interesting designs for them. Since he caved to SwastikaGate with his MKAL I've been loath to buy any of his patterns. If I buy a design I don't want the design to be fucked with beyond technical erratas.

 

[Trapper]

I like how a lot of crafters want to be recognized as Artists but don't have a creative bone in their body. Like I am a hardcore advocate for textile arts, but I don't think following a pre written pattern makes you an artist any more than someone who goes to karaoke with their friends is a musician or someone who makes hellofresh meals is a chef. Creativity isn't simply making something according to someone else's specifications, it's coming up with your own ideas and using your skills to execute them.


Every crafting community on reddit is like that, they're hugboxes for mediocre people. Last time I looked at the sewing one it was full of low quality projects getting applause because the makers were fat, gay or troons. Saggy lapels, bad cutting, awful fabric choices

I agree, and at the same time there’s nothing wrong with following patterns, recipes, songs etc: have pride in being a crafter if that’s what you’re into / how you like to relax. I don’t get this concept of wanting to be super special and original without putting in the effort of design, though.

 

[Ikea Shelf]

I'm shocked that some people in that thread have just realized that Stephen West is a snarky gay man and that a snarky gay man might snark on his own fanbase. Super lame he put out that apology. Just fucking own that you're tired of your fanbase huffing their own farts.

It's a pity he's a shawl god and has so many interesting designs for them. Since he caved to SwastikaGate with his MKAL I've been loath to buy any of his patterns. If I buy a design I don't want the design to be fucked with beyond technical erratas.

When I first saw this, I was wondering why he went on that podcast. It doesn't have very many subscribers and as an influencer/creator, you should know to do a quick Google search before agreeing to an interview. Him just being a snarky gay man who does faggy shit actually makes the most sense.

It's been like two days and there is now a new, stronger worded apology. What I find interesting that most of Instagram seems to accept the apology while most Reddit does not. Screenshot attached.

Spoiler: Apology Text

I’ve heard the call from people wanting me to clarify my position on the right wing knitter I allowed to interview me this past weekend.

This man is vile. His posts and beliefs are outright lies and propaganda, and the harm he has caused people in our community makes me deeply ashamed.

I didn’t know who he was when he approached me at my booth at TexStyle in Manchester. When he emailed me requesting an interview, he shared his YouTube channel and the Shauna Stitches social media, neither of which showed the deeply hateful content I have since found on his personal profiles. But that’s exactly the point, all it took was a basic search to find his bigoted posts, and particularly his harassment of women of color in our community. I should have done that minimum due diligence. I didn’t, and I am ashamed of the association I allowed as a result. This was irresponsible and I apologize for the harm it caused, especially to those who have been directly targeted by his behavior.

I clearly haven’t been vocal enough about where I stand politically and socially. If I had been, this man would never have felt comfortable approaching me in the first place. Silence on these issues is not neutrality. It creates space for exactly this kind of assumption. Let me be clear. There is no place for racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in our community.

I also want to apologize sincerely to Malia, and to my staff at Westknits and Stephen & Penelope. I caused this. The stress and fallout this created for all of you was unfair, and I’m truly sorry for it.

I spent this past weekend reading your messages, posts, and emails. I understand the serious weight of this mistake. As someone with influence in this community, I have a responsibility to be far more careful about who I appear with and what that communicates.

I left the comments open, but I will not tolerate any hate speech. Please don’t defend me. Comments with blind support for me that minimize my actions may be deleted. I made this mistake. I own it fully and I’m truly sorry.

Good on Stephen for leaving the comments open. One of the replies is by someone named Roxanne, who is sick of this shit. Of course she got dogpiled on, including by a "petson of colour."


Stephen's business partner has also posted an apology. Don't really care but I thought it should be included. Screenshot also attached.

Spoiler: Stephen and Penelope Apology

I want to clarify my position, and Stephen & Penelope’s position, on the podcast appearance Stephen made this past weekend.

As a queer, indigenous person partnered with a trans human, the views held by the man who interviewed Stephen affect me personally and deeply. People like him are part of why my partner and I cannot simply exist in the world without being made to feel unsafe and at times, in genuine danger. If you know me, you know that advocacy for marginalised people is not new for me. I have long stood alongside trans people, people of colour, and victims of genocide, and that will not change.

I gave Stephen the space to make his own apology both for Westknits and for his stake in Stephen & Penelope. But I also have to take responsibility. It was not solely on Stephen to vet who he was speaking to. I didn’t check, I didn’t catch it, and I should have. That’s on me too.

The past few days have been hard. I’ve felt genuinely disappointed in my friend and colleague, both for this mistake and for a reticence to be publicly vocal about his values. To anyone who has been feeling similarly, I’m sorry it took me a few days to move through the initial panic and get here. I wish I had responded sooner and more clearly.

Stephen & Penelope began as just me in a tiny shop, and has grown steadily over 17 years through hard work, patience, and a lot of luck. We don’t have PR people, and our marketing staff, like the rest of us, are creatives, art school graduates, and lovers of craft doing their best in an increasingly difficult world. We may not be loudly vocal about every global issue, but our values are not a secret. They are liberal, they are human, and they are consistent.

Comments are closed on this post. I won’t host a space where people are directed here to spread hate, argue with each other, or offer defences we don’t need.

Malia Mae Joseph

 

[Otterly]

It was not for Stephen to vet who he was speaking to
Fucking hell. Not a fan of west or his knitting, but this idea that you literally have to purity check the people you speak to is insane. What a way to live.

NEVER apologise for this sort of stuff. Never

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

Roxanne is cool. She can come sit with us.

The “petson” of color has a white avatar? Interesting.

I’ve never liked SW’s patterns, not just the color schemes (although they’re almost always awful). My friend keeps trying to get me to knit his stuff because she “always learns something new” which okay, learning new techniques is awesome. But I’m not going to spend hours on something I don’t like just to learn new stuff.

 

[mold]

I tried to do an irl textile thing and I immediately regretted it, thought I'd tell you all