#loom-knitting

[11-eyed-rook]

About crafting, ableism, accessibility.

I've been wanting to bring this up for a while, actually.

I hate that there are people out there who call loom knitting "cheating at knitting". I've TRIED regular knitting, it makes my hands hurt very quickly (it's also why I don't often write on paper with a pen - my hands have never handled that well to begin with).

I find loom-knitting infinitely more accessible and incredibly easy to pick up on, as well as endlessly versatile and even addicting. It offers me an option to enjoy a hobby I otherwise wouldn't have been able to get into at all. If anything, I see it as a good thing that knitting looms are becoming more popular.

It's just bizarre to me how something like a CRAFTING HOBBY, something for purposes of self-expression, and the desire to create, can have communities still be full of gatekeeping.

This also applies to types of yarn that people choose to use in projects, if you can believe it. "You use acrylic? U know acrylic's plastic, right? Acrylic bad. Ew".

Like, there are people who are allergic to natural wool (I've known people who had to use acrylic because they're allergic to all regular wool yarn); there are people who are physically sensitive to how real wool feels on their skin (which was the case for me for much of my childhood, and that would lead to frequent sensory overloads)...

Maybe the only alternative to regular yarn wool available, IS, in fact, acrylic? (And yes, I know there are non-wool non-acrylic options, but some of them aren't suitable for most projects, some are simply unavailable to most people (like myself; I don't have access to yarn brands that North Americans have access to, thus, my options are fairly limited), and some offer no warmth whatsoever).

And I get it, plastic bad (acrylic, most knitting looms - all plastic), but those are options for more accessible crafting. But, honestly, can we please fucking stop pretending like some crafting communities aren't just fucking ableist for this gatekeeping sometimes, whether intentionally or not?

So much of what some people hate in crafting communities, boils down to gatekeeping hobbies and being mad when it becomes more accessible to people who can't do it the regular way for any particular reason. Of course this isn't EVERYBODY, but I've seen it happen enough times to bring it up at all.

I've seen regular knitting enthusiasts get pissed at people who make projects with knitting looms (calling it "cheating at knitting" etc.) or use acrylic yarn for any reason. I've seen people get discouraged from showing any more loom-knitting projects because of these (and other) reasons. I've seen some very intense judgement from people, when somebody talked about preferring acrylic yarn for their specific projects.

Maybe it's just what I think, but I feel like hobbies shouldn't be so full of gatekeeping. I don't think John KnittingNeedle will come to my house and make me explode forever, just because I used a knitting hook on a knitting loom, instead of torturing my hands by using regular knitting needles.

Nothing ever stands in place, including ways to do a hobby. There are tools and materials available to us now, that we wouldn't have had back in the early days of crafting, and all of that makes it easier than ever, to make something on your own.

[marvelousmawn]

"right now i am a scarf. it's more of an oversized cowl, really, but One Hundred Eyes in the Scarf is a better joke"

BEHOLD! IT IS DONE! and can been be a hood too!

anyway danielle and i are clearly in a competition to have the most "red eyes on black background" clothing

progress post

[koniknits]

🌈💦

[milkweedman]

When you get to a point in fiber arts where you start wanting to learn other crafts just so that you can better make what you're making, that's when you know you're screwed

I keep eyeing inkle looms because I need to make woven straps for the handspun crochet bags I keep making and the knit icord strap is so annoying to make. And I will never know peace until I can make the Perfect Bags.

[stevieschrodinger]

[granulesofsand]

What if… I process all my emotions… through fiber arts?

There are a multitude of dimensions that make various mediums ideal for therapy.

They tend to be low-demand for attention while requiring movement and repetition, so you can think and track how present you are by your speed and progress.

Needlework like embroidery and sewing require focus to avoid pricks, which can also be grounding if you can work with pain in a controlled manner.

Plus embroidery can be done on most mass-produced clothing, so you can do it with the clothes on your back with some floss (embroidery floss) or thread and a needle— we embroider our sleeves and tuck the needle diagonally into our ring when we’re not using it.

Some yarns can be crocheted or knit into fabric with just your fingers. Crochet hooks are similar in size to a pencil, and you can pause by closing the last loop you worked on and starting a new strand next loop.

Beadwork is so nice to touch. Embroidery, weaving, knotwork and jewelry. It’s not so easily portable, but it’s easy to make pretty without much technique.

Have you ever made your own rope or yarn? That’s gratifying, starting from plants and animals and ending up with netting and blankets.

And it is the fondness of making, turning one thing into another into another. Create and tailor your clothes, never have to figure out recycling fabrics, save money patching and reusing.

[strawberrum]

okay but she’s soooo sparkly, like a mermaid tail fr

[squirrellypoo]

Hot on the heels of my blood drip socks, I've loom knitted this 💜🖤 pair in anticipation of Interview with the Vampire season 3, using the colours and logo from the Rockstar Lestat S3 teaser.

First, I turned the logo into a pixellated, two colour, 32x30 pattern using the excellent Floss Cross site. I wanted to only have the logo on the outside ankle, so I'm proud that I remembered to move it to the opposite corner for the second sock!

In order to keep the floats short & tidy, I used three separate mini-bundles of black yarn instead of just using the ball. This meant I was juggling four strands instead of two but I got a much neater result inside.

I used my favourite Kb Sock Loom (fine gauge) set at 56 pegs. 🧶 Glendale Fibres Standard Sock in “Violet” 75% superwash merino / 25% nylon and @mothyandthesquid’s merino sock yarn in “Midnight Black” 75% merino / 25% nylon.

I knitted these toe up, with the Kitchener cast on, then knit the toe, 75 rows knit for the foot, an Eye of Partridge heel, then 10 rows of knit, 30 rows of the pattern, followed by 10 more rows of knit and finally 5 rows of 2x2 rib and a stretchy cast off.

The most impressive thing about this pair is how quickly I knitted them up! In total, this pair took me only 16 days from casting on to blocking, with the second sock only taking me FOUR DAYS! 😳 This is absolutely a new record for me, thanks to stress knitting and opportunistic infections on top of my Long Covid keeping me in bed even more than usual… but yay for one-of-a-kind Vampire Lestat socks!

[dgcakes]

Just finished my second of these beautiful big boys on my knitting loom!

Pattern from Huge and Huggable MochiMochi by Anna Hrachovec

Adapted for knitting loom by me

Yarns are Sweet Roll Bold Super bulky in Summertime and Serenity Chunky in Salmon both by Premier Yarns

[riverlarking]

i gasped when i noticed they're using a beautiful wooden loom and yarn swift (and another yarn swift behind them)

[inkfissh]

Little thing, teensy weensy small man, ittiest bittiest babyboy

[marvelousmawn]

Happy Hauntiversary, @hello-archivist !!!!

kam, thank you so much for running the exchanges every year 💜 they wouldn't run this smoothly without you~

OF COURSE i had to critter your favorite @hellofromthehallowoods devils polly and barb and had such a blast going through your art again for references.

bonus:

i had to doodle on the box, i Had to

[knithacker]

Bored of Basic Scarves? Try This Loom Knit Dragontail Pattern! 👉 https://buff.ly/3z6T5Qc

[the-maddened-hatter]

The vivisection looking stage of making a knit plush is so fucking funny to me tbh.

like yeah, it's going to be adorable when it's done, but in that interim of time it looks like I'm doing morally questionable science on a muppet or whatever.

[stevieschrodinger]