everything about gatekeeping in the knit and crochet community 👀 | knit & chat

Heya! This video has been on the list for a while, and I finally made it. I had some things to say about gatekeeping in the knitting and crochet world. Feel free to share your views as well in the comments. Let's keep this a safe and kind space 💗

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Camera: Canon G7x
Editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro CC

About me ✨

- Age: 22
- Living in: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Studying: European Studies at University of Amsterdam, currently on Erasmus exchange in Grenoble

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[bridgethealey]

something i’ve noticed is that the crochet community is much more welcoming to people using acrylics than the knitting community

[pasquan]

I have been knitting for 30 years - but am still, and forever will be, an advanced beginner. Every crafter does it for their own reasons. For me, it is meditative and something to do with my hands (instead of eating!). I love seeing younger knitters and crocheters that bring the joy of discovery to my old techniques!

[kissingwhiskey]

I've been knitting since 2007 and was inspired to start knitting socks. When I went to a yarn shop, I was completely discouraged by the staff telling me "You can't start with socks, you have to start with a scarf." At the time, I was annoyed - I didn't want to knit scarves, I wanted to knit socks.

[TLYarnCrafts]

This was a really fun and interesting topic, and you handled it gracefully. It’s hard to see our own craft critiqued, but it’s the only way we can all be better stewards of this gift 💕 three cheers for sharing the creative wealth 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[CoolStitches]

the acrylic thing is just mind boggling to me. To me, it feels very classist to be judging people for using a less expensive option because they want to participate in a craft (or whatever you'd like to call it). And it's always under the guise of sustainability, but what i'm hearing is that you only want a person in a specific financial situation to participate in the same craft as you. If you have the means to work with natural fibers good for you, i'm truly happy. But expecting other people to do the same is absolutely ridiculous.

[nickdryder]

I'm a guy that enjoys knitting and haven't had much of the people judging me thing, but it's SO hard to find patterns that I'd actually want to wear. All the stuff with interesting knitting techniques are flowery and very feminine.

[rdand]

I began knitting in 1987, and the fact that straight men knit is finally beginning to be accepted these days. I haven't been to a yarn store in almost 30 years because I'm not supposed to knit (according to the yarn snobs that work there). I knit because it makes people happy to receive my work as gifts, so the patterns I create, I keep to myself, so that what they get is unique; they'll never see someone else wearing the sweater or the socks that I created for them. Also, I work exclusively in acrylic, because I've never met anyone with a sensitivity or an allergy to plastic; acrylic is also wash-and-wear, warm, durable, and less expensive than animal fibers. I've been harshly judged for that as well. I've faced a bit of discrimination and name-calling over the years, but it seems things are changing for the better in this respect.

[ethanielhalling]

Speaking as a knitter, i think the crochet community is is much more welcoming to beginners overall, whereas the knitting community has a subliminal air of pretentiousness. It’s upsetting because I dont want to believe thats the case but i cant help but catch that vibe :/

[JellybeanInc]

I never felt like the community was gatekeeping (maybe because I stuck to forums that were very accepting and enthusiastic for your projects) but yarn shops were different. The one in my town became successful and then knid of snobby. If you weren't looking at the expensive handdyed skeins the shop owner didn't seem to care. Or if you told her you were looking for a certain yarn she'd immediately take you to the expensive stuff.

[emmascraftcorner]

As someone who started knitting less than a year ago and is "already" sharing stuff on the internet, I recognized a lot of the points you mentioned. Claiming your space is difficult, yet people are so welcoming!

[auntylinda]

I have been knitting for 60 years and did my first I cord bindoff a few months ago. There is always so much to learn In every field and we are all here to learn from each other. This last week i learn a young woman in my knitting group how to cast on. 💜 Love to everyone who reads this💜

[boochie]

Yes! I've been crocheting for several heads and knitting for a bit over one. I also help coordinate a local yarn swap. When those first started I was only a crocheter and I could feel the judgment from the knit only folks. They'd judge for your "lack" of skill as well as the quality of your yarn. Anything with acrylic in it is frowned upon. Some even stating that they won't even touch wool and synthetic blend yarns)(Literally, not figuratively). We can't all afford silk cashmere blends and not everyone can or wants to knit.

[CancerianTarot]

What I despise is people who say 'if you don't use real wool you're not a knitter' and 'using acrylic is selfish and bad for the environment. It shouldn't be made at all'. I am allergic to wool and I have hypersensitivity due to OCD so I have to use acrylic or I can't use yarn at all :') not to mention, FAR cheaper and tougher.

[MeezerGurlMakes]

I love your channel and other young/new creators and I've been knitting over 50 years. Eek! I love the freshness in your creations and the inclusiveness and it's so sad that people are gate-keeping and making others feel excluded. I knit with all kinds of yarn - I try to make sure they are cruelty free wool and often find the best yarn in thrift shops that I could not afford otherwise. I've made up patterns but never sold them - I just love to colour knit as it's so much fun and it just flows out like drawing with yarn. I think I knit English style - the kind where you throw the wool around the needle. I tried continental then figured nah! I'm happy knitting how I knit - happy with my tension and just love the whole knitting process. I watch a variety of channels with both men and women knitters and all are channels like yourself - welcoming and inclusive. I've heard about knitting drama but it's ridiculous. I can't understand why people would fight about knitting. I did experience that in a local knitting group before the pandemic where half the group (the pure wool gang) looked down on the other half of the group (the acrylic etc yarn gang). Anyone that thinks they can't learn from someone else especially a new knitter is just arrogant. It's when we cease to learn and be open to new that things that we stagnate and that's what makes us old.

[courtneyspiers]

Totally understand the intimidation of going into a yarn store for the first time. The store I went to was owned by 2 older women who also sold their finished knitted pieces as well. Holy cow did I feel weirdly embarrassed and judged just looking around. I had the mindset of "oh I'm young and don't know what I'm doing, I don't deserve these nice, expensive yarns". Definitely need to shake that feeling and get over my strange fear of local knitting shops lol i just want to look at pretty yarns!

[sparkle]

FYI, if men want to learn to knit and are intimidated by some groups online, there are quite a few male knitters that I am pretty sure will be able to help them. Like Mikey, from the Crochet Crowd (he is just learning how to knit) or I think his name is Dan from Urban Yarns. Very nice people.

I am older and have been crocheting for other 30 years. I have watched quite a few tik tok crochet compilations. They are younger women who crochet. I an in awe of how talented and creative they are in general. I love that the fiber arts is continuing to grow and stay alive with all the younger people learning new crafts.

[mikitta]

One bit of gatekeeping I am glad to see so much less of these days ...

It used to be that a lot ... a LOT .. of knitters were craftist against crocheters. In the late '90s I was told by a yarn shop owner that she would not sell "good yarn just to have it turned into trash". She said my craft "was only suitable for crappy yarn".

In the early days of Ravelry, it was the same. Many of the knitters were brutal toward anyone who used a hook.

It has taken 20 years, but I think that attitude is finally abating.

[Shay_XD]

I have been crocheting for 3 ish years and was gifted knitting needles for Christmas and learned shortly after how to knit. I like it when I see newer knitters sharing tips/tutorials because then it's not as scary. In my mind it's like if they can do it then so can I type thing.

Also I feel like if you are able to pick it up (understand what you're doing/make it) fairly easily then it is "at your level" even if you only started knitting/crocheting last week.

[TAKATNIC]

Excellent video! I’m a couple months late to the party but wanted to give my own 2 cents about the “not being skilled enough to be a test knitter/crocheted” thing. I think something people often don’t realise is that the best people you can have to test something, whether it’s a pattern or even a website or app that’s being created, are people who are not super experienced. People who aren’t as confident are more likely to pick up on areas that can be improved on for better user experience that someone who is also an expert might completely overlook without realising. The wider range of experiences and types of people who test you product can only help to make it better 😊

[michelleelizabethhunter]

Love that you are having this chat! I’m studying sustainability in the fashion and textiles industry at university and it’s fascinating learning about all the different fibres. And the more I am learning, the more I am realising that there is no fibre that is more sustainable than the other. There’s a range of issues for all that need to be addressed. I personally like to use natural fibres, but I have some acrylic that I’m planning some projects around as well. But in conclusion, I don’t think any fibres are necessarily better than the other, and I feel like accessibility to crafts is important. I know for me it gives me so much joy and completely agree that gate keeping especially when it comes to the view of expensive natural fibre yarns only is unrealistic and will discourage new knitters to take up the craft. And is important to recognise my privilege with what I have access to. Not everyone might have the same access as I do that space needs to be made for that.