If you like what I do and want a way to support me, you can shop my zine bundles here: https://ko-fi.com/allhomesteading/shop

I think as knitters we also need to eradicate the “I’m a ‘selfish’ knitter” bs from our dialogue.

Knitting for ourselves and not for others is not a selfish act. Nobody is entitled to our labor and other resources and we need to stop being apologetic or self-deprecating when we say no. We are not obligated to benefit someone else when we do things.

This is so true. I used to have a craft shop where I sold handknit mittens and accessories. Really fancy items. People thought they were too expensive. As an experiment, i started to offer them at craft markest for the material cost. If people would make them themselves, they would have to pay the samen amount. They weren't even willing to pay the material costs. Everyone loved me making these things, no one was willing to pay. They were melting with admiration over my quality items, but couldn't or wouldn't pay for them. Them I offered a knitting class with all the knitting techniques I use for making these items. I thought, if people can't afford them, they might start making them themselves. No one signed up for my course. People are strange. They admire craft, but won't pay for it, nor try to master the art themselves. I felt like I was just a fancy filler for craft markets. I quit. I make most of my own clothes. It's my little statement against the fashion industry.

Very thought provoking.  If we charged an hourly minimum wage and materials for our work, people would stop asking us to make things.

My heart broke when you mentioned a friend asking you to knit them things for free. As a man, I have never once been asked to knit for free, people offer me money. It's consistently an insultingly low offer, like not even enough to cover supplies, let alone labor. Meanwhile, my femme presenting peers aren't even being offered the $40 to "just make a sweater." I'm already not a fan of people wanting to pay less than what something would cost on temu, but it enrages me so much that the labor and skill of my peers are not valued because they are women.

I have stopped selling my chrochet work over a year ago and now I spend multiple months on each peice. The people who beg for me to sell again are usually the same people complaining about the price. Now any extra projects go to the unhoused.

I have a policy that I will never sell my handmade knitted and sewn work (I've been burned far too many times). I will, however, barter for other handmade items.

I've had some great deals from this policy, including several amazing jars of homemade salsa in return for making a pair of socks.

The actual process of knitting itself soothing for me. It’s similar to fidgeting. I have ADHD/anxiety and fidget in general.

Another creator pointed out that by WWI England had industrial machine knitting. The call for hand knits was mostly emotional: a sense of purpose for those at home, fostering support for the war by connecting care for the men as care for a soldier, and bolstering the morale of soldiers as they received such works from those at home.

I've realised knitting is a huge relief for me and this video proves its a privelege in a way. I feel like I'm drowning in things designed to engage and enrage me. Its like static in my brain. Games, movies, social media can be great. But knitting gives me the ability to engage my mind without the overstimulation. It can be frustrating, but I like it. I don't feel like I'm drowning in life when i take time to knit.

I just finished reading "slow down" by kohei saito so this was right up my alley. I hate the "hustle culture" aspect of crafting not only in the "down time is wasted time" and "anything of value must be marketed and sold" sense, but even in the sheer volume of knits people are creating. I've noticed more and more people in the online knitting community talking about the mind-boggling productivity of some knitting YTers being almost shame-inducing because most of us can't keep up. and, like you mention, so many of us claim this hobby is for our mental health without really reflecting or taking a look at why we need this "escape" so badly: because the capitalist system we live in puts all of our most essential needs behind a pay-to-play wall and we internalize the contradictions instead of placing the blame where it belongs.

can the rest of the episodes in the series be 20+ minutes longer and include a reading list or bibliography of some sort? :)

"... knitting is one of the quietly political roles of hobby culture right now. It helps people regulate their relationship to precarity and helplessness. Not by changing the conditions responsible, but by giving people the tools to cope within it"

Well said! I absolutely use knitting to regulate myself. It's a space where the patterns are prescriptive so I don't need to make decisions, I am in control, and there are no consequences for mistakes.

The term "knit worthy" comes to mind

If you don't appreciate the skill,  math, time & effort that knitting or crocheting entails don't look for a homemade pair of socks in that birthday box

A rich expat asked me to knit a hair net for her dread locks... She said she would pay me 20 bucks plus Material. I did this, brought it to her , she was very happy with it, posting pics in sm, but she just forgot to pay me. I did not ask, as it was a ridiculous price for all the work. This was the first and last order i did. Now i craft for myself only😮

Wasn't expecting YouTube to recommend me a video about knitting and late stage capitalism, but I'm glad it did. Great video!

Can we talk about how most yarn is overpriced, over packaged, and being made of plastic while a lot of animal fiber gets thrown out because it's not the absolute best quality?

Brilliant. I have had so many people ask me to knit them something that would takes months for me to complete. Then when I say “No, but I would love to teach you how to knit”, I always feel like a jerk. No more. I knit for me…it feels good to me to knit

Iam a quilt when not keeping house + working  40 hrs Think 15 min a day quilter😊 when people ask me to make them a quilt I only do it for love and I don't love you that much

Oh, so true:  people saying, "You should sell this!"  But then I break down the whole thing, the materials, the time, and how much it would cost, they are flabbergasted and would never ever purchase the sweater or scarf of mittens or whatever.  But so many people will spend that much or more on a manufactured item with a brand... It just is so crazy-making.  For me, knitting and crocheting help to center me and calm me.  It satisfied my need to create, that tangible thing. But at some point, I don't need another hat/scarf etc.  So I give a lot of my stuff away.  I have only once tried to sell my stuff, when I lived in Japan, and I had a little mini craft-sale where I taught.  That was fun.  But I just lack the confidence to do so here.  This is such a deeply informed, intelligent video.  Thank you.

Interesting and thought provoking. Knitting to me is not a hobby because I make 99% of my clothing. It is relaxing, however and rewarding because I get a high once I have a finished garment. I get that good feeling every time I wear the garment. But mostly, knitting is social for me because I belong to an active knitting group that does other activities together in addition to knitting. 😊they also understand why I find it rude when people to ask me to knit something for them.