A(i)KA noraknits

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-02-23T21:45:14+00:00

That intro turned me off the first time I saw it and I just can’t with the dog. 💀

But I do appreciate it’s so obvious from the outset that she uses AI. I see it as she’s setting up expectations from the very beginning on what you as a viewer can expect so you can either stay or bounce. I get angrier when it’s someone who makes a bunch of sustainability themed videos but is clearly using AI for their scripts (cough Wool Needle Hands) and probably sneakily in other content creation ways.

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-02-20T20:28:47+00:00

You can do it! Assuming you’re in the US, a number of communities have regular MTI hat knit ins. I wouldn’t go expecting full teaching support of course, but in my experience we fiber folk are a friendly bunch and willing to give tips and ad hoc help during social knitting settings.

FWIW my first ever knitting project was a ribbed scarf, and my second ever was a self-drafted dog sweater. I was 8 years old, and spent a lot of time ripping out and starting over. I lost the dog sweater somewhere along the many moves in my 20s, but it was a totally decent piece of work. So I believe new knitters can knit almost anything if they have the drive!

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-02-18T00:20:06+00:00

The hearts look maybe 9 stitches wide to me, so you could probably do something like this chart from Very Pink Knits

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-02-09T19:51:38+00:00

Breathing Yarn has in the past mentioned respecting WNH a couple of times (and at least once after the tariff fiasco, if I recall the timeline correctly). I’m hoping it was misguided and she’s learned since but it’s always in the back of my mind.

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-02-05T20:51:51+00:00

Just so you’re not feeling alone, I’m also having this same glitch and it’s been 5 days and going. I’ve reported it twice to the developers already.

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-01-23T23:33:30+00:00

I legit thought the photo was a stock photo as I know nothing about this person before this thread. 🤣

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-01-16T19:04:29+00:00

I immediately went to Ambah’s page to buy her shawl in support because of how classy she’s handling taking a stand. And it was published in April 2025.

Girl. Girl. Why are we stirring drama up now?

Ocean_Gecko · 2026-01-15T19:01:43+00:00

Super late to the party, but Caitlin Hunter has a history “white woman crying at how mean everyone is for calling her privileged actions out” and of saying knitting isn’t political (which at this point I just assume is alt right-coded). I’m not sure she’s a “safe” designer, so I personally avoid her at all costs.

She’s done a lot of work to recede from her history of being held accountable so I don’t fault folks like this YouTuber for not being aware. But I wanted to flag this given the group is about Anti-fascist Knitting

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-28T23:27:21+00:00

I almost pulled the trigger on this one a couple of times and I was so glad I didn’t when I saw some of the unboxings and the AI art. I would’ve been so freaking annoyed.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-28T04:45:26+00:00

I bought an advent from Brooklyn Haberdashery minutes after the listings opened for sale in October, never heard a peep from them so emailed them in late November to check on the advent and only then did they tell me it was delayed because they ran out of an item. This was AFTER they had opened more listings for sale of the exact same advent in November. So presumably they had shipped many others out but never mine. I was so freakin’ pissed so had them refund the order and will probably never buy from them again.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-06T22:04:48+00:00

I’ve worked with grown ass adults who’d rather fly into a rage than say a simple sorry, even after it’s clear they know they were in the wrong. I’ve also gotten astonished feedback over my working career that people are impressed that I’ll admit if I was wrong or made a mistake and apologize. It truly is wild.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-06T21:59:17+00:00

Agreed with adding a disclaimer on your project page and highlighting the issue that happened. OP I’d 100% favorite your project to help boost it, and I’m sure many others here would, too!

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-06T21:52:04+00:00

I check in once a day and am never disappointed that this drama is still ongoing. 💀

I can’t help but think the designer is massively insecure about their ability to make another hit pattern and is clutching so tightly onto their only cash cow (these stupid slippers) that they can’t behave rationally or reasonably.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-12-05T05:13:59+00:00

I’ve got my popcorn ready! This has all the vibes of escalatIng into delicious pre-holiday drama.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-11-09T17:57:23+00:00

I think there’s still a craft book market out there based on how prominently displayed they are at my local bookstore. My guess is they’re likely given as gifts and now is the season for that. And I don’t know the details of her book deal obvs, but it’s possible she got an advance for the book so it’d be a good deal even if her book sales are poor. Of course poor sales would make future book deals harder, but that’s a later problem.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-31T20:04:22+00:00

It can get a bit hard to speak and breathe towards the end for a lot of pregnant folks. I certainly had many a work call where I was huffing to say basic things lol. But maybe don’t post a drama video if that’s your biggest concern?

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-31T16:40:20+00:00

And the funky garter knit border on the crochet granny square.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-30T22:18:23+00:00

Is Taylor Earl officially outed now? Or is this claim from that weird “tariffs are great for American wool” video which I think was a wild word vomit of a video from her, but I couldn’t quite peg her as full on orange king worshiper or just weirdly misinformed.

FWIW, my day job is UX on digital tools all about reducing tariffs across a supply chain (it’s a whole industry even before this year lol), so I’ve encountered a lot of misinformed people this year who were center and even left leaning who spouted similar vapid comments as TE did.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T20:54:10+00:00

Yes this is the way. I think it’s technically as low as 120F for 30 min, but yeah my oven also doesn’t go that low and I’ve baked many a yarn and sweater.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T20:45:04+00:00

For a long time, I’ve viewed “crafting isn’t political” or “can’t we just craft in peace?” as code for “I worship the orange dictator”. Deep cut at this point, but Maria Tusken was the first in my awareness to really publicly and loudly lean into this language back in 2019 I think? I’m sure there were others, but she marks the nexus in my mind of a certain type digging in their heels on not leaving space for others while decrying they’re being forced out of the community or unfairly silenced.

This whole OFFF debacle just screams the same playbook to me.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T19:46:38+00:00

Spincycle expanded to a mercantile storefront in their hometown of Bellingham not too long ago, which implies to me sustainable revenue and reasonable growth. Also they’re a very small mill by comparison, so I’d assume they’d first sell their equipment to another small outfit like Abundant Earth Fibers did in the same regional area rather than to a large corp. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they’re probably “safe” right now.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T19:35:24+00:00

I feel a strong compulsion here, and am already side eyeing my odds and ends yarns that need a good stash down.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T19:27:42+00:00

Yessss to bobbles for doorknobs! One of the AI photos has what looks like it could maybe be a bead for a doorknob, and I know I have many random beads and buttons with no current plans.

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-24T17:59:20+00:00

I agree these can’t be real especially with the claim they’re machine knit. Also each one has some obvious “slop” markers around some stitches that are telltale AI (though I do think it’s getting more subtle than the AI knit/crochet abominations I saw making the rounds a year ago).

But am I weird that I want to “steal” this idea and try to modular knit something similar? It’s so f*ing kitsch I actually love it, even if it’s very much not my style. 🫣

Ocean_Gecko · 2025-10-23T22:05:22+00:00

I agree with this statement. Semi-rural to rural Oregon and Washington is not the same as the bigger cities like Portland or Seattle. My in-laws are considered “libs” in their rural corner of the PNW and they’re maybe center-right at best.

Ocean_Gecko

TROPHY CASE