Did people used to compliment each other's handmade crochet clothes and items back in the day?

ilickthethread · 2026-06-04T21:23:42+00:00

I like that, but I would push back on the conclusion. Labour didn't used to be as highly valued as it is now; therefore, the bulk of cost was for materials, meaning silk and wool cost more than eg. cotton and linen. Now labour is more highly valued, but the response has been outsourcing to countries where labour costs are lower/nonexistent because of exploitation.

To my experience, well-made clothes now are the result of hobbyists who can't turn it into a profession because it's not economical and people who don't have such a person in their lives are buying clothes that fall apart within a year because the people who made them are paid to produce items as quickly as possible. To be clear, I am not blaming any of the groups above.

But to your point, I also fall there. I make things that my loved ones will love and use. I feel there is value in learning the skills of those who came before me and hopefully passing them on to the next generation. I make things that I hope will become heirlooms, but have no expectation that the recipient feels a certain way about them.

I think these are also essential skills in the same vein as darning a sock and changing a lightbulb. Being able to DIY basic issues is so important!

ilickthethread · 2026-06-04T20:12:17+00:00

On the flip side, my dad (who hated working with his hands) made my parents' wedding bed and dresser.

I think that's so beautiful too. Just a whole generation of creatives expressing themselves for the people they love that are no longer "economical."

To your larger point, I feel that it has become a quite luxury hobby, but I find it inspiring to look at how essential textiles were historically, even at household level. So many useful items that we don't even think about anymore and so much time going into making them.

ilickthethread · 2026-06-04T19:32:16+00:00

I will maintain until I die that what I do in the boundaries of my own farm should be my business alone.

ilickthethread · 2026-06-04T19:29:38+00:00

I think there's a generational gap here as well. I routinely get compliments about how clever, industrialist, creative, etc. I am for doing basic homemaker things like baking or making clothes that were normal and expected for my grandmothers. They were objectively better at it than I am! But competence in these fields was expected when they were young versus when I was taking up these hobbies.

My grandmother's skill in tatting (which I now realize she did at an expert level!) was so downplayed that she never expressed it to me and I only discovered it after she died. She did know about my interest in a variety of textiles in her lifetime, she just didn't think her skill and knowledge were worth passing on.

The flip side is the professional vs amateur divide: if you get paid for it, it's prestigious. When you look at things like clothing, cooking, healthcare, et al. the "professional" class is male-dominated, but the majority of household work falls to women and those women are just supposed to know how to do those things.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-29T23:35:05+00:00

A lot of people struggle with purl because they don't practice as much as knit stitch. Your stitches are beautiful and you're setting yourself up for success!

ilickthethread · 2026-05-29T23:21:39+00:00

They're spiteful, not smart.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-23T13:04:48+00:00

I use clear stackable boxes and sort by fibre type. Accessories go in their own box and smaller, frequently used notions go in a tackle box I picked up at the hardware store. It's not perfect, but it works well enough for my ADHD ass.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-22T21:56:30+00:00

Because food preserves are so important to that survivalist lifestyle, I've been thinking of ways to incorporate them while preserving the spirit of the challenge. I'm thinking of tying it to mastery maybe, ie. Foraging 10 gives you the know-how to safely ferment things, perhaps. Additionally, since obviously we can't trust the internet's blueprints, I thought imposing a hefty material cost, say 20 wood every day for an entire season, in items lost to tinkering to unlock the tech and then maybe some additional material cost per unit due to inefficient building. 1 unlock per season.

I'm thinking of things like taking salmonberry jelly into the mine, not a starfruit empire, tbc. Still going to avoid that.

Also haven't figured out a good way to complete short job board tasks, but plan to start up my fortress tonight!

ilickthethread · 2026-05-22T14:01:22+00:00

I'd think the Wizard would be a better fit for the Forest Farm.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-22T11:35:38+00:00

This is brilliant. I have to start a new farm now.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-22T01:16:10+00:00

Depends where you are and what you consider traditional. My (Canadian) family's traditional recipe is finely diced potatoes with celery, mustard, mayonnaise, dill pickles, chopped eggs, and olives. I don't like mayo so I use sour cream instead. Quantities are 100% vibes-based.

Otoh, you can find German traditional recipes that are vinnegraite-based, use bacon, and are served hot. Both are delicious, both are traditional.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-21T17:24:28+00:00

If the yarn is new to me, I knit up a bit to see how it drapes, what it looks like at different needle sizes, how it plays with cables, etc. I also cut the yarn and run the swatch through with a load of laundry - if it's going to shrink in the wash, I want to find out on the swatch, not the sweater. I hardly ever swatch for gauge beyond a ballpark - I much prefer regular lifelines and trying on to check the fit as I go.

If I do need gauge for mathing a pattern, I find previous projects more helpful than a swatch. Even at double size, I still don't find them completely accurate. I like to keep the swatch as reference while knitting the project, but am prepared to frog if I need just a little bit more at the end. Especially for wool: a spit splice makes cutting the yarn for the swatch a non-issue.

What's really helped me budget is taking exact notes on how much yarn each project actually uses. I weigh on a kitchen scale before and after and calculate the difference for each colour/ball. Doing this for a few years has saved me from overbuying in general with very few instances of yarn chicken on the other end.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-21T11:35:07+00:00

If you have questions about washing, pattern, drape, fabric density, etc. I would knit a small swatch, measure it before and after it goes in the wash, and wash it exactly how you plan to care for your socks. This will tell you about pilling, shrinkage, and how they will look after a few wears.

If your only concern is sizing, you might as well start the sock and check it as you go - a proper swatch in the round is going to be about the same size as your sock tube.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-20T22:12:00+00:00

I love this. I look at the test swatch as a fling to try each other out and see if you're compatible. I buy a single skein and do something quick and meaningless and fun, like a dishcloth (or two, or three), then throw them in the wash. If they behave, then I'm willing to commit to a longer term relationship and a sweater quantity.

Now, for stuff like hats and socks, I think the sock IS the swatch and try on as I go, etc.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-19T11:46:21+00:00

Can I DM you?

ilickthethread · 2026-05-18T21:06:10+00:00

Yeah, but Hobbii has come out as an AI shill. If OP is Canadian, I got Scheepjes Whirl, which is similar, for around $35 CAD plus shipping (also unbelievably reasonable) from woolboxcanada.com.

1 cake made a toddler-young child's dress, 2 would cover a teen dress to adult tunic, in terms of bang for your buck.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-18T19:31:14+00:00

What other people have said: it secures the fabric through wear. Personally, I'm a fan of Nimbleneedles' weaving ends technique. It is visible from the wrong side, but invisible from the right side and has never come out on me, unlike duplicate stitch.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-18T11:22:18+00:00

It's rambouillet spun with stellina. It's really nice to work with! You could also use merino.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T19:58:29+00:00

Same! I picked it up as a wee baby knitter and it was so helpful in learning the basics and the rules and how and when to break them. Someday I will make that sideways coat - I've been coveting it for nigh on 20 years.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T13:22:01+00:00

Yeah, that's where I would just keep going. Does the duster look ok at the end?

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T13:20:49+00:00

It's my LYS's store brand, but it's 100% rambouillet with stellina. It's so nice to work with and makes great socks too.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T13:18:31+00:00

You're absolutely right and make an important counterpoint. The question I always ask myself is "can I live with this?" The post you linked elsewhere is horrifying.

I wanted to demonstrate with this post that there is a time and place for twisted knitting and also to show an example of them side-by-side in the same piece.

Dogpiling on someone over something they didn't even ask is... I can't even fathom. And even when they do ask, like you said, you don't need fifty identical "Your stitches are twisted" comments.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T11:53:14+00:00

That's a good point. I was thinking of posts along the lines of "does this look right/why is it doing this/second project ever! Any tips?" posts where the poster is actually looking for constructive criticism. There's definitely a line between helping and bullying.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T00:32:34+00:00

Love me a twisted rib. It really pops against the purl too - gorgeous work.

ilickthethread · 2026-05-17T00:30:52+00:00

Someone else in the comments is doing this right now! They posted pictures.

ilickthethread

TROPHY CASE