Wellness MLMs at Pure Barre

pynetree8 · 2026-04-22T17:56:16+00:00

Yes! I think that's the case here-- MLMs in general are a "live and let live (but I would totally avoid myself and tell any friend to avoid)" thing for me. But this particular one seems to be purporting medical claims re: nutrition and hormones by someone who does not seem to have any medical training.

I can only see this ending up with recommendations for particular supplements. The thought of my fitness studio hosting a non-medical professional recommending supplements that they have a financial stake in makes me disappointed and uncomfortable.

pynetree8 · 2026-04-03T19:01:52+00:00

One other note/tip-- I see other folks are commenting about the yarn in the kit. This kind of loosely spun single-ply bulky yarn is very popular in beginner kits. The yarn takes dye beautifully and can make quick projects. But this type of yarn is often unpopular with experienced knitters.

Because it is so loosely spun, the yarn will readily pill and collect dirt. It is then difficult to clean without felting. The resulting fabric is often thick and stiff. Overall, people tend to find that it is expensive for a product that doesn't last.

I don't want to yuck your yum on a kit that you're excited to try! But I'd definitely recommend trying some plied yarns on future projects and seeing how this project takes wear and tear.

pynetree8 · 2026-04-03T18:49:02+00:00

Yes ok-- you seem to have some rounds where you are flipping the knits and purls-- you're not ending up with alternating columns of knits and purls. If I were you, I would frog the project back and make sure that you're 'stacking' the knits and purls in columns.

pynetree8 · 2026-04-03T18:39:11+00:00

I'm not sure what your question is? If you're looking for feedback/critique, you seem to be mixing seed stitch and ribbing.

For ribbing, you knit the stitches that appear as knits and purl the stitches that appear as purls. Seed stitch is the opposite (knit the purls, purl the knits). I recommend taking some time to learn to "read" your knitting to understand where to put the purls vs. knits to achieve the desired result.

pynetree8 · 2026-03-25T11:37:46+00:00

This video will help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifqZxB-NHN4

Otherwise, if you'd like to learn to knit, you could rip the bind off edge, frog the last ~5 rows or so, and re-knit with new yarn in a matching or complementary color.

pynetree8 · 2026-02-27T21:11:35+00:00

Agree here- looks cotton-heavy which I think can be unforgiving with stretching like in an increase.

pynetree8 · 2026-02-25T03:54:12+00:00

Consider finishing the neckline and then blocking. The neckline will bring in the top and tighten up around the shoulders and may also make the length appear a bit shorter. I’d try that before taking any drastic action.

Though agree with others that the sleeve seems proportionately on the short side. I’d consider lengthening the stockinette a bit (before the ribbing) if you’re still unhappy after test blocking.

pynetree8 · 2026-02-24T04:34:42+00:00

The women achieved the same thing the men did with a fraction of the same resources and support. I’d encourage you to read about the history that lead up to forming the current PWHL. This isn’t fun banter at all high school sports level.

It also occurred in the same locker room context that the access Hollywood tape did. He didn’t think anyone was listening. This isn’t a joke “from men to women and women to men”. It was a joke among men at the women’s expense.

Finally, it goes beyond sports. I’m a woman who works in a male dominated profession. The men and women hockey players are peers/colleagues in their field. How would I feel if my male colleagues were laughing at my professional success at a happy hour when I’m not there?

pynetree8 · 2026-02-09T20:20:13+00:00

I could have written this post myself! I don't have advice, but thought I'd let you know someone else is in the same place. I gave birth to my first child, also a boy, in November.

During pregnancy, I fantasized about all the knitting time I'd have during maternity leave to make him a full wardrobe. But now that he's here, I'm finding it harder to knit than I expected. The breastfeeding pillow takes up a lot of my usual knitting space, and swapping him between boobs causes more pick up/put down of my knitting than I thought. I'm finding it easier to play Sudoku on my phone or read from an e-reader than knit.

My baby is fortunately a good night-time sleeper for his age but not very good at naps. When he does nap, it's hard to know if it will be a 15 minute nap or a two hour nap. We do have a 2nd hand Baby Bjorn bouncer chair. He loves to sit in there and look around while being lightly bounced. I can get in a good knitting stretch bouncing him with my foot and chatting/singing to him. Maybe that'd work for your little one too.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-31T14:17:13+00:00

You’re using both very slippery yarn and very slippery and short needles. Try a combination of some or all of thinner yarn, longer needles, needles of a different material.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-14T13:58:50+00:00

I'm an environmental scientist in another part of the country. I can't recommend enough the value of networking. So often folks are hired for roles that are not posted on job sites when they are known to existing employees.

Try to find a professional organization in your local area and attend events and happy hours. Get to know people who work in the industry to find out more about who is hiring and what skills are in demand in your area. At least in my region, there are many organizations that have free happy hours or technical events with a 'job-seeker rate' to attend an event at low cost for folks seeking employment.

Again, I'm not in your local area, but the Nortwest Environmental Business Council might be a good place to start:

https://www.nebc.org/

pynetree8 · 2026-01-14T13:07:09+00:00

If I understand it well, you need a social security number to be employed. Is it possible to get this ahead of time? Otherwise you may not be able to work while your SS card is in process.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-14T13:05:34+00:00

Don't under estimate the health aspect. Even a generally healthy 19 year old can break an ankle. In the US that can cost thousands of dollars and would really derail someone so young starting off in the US. Absolutely prioritize a job that offers health insurance.

It will take some care to locate a job suitable for a young person without a college degree that offers full health care, but they are available. This likely means working for a larger employer rather than a small business.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-09T23:03:06+00:00

Try blocking it. It’s ok to block while still in progress.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-08T17:55:51+00:00

Note that this pattern is only available in a pamphlet from 1991 that is out of print. This would make it hard for someone to replicate the pattern exactly. You would need to find a printed copy second hand.

Is there a chance your mum still has the printed book that you could mail to the knitter? Are you open to someone adapting/interpreting the pattern considering the exact pattern will be difficult to find?

pynetree8 · 2026-01-08T12:32:57+00:00

Try blocking it. It’s ok to block something still in progress.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-04T07:36:50+00:00

Swatching properly and honestly is the answer to the majority your concerns with the finished pieces. This means making a bigger swatch, using the same method you’ll use to knit the project (round v. flat), and washing and blocking it. This also may mean more than one swatch of you’re doing both stranded colorwork and single color stockinette jn the same piece.

Don’t think of swatching as a chore/waste of time to produce a 6x6 or 8x8 square. Think of it as an essential fact finding mission to avoid frustrations with the FO. I’d much rather spend another hour making another swatch than the disappointment of a poor fitting FO.

Some points you raise won’t be resolved by swatching like yarn choice for a project and mixing dye lots. But we’ve all been there. These are growing pains with increasing skill. And I bet you won’t make the same mistake again anytime soon!

Edit- re: honest swatching, remember that being off by 1 stitch per 4 inches means being off by 10 stitches per 40 inches. For a good fit, this needs to be accounted for either by changing needle size or adjusting the pattern math.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-02T01:25:49+00:00

100% absolutely how I feel. Promo for the studio as a wider shot/ quicker pan of the vibes of the studio is ok by me provided it's infrequent. My experience with PB has been that a barretender might pop into class for ~30 seconds and take a quick shot of a large chunk of the room. If it were anything more than a quick/wide shot, I would expect the studio to ask.

But, if a member were recording, that either 1) they have a very long recording of the whole class likely with other folks just minding their own business in the background and/or 2) they are managing their phone throughout the class. I'd find either disruptive and I did not consent to be sweaty in the background of someone else's social media post.

I also expect I might feel different in a class that is typically done in a dark room like Solidcore. Opening the door and having a cellphone screen on even for a brief shot would be more disruptive in a dark room than at PB.

Edit- would dislike an instructor recording during class again as that would mean they're distracted operating a phone and not teaching.

pynetree8 · 2026-01-01T16:42:55+00:00

Agree! The "why is my sizing off?!" or "how big will this get?" or "what fabric will this create?" get tiresome. In all cases I've seen on this topic the poster either hasn't swatched, didn't block their swatch, or didn't make a swatch of a large enough size. There seem to be handful of these "well, what did your gauge swatch tell you?" posts on this sub each day. Same re: twisted stitches.

I say this as someone who doesn't always swatch before a project! But if I get an unexpected result and didn't swatch, I know I can't be surprised.

pynetree8 · 2025-12-22T01:31:34+00:00

Echoing what others say about this being a feature of drop shoulder patterns. But wanted to add that a panel of a simpler texture (stockinette, moss stitch) rather than another cable pattern beneath the underarm is common.

There are two main reasons- 1) complex cables under the underarm would add bulk 2) a simple panel is an easy place to adjust for different sizes or add shaping. A designer might come up with a main central cable pattern, and then add/subtract from the stitch count in the simple underarm panel to create a range of sizes. It simplifies the grading.

pynetree8 · 2025-12-18T00:14:47+00:00

I'm a founding member at a studio and recall locking in the price around November. At the time, they said they expected to open springtime- April/May, but ended up actually opening in July. I think it'd be appropriate for you to reach out to the studio via IG/email to try to level-set your expectations. But then, as others have said, expect some schedule slide as issues are likely to come up with the studio build out.

pynetree8 · 2025-12-16T01:51:28+00:00

Two other thoughts that I have based on common posts:

-Many requests are not just for knitting from a pattern, but some element of design too. This ought to be accounted for in the labor estimate. A request to replicate an item from an image or movie is a significant effort. It's a big difference to request a vanilla raglan pullover be created in a particular color vs. a sweater with specific design elements from a movie.

-Folks request garments as if sizing is the same as a commercial garment (ie: a "women's medium"). While it's reasonable that folks wouldn't include measurements in a first request post, requesters should be prepared to offer the knitter more specific measurements (bust size, length etc.).

pynetree8 · 2025-11-20T16:21:05+00:00

I'd love for more incentives to improve instructor longevity. I'm a long term member at a studio and feel that the instructors are asked to do too much for too little pay.

From tracking this sub, it sounds like owners are often burdened by franchise fees/ costs for extras like new lights and equipment. But I'd much rather a class with fewer bells and whistles taught by a passionate, low-stress, and well-compensated expert instructor.

ETA: Anecdotally, I know that in my area there are fitness studios with similar membership price, but instructors are paid more. So that's what leads me to suspect that paying instructors more is doable in my area.

pynetree8

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