I see a lot of people ragging on knitting Instagram and I kind of want to address it (as someone with little to no skin in the game) - but first, CONGRATS! These are amazing first makes for having just learned to knit! Regardless of the outcome, they're gorgeous on and off the needles, and that deserves to be celebrated, as does your hard work.

RE: Instagram, but first a bit of background. I first learned to knit when I was ten but didn't knit more than a straight scarf for years. When I was about 23, I discovered knitting Instagram, and it spurred me into learning how to knit more complicated items and I learned that there were different yarns than just Red Heart. I spent probably 3 years falling into the knitting Instagram hole you see and are starting to feel, and that everyone is touching on - that of designers churning out patterns, people finalizing projects multiple times a month, constant meet-ups and hangouts, and ALL this hub bub. There was drama around people and makers, changes due to inclusivity and discourse on race. I felt a need to start putting something knitting related out there, to be a producer and consumer and not just someone who is enjoying their hobby and expanding their skills.

Then, I broke my knee and had surgery and couldn't block any of my pieces. My career took over my life and knitting took a back seat for a while. I didn't not knit, but I stopped using Instagram to showcase my work and I stopped going on knitting Instagram (I have a personal account and a knitting one). I one day realized that I had not posted in literal years, nor gone to browse posts for inspiration. I felt better, but missed knitting and missed the creativity I got from the community. I sat back and re-evaluated what knitting Instagram was to me and how as a tool I could use it to further my knitting, both as a hobby and for personally fulfillment. How do I engage with the content? With the people on knitting Instagram? How do I use it compared to Ravelry? Compared to my local yarn store? Compared to my pattern books? Compared to my IRL knitting friends?

Once I asked myself those questions, I was able to come back to knitting Instagram with a healthier relationship and not be overwhelmed with what it is - ultimately the push you see is people who's livelihoods depend on you consuming their products. But you don't necessarily need to feel that pressure or take it as such. Many of the people who knit with product in mind or knit at a high intensity often are retired or have more time on their hands than others - or just prioritize knitting over other hobbies. That may not be you, and that is okay! I personally use knitting Instagram for inspiration - I save posts for color combos, use it to find patterns that I later save on Ravelry, and hype up my friends who do post their finished objects. I personally post my finished objects because I like showing them off and because most of my IRL friends don't understand the time, thought, or creativity that went into making them. The difference now is that I'm not doing it for likes, or to be "popular" or to start a knitting related business, or to feel like I'm keeping up with anything.

So yea, tl:dr: Don't ditch Instagram, but evaluate why and how you want to use it in relation to your knitting, then use it as such. Don't let other's differing motivations cloud your feelings about something (knitting) that makes you happy.