Knitting will TRANSFORM your personal style: how knitting made me buy less & love my outfits more
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- Опубліковано 5 гру 2023
- Hello Fiber Folks!!!
Welcome to part 2 of my knitting and personal style series. In this one, I talk more about the positive ways that knitting has transformed my personal style.
Let's keep the conversation going in the comment section!
Connect with me on...
Instagram / highfiberknits
Ravelry www.ravelry.com/projects/High...
Email highfiberknits@gmail.com
Some of the other creators I mentioned:
Alyssa Beltempo / @alyssabeltempo
Sustain This podcast / @sustainthis_podcast
I have just started knitting this year. I have been crocheting for several years and I have found that I do pay more attention to the content of my wardrobe pieces. My goal is to slowly create my entire wardrobe from sewing my own dresses to knitting the cardigan that goes over it. I find it to be a fulfilling expression that truly represents me. Thank you for your insight into your process as this helps me curate my wardrobe.
I love how many women I see having thoughts like this! Me included.
So many thoughts on this. As someone who is probably 2x+ your age, I understand what you’re going through. I figured out my style years ago (probably late 20’s/30’s) and have nailed down colours I like (neutrals - black, white, grey with pops of colour - usually red or fuschia) and that look good on me, styles I like (classics, minimal,relaxed) but still working on making those styling tweaks that elevate clothing to styling (like the example you used of showing off an underneath layer. (I follow Alyssa, Christina and Signe since i can learn from their styling and they speak to me). I don’t follow trends per se (Ranunculus will probably never be in my wardrobe - too fussy, lacy) but Petite Knits will be, because her style is more my style. I am concerned about the environment and how us knitters, sewers contribute to that (yarn and fabric do use resources to make) and try to balance that by thrifting (probably 80% of my wardrobe is thrifted and the other 20 is handmade,) although I did recently purchase new retail from fast fashion (Gap) but I expect will be in my wardrobe for years. No matter what I purchase, thrifted or new ,quality of construction and natural fibres are my priorities.
Don’t feel you need to continually have finished objects for your channel as I find that to be a turn off, if too much is being produced, I question whether the podcaster actually wears the items or just makes a lot of stuff. Sewing channels are the worst for this as sewing is much quicker than knitting and their closets must/are bursting - you cannot produce 50- 100+ items per year and actually wear all those items. The cost on the environment is huge and they are “fast fashion” even if they are making it at home. I much prefer intelligent conversations that get me thinking (such as this).
Thank you for this thoughtful comment! I agree that buying fast fashion can still be an intentional purchase that you can get a lot of wear from!
I appreciate your honest reflections on your style and knitting. I do think it’s fascinating- and you mentioned this-that when something isn’t “your” style, it’s uncomfortable to wear. I thought maybe that was just me. Thanks you for affirming that I’m not alone!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us.
It so nice to think along and then mull over all the ideas you shared. I live these videos of yours, please keep doing them.
I enjoy your content and inspo. Science is cool! Knitting changed my whole approach to dressing and style for the better.
I started knitting in the spring of 2022, and I’ve definitely noticed a change in my wardrobe. Now I only knit items that I know that I’ll wear and love 😊 I also very, very rarely shop fast fashion anymore as I notice that the quality isn’t very good and the range and selection is very limited
I really enjoyed this series. I’ve been trying to better define my own personal style and looking for ways for my knits can contribute. Thanks for articulating what I’ve been thinking about!
Loving your style of videos! Making me think deeper about my knitting!❤
I really liked this 2 part mini series! I’m a process knitter so it takes me a long time to get to the final product. So I tend to choose what I *know* I’ll wear and I alter the patterns to suit my needs. I’m into the formula but it’s not often I follow it exactly. I’m very busty with an 11” or so difference between my bust and waist, and a narrow under bust. I tend to really dislike “oversized” things because I can easily look swallowed up by a lot of fabric. I always add waist shaping, no matter the project, and I’m getting into adding “darts” and short rows to make room for/reduce where I find it most flattering.
I definitely have a personal style now and feel more comfortable with it in my 30’s than I did in my 20’s. We get a lot of experience/personal opinions as we grow up.
I’m a sewer because I’m a Burlesque Dancer (Scarlet Delirium) so sewing helps me save $$$ on custom costumes, and my day jobs in my 20’s were walking dogs and then working on film sets in the Costumes department. So a lot of my wardrobe was tactical, meant to keep me warm and dry OR super sparkily, I had no middle ground.
I moved into the office in my department and was able to focus on dressing how I liked. Jewel tones look good on me and I’m open to pretty much anything, the only thing that will keep me from styling something is if it doesn’t compliment my skin tone (I’ve got warm copper skin and tan easily because I’m Native), so certain tones of oranges/reds I watch out for and I almost never wear yellow.
I think just by the nature of my job I’ve developed an eye for dressing people and how clothes can really transform us. It’s super cool!
Anyways I love knitting 🥰 it’s so nice and chill (most of the time) and I’m actually planning a Photo shoot with all my knitwear a la Marilyn Monroe on the beach (they’re super cute photos).
Oh also I love this introspective look at your journey! It’s so neat to see your thought processes I’m into it!
I never thought I would hear “zone of proximal development” in a knitting video haha - I’m a fellow teacher that knits :)
I found myself reflecting and thinking whether how I've represented my preferences ring true still and then you mentioned me! 😆 TY
I feel a style change in my future as I'm entering a different mom phase. That means I may knit things I wouldn't have considered while my daughter was younger and/or I may wear some knits less than I used to - and I'm okay with that. Maybe I'll even knit some more trendy garments for the fun of it!
The fact that you have have shared these thoughts show that you are passionate about your impact (sustainability, content creation, etc) and the impact knitting has on you. I've never thought of you as someone who creates garments just for content btw. ❤
i think it's a tough balance between knitting things that are interesting to knit and knitting things that are going to last a long time! I dont know if there's a single answer that will work for everyone forever. I also think that the sheer volume of FOs that some people make are wayyyy bigger than others. As someone for whom knitting is one of several hobbies, by output for the whole year is: 3 mittens, 1 short sleeved sweater, 1 baby hat, 1 adult hat, and 1 big worsted weight sweater (wip).
And half of those are gifts! So a lot of the things i make don't stay in my wardrobe. Embrace the gift knit!! I'm planning to make a huge complicated cable cardigan for my mom next year in part because i already have a cabled cardigan and dont really need another.
Love love the idea of switching out your seasonal pieces to lessen the overall overwhelming feeling when looking at your closet and thinking "I don't have anything to wear" because I go through this all the time! I lived in Florida so the seasons are pretty much non-existent but now living in Pennsylvania I can agree that putting away my summer clothing is making it easier to look at my closet and also making me eager to wear my fav summer clothing again! So simple but such a great point!
I wouldn’t say that I’m a very fashionable person- I wear scrubs to work, don’t wear makeup much except for ballet performances, and hate wearing any pants that don’t stretch. But I am definitely a consumer of fashion like anyone else. Since starting to knit garments seriously about a year and a half ago I really have begun to be more conscious of how I dress myself, the quality of the other garments I buy, and styling of it. It’s getting to be a bit more fun for me!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on fashion and knitting, I appreciate the way you analyse the subject! Happy knitting! ☺️🧶
I’ll have to check out that podcast! It sounds interesting.
I feel like knitting has made me more aware of my personal style rather than just following trends. Though I do think trends are fun as well when they fit into your life/wardrobe.
Do you know Hannah Loise Posten here on the UA-cam’s? She’s mostly does beauty content but style too and it leans heavily towards the philosophical side of fashion and style. I highly recommend!
Thank you, so much, for this 2 part series. I found both parts very inspiring.it has helped me to be more self aware about my own fashion and knit wear choices.
Please, please, please continue to share styling content. This is my greatest challenge with knitting.
Enjoyed hearing your thoughts once again. Thank you for taking the time to put this type of content out there. I don’t want tv, instead listen/watch a lot of creators on UA-cam (knitting stitching etc) and I am enjoying the conversation you put out there. Gives me my moment to pause and reflect in between the hustle and bustle of look at this during this season.
Interesting thoughts. I can’t say I have a personal style. But I knit only what I love with yarns and colors that I love.
Layering the storm sweater with ditzy print looked great I really like how you layered the sheer top with brown with your cardigan in previous video.
I watch Alyssa and the sustain this podcast, and I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness in bringing this topic to the knitting world. I love exploratory conversations like this and think it absolutely has a place in our community, regardless if not everyone considers their wardrobe when knitting. It is totally valid to knit just for the process, but it is equally valid to be mindfully curating a wardrobe of pieces you love that fit your style. I think its kind of weird when people were discounting that thought process in your other video just because you were mentioning a different side of the coin. Its not like you were invalidating making just to make, just a difference perspective for those of us that are interested in the intersection of knitting and style. Thank you for bringing up this topics, I appreciate having someone in our community that enjoys having these discussions!
Thank you for this kindness! Although these videos are big “performing” videos on my channel, I have found conversations like this to be so fulfilling 🥰
This and the prior video were so refreshing. Yes, the pressure to produce FO's is real - why else would virtually every podcast feature them so prominently (and apologize when they have none). After all, the reason you all are called influencers is that you do affect peoples thought and behaviors -- like the endless neutral colors... (sigh). And that's the thing - knitting is so personal, it's really no place for conformity, yet you can't help getting that urge to fit in with what others are doing. Thanks for the honest and thought-provoking content - always enjoy your take on things.
I'm totally here for the electron cloud configuration and knitting combo!!
Oh me too! Loved that!
Haha I’m glad that landed well!
You are smart
So much to talk on this subject and knitting in general.
I've been a slow (when needed only)and happy knitter (and wearer of my knits) until I started following the podcasters. It's becoming disgusting...consumerism and mass production it is what they're doing. In a decade they will implode. 🎉 You are smart, and you can turn your podcast into a solid conversation. Thanks
In the season of Vlogmas, I am so happy to listen to your thoughts and reflections on knitting and style. I am not a fan of vlogmas…but I really like your more focused look at things we may not even consider! So thank you!
Thank you for this feedback! I’ve tried to vlog, but I much prefer being able to ramble with the camera going!
I would pair the Storm sweater with a crisp boiled wool vest in black. Nothing kitschy.
I started knitting a year ago because I wanted real sweaters that truly keep me warm - so I knitted several. Then came „me made may“ and I was wondering: Why do I buy cloth I don‘t like? Then I started to sew pants and jeans. My goal is only to buy socks (I‘m a nurse and really need socks that can be washed 60*C) and shoes. I want practical and „normal“ clothing that keeps me warm (I‘m lots outdoors), dry and don’t need to be „supervised“ how much/ where skin is shown. I want to be free in my clothes and they shall not came from plastic or slavery. I don’t mind waxing my outer layers or handwash certain things.
And of cause they need to be pretty as well. 😊
Wow that sounds like a lot of fiber arts accomplishments for a year! I hear you about the socks; I use yarns that I can for sure mashing wash in my knitted socks.
I missed part 1 but will definitely go back and take a look.
I've always have high regard for you, your knitting, and especially sense of style.
I completely relate to the insights you highlighted here on the ways knitting steers wardrobe decision making and self-awareness of personal style. You have put into words almost exactly the development of my experience and perspective that, I feel, I wasn't even wholly conscious of.
❤ Alyssa Beltempo, too, btw. I aspire to her example...but honestly...I'm not even close. 🤭
This is a very generous comment! I too aspire to the thoughtfulness of Alyssa; I definitely like to talk about my thoughts but am working on making it more second nature when it actually comes time to dress myself!
Very interesting content today. It gave me a moment for myself to reflect on my own knitting. I think I have been caught up in some of the 'hype' of knitting patterns, so not really thinking of the usefulness or suitability to my style hence I have a wardrobe of knits that really serve no purpose and certainly don't fit the climate of .. Australia!! I am now thinking more carefully about what I make and indeed stopped questioning the cost of preferred yarn, as it is always more expensive and I tend to ignore that now, luxuriating in creating items that I know I will get some significant wear out of and that suits me. Thanks again Emily - it does take some bravery and indeed challenge to open yourself up so much on UA-cam.
Thank you so much for this kind comment; I’m so grateful that I feel comfortable sharing on the internet (with boundaries of course)! I love the idea of allowing yourself to luxuriate. I definitely try to think of using a mix of different yarns in different price ranges, and sometimes I want to indulge in something special too!
Thanks for sharing I really love your content, both the regular podcast and this other types of videos. I hesitate to mention the one slightly negative comment I have for you. I have wavered back and forth but thought that I should message you in case it’s in your control and you wanted to change it. On the part one of this video you had such intense vocal fry that I speed you up x2 improve it. In this video you barely had it at all. I’m not sure if this is something that naturally happens if your voice is tired or if it’s something you’ve picked up socially. This is 100% my problem because it is a sound that triggers a response in me and I’m happy to continue speeding you up when I notice it. I only thought I might say something since it is less pronounced in certain instalments. I hope I didn’t offend you, I think you’re lovely. Best of the season to you.
Thanks for this feedback! It’s not something I’m aware I was doing, but I think I know what you mean! Your comment is no harm at all; my sensory sensitivities are also around sound, so I fully understand and appreciate your flexibility/commitment to still viewing 🥰🥰
This video was so refreshing! I love listening to people speak about knitting, but it doesn’t always have to be about finished objects. Also I’m a chemistry student so I love the Bohr model reference haha 💜
Haha I’m glad the example connected!