When two worlds collide and knit
June 5, 2013 7:16 AM Subscribe
What happens when knitting invades a subculture? Well, when country & western types take up knitting, they write a hurtin', knittin' ballad about it, entitled "Pardon Me (I didn't knit that for you)". When a couple of goodfellas learn the ins and outs of knitting, they make sure the new guy who wants in is ready for it. When knitting gang members are challenged by a rival, they have an epic one-on-one battle for supremacy.
The country western song was awesome sauce and I will share that with all of my knitters. The rest, eh, they were ok.
(and frankly, La Knitterie Parisienne is not my favorite LYS by a mile. They're really snobby there.)
posted by Sophie1 at 7:38 AM on June 5, 2013
(and frankly, La Knitterie Parisienne is not my favorite LYS by a mile. They're really snobby there.)
posted by Sophie1 at 7:38 AM on June 5, 2013
I like the oh-so-tasteful yarn arrangement on the mantlepiece behind Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner in their "Pardon Me" music video.
posted by orange swan at 7:59 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by orange swan at 7:59 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
That Thug Knitt is all wrong. ALL. WRONG. Never mind the fact that they're using Red Heart: that beer cozy, which is laughably ill-sized, is CROCHETED.
If you look carefully (as confirmed by my esteemed fellow kniterata jacquilynne), the lady in question does seem to be using a crochet hook in the throwdown. A crochet-vs.-knit battle does make sense (although we all know who would really win, amirite?). But it is not mentioned and is thus misleading.
The horror.
The horror.
posted by Madamina at 8:01 AM on June 5, 2013 [5 favorites]
If you look carefully (as confirmed by my esteemed fellow kniterata jacquilynne), the lady in question does seem to be using a crochet hook in the throwdown. A crochet-vs.-knit battle does make sense (although we all know who would really win, amirite?). But it is not mentioned and is thus misleading.
The horror.
The horror.
posted by Madamina at 8:01 AM on June 5, 2013 [5 favorites]
P.S. You want a beer cozy? This is how we do it in Wisconsin, buckos. RIP, Dave Helgesen.
posted by Madamina at 8:05 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Madamina at 8:05 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
OK, Madamina, you do not want to get started on the crochet v. knit argument.
DO YOU? Because I will THROW. DOWN.
posted by Sophie1 at 8:10 AM on June 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
DO YOU? Because I will THROW. DOWN.
posted by Sophie1 at 8:10 AM on June 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
IT'S TIME TO THROW DOWN. The crochet hook.
posted by orange swan at 8:13 AM on June 5, 2013
posted by orange swan at 8:13 AM on June 5, 2013
5 roses, 5 minutes, you knit, I crochet. GO.
posted by Sophie1 at 8:14 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 8:14 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
That's not a real test. The best test is, we both make a sweater (you crochet, I knit) and we see which one drapes better.
posted by orange swan at 8:17 AM on June 5, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 8:17 AM on June 5, 2013 [9 favorites]
Of course the knit sweater drapes better - but crochet IS better than knitting for other things. (BTW, I'm also a knitter, but have crocheted since I was 7 so I am just a much more proficient crocheter. Also, not actually serious about the throwdown....though we could totally do it better than Thug Knitt)
posted by Sophie1 at 8:22 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Sophie1 at 8:22 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Damn, Sophie1. I got my blood up and was all FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT and then you got all conciliatory.;-)
I too knit and crochet, though I am much better at the former. Yes, knitting is better for wearable garments, while crocheting is better for decorative purposes such as making flowers, and for finishing details such as edgings.
posted by orange swan at 8:27 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
I too knit and crochet, though I am much better at the former. Yes, knitting is better for wearable garments, while crocheting is better for decorative purposes such as making flowers, and for finishing details such as edgings.
posted by orange swan at 8:27 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Crochet is better for baby blankets that you start when the mom is 7.5 months pregnant and you're all "oh snap I'd better get on that."
posted by Madamina at 8:28 AM on June 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Madamina at 8:28 AM on June 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
Pfft. Knit, crochet, whatever. You people with your fancy-pants factory-made yarns. Call me when you REALLY want to throw down - we'll start with a freshly-naked & somewhat bewildered sheep and I'll even let you cheat and use a spinning wheel, instead of a stick & a rock like real spinners use.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 8:55 AM on June 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 8:55 AM on June 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
I will be by your side, sophie1. With my bandoleer of HOOKS.
HOOKA 4 LYF
posted by bibliogrrl at 8:55 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
HOOKA 4 LYF
posted by bibliogrrl at 8:55 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Why can't we just get along? (And make fun of people who still do macrame...)
posted by rikschell at 9:04 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by rikschell at 9:04 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm going to wait for Ravelry to tell me what to think.
Given the pagan associations of 'revelry', I wonder whether I'll hear about a Christian-leaning 'Ravelations' alternative one of these days.
posted by jamjam at 9:04 AM on June 5, 2013
Given the pagan associations of 'revelry', I wonder whether I'll hear about a Christian-leaning 'Ravelations' alternative one of these days.
posted by jamjam at 9:04 AM on June 5, 2013
We need a MeFi Stitch n' Bitch.
posted by Sophie1 at 9:24 AM on June 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 9:24 AM on June 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
Hey, crocheted sweaters can drape as well as any knit. Just pick your pattern, yarn, and gauge accordingly.
Hooker [sweatermaker] pride!
posted by asperity at 9:34 AM on June 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hooker [sweatermaker] pride!
posted by asperity at 9:34 AM on June 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
YO YO HOOKER SUPREMACY
posted by Mizu at 9:58 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 9:58 AM on June 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
I think I saw a clip from that on RedTube, Mizu.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:14 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:14 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Now now, folks, Franklin Habit wonders why can't we all just get along?
posted by Gordafarin at 12:18 PM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Gordafarin at 12:18 PM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Careful Clavicle, you could martyr someone with those.
Also who needs a rock? I just need a pointed stick.
posted by Gordafarin at 12:20 PM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also who needs a rock? I just need a pointed stick.
posted by Gordafarin at 12:20 PM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Gordafarin - I had no idea one of the saints was martyred with combs. If I had known that back when I was spinning, I would have named my wheel "Blaze".
Thanks for the link!
posted by Sophie1 at 1:23 PM on June 5, 2013
Thanks for the link!
posted by Sophie1 at 1:23 PM on June 5, 2013
OK, what's wrong with Red Heart? I ask because I have a subscription to Crochet Today" and all their projects use it. And you can't get it here - I've been trying to match colours for a blanket I'm making which involves a continuous spectrum, and the budget acrylic (made by reputable names, not the ultra-cheap no-brand stuff which shreds) is still $4 a ball for 100g here.
posted by mippy at 7:57 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by mippy at 7:57 AM on June 6, 2013
Also, in London the only physical yarn stores tend to stock the most high-end wools, which I'm too nervous to use as a beginner. There's one near my office, Loop, which does gorgeous yarns but I can't bring myself to pay £18 per skein, and even John Lewis in the centre only seems to stock Rowan and Debbie Bliss now.
I miss when I was going to Reading each weekend to see my SO and had access to an old-fashioned department store which did full ranges of Robin, Wendy and Patons as well as cross-stitch threads.
posted by mippy at 8:00 AM on June 6, 2013
I miss when I was going to Reading each weekend to see my SO and had access to an old-fashioned department store which did full ranges of Robin, Wendy and Patons as well as cross-stitch threads.
posted by mippy at 8:00 AM on June 6, 2013
Nothing is intrinsically wrong with Red Heart. Someone upthread was just being snobby about their yarn choices. There is a whole thing in the knitting/crochet/fiber arts communities about fancy natural yarns v. acrylic mass market yarns, but if you like using what you're using, don't listen to the haters.
posted by Sophie1 at 10:21 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by Sophie1 at 10:21 AM on June 6, 2013
I am snobby about Red Heart, but I also am ohhhhhh so well aware of the acrylic v. naturals war. KathrynT and I met while moderating the Knitting community on LJ before Ravelry came around.
Personally, I think that tons of other yarns beat Red Heart on price, quality, durability, etc., but whatever floats yer boat. Red Heart is perfectly wonderful for yarnbombing.
As long as it's not Lion Homespun *shudder* I practically gave myself carpal tunnel with that stuff.
posted by Madamina at 12:06 PM on June 6, 2013
Personally, I think that tons of other yarns beat Red Heart on price, quality, durability, etc., but whatever floats yer boat. Red Heart is perfectly wonderful for yarnbombing.
As long as it's not Lion Homespun *shudder* I practically gave myself carpal tunnel with that stuff.
posted by Madamina at 12:06 PM on June 6, 2013
mippy: "I miss when I was going to Reading each weekend to see my SO and had access to an old-fashioned department store which did full ranges of Robin, Wendy and Patons as well as cross-stitch threads."
Jackson's is closing this winter :(
I'm sure I remember John Lewis having some King Cole or Robin or something acrylic. But I do very little yarn shopping at B&Ms these days - mainly online or at festivals.
posted by Gordafarin at 1:27 AM on June 8, 2013
Jackson's is closing this winter :(
I'm sure I remember John Lewis having some King Cole or Robin or something acrylic. But I do very little yarn shopping at B&Ms these days - mainly online or at festivals.
posted by Gordafarin at 1:27 AM on June 8, 2013
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I'm going to wait for Ravelry to tell me what to think.
Because knitting.
posted by Mezentian at 7:26 AM on June 5, 2013 [4 favorites]