Some days a reasonable cup of tea with a single tea bag is enough. And some days, like today, you open a tin of good Ceylon tea a friend sent you and make the whole tea pot. Today is that day for many reasons. Now I shall rant.
As you know, I’ve been working on a cowl/hood thing for my husband. It’s turned to be huge and labor intensive. I could’ve finished a sweater by now. I am nearing the end, however, and so a few days ago, I was puzzled when I found it on the floor and this little zaraza sitting on it.
Long story short, I had to frog (unravel) about 12 rows. Then yesterday I realized that when I picked up the stitches late at night after unfrogging, I messed up and my cable became 7 stitches wide instead of 8. And I had knitted another ten rows, so I had to frog that.
In the process I lost my stitch markers. Stitch markers are little metal or plastic loops that you thread on the needle so you can easily keep up with the pattern without counting stitches all the time.
Since things went rather poorly, I decided to do a little shopping therapy and buy some super cute stitch markers. I found adorable stitch markers on Etsy, but everything I wanted was in UK and the shipping cost as much as the markers.
I didn’t like the US markers, so I decided it couldn’t be that hard to make my own. I googled how to make your own stitch markers and came up with this video.
Now this lady is probably a very nice lady and she is probably just trying to entertain her viewers and get the maximum ad placement from YouTube, and I am grateful for the tutorial and also I am mean, but holy hell, this is a 20 minute video.
Let me save you 18 minutes: you need beading wire, colorful beads, wire cutters, little tiny metal crimping beads and crimping tool that you can buy at Michaels or online. You make a loop with the wire large enough for your needle, thread a crimping bead on it, and squish it with a tool. The bead binds the wire together. Add your beads, put the second crimping bead on, squish, cut the ends. Done.
How did this become 20 minutes?
Lately every tutorial on Youtube is 10 minutes long. If I am playing Assassin Creed Odyssey and googling how to kill a guy in Thebes, I end up with a roster of videos titled “How to kill the guy in Thebes.” The first video starts in Athens. The second video shows the character hunting wolves. The third one starts on a separate quest. I just want to murder a politician in Thebes! That’s all I want. I don’t need a ten minute tour of ancient Greece.
I realize I am complaining about free tutorials, and I do not repent. When I watch The Knit Girrls podcast, I want to be entertained, so if they go off into the woods, I am totally there for it. When I am accessing tutorials, I am looking for specific information. If I look up how to knit a particular stitch, and the video starts with “Wut R Needles?” I am going to look for a new one or fast forward. Because life is short. So there.
I’ve gotten it off my chest now.
Happy to pay back the Authorlords hard work by forwarding any UK orders you want.. I’m also a paperclip stitch marker fan! Or cufflinks, plaiting bands, wineglass charms, key fobs, -honestly anything really..
What great ideas! I’ve not thought of doing something so simple. Well, I’ve learned something new today, I can go back to bed! ?
The worst thing for me when looking for crochet videos are the ones where the lady has to tell you about her nail polish first! Ugh!!! Who knew so many people thought I cared??!!
+1
The ringlets/ringers stichmarkers from knitifacts are the bomb.
Thank you Amanda!
OMG. Yes. YOU CAN REWIND, PEOPLE! You don’t need to show every step in excruciating detail 15 times. Or show me how to cast on when I am just trying to remember how TF to do a wrap-and-turn. Just assume I’m at the part where I need to start my wrap and turn and START THERE.
And the AC Odyssey videos?! WTAF?! I bought ACO for my husband for Christmas and he plays while I sit and point out stuff he missed or look up complicated bits. Where are the simple walkthrough posts with text and pics? Or the 15-second videos showing you exactly where the stupid artifact is? I don’t WANT to see you do 5 side-quests when all I need is the location of the ainigmata ostraka!
I need some tea.
I know when it is a big game that I am playing, I usually use the complete game walkthrough guides on a site like Wiki. There will be 3-4 sites you can find easily with Google and they normally have subsections for almost everything. So you just find a link to your section, and follow it down to what you are looking for. That is how I find out how to solve a puzzle door in Skyrim, what I need to do to find a rare item, etc.
I’m always grateful to the person (usually the most upvoted comment) who has said something like:
“17.37 YW”
I really appreciate those guys!
I make my own stitch markers with jump rings, beads and a little glue based on this tutorial: https://megmadewithlove.com/blog-2/2017/12/22/make-your-own-stitch-markers-super-easy
You don’t need all those special tools, needle nose pliers work just fine.
I know what you mean by youtube videos. I often use youtube to supplement my teaching and between long videos and strange accents, sometimes it takes forever to find a decent one!
Hang in there 🙂
Look at that sweet kitty face!! He wouldn’t ever mess with your knitting. It must be one of the granddogs!!
I found a beautiful cable knit scarf I started years ago and could no longer remember how I did it. Got so frustrated with the YouTube videos for the same reason… and sometimes (not their fault) the voice of the person is like fingernails on chalkboard.
I love this cat… the internet says zaraza means contagion in Russian… ? I love the little blue blanket. I feel for you and also that sweet smoosh face…
Thank you for the vent
It feels good to have it said
Instead
Of random mutterings weeks in a row
YouTube Desktop has a video play speed setting in 1.25, 1.5, 2.0x etc. Excellent way to speed things up while still getting the content if you process a bit faster than they’re talking or showing. Podcast apps usually have the same feature.
I’m a fan of the clover coil-less stitch marker “Locking Stitch Marker” for DK and above https://www.clover-usa.com/en/knitting-and-crochet/140-locking-stitch-marker.html?search_query=stitch+marker&results=18 since I can use them to hold a stitch if I need to, mark a row/decrease/increase several rows down, hold edges together for seaming, and don’t worry about shoving them in with my projects into a bag for transport. They have a new type which can also be used open https://www.clover-usa.com/en/knitting-and-crochet/647-quick-locking-stitch-marker-set-.html?search_query=stitch+marker&results=18
They aren’t the cutest but they are pretty visible and don’t wind up on the wrong side of my knits. There are large ones for bulky. Lace weight, I go with slim soft O type markers so it doesn’t impact tension between stitches. I have cute stitch markers, I just don’t use them thanks to the general utility of the locking type.
A woman after my own heart. Quit the yammering,and get to the point already! And please make sure the camera actually shows,ehat you’re doing and not your new nail polish. Shssh.
Best stitch markers I’ve ever found are the different colored fings used to make chail mail jewelry. They come omin different sizes and colors so work for lace to bulky projects. The different colors let you color code your work, especially if it has pattern repeats, and pattern changes. I find charms just get caught in my work so I avoid them, but can be easily added as you wish.
“I just want to murder a politician in Thebes.” BWAHAHA!!! That line made my day, thank you! 🙂
I love your writing
I love your ranting
.?♥.
Ugh, I always go for text tutorials when possible for this very reason! I also hate it when YouTubers tell me to like and subscribe before they even get to the content. How do I know if I like your video? I’m only 20 seconds in!