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Hey there, you're on besties. 
Jeffrey Hovie here and you are 

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listening to skiing and tell the
podcast that unravels it all. 

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Today's episode, we are breaking
free. 

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No rules, no row counts, no 
stitch police. 

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It's time to talk about 
freestyle knitting and crochet. 

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So if you've ever looked at a 
pile of yarn and thought, I 

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don't know what I'm making but 
I'm making something, then 

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Congrats, you're already part of
the freestyle club. 

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Now freestyle crafting is all 
about ditching the pressure of 

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perfection and embracing the 
wild, weird and wonky stitches 

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that come from trusting your 
instincts. 

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So whether you're yarn doodling 
on a funky hat or intuitively 

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shaping a wearable BLOB, we've 
all been there. 

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Today we're diving into making 
something totally your own. 

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No Fear, no frogging. 
Or maybe a little frogging, but 

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no rules but your own. 
So what is freestyle crafting, 

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really? 
Freestyle crochet and knitting 

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live somewhere between full cart
and fiber rebellion. 

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It's patternless, it is 
spontaneous and sometimes a 

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little chaotic, you know, but 
it's always full of personality.

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There's no road map here, no 
PDF, no. 

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Oh, you forgot to yarn over on 
row 12. 

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No, there is only working from 
feel, you know, working from 

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texture and shape and vibe. 
So you might start crocheting a 

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poncho in the round, but then 
somehow ending crocheting in the

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flat. 
Why not? 

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You might need a shawl that 
changes stitch pattern every six

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inches just because your brain 
gets bored. 

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You might combine thirteen types
of yarns and then that's it. 

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And that is it, you know, it's 
art, it's playfulness, it's 

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crafting without fear of messing
up. 

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And honestly, that is where the 
magic actually happens. 

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So let's talk about why it 
matters. 

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Because yes, patterns. 
I mean, don't get me wrong, 

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patterns are wonderful, but they
also come with a set of rules, a

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set of expectations that can 
definitely feel limiting, 

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especially if you're burned out,
if you are struggling with 

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perfectionism, if you're not 
feeling inspired to keep going, 

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if you are a beginner and the 
pattern might seem a little bit 

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too difficult. 
Or if you've started the 

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pattern, you got excited at the 
beginning and then the 

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excitement just fell out. 
And now that whip has been 

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sitting in a basket next to the 
open window and moths are 

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really, really having a fine 
dine experience with it. 

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Because that's my situation 
right now, by the way. 

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And that is when that is when it
could actually be a good option 

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to consider freestyling, You 
know, freestyling helps with 

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creative burnout because there's
no pressure. 

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There's just plain, it helps 
with confidence because you 

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learn to trust your hands and 
your intuition, and it also 

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helps with innovation. 
So a lot of new stitches, a lot 

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of new techniques and also 
styles were born out of oopsies.

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Plus, not all of us want to 
count. 

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Not all of us want to gauge 
Swatch. 

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Some of us just want to start 
crocheting a square and then end

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up with a hat or a bowl or a 
weird little pouch that we sew 

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onto an old vest. 
This is a judgement free zone. 

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So how do you start freestyling 
without panicking? 

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So here's my 3 tips on how to 
dip your toes into freestyle 

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fiber. 
Fun step number one is to start 

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small or on a project that 
you've kind of given up on. 

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Grab a scrap ball and just make 
something. 

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You know, don't worry about the 
end goal. 

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Just make a shape, a BLOB, a 
squiggle, whatever you want. 

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Do not think about what this is 
going to end up being. 

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Or also grab an old project you 
know that you've kind of given 

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up on. 
Make a few rows in a different 

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stitch on it. 
And Speaking of stitch, that's 

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my tip #2 work with texture. 
So try combining stitches 

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without a plan. 
Go from a single crochet to 

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baubles. 
Add a rib. 

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Go from cables to stocking net. 
If cables a cable sweater is 

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getting or too tedious, see what
happens. 

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And my tip #3 is to keep a 
freestyle sketchbook, and I'm 

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calling it a sketchbook. 
You can also obviously call it a

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little notepad or so. 
And this is not for perfection. 

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This is just to note down what 
stitches you liked, you know, 

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what shapes you tried out or 
what accidental genius you 

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stumbled upon and think, you 
know, think crafting diary. 

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Basically, crafting diary meets 
chaotic lab notes. 

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Yeah. 
So give it a shot and see what 

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you end up with. 
It's weird yarn Monday and today

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we are diving into a yarn that 
is quite tropical. 

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I would say meat coconut yarn, 
Yes, the yarn made from hairy 

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husks of coconuts, because 
apparently in the fiber world, 

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no fruit is safe. 
We already covered banana fiber 

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yarn. 
We already covered pineapple 

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yarn. 
Now we're doing coconut yarn. 

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We also did milk fiber yarn, 
which basically means that if we

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crochet or knit with all of 
these fibers together, we can 

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make a pina colada project. 
And yes, that was the worst joke

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I ever made. 
You don't have to laugh. 

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It's fine. 
I'm not laughing. 

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So let's go back to coconuts. 
All right, so coconut coir is a 

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fibrous material between kind of
like the outer shell and the 

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inner fruit of the coconut. 
You've probably seen it in 

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doormats. 
You've seen it maybe even in 

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scrubbing brushes. 
But crafty rebels decided, hey, 

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what if we also made yarn out of
this? 

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And now here we are. 
So let's break it down. 

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Rough, rustic, scratchier than 
all yarns you can never imagine.

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This yarn is definitely not for 
cozy, you know, couch snuggles. 

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It's more of a tough love kind 
of fiber, you know, Think 

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exfoliating while you stitch. 
Imagine making yourself a pair 

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of socks, though. 
Sleep with them overnight, and 

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then in the morning you wake up 
with fresh feet. 

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OK, all right, OK, all right, 
let's get serious. 

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Here it is. 
It's a super durable, actually 

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mold resistant and biodegradable
yarn. 

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So while you probably don't want
to make, like I said, a baby 

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blanket with it, you could 
probably crochet a really, 

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really beautiful plant hanger 
or, you know, a rugged market 

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tote bag or the chicest 0 waste 
scrubby pad your sink has ever 

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seen. 
So coconut yarn is a waste, not 

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want, not icon. 
It turns what would normally be 

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a coconut trash into coconut 
treasure, you know, and since 

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it's naturally tough, no plastic
blends are actually needed. 

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So what would I use this for? 
I mean, you know, like I 

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mentioned, of course you can 
make a beautiful plan hanger, a 

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nice scrubby pad for your sink, 
but also macrame, you know, 

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macrame is the way to go. 
Outdoor decor because it holds 

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up and like we said, mold 
resistance. 

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So if it rains or it gets wet or
moisty, it's totally fine. 

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Coasters, placemats, even bath 
scrubbies actually, I really, 

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really think could make also a 
great cut scratcher. 

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Imagine making yourself like, 
you know, making your Kitty a 

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nice little scratching pull out 
of it. 

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Use it everywhere where you need
that scrubby texture. 

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So there you have it. 
Coconut yarn, the exfoliator 

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overachiever of the fiber world.
Not soft, not cuddly, but wildly

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sustainable and totally fabulous
if you're feeling bold and 

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extra. 
So if you've ever looked at a 

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coconut and thought, you know, 
hmm, yarn, I mean, you're not 

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alone. 
Maybe next week we're going to 

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cover yarn made from fermented 
soybean. 

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I'm just joking. 
Or am I? 

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But bestie, welcome to the 
Pattern Breakers Club trademark,

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where we ask not what yarn 
should I use, but what rules 

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should I destroy today? 
So let's try and freestyle a 

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sweater or learn the basics of 
how to freestyle a sweater. 

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OK, sounds chaotic, I know, but 
it's actually a magical mix of 

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strategy of sketching and a 
little bit of gut feeling. 

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So here's how to break down a 
sweater so that you can actually

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rebuild it your own way. 
Whether you're remixing a 

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pattern that you bought and 
you're kind of like not really 

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happy with it or you are making 
it up from scratch. 

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Step one is to understand the 
anatomy of a sweater. 

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So you have to think like a 
tailor before you actually think

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like a yarn gremlin. 
So most sweaters have these 

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basic parts. 
It has body, sleeves, neckline 

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and the details, which is hem 
cuffs in color. 

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So the body obviously is made 
from front and back, sometimes 

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actually in one piece if you're 
knitting in the round, then has 

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the sleeves. 
These can be set in. 

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These can be drop shoulder or 
made from Raglan construction. 

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The neckline, it can be a crew, 
it can be AV boat, turtleneck, 

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you name it. 
And then the details, the hem, 

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the cuffs and the color. 
These are usually ripped or some

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kind of edging. 
OK, know these parts and then 

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you can start playing with them 
like Lego bricks. 

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Step 2 is to choose your 
construction style. 

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So each construction methods has
its own freestyle vibes. 

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We have a top down Raglan now. 
These are great for trying on as

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you go and adjusting the length 
or width while you are basically

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making it. 
Then you have the button mop. 

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Now these are super super super 
easy to Swatch for and to work 

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in pieces. 
Then you have side to side. 

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Super funky, perfect for playing
with stripes or with color 

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blocks and eventually modular or
granny square style. 

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This is basically building it 
out of squares or building it 

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out of hexes or other motifs. 
You know 0 shaping stress there.

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For my own experience, I think 
that top down is your BFF if you

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want to wing it but still stay 
kind of like in control. 

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Also because it's easier when 
you want to start from pattern 

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and then kind of adjust it and 
remix it to make it your own. 

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Now Step 3 is swatching. 
Now, Freestylers, I'm so sorry, 

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babies, but you will have to 
Swatch. 

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It is not about, you know, 
making the perfect Swatch. 

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It's just to give yourself an 
idea. 

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It's about gauge estimate. 
So are you close to a typical 

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sweater gauge or are you just 
flying loose and lazy? 

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A Swatch also helps with the 
draping test. 

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You know, does your fabric flow?
Is it stiff? 

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Will it stretch? 
You know, and also of course, 

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Speaking of frog ability, frog 
ability, is it froggable? 

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Froggable. 
Can you easily undo and redo? 

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Or is this, you know, yarn? 
A diva swatching gives you 

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actually freedom later. 
It's like tuning your 

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instrument, you know, before you
go jamming. 

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And if you've made a sweater 
using a specific type of yarn 

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before, then you are already 
ahead of the game. 

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But if you're thinking about 
using a yarn that you haven't 

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before, then it's a good idea to
Swatch. 

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Step 4 is grab a Garmin 
blueprint. 

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So find a sweater you love in 
your closet online. 

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Take some key measurement. 
Measure the bust or the chest. 

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Measure the sleeve length. 
Measure the armhole depth, 

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obviously the overall length and
the neck width. 

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This gives you a template to 
follow while you're still 

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leaving some room for for chaos.
You know, Think of it as jazz 

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improv, but it with yarn. 
Step 5 is to plan your big 

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moments. 
So ask yourself, ask yourself 

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stuff like, do I want the 
sweater to be cropped? 

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Do I want the sweater to be 
oversized? 

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Do I want the sweater to be 
fitted stitches? 

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Do I want plain stitches? 
Do I want this sweater to look 

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like a classic sweater? 
Do I want it to have a lot of 

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texture? 
Do I want it to be made with 

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lace yarn so that it's extremely
drapey? 

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Do I want to make color work? 
Do I want a combo of different 

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things? 
Do I want cables? 

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You know, that's that's you 
know, that's also something you 

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have to also consider. 
Where do I want my eyes to go? 

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So when somebody sees your 
sweater or when you look at 

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yourself in the mirror, where do
you want your eye to go? 

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Do you want it to go to the 
stripes or the texture bubbles? 

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To cables? 
These are all super attention 

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grabbers, right? 
And if you don't have an idea 

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where you want to start, just 
start simple and you don't have 

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to freestyle everything. 
You know, you can pick one or 

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two elements to make your own. 
So you can start with a sweater 

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that you already have bought a 
pattern for and or that you've 

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tried before already and you've 
done before. 

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And then just adding your funky 
little details here, you know, a

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00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:05,800
funky sleeve or make it in a 
completely different stitch 

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pattern. 
And then step 6 is math, but you

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know, gentle math. 
So use a basic sweater formula 

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or a pattern like I said that 
you like plugging your gauge and

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your measurements and you don't 
need exact stitch counts, just 

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kind of rough estimates to guide
you, you know, So I have this 

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kind of a mantra like the stitch
count should be kind of equal 

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between measurement and inches 
or centimeters multiplied by 

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stitches per inch or 
centimeters. 

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So if your test is let's say 40 
inches and your gauge is 4 

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stitches per inch, then aim for 
160 stitches across the bus. 

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Then kind of like a just as you 
go, obviously you are allowed to

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change your mind halfway 
through. 

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You are the boss. 
And another tip actually is 

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using AII mean. 
This is definitely something 

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that has really, really made a 
big difference for me because I 

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I suck at math. 
Boy do I suck at math. 

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I will manage to turn the 
simplest math into the most 

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00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,080
complicated. 
So I use, I use AI religiously 

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for this. 
Now it's really, really simple 

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to just sell it like, hey, this 
is how many stitches I have in 

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00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,800
my gauge Swatch and this is the 
measurement of my bust. 

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00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,040
How many stitches do I have to 
cast on blah, blah, blah, blah, 

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00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,760
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah to 
meet my chest measurement? 

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00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,400
It can really, really help you. 
And then you can just ask it 

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00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,400
like you would ask a friend, you
know, or please, you know, tell 

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00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:40,760
me step by step, I would love to
make a sweater using this yarn 

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and I get these many stitches 
and these many inches or 

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00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:45,880
centimeters. 
How do I start? 

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How do I, how do I start the 
neck construction? 

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So that's, you know, that's a 
little tip here. 

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00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,760
And then step 7, of course, is 
freestyling, but with 

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checkpoints. 
So as you crochet or knit, try 

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00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,319
it on often, you know, put it 
on, especially if you're working

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00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:08,880
top down or modular. 
Try it on as often as you can 

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and just get a feel for it. 
Adjust your stitch count if it's

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getting too wide or too tight. 
This is also really, really good

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because if you keep trying it 
on, then you you can spot the 

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00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:21,079
I'm not going to call them 
mistakes because they're not 

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00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:25,400
mistakes, but spot the bits 
where you need to frog a little 

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00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,079
faster. 
Keep notes or you can also keep 

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00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,400
voice memos. 
That's also really, really easy 

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00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,480
future. 
You will thank you when you're 

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making the second sleeve, and I 
mean, do not panic, you know, 

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00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,920
pause, rethink, tweak. 
Remember, it is your own 

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00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,160
sweater. 
You can do whatever you want 

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with it. 
You can also start with a fitted

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sweater that will turn out into 
a beautiful oversized sweater 

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00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,920
and what you know, whatever 
freestyle and isn't about, you 

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00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:59,160
know, being scared of the chaos.
It's about the confidence. 

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00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:04,360
It's about trusting that you 
know enough to try or know 

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00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:08,720
enough to fix the mistakes you 
know or know enough to know your

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00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,400
own craft. 
There's no sweater police here. 

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00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,680
There's no stitch police. 
There's no, there's no police 

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00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,080
here at all. 
Only creativity and fibre 

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00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,880
besties cheering you on. 
So go forth, Swatch. 

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Super weirdly, sleeve weirdly 
and boldly. 

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00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,440
And if it turns into, like I 
said, a wearable blanket instead

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00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,040
of a fitted cardi, then 
whatever. 

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Congratulations, you've invented
a new genre. 

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00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,760
Now we interrupt this episode to
bring you what's trending. 

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00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,480
Buckle up, bestie, because we 
are diving into the hottest, 

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00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:55,400
coziest, and sometimes strangest
trend sweeping the yarn yarn 

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00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:00,560
world right now. 
Here's what's trending. 

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00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,800
So what's trending this summer? 
Because this summer she is 

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00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,880
sheer. 
She is soft. 

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00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:13,120
She's got ribbons on her shoes. 
Yes, we are talking about sheer 

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00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:16,760
summer crochet and also crochet 
ballet flats. 

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00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,560
So let's dive it. 
First up, sheer crochet. 

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00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:24,560
It is all over TikTok. 
It's also in in in all of my 

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00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,080
feed. 
Probably yours too. 

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00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,840
It's also in that, you know, 
boutique or store or brand that 

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00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:37,040
is charging you, I don't know, 
$300.00 for a tank top made of 

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00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,040
chain stitches. 
And honestly, I do get it. 

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00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:41,960
I get it. 
The vibe. 

300
00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,920
The season is basically negative
space baby. 

301
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,520
You know, think breezy mashed 
tops and Beachy tunics and 

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00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:56,200
dresses you throw on over a 
swimsuit or a cute bralette or a

303
00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:01,320
nice tight T-shirt. 
And yeah, we are talking cut and

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00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,200
yarn. 
You know, we're talking lace 

305
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:08,840
weight threads, big airy 
stitches that say, yes, I am hot

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00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:13,400
and yes, made this myself. 
And I mean, designers are 

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00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,520
definitely leaning a lot into 
this. 

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00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:20,480
Let's call it open work, you 
know, fillet and mesh and 

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00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,160
Solomon's knots. 
Like we're going out, you know, 

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00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,280
out of style. 
Which they're not, by the way. 

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00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:33,240
But the best part, you don't 
have to be a pro to get in on 

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00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,360
it. 
I feel like as long as you go up

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00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:41,960
a hook size or grab a yarn like 
you know, rainbow lace and then 

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00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:46,520
just let the air flow flow, you 
know, it's giving Coastal 

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00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:52,240
goddess who also shops second 
hand and makes her own clothing.

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00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,880
OK, but what about crochet 
ballet flats? 

317
00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:02,560
Because once again, TikTok is 
heating them up now these are 

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00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:07,240
cozy, they're customizable and 
super, super cute. 

319
00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:12,920
They've got, you know, stretchy 
cutting uppers, espardilla style

320
00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,920
soles and sometimes even a 
little bow, you know, or a 

321
00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,080
little ribbon. 
And I've I love it. 

322
00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,320
I love it. 
I've also seen the ones that 

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00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:30,800
this have these like long, long 
chained stitches that you can 

324
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,720
tie around your leg, kind of 
like a pirouette across the leg.

325
00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,480
And some folks are even 
crocheting them directly onto 

326
00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,800
flip flop soles. 
You know, you just kind of make 

327
00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,080
holes around and bada BIM, bada 
boom, there you go. 

328
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,200
Talk about sustainability, 
right? 

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00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,560
I think that these, even though 
they seem a little bit maybe 

330
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,560
complicated, they're actually 
quite beginner friendly. 

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00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,040
Friendly. 
They're beginner friendly. 

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00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:03,640
OK, They are beginner friendly. 
Surprisingly durable as well 

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00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,160
because cotton, well, cotton is 
quite durable. 

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00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,360
And they definitely, you know, 
they give up. 

335
00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,400
They give off that Jane Birkin, 
you know, meets Gen. 

336
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:19,280
Z style. 
You can style them with flowy 

337
00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,880
skirts, with white, like pants 
and honestly, you know, even 

338
00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,880
with pyjamas, go for it, you 
know, you do you. 

339
00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,600
And if you're thinking but yeah,
where do I even start? 

340
00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,880
I mean, don't worry. 
I feel like there's so many 

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00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:39,920
designers that are just dropping
patterns just like hotcakes. 

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00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,200
So just find yourself some souls
and get to it. 

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00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:50,880
You know if your summer whips 
are feeling heavy and it's 

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00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,440
taking ages to finish them, you 
know this is your sign. 

345
00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,680
You know this is your sign to 
lighten up. 

346
00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,880
Literally. 
Make something meshy. 

347
00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:01,680
Go sheer. 
Go soft. 

348
00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:10,080
Put some bows on your toes. 
Make something ridiculously 

349
00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:15,240
simple and easy as long as it 
has flowy, meshy vibes. 

350
00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,600
So that was it for this week's 
What's Trending? 

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00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,240
Now back onto our main topic. 
Right after I go Swatch 

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00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,160
something meshy, mightily and 
practical too, but full of 

353
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:36,160
vibes. 
Let's go now, Bestie, you know 

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00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:41,200
that I love an example. 
So if you love color chaos, if 

355
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:46,080
you love texture, and if you 
love creative freedom, here are 

356
00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:50,160
some designers that you can 
actually look into to get a 

357
00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:55,200
little bit inspired. 
OK, starting off with Lindsay 

358
00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,640
Deegan. 
Now, I stumbled across Lindsay's

359
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:04,080
work, I could say fairly 
recently, and because I am a 

360
00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,520
huge fan of Katie Jones's work. 
So I was actually looking into 

361
00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:14,280
more designers that would have 
that mixture of bold textures 

362
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:19,560
and funky colors. 
And wow, I felt like Lindsay is 

363
00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:24,680
everything about that. 
She has the irregular holes, 

364
00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,800
unexpected silhouettes, 
sculptural knitwear, beautiful 

365
00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,280
work. 
She also released this pattern 

366
00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,600
back in 2021. 
It's called the Baby Eyes 

367
00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,320
Sweater and Vest because it's 
kind of both. 

368
00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:43,080
And I actually this summer 
bought it for Albert because I'm

369
00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,520
going to actually make that for 
him for Halloween. 

370
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:50,200
It's super, super cute sweater 
with eyes and it's super 

371
00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,000
sculptural. 
It's so funky. 

372
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,400
I am so excited to actually get 
started on that one in my summer

373
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:01,320
vacation coming up soon. 
Then I have Morai Knit. 

374
00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:05,640
Now, Morai Knit doesn't have a 
lot of patterns out there yet, 

375
00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:10,440
but she does have one that I'm 
obsessed with and it's called 

376
00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:14,080
the Puzzle Sweater. 
It's an Antarsha top down 

377
00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:19,520
shoulder design with a shawl 
collar featuring this beautiful 

378
00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:24,200
deep neck or kind of kind of 
deep, but not too, too deep and 

379
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,920
constructed from basically bits 
and pieces from parts. 

380
00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:33,200
So each pattern requires about 
20 gram of yarn or each pattern,

381
00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:38,000
I mean each part, each part 
pattern requires about 20 grams 

382
00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,480
of yarn. 
So it's really, really a nice 

383
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,160
project if you have a lot of 
leftover yarn to make with. 

384
00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:51,480
Then we have James and Watts. 
I mean, this, this designer is 

385
00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:57,960
on my list here because he has 
beautiful, vibrant knitwear that

386
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:03,640
has so much personality mixing 
textures and colors that really 

387
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:08,120
lean towards that intentionally 
unhinged look. 

388
00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:12,800
OK, what I love about these 
designs is that it's the mesh. 

389
00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:17,840
I think it's the mesh and it's a
lot of he's funny. 

390
00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,880
I guess that's it. 
And I guess that also because he

391
00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,160
is doing a lot of designs with 
knit mesh. 

392
00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:29,200
So I see a lot of crocheters 
working with mesh this summer or

393
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,440
this year actually, but not a 
lot of knitting designers doing 

394
00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,000
so. 
So I feel like, you know, his 

395
00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,320
work for me really stood out and
yeah, he's super funny. 

396
00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:44,560
So check it out James and Watts,
and then we have Katie Jones. 

397
00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,720
Of course, of course I have 
Katie Jones on this list. 

398
00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,000
How could I not? 
You know, now Katie is is 

399
00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:55,760
basically the queen of 
maximalist crochet. 

400
00:26:56,040 --> 00:27:02,760
She is is super known for her 
joyful color exploding designs 

401
00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,640
where she kind of blends these 
bold palettes. 

402
00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:13,320
She blends these playful 
textures and very vintage kind 

403
00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:17,480
of inspired silhouettes into 
handmade pieces that are, you 

404
00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,240
know, as wearable as they are 
quite artful. 

405
00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:26,920
So think granny squares turned 
glam and chunky florals with 

406
00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:33,440
punk energy, you know, crochet 
that looks like it's throwing a 

407
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:38,040
rainbow garden party. 
You know, her work is basically 

408
00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:43,440
what happens to DIY when DIY 
meets, you know, high fashion, I

409
00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:45,640
would say. 
And I'm, I'm really obsessed 

410
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,480
with her work and also obsessed 
with her as a person. 

411
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,720
You know, the first design I 
made from her was the no Shades 

412
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:55,360
of Grey cardigan. 
It was a part of a super fun Cal

413
00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:59,920
from about, I would say almost 
two years ago ish, maybe 3. 

414
00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,560
I, I maybe 2. 
And you can still download that 

415
00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,160
pattern from the Hobie site 
where we feature other patterns 

416
00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,760
of hers. 
So check it out, check it out. 

417
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,160
She is the sunshine of a person.
She will be on the show, I 

418
00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:19,080
believe in next season. 
So I'm excited for for you for, 

419
00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:20,800
for that and for you to meet 
her. 

420
00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:25,360
And last but not least, I have 
on my little list here Lac 

421
00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:28,400
Kebaga. 
Now for my last inspo. 

422
00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:33,600
I chose Lac Kebaga because 
living in Scandinavia, how could

423
00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,280
I not be, you know, crazy about 
her work. 

424
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,800
You know, when she launched her 
first book, she made a huge bang

425
00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,520
with it. 
It was so different than all of 

426
00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,720
the Scandi styles that you saw 
out there. 

427
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,680
You know, the Nordic designs you
see out there, they're very, 

428
00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,160
let's call them, you know, toned
down. 

429
00:28:54,160 --> 00:29:02,680
They're very desaturated and 
quite classic in in the approach

430
00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,400
of choice of textures and and so
forth. 

431
00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:12,840
But like she has a full on, you 
know, different philosophy, you 

432
00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:17,200
know, bursting with with scrap 
friendly chaos, embracing 

433
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,680
designs. 
You can think asymmetrical 

434
00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:25,480
shapes and she plays a lot with 
texture and she puts a lot of 

435
00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,480
emphasis on crafting with what 
you have. 

436
00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,520
So whatever you have at home, 
you know, let's just get 

437
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:32,920
started. 
Let's let's do it. 

438
00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:37,120
And also I love the way she is 
connecting the yarn. 

439
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:41,160
She has a specific kind of knot 
she makes to connect the yarn, 

440
00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,600
the different yarns together. 
And she leaves the knots in, you

441
00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,120
know, knots invisible. 
Like full on punk, super 

442
00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,360
beautiful. 
No perfectionism allowed. 

443
00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:55,920
And these designers share the 
love of stepping outside of the 

444
00:29:55,920 --> 00:30:00,880
box, using yarn to create 
vibrant, expressive pieces. 

445
00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:06,280
Freestyling is quite ancestral. 
It is quite instinctual. 

446
00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:10,800
We got this in our DNA. 
So do not be scared to give it a

447
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,080
go. 
The more you do, the easier it 

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gets, you know? 
You'll start recognizing your 

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signature stitch combination, or
you'll start designing 

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intuitively with shape and 
tension, and you will get a 

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really, really big boost in 
confidence. 

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Freestyle crafting becomes not 
just a style, but a mindset 1 

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where you let go of the rules, 
you get curious about the 

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process, you remember that every
mistake is just another stitch 

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on the journey. 
And you don't need to be a 

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00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:47,440
designer, you don't need 
approval. 

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00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,360
You just need to start on 
something. 

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00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,680
So whether you're a total 
beginner or a seasonal stitcher 

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00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,840
looking to shake things up, I 
hope today's episode gave you 

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00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:01,400
the permission you didn't need. 
You are allowed to make weird 

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00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,160
stuff. 
You are allowed to make 

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00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,040
beautiful stuff. 
BLOB shaped stuff. 

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00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,440
Patternless, chaotic, chic, 
joyful fiber art. 

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00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,280
Go for it. 
Go forth freestyle. 

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00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,680
Let your hooks, let your needles
lead the way. 

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00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:20,640
No map required. 
If you love this episode, share 

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00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:25,560
it with your other yarn besties,
tag me in your freestyle project

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00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:30,920
using #skeenentel or Hashtag 
Hobby Podcast, or leave a review

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00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:35,760
or a comment to help more rebels
find our cozy corner of the 

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00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,640
crafting world. 
Until next time, keep your 

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00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,000
stitches wild and your yarns 
tangled just a little bit, OK? 

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00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,960
Love you bestie. 
Bye.