In this episode, we talk about the history behind why knitting became "women's work" (spoiler: because you could no longer earn a livable wage doing it) and how we see that legacy playing out in articles about Gen Z taking up "grandma hobbies," the SciShow controversy, and more.

#TWYAK06 Notes

Books We Mention

• Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
• North Woods by Daniel Mason

Further Listening & Reading

• Elizabeth Wayland Barber on the Haptic & Hue podcast
• Probably Sarah Cook Arnold Knitting — National Gallery of Art
• More on knitting socks during WWI from Piecework Magazine
• More on why ready-to-wear sweaters are terrible now, from The Atlantic and Nylon
• @id.knit.that — fiber artist Kendall Ross
• Anjali's new fireplace color: Essex Green by Benjamin Moore

Patterns & Yarns We Mention

• Weekender Crew by Andrea Mowry
• Felix Pullover by Amy Christoffers in Mountain Mohair by Green Mountain Spinnery
• Hibernal Socks in Mondim by Retrosaria Rosa Pomar

Knitting has the potential to create garments that fit any sort of body, no matter what that body's traits are. Yet, if you look at the most popular knitting designers and knitting patterns, most often they are thin women designing garments for their own bodies, typically modeled by thin (white, cis, able-bodied) women.

Today the question we are exploring is: why is that? We are examining the gap between the potential for knitting to embrace body liberation and the reality of Ravelry's top patterns.

#TWYAK05 Notes

Books We Mention

• Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings
• Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert
• Little Red in the City by Ysolda Teague
• Amy Herzog's Ultimate Sweater Book and Knit to Flatter

Knitting Things We Mention

• Size Inclusivity in Knitting Patterns: Designer's Perspective — Susanna Winter
• A short and non-exhaustive list of some knitting designers who are vocal about size inclusivity: Jaq Cieslak, Jessie Mae Martinson, James N Watts, Rebecca Clow
• Definitely check out the Size Inclusive Repository and follow Size Inclusive Collective on Instagram
• Some Thoughts on Size Inclusivity in Knitting — Karie Westermann
• Sille Slipover by PetiteKnit in Peer Gynt in Natural Tweed
• Schemer Slipover by Apella.Knits in Kelbourne Woolens Lucky Tweed
• Esther Vest by PetiteKnit in Kelbourne Woolens Erin

Other Things We Mention

• Smithsonian American Art Museum's State Fairs: Growing American Craft exhibit
• Sadly Well+Good seems to be no longer, so you can't read Anjali's article about early nutrition science and eugenics!
• Creative Youth sewing classes
• Moon Raccoon Baking Co, a delicious new bakery in Anjali's neighborhood

Welcome to Two Women Yelling About Knitting, a show that is not about what we are buying or what we are making, but instead asks questions like: What is your knitting story? How did you learn, and what does knitting mean to you now? And side note: how exactly do Anjali and Alison know each other??

This is a space where we look up from our works in progress and acquisitions and talk about what we see in the wider world of knitting -- it's political, social, and historical context. But don't worry. It'll be fun!

#TWYAK04 Notes

Books We Mention

• Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller
• Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber

Knitting-Related Things We Mention

• Project Knitwell — the nonprofit that Alison works with, which helps people facing challenges by providing knitting instruction and shared community opportunities that promote wellness and resilience
• Knitty is the internet's longest-running free knitting magazine (since 2002!)
• Make Good podcast — RIP!!!
• Why I Knit podcast
• lou.dangit on Instagram
• Anjali buys her Japanese stationery and pens from Jet Pens. The organizer she uses for her knitting notes is the KOKUYO Novite Alpha Expandable Clear Book - A4 with Midori MD A4 Grid Paper Pad and a blue or black Uni Jetstream Ballpoint Pen - 0.5 mm. A delightful writing experience!
• The Sophie Shawl by PetiteKnit, if you need a link to the pattern
• Baby Aosta Cardigan by The Knit Purl Girl

Other Things We Mention

• Nature Theater of Oklahoma — Alison's previous theater company!
• JET Programme — the national Japanese program that Anjali worked for, teaching English at a high school in central Japan
• Las Culturistas podcast

Hello and welcome to Two Women Yelling About Knitting, a show that is not about what we are buying or what we are making, but instead asks questions like: What is Rhinbeck, and should you care?

This is a space where we look up from our works in progress and acquisitions and talk about what we see in the wider world of knitting -- it's political, social, and historical context. But don't worry. It'll be fun!

#TWYAK03 Show Notes

Books We Recommend

• Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater by Peggy Orenstein
• The Rhinebeck Sweater e-book by Ysolda Teague
• Victorian Housecats to Knit by Sara Elizabeth Kellner

Fiber Festivals We Mention

• New York Sheep and Wool (a.k.a. Rhinebeck)
• Frederick Fiber Fest in Frederick, MD
• Maryland Sheep and Wool
• Flock Fiber Festival in Seattle, WA
• Estes Park Wool Market in Estes Park, CO
• Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival

Patterns We Mention

• Ooey Gooey Sweater from Drea Renee Knits
• Florence Sweater by Elenor Mortensen
• Moby Sweater by PetiteKnit
• Zipper Sweater by PetiteKnit
• Emotional Support Chicken by Annette Corsino

• Young Knitters Discover a Decades-Old Wool Festival — New York Times (gift link)
• @kristyglass has a Tell Me About Your Rhinebeck Sweater series
• @aspeninthemoment covered the disastrous 2023 Wool and Folk Festival
• Ramble campground near Mesa Verde National Park

Hello and welcome to Two Women Yelling About Knitting, a show that is not about what we are buying or what we are making, but instead asks questions like: Should you monetize your hobby?

This is a space where we look up from our works in progress and acquisitions, and talk about what we see in the wider world of knitting – its political, social, and historical context. But don't worry. It'll be fun!

We're Anjali and Alison, friends who share a love of knitting as well as an interest in a lot of sticky topics that relate to knitting – things like traditional gender roles, consumerism, body liberation, and more. We're recording a six-episode season, with a new episode – and a new topic – every two weeks. If you want to join us on this journey, hit the "Subscribe" button to follow along.

#TWYAK02 Notes

Books We Recommend

• Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

• More on the Women's Exchange Movement, which were commercial operations run by and for women with the goal, at least originally, of offering fair compensation for workers, the ability to work at home using traditional female skills, and, just as importantly, the chance for women of a certain class to earn money without having to admit it.
• What are Knitting Pattern Designers Actually Earning? — Kristen Jancuk / Mediaperuana Knits, which links to a spreadsheet of Ravelry designers' earnings
• @yarn_over_everything on Instagram, including her Reel about what she makes in a month from knitting
• Ali Makes Everything's episode What YouTube Paid Me: First Year Channel Stats & Earnings
• Audrey Borrego's designs on Ravelry
• Field Day Cardigan by Ozetta in Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mungo in 08 - Porto, with mussel shell buttons from La Mercerie
• Bitty Brioche Kerchief by Iris Eichenlaub on Ravelry
• Little Skein Yarn and Anne Vally's lovely Substack, Knit Together
• Shout out to Reny's in Maine! You can find Comfort Colors, a.k.a. The Best Shirts, there.
• Golden Earth Designs, maker of Alison's lovely mug and other fiber-arts-related designs

Hello and welcome to Two Women Yelling About Knitting, a show that is not about what we are buying or what we are making, but instead asks questions like: Is it possible to hate knitting with acrylic yarn without hating on people who knit with acrylic yarn?

This is a space where we look up from our works in progress and acquisitions, and talk about what we see in the wider world of knitting – its political, social, and historical context. But don't worry. It'll be fun!

We're Anjali and Alison, friends who share a love of knitting as well as an interest in a lot of sticky topics that relate to knitting – things like traditional gender roles, consumerism, body liberation, and more. We're recording a six-episode season, with a new episode – and a new topic – every two weeks. If you want to join us on this journey, hit the "Subscribe" button to follow along.

#TWYAK01 Show Notes

• Spinrite Yarns recently closed its manufacturing plant and retail store in Listowel, Ontario (story here). The company is co-owned by two American private equity firms, and the closure ends what's been called a century of yarn and woolen goods manufacturing in the town (more here).
• The True Cost of Wool by Anna Hunter — a 2025 book that takes a deep dive into Canada's wool industry.
• America's Knitting website, which documented the stats around LYS's, is no longer online as of this writing. So that doesn't seem promising.
• The Size of the Yarn Market: Yarn Consumer Survey Results 2024 — Craft Industry Alliance
• Yarn Design Characteristics which Influence Crafters to Consume Either Artisan Brand Yarns or Commercial Yarns — Casey Stannard & Kathy Mullet, Journal of Textile Design Research and Practice (2015)

Yarns We Just Love

• Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mungo, shown in 08 Porto (blue) for the Field Day Cardigan and 12 (orange) for the Oversized Seasons Cardigan, both by Ozetta
• Jill Draper Makes Stuff 100% Rambouillet yarn
• Yarnitecture: A Knitter's Guide to Spinning by Jillian Moreno
• Cozy Books and Knits' Complete Guide to Sock Knitting Episode was very inspiring for the sock-curious knitter!