Cuboidal Beta Knitting - questions & answers

Wow - 400 of you signed up to beta knit my new collection!

I’ve spent the morning selecting beta knitters and it’s not been an easy job. There are 200 places, and I need to stick to that number despite the sign-up response, as logistically and mentally I simply can’t manage more. I’ll be sending out emails shortly, both for those who were selected and those who weren’t, and I’m not looking forward to disappointing so many people.

Nearly half of the sign-ups were for the beanie/slouch style, and one fifth of the sign-ups for the beret/flat-cap style. Even the envelope slouch had double the number of sign-ups to places!

If you selected one of the other styles then it’s more likely that you’ve got a place; ditto for the 2nd choices, even more so if you were happy to beta knit any style as your 2nd choice.

And if you didn’t provide one of the 3 social media accounts I’m afraid you weren’t selected, as having either an Instagram, Twitter or Ravelry account is required.

Here are the key points:

• My Ravelry and Facebook groups are there for discussion and sharing your progress however I won’t be able to monitor the groups closely and I kindly ask that you use the feedback form for any feedback, or post any questions here on this blog post - my moderators are fantastic but we don’t want to overload them!

• We need a neutral space for questions, a space that isn’t inaccessible to many or that doesn’t require a log-in or account. So if you have any questions at all about the beta knit patterns, please post them here! That way I can help more folks.

• Please don’t email me with questions or images of your Hats - as much as I’d love to hear from you and see your photos, there are hundreds of you and only one of me! The only way this can be manageable is if we all use the systems and resources provided.

• I will be checking the feedback form frequently, and you can edit or update that form at any time. You’ll find a link to the feedback form on the first page of the file.

• Hashtags have been included in the file - please use them! This will help us all see what everyone’s up to, and will help folks who may be unsure of things or keen to see how a different style is developing. Personally I can’t wait to see what you all make and I don’t think I’m alone in that!

• Folks who use Ravelry will receive test-knitting codes in the email containing the files. Please add your project to Ravelry and add the tester code - this will ensure your project is automatically linked when the patterns go live!

• Beta-knitting will finish at the end of August. Please use the feedback form by that time to share any comments you may have. Please also include a link to photos of your project, in particular your finished Hat. To qualify for a courtesy eBook I’ll need to know that you’ve finished your Hat and shared your progress online - whether that be Instagram or Twitter posts, or via your Ravelry project page.

• Please don’t forget to tell me in the feedback form whether you’d prefer Ravelry or Payhip for receiving your courtesy copy of the eBook when it’s published. If that question isn’t answered you’ll receive it via Payhip.

I’ll update this post with more information and answer questions as they come up.

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A Questions & Answers update!

13th August 2022

• yardage: there isn’t a guide in the beta-knitting files about how much yardage is required for your beta knit Hats. The yardage will vary greatly between sizes, styles and yarn weights. There will be a section going into the eBook about how to more accurately calculate yardage but it’s impossible to provide yardages for all the sizes across all the yarn weights and other options. For now, go with an approximate yardage that you’ve used before for similar Hats.

• there will be in-depth tutorials in the eBook for the Crochet Cast-on, Crochet Cast-on Mid-row, Standard Bind-off and Garter Mattress Stitch. I didn’t add them into your beta knit files as I was already overloading you with tutorials and these are all available on this blog!

• you don’t have to use the Crochet Cast-on, you can use a different method that works for casting on mid-row. However, the Crochet Cast-on perfectly matches the Standard Bind-off, which will make for neater finishes along edges that remain visible, and it’ll also make picking up stitches easier as all of the edges of your squares will have the same ‘V’ edge.

• I need to update the ‘Morph’ pattern as the brim should be worked in Yarn A, not Yarn B.

• discussion threads for each of the Hats have been set up on Ravelry, so you can share your progress and photos! However please continue to use this post as the main question point, as I’m not able to use Ravelry as much as I could before the site re-design and my tech editor can’t use it all, so we’re not able to monitor it closely or answer questions as quickly or often. If you need to share photos with me for help then let me know in the comments and direct me to where.

• and finally for today - please read through and follow the tutorials even if you’re a mitre square pro! There are several unique twists and approaches to these, some quite subtle, and these have been done deliberately to aid the construction and ensure you don’t need to keep breaking the yarns.

14th August 2022

• the square types: there are 8 different squares that are used in different combinations throughout the collection. For the beta knit you received the squares that are used in your style, but the final collection will include all 8. You will be able to mix and match the squares but for the beta knit I wanted folks to follow the square style used in that Hat and sample :)

• the stitch counts and those that are a “multiple of 4 minus 1”: this is relevant to a few styles, however given that there’s one table for the whole collection I wasn’t going to break up the table or edit it for the different beta files, as that would only introduce errors!

• all of my tutorials in my eBooks are in black and white. This helps folks who may be colour blind, and it also makes the tutorials easier to read as the colour of the yarn is less distracting.

• the pattern ordering in the beta files isn’t ideal, I know. It was a juggling act trying to separate out a collection for the purposes of the beta knit. The collection is in layout now and it will have improved ordering, with the tutorials placed first to make sure everyone reads them!

Introspection - the first photos

Trying to get any photoshoots done through the pandemic has been super tricky. We’re lucky in that we’ve immediate locations on our doorstep and enough folk living on site - where we’re kinda considered one household but not at the same time - to be generally able to find someone. It’s still not been easy and we had a few false starts with these new Hats.

Thankfully Sue and Tom stepped up!

Tom hasn’t modelled for me for years and years. He’s far happier behind the camera! But he knew I wanted a male model and who we had in mind needed to change plans, so he offered. I’m glad he did, he really pulls them off don’t you think?

I knit all of the styles in both 4ply/Sock and DK weight yarns to show how they might look in different weights. It wasn’t feasible to cover more yarn weights with the samples, I just can’t knit that much or buy that much yarn! Tom’s modelling all the DK samples and Sue modelled the ones in 4ply weight, and I’ll share those soon.

The six styles included in the collection are beanie, beret, bonnet, helmet, pixie and slouch.

As I mentioned previously, the patterns are written for 12 sizes across 6 yarn weights. Each style has 4 brim options and between 4 and 10 crown options! The crown options relate to the internal structure and body shape more than the brim does, and could only be determined by the maths; it wasn’t possible to provide quite so many options for some styles. But hey, they’re not exactly lacking in choice! I’ve written all the options out for you so you can choose which you prefer, and there’s a handy chart with each design so you can select the right size and yarn weight combo.

The collection won’t be maths heavy - all you’ll need is an idea of your gauge and the size of head you want the Hat to fit. From there you can mix and match - a kinda choose your own adventure Hat collection come any size any yarn any Hat collection. Phew!

Looking Inwards

Like most folk I’m sure, I’m glad to see the back of 2021. 2022 hasn’t exactly been kind so far, what with a slew of back to back medical appointments then us losing state health cover courtesy of yet more Brexit related fuckery right in the middle of it all, but I’m feeling a slight shift this week. It’s not much and it’s not necessarily positive, but I’m holding onto it. And yes, we did get our health cover back, at least until the end of this year, after I got the embassy involved.

It’s now been 2 years since I was firstly formally diagnosed with ADHD and it’s taken some adjustment. Most folks will tell you a diagnosis answers so SO many questions, yet it also brings daily revelations about situations past; little moments that were never explained that you now see in a new light. These come in layers, your life literally in unravels as you look at yourself through this new lens. In addition to that, diagnosis brings a period of grief, particularly so for folks diagnosed later in life, for the person you could have been had you known sooner, and had your needs been accommodated instead of ignored, dismissed or ridiculed. It takes time. A long time and a lot of patience; unmasking and self-discovery aren’t things to be taken lightly. And I’m not convinced you come out the other side the same person.

2021 not only saw me deal with the process of that diagnosis, but it also saw me get an informal Autism diagnosis and a my PTSD is worse than I thought diagnosis. It saw Aran receive formal diagnoses for Autism and ADHD, and us fighting to get his needs recognised and supported by the system and in school. The year saw me going into emergency accommodation after receiving threats when Tom launched a fundraiser for my mental health needs, as I didn’t feel safe at home in our community. It saw the deaths of 8 people I knew, including my favourite cousin in January and a good friend in April. And these are just the things that I feel comfortable saying out loud right now. Throw in the pandemic concerns, the outright ableism it’s highlighted and the growing inequality, the general state of the world and the continual stress about trying to keep us afloat when my work is my family’s only source of income and it’s fair to say it was an utterly shit year.

Image description: the corner of a pile of Hats is the centre focus, with each Hat being a different variegated colour to the next. At the bottom of the pile is a beret. All of these Hats are worked in stocking stitch in 4ply weight yarn.

I did manage to continue working when I could, mostly trying to reformat and update every single pattern and trying to manage all the backend logistics of the new site and what’s essentially become a business structure overhaul. I’ve finally succeeded on the former, not so much - yet - on the latter.

What I really needed though, to keep my fingers busy, were some simple mindful knits. Easy stitches and patterns that didn’t require me to think. Keeping my brain busy during the day with low-key admin stuff was one thing but come the evenings, or the days when I wasn’t well enough to get out of bed, I needed something else to occupy my brain.

It’s a curse of ADHD that idle fingers make for a noisy brain that’s likely to lead to trouble. I’m unable to relax, my stop button doesn’t work. Winding down of an evening and watching a movie just doesn’t happen. So I dug out some yarns and started knitting. I’ve often been heard referring to these kinds of knits as my ‘sanity knitting’ and that’s absolutely what it is.

Truth be told I started knitting countless things purely with the aim of having something to do so that my brain didn’t turn in on itself, and most of those went nowhere. Yet these Hats stuck. They grew and before long, surprise surprise, I’d an idea for a collection. Which wasn’t necessarily good news as I wasn’t exactly in the right place to be attempting to put anything together.

Image description: the corner of a pile of Hats is the centre focus, with each Hat being a different variegated colour to the next. At the bottom of the pile is a beret. All of these Hats are worked in stocking stitch in DK weight yarn.

Somehow, though, these came through. The mindful knitting with a touch of interesting details that required a little focus but not too much hit the right note. They gave me something to do for the two months I mostly spent in bed after my body threw an immune reaction to the covid vaccine. And as I started to make things real by writing the patterns out, folks started to convince me of their value beyond of my own needs.

I had this bright idea to call them Medi-Knits or some such and thankfully, I was talked out of that. They needed a name that reflected the meditative nature of the comfort knitting and so ‘Introspection’ came to be. Each design is an intro i.e. ‘Intro Beanie’ or ‘Intro Slouch’ as they’re also an introduction to the styles and shapes and design.

They’re all written and being tech edited as I type. They’re all photographed and a layout style is being put together for the eBook as I type. The tutorials are all written and there’s a long list of what’ll be included. It’s this close to being done and it feels really strange to have created something, anything!, but we have. I have.

Seeing it come together, allowing myself to draw a line under a big project, and knowing that I’ve created something new that will generate income, are all things that are contributing to the shift I’m starting to feel. I have something to feel good about.

We don’t have a release date yet but it will be going on pre-order in the very near future. In terms of what’s included there are 6 styles - beanie, beret, bonnet, helmet, pixie and slouch - written in 12 sizes for up to 6 different yarn weights. Each style has 4 brim options and anywhere between 4 and 10 crown options. There’ll also be 13 photo tutorials included covering all of the techniques involved, of which a couple are brand new. And it’ll be available in both print and digital format as an eBook, with the patterns each being made available individually as well.

It’s been nearly 16 months since I last launched a collection and I’m hoping this makes up for that.

I’ll start sharing photos over the next few days.

Looking at ADHD differently, part 7

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

I, Woolly, stand outside against the large silver double decker bus that we call home. I'm wearing black and the early evening light hits my face, highlighting all of my wrinkles. I'm sporting a smirk as a colourful pile of my hand-knit Hats are balanced on my head.

Here's the next post in my series for #ADHDAwareness month where I try and look at the condition I live with through the lens of my work.

As we've mentioned before, thoughts and ideas travel at lightning speed within an ADHD brain. We'll make a decision then act on it in the blink of an eye. Which no doubt seems contradictory to the need to allow us processing time when something unexpected crops up.

The problem is is that we can't control what gets processed, when or how. And that leads folks to doubt and not trust us. But you need to remember that our brains are literally different to yours.

One way to look at it is that we run on a completely different operating system. Our brain's motherboard has an unknown processor and there's a shortage of RAM. Some stuff happens as if by magic, other stuff just doesn't happen at all.

This lack of trust often develops because we'll work something out super quick or know what needs to be done, but we can't always explain how we know. Society places value on using accepted methods because it expects to see linear steps to validate an outcome. An ADHD brain doesn't work that way.

When I'm designing I'll often rework various aspects over and over until they feel right. If pushed I could probably tell you what's wrong but I'll be unlikely to explain exactly what I'm aiming for.

I've had so many lovely messages over the years from folks who've knit my patterns, delighted at the way the maths shines or the poetic way the different elements interact. For a long time I thought myself a fraud as these weren't things I'd particularly paid attention to.

Slowly I started to realise that it wasn't all fluke, that there was method in my madness, and that I produced my best work when I was free of others' expectations. The issue of me not explaining why I'd done a specific thing in a certain way was only a problem to those who felt I should explain. Then I noticed an overlap between those who expected an explanation and those who didn't trust me.

I can't put words to every neuropathway in my brain! And honestly, we shouldn't be expected to to be believed, be considered worthy or valid. I used to think what I did was intuitive or serendipitous; now I know it's my neurodivergences. Either way there is no right or wrong way.

As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.

Looking at ADHD differently, part 6

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

this is another video still of me, Woolly, talking about Hat design, sat within my studio. With the Construct Hat in hand, I'm engagingly looking direct at the camera. I chose this shot because I look determined.

Here's the next post in my series for #ADHDAwareness month where I try and look at the condition I live with through the lens of my work.

For years I listened to folks telling me what to do because I kept trying new things, changing my mind, & that meant I needed direction, right? I'd always been told that my efforts weren't good enough; that no-one does it my way, I should do it this or that way. That I should settle down & make up my mind.

This is really common for ADHD folk. We don't change our minds because we're wrong, we change our minds because something new caught our attention. Every single one of us has been scolded for our inconsistency or changeability. It wears us down. Shame builds up, self-confidence perishes. We no longer trust ourselves. And in turn, we end up taking a lot of wrong paths because we try to conform to a norm that wasn't built with us in mind.

This isn't exclusive to growing up, I've experienced it as an adult, in this industry too. There was a period 5 or 6 years ago when I almost left Hat design because I wasn't enjoying it any more. The amount of helpful 'suggestions' I've received over my 16 years of publishing patterns would surprise you. No doubt folks meant well but to me they were just another person saying I couldn't be trusted.

It took a long time to distance myself from the folk who thought they knew best. I allowed myself to indulge in doing what I really enjoyed doing, then I did it some more. Before long I was loving my work again; my turnover & confidence grew.

Things changed with the Circled collection, then came Elemental. I hyper-focused & published successful collection after successful collection. My sideways designs hadn't been selling up to that point, which always saddened me, but now they were my best sellers.

Like Autistics, ADHD folk can hyper-focus. We also have special interests, though we may cycle through them quicker. There are layers to my special interests 'cos I'm ADHD & Autistic. I'll deep-dive on a 5 Hat collection then switch to a completely different idea & still stay within my special interest. It took 45 years of struggling to learn that my way is absolutely OK.

It really is time for the normative idea that we should settle down, that we should do what's expected of us, to get in the sea. Same goes for unsolicited advice.