Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Consider Knitting

journal.stuffwithstuff.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 147 posts

Re: Consider Knitting

#11

Post by lemonberry »

smackeyacky wrote: post #7
petesergeant wrote: post #5

While I'm very open-minded to knitting, also consider picking up a musical instrument. Guitar, ukulele, keyboard. There are apps that'll teach you, and it's immensely gratifying -- if like me you obsess over certain songs -- to then be able to work towards playing those.

No better time in history to learn guitar. Amazing online resources, the world is flooded with cheap guitars as well if you’re happy with 2nd hand. There is a technical side to it (tuning, restringing) and plenty of toys, pedals and computer integration to any nerd hearts content. Even if you get stuck at 3 chords it’s amazing the number of pop songs you can suddenly play. Plus if you get past there you still have cl…

Agreed. I picked up mine about a year ago after not playing for years. The resources are incredible. Super fun time to be playing.

Re: Consider Knitting

#12

Post by sergioisidoro »

The thing knitting taught me is that you can have something beautiful and useful even tho literally every part of the piece is a single point of failure.

No redundancy, no backstop. If any of the stitches gets cut, the entire piece can unravel completely.

We're so used to redundancy, but sometimes you just need to get things done, and it's ok if it's all a deck of cards.

Re: Consider Knitting

#13

Post by Gigachad »

I started making cosplay accessories and custom plushies for furries. There’s almost an unlimited range of stuff to make. 3D printed glasses, oversized beanies, custom bags, etc. Feels very satisfying to make a physical thing and hand it over to the buyer.

Re: Consider Knitting

#14

Post by KurSix »

I'm more of a cross-stitch person myself, but the feelings really resonated, especially that craving for tactile, analog creation after spending all day in the digital ether. There's something incredibly grounding about watching a piece come together, stitch by stitch, knowing your hands made it real.

Re: Consider Knitting

#15

Post by KurSix »

Gigachad wrote: post #13

I started making cosplay accessories and custom plushies for furries. There’s almost an unlimited range of stuff to make. 3D printed glasses, oversized beanies, custom bags, etc. Feels very satisfying to make a physical thing and hand it over to the buyer.

There's something uniquely satisfying about making something weirdly specific that only exists because you made it

Re: Consider Knitting

#16

Post by KurSix »

bonki wrote: post #2

I like crotcheting (tried it again for the first time since childhood during Covid). My main problem is that, unless you have already mastered it and can do it in your sleep, I have to fully concentrate on it to not fuck things up, which means I can't do something else at the same time, e.g. listen to an audiobook. And because I'm so slow it takes too much time for me to not think that it's a waste of time because I…

The early stages of any craft can feel more like mental gymnastics than relaxation

Re: Consider Knitting

#17

Post by tiniuclx »

The point about being disconnected with tactile sensation is very poignant. I've experimented with crafts before, but my go-to hobby has always been music - stringed instruments like the guitar. There's something very rewarding about the instant feedback you get when you fret down a string, and how much nuance you can get out of the smallest movements of your hands.

Re: Consider Knitting

#18

Post by n4r9 »

sergioisidoro wrote: post #12

The thing knitting taught me is that you can have something beautiful and useful even tho literally every part of the piece is a single point of failure. No redundancy, no backstop. If any of the stitches gets cut, the entire piece can unravel completely. We're so used to redundancy, but sometimes you just need to get things done, and it's ok if it's all a deck of cards.

> it's ok if it's all a deck of cards

The idiom you're looking for may be "house of cards": https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/house+of+cards

Re: Consider Knitting

#19

Post by Gigachad »

KurSix wrote: post #15
Gigachad wrote: post #13

I started making cosplay accessories and custom plushies for furries. There’s almost an unlimited range of stuff to make. 3D printed glasses, oversized beanies, custom bags, etc. Feels very satisfying to make a physical thing and hand it over to the buyer.

There's something uniquely satisfying about making something weirdly specific that only exists because you made it

100%. There’s quite a few things I’ve got now which would be thousands of dollars to have someone else make for me but cost very little to make myself. Just requiring a few weekends of work. Stuff that feels quite luxury to own.

Re: Consider Knitting

#20

Post by rwmj »

petesergeant wrote: post #5

While I'm very open-minded to knitting, also consider picking up a musical instrument. Guitar, ukulele, keyboard. There are apps that'll teach you, and it's immensely gratifying -- if like me you obsess over certain songs -- to then be able to work towards playing those.

Guitar definitely. An acoustic guitar is ideal since you just pick it up and start playing any time (even plugging something in can be a barrier sometimes). My rule is I always play for 10 minutes minimum every day, even when I'm not feeling it.

The great thing about guitars is that you can buy really well made ones, brand new, for only $100-300. That and a $10 tuner and watching free online tutorials is all you need.

Post reply on HN