Crafts

Two Women Yelling About Knitting

Not the same old knitting podcast. 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 friends who share a love of knitting as well as an interest in a lot of sticky topics that relate to knitting – traditional gender roles, consumerism, body liberation, and more. If you want to join us on this journey, hit the “Subscribe” button to follow along.

Latest Episodes:

Is there a wrong way to knit? Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Is slower knitting more mindful? Are process knitters superior to project knitters? In this episode, Anjali and Alison talk about the recent social media conversation around fast knitting and fast fashion, why continental knitting isn’t always the fastest, and why Elizabeth Zimmerman was right (of course). Plus, we revisit our thoughts on AI and knitting and invent a foolproof method for evaluating yarn stores called the Rosa Pomar Test!

We are now on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music (audio only) and are experimenting with adding video to our podcast on Spotify. Find us and subscribe on your preferred platform!

Further Reading & Watching

Slow Knitting: A Journey from Sheep to Skein to Stitch by Hannah Thiessen seems to be out of print, but you can find it used at places like Powell's Books
The Slow Fashion Renaissance: An In-Depth Exploration of Crochet and Knitting as Sustainable Technologies for Contemporary Fashion by Jie Peng
Knitting Rebellion, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Identity and Craftsmanship in Post-War America by Maureen Lilly Marsh
Lou Dangit on timing their knitting
VickyIsKnitting on why knitting speed is not always a choice

AI Discussion

Other Knitty Things

High Tide Fibers, a store in Rehoboth Beach, RI that passes the Rosa Pomar test
Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim in colorway M82
Andrea Rangel short row heel
Patty Lyons's improved slip slip knit
Burgos Vest pattern by Rosa Pomar
Yarn lineup at The Wooly Thistle - help me choose!

Other Happy Things

Trailer for This is a Gardening Show
CarlsFriendsDotNet is sadly not accepting new orders right now due to overwhelming social media demand! But they say they may be back in November

Knitting pattern déjà vu Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to Season 3! Anjali and Alison kick things off with a topic that a lot of knitters have A Lot of Feelings about: knitwear designers releasing brand-new patterns that are similar (sometimes very similar) to patterns they have already released. We also hear from Sophie Hemmings of the Knit Purl Girl, who was kind enough to share her thoughts from the designer's perspective.

Buckle up and put on that cardigan version of the pullover pattern you also own. Or is it a jacket? Or did you buy the blouse version, not the pullover? Doesn't matter, we're going to talk about it all!

We are now on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music (audio only) and are experimenting with adding video to our podcast on Spotify. Find us and subscribe on your preferred platform!

"Would you like to double down on your meal?" - Portlandia

Examples of Single Pattern Releases

Felix Cardigan and Felix Pullover by Amy Christoffers
Esther Vest and Esther Jacket by Petite Knit
Anker's Sweater by PetiteKnit
Ooey Gooey, plus the Sock Set, Cowl, and Mitt Set by Andrea Mowry
Cozy Classic Raglan and Cozy Classic Light by Jessie Maed Designs
The Weekender, Weekender Light and Weekender Crew by Andrea Mowry
Cumulus Blouse and Cumulus Blouse O-neck by PetiteKnit
Lakes Pullover, Lakes Cardigan, Lakes Crew Cardigan, etc by Ozetta
Celeste Sweater, Celeste Sweater Junior and Celeste Sweater Man by PetiteKnit
Gib I and Gib II by Andrea Mowry

Examples of Multi-Option Patterns

Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague
Mara Blouse by the Knit Purl Girl
Lanark Sweater by Rebecca Clow
Lauder by Rebecca Clow
Saglan by Ailbíona McLochlainn

Other Knitty Things

Alison is wearing the Autumn Alpine sweater with yarn from Queen City Yarn
The Tin Can Knits app lets you choose the size you are knitting and just shows you the instructions for that size

Other Recommendations

WALNUT yarn store in Tokyo
Amirisu Sprint hand-dyed yarn
Okadaya Shinjuku
Craft Code Switching - Pom Pom Mag Substack
Anjali's Caddis reading glasses are the Wabi Sabi in "Gloss Minor Blues" and Triple G in Heritage Green

Bonus Episode! The viewer comments that changed our minds about knitting Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

We're popping in for a surprise bonus episode! Join Anjali and Alison in a conversation about the viewer comments that made us think differently, opened our minds to new ideas, or even made us realize we were wrong. Y'all are classy and we appreciate you.

Watch for our return for Season 3 in the fall!

Episodes We Mention (In Order of Appearance)

Knitty Things We Mention

Moby sweater by PetiteKnit
Hanstholm sweater by PetiteKnit
Anjali is wearing the Corran Cardigan in De Rerum Natura Robinson in Citronnade
Green, square buttons from My Sister Knits, an LYS in Fort Collins, CO
Mussel shell buttons from La Mercerie, an LYS in Bainbridge Island, WA
Wood buttons from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, an LYS in Lisbon, Portugal
Dusty's Vintage Buttons

Denver Asian Food Recs

Craftsnark & stitch and b*tch clubs: How knitting gossip has changed May 30, 2026

Show notes

Some academics believe gossip is essential for social life, but what happens when it moves from in-person to online spaces? Join Alison and Anjali in a conversation about gossip, fiber arts, and that one terrible fiber festival everyone heard about. It'll be fun!

Further Reading & Listening on Gossip

Normal Gossip podcast knitting episode on Apple and Spotify
An Integrative Definition and Framework to Study Gossip — Group & Organization Management
"Gossip About Knitting" — New York Times
Gossip: An Investigation into the Feminine Art of Conversation — RISD
Ritualizing Language: Ancient Greek Women's Gossip and Magic as Intertwining, Subversive Paths to Justice
Gossip in Evolutionary Perspective by R.I.M. Dunbar

Gossip-Related Artwork

Netherlandish Proverbs (1559) by Peter Bruegel the Elder
The Friendly Gossips (1901) by Eugene de Blaas
Two Women Leaning Back in Sofa, Knitting by Mark Rothko

Knitting Gossip Examples

#Fybrefest: Unraveling What Went Wrong With this Yarn Festival — Aspen in the Moment
'Fybrefest': How the Catskill Wool & Folk Festival unraveled — Times-Union
Original post about Stephen West on Craftsnark
West's first apology
West's second apology
Something is off about the Stephen West backlash — Craftsnark

Two Stitches Enter, One Stitch Leaves

Other Knitty Things

Alison is making the Autumn Alpine sweater with yarn from Queen City Yarn
Anjali is bartering with the Burgos Vest, knit in Harrisville Designs WATERshed in Elm

Who benefits from test knitting? May 08, 2026

Show notes

What's going on with test knitting culture? Anjali and Alison discuss some of the controversies from the perspectives of both knitters (unrealistic deadlines! demanding photo requirements!) and knitting designers (so much ghosting!). Plus: another edition of Cast On or Drop That Stitch, featuring four trendy knitting patterns.

Further Reading on Test Knitting

Yarnpond: site to find test knitting calls
Reddit: Test knitting deadlines are getting shorter everywhere
Reddit: Since when did test knitting just become giving designers free marketing?
Reddit: Test Knitting "Reviews"

Cast On or Drop That Stitch Patterns

Vilma Top by Gregoria Fibers
Uma Scarf by PetiteKnit
January Socks by Kaitlin Barthold
Miu Top by Una Gil

Other Knitting Things

Anjali's "Woolen Spun" baseball hat from Harrisville Designs
The Traveler pattern by Andrea Mowry
Frog It Yarns
Oxbow Socks pattern by Andrea Mowry

Knitting and mental health: it's complicated! Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Is knitting good for your mental health if it sometimes makes you feel...bad? In this episode, Anjali and Alison talk about the mental health benefits of knitting, but also some of the darker aspects that aren't often talked about: compulsive yarn buying, procraftination, toxic productivity culture, and more.

Our new theme song is "Candy Apple Red" by Annabelle Chairlegs!

Further Reading & Listening on the Benefits

More on soldiers knitting to heal from trauma in Knit, Purl, Heal — Piecework Magazine
Therapeutic Knitting with Betsan Corkhill — Why I Knit podcast
Stitching Time: Women and Fiber Art in Psychiatric History — Psychiatric Times
Why knitting can help you feel less anxious — Dr. Mia Hobbs
Crochet increases attention through requiring motor skill learning — Nature

Further Reading on the Complexities

We couldn't find the original article we read about procrastination, but here's more on the "Wall of Awful"
Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Becoming "That Girl": A Digital Ethnography of Productivity and Wellness Culture on YouTube — Kate Norton
Excessive Knitting and Addiction — Psychology Today
Knitting, creativity, mental health — Kate Davies

Other Mentions

Knitty Things

Lumme Pullover in Studio Donegal Soft Donegal
Corran Cardigan by Rebecca Clow in De Rerum Natura Robinson in Citronnade

Is the Melt the ICE hat performative or political? Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

Anjali and Alison dive into the messy topic of knitting as political statement, covering the tricoteuses ("knitting women") of the French Revolution, 2017's famous pink hat, and the Melt the ICE hat. Things get a little spicy!

Email us: twyakpod@gmail.com

#TWYAK // Show Notes

Further Reading

The Pussyhat's Identity Crisis — Sapiens
Not My Pussy Hat: Why I Didn't Participate in the Women's March This Year — SELF
Unifying yet dividing: voices of pussyhat maker–wearers who participated in the 2017 Women's Marches — Fashion & Textiles
Anyone else planning on knitting a pussy hat like everyone did years ago? — Reddit
When You Want the Antiracism Cookie — Antiracist Dietitian
In Minneapolis, Knitters Are Protesting With Red Hats — New York Times
Size Inclusive Collective post on Instagram

Patterns Mentioned

Kitty Hat
Melt the ICE Hat on Ravelry
Abolish ICE Beanie on Ravelry
Lumme by Sari Nordland
Traveler's Shawl by Andrea Mowry
Zipper Sweater by PetiteKnit

Yarns Mentioned

Also Mentioned

Folk Tales documentary

Are these knitting designers copying each other? Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

Accusations of copying seem to be all over knitting social media recently. Alison and Anjali dig into the topic of knitting patterns and intellectual property: what can and cannot be copyrighted, and beyond that, what rules are designers socially or ethically bound by?

We have some interesting examples to ponder and then we wrap up the episode with another round of Two Stitches Enter, One Stitch Leaves.

Further Reading

For Personal Use Only: Restrictive Clauses in Craft Patterns — Craft Industry Alliance
Patterns and copyright protections — Ohio State University Libraries
Stephen West shawl destash drama on Reddit
A short history of knitting patterns in Britain — Victoria and Albert Museum
This Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History by Esther Rutter
Gansey Investigation with Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell

Pattern Examples We Talk About

Norma Sweater by My Favorite Things Knitwear
Harbor Sweater by Ozetta
More on the inspiration for the Norma design
Isager Archives collection inspired by Ase Lund Jensen
Pink Fizz by Andrea Mowry
Lace pattern #025 by Hitomi Shida
Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible by Hitomi Shida
Sailor Slippers pattern by Annie Germain
Aspen in the Moment episode about Sailor Slippers drama

Yarns & Patterns We Mention

Mungo by Retrosaria Rosa Pomar
Musselburgh Hat by Ysolda Teague in Mondim
Halibut Cowl by Caitlin Hunter in Alpaca Elegance, in Sencha and Darjeeling
Anjali's Lumme pullover is in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (RIP) in Sweatshirt and Harrisville Designs Watershed in Aquifer

Anjali's Art Class

Should you use AI in your knitting? Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

We're back with season 2! And diving right into to a controversial subject: AI, its current role in knitting, and where it might be headed. Plus: our first knit-a-long! Who’s ready for some “Mod Impact Mapping”??

We're yelling about AI and maybe you're gonna want to yell at us in the comments?

Books We Mention

This Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History by Esther Rutter (https://bookshop.org/a/117437/9781783...)
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel (https://bookshop.org/a/117437/9781250...)

Further Reading

Here’s more on Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory, from Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, the hottest name in nursing informatics: (https://cjni.net/journal/?p=1444)
How will AI change the world of knitting? - Laine: (https://lainepublishing.com/en-us/blo...)
Humans still appreciate humanity, even in the age of Spotify! College Radio Keeps Its Cool - New York Times gift link: (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/st...)

Knitting Things Mentioned

The Tin Can Knits app (https://tincanknits.com/app) is innovating knitting by letting you choose the size you are knitting and just showing you the instructions for that size
For our knit-along, we are knitting the Lumme sweater by Sari Nordlund (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr.... Anjali is knitting with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Sweatshirt and Harrisville Designs WATERshed in Aquifer (https://harrisville.com/collections/h.... Alison is still experimenting with yarns.

Shout out Ruth for the title cards!

Bonus Episode! What if state fairs were art museums? Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Come along with us and discover the craft (or is it art?) of state fairs! We visited the State Fairs: Growing American Craft exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum earlier this year and are sharing (and showing) our favorite pieces, our big takeaways, and how it relates to our knitting. You'll see hooked rugs healing trauma, Victorian hair wreaths, a portrait of Prince in seeds, and more!

#TWYAK Bonus Notes

Visit the exhibit at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum through September 7, 2026.

Books We Mention