I seriously still do not even slightly understand tumblr etiquette

[kaberett]

In that I accidentally made a post that's currently sitting at 1.3k notes, and one of today's reblogs involved the addition of "Reasons to be better at knitting #[large number]".

The pattern's eight dollars so they've probably not seen it so they probably don't know that it's literally just knit stitches plus a straightforward make one. Consequently I am kind of itching to go "you can actually totally do this! if you can knit at all you already have all the necessary skills, I promise, and if you don't knit at all you can probably learn them fairly rapidly!" and I have... no idea if that would count as creepy or invasive in tumblr terms.

I suspect that sending an ask to this effect would be perceived as more invasive than replying/reblogging with cheerleading (but it's also my preferred option because the point of my main tumblr is very definitely A Gallery Of Things That Make Me Smile, not interaction or whatever). But... mostly I am still just at "tumblr ????????"

Advice from people more au fait with this shit very welcome!

Comments

[sonia]

No idea on Tumblr etiquette, so I won't venture an opinion on that.

As someone who knows how to knit and purl, but has never gotten the hang of blocking, making size swatches, or keeping count to add beads in the right places, I'd venture an opinion that while cheerleading might be welcome, there is actually a lot more skill and keeping-track involved there than you might think.

Also, *wow*, beautiful!

[kaberett]

Stitch markers every ten stitches plus at the end of each chart section, charts in front of me getting marked off, and a spreadsheet open on the computer to mark shit off. I *still* had to rip back 20-30 stitches every few rounds, but it was much less bad than it might've been!

I still pretty much never swatch, which is awful of me (but will have to for the lace I'm currently planning as an edging); aaaaaand honestly I have no idea what I'm doing with blocking, I just get stuff damp and apply pins and hope for the best.

IT'S A REALLY GORGEOUS PATTERN ISN'T IT.

[sporky_rat]

I haven't seen the pattern, and haven really gotten to see all the pictures I would like (Ravelry on the phone is rough), but it's just knit? And make one? I COULD DO THIS.

Hell, I make mittens more complicated than that. I'll have to see about this.

[kaberett]

It is just knit and M1! It's got a slightly fiddly cast-on, but a photo tutorial as to wtf it is they're doing; you *can* include k2tog and YOs to make the hole-y version but as you can tell most folk just omit those because weeeeee don't like the effect; and you slip the beads onto the stitches they're supposed to live on as you get to them, by pulling the stitch off its needle and through the bead's eyelet (... or whatever they're called) with a tiny crochet hook, then putting the stitch back on. I really strongly recommend stitch markers every 10 stitches plus at the ends of charts, just to make it possible to keep track, but that's all there is to it unless you decide you want to do a fancy lace border. (At which point it's knit, M1, YO, and k2tog, basically.)

[sporky_rat]

...Wow. That's easier than learning cables! I will be picking this pattern up when I get paid again!

Wow. Just...wow. And I thought it was all fancy knitting! (I should know better. It's all knits and purls, Rat. Knits and purls.)

[kaberett]

I AM KIND OF IN LOVE WITH IT. Not least because, right, if you've got ALL THE STITCH MARKERS ON, you can perfectly well go "oh, huh, no beads in this row of this chart" and just... KNIT FOR SEVENTY-TWO STITCHES WHILE DOING SOMETHING ELSE WITH YOUR BRAIN. It is GREAT.

this icon's words are so approrpriate

[sporky_rat]

Time to start looking for appropriate yarn!

[tree_and_leaf]

Personally, I adore Shetland lace, but I've never quite got the hang of cables...

[syntaxofthings]

preeeeeeetties *_*

[kaberett]

I knoooooooooooow! I'm allergic enough to animal fibres that I can't wear them myself and this kind of thing really does want to be made out of animal fibres for the sake of getting it to stretch out and show to best advantage, BUT I am not so allergic that I can't *knit* with that shit SO I'M MAKING THREE TO GIVE AWAY (in exchange for the cost of materials).

so plEASED

(but yeah, the tumblr post basically came out of me going through EVERY SINGLE completed project on Ravelry and pulling out the ones I liked best, because I wanted to go LOOK AT THIS PRETTY THING some more.)

[silverhare]

Gentle cheerleading would be good, I reckon, but - I taught myself how to knit, and anything beyond 'knit' and 'purl' is like a mental version of television static and panic.

(So yeah, I would recommend reblogging perhaps with encouragement and links to how to do these things.)

I had no idea you could- what, mark stitches to know where to do the beads? That's so cool! I still only make scarves because I don't understand how people knit things that are bigger than the needles. :/ #autistic

[kaberett]

... my autism is claustrophilia-flavoured so I think I'm probably not gonna be able to help you on that one >_> But -- stitch-markers! Little usually-plastic hoops that slip over the needles between stitches that you move over when you get to them, to help you keep count!

Yeah, the draft I have is very much "the skills involved in making this are XYZ, I encourage you not to be intimidated if that's helpful for you", but I still don't know... whether it should be a reply or a reblog or an ask! HOW DOES TUMBLR.

(also obviously if we are ever in the same place and I can be helpful in re knitting etc then I'm def up for that but, er, I know exactly what you mean about that particular overload response, so. that is if and only if.)

[silverhare]

*affectionate arm-nudging* Yes, yes, this is all good.

[(Anonymous)]

I will use the plastic hoop version of stitch marker simply because some projects benefit from so many that I'd have to own an awful lot of the bigger ones with the metal loop and something dangling. I find that the because of the weight of the dangly ones they transfer from one needle to the other without the need to use your fingers, whereas the plastic rings are fiddly. I knit continental style, but I don't know if that makes any difference.

[hilarita]

Having observed Tumblrs in their natural habitat, a cheerleading reblog seems to be perfectly OK, even encouraged in certain circles.

[kaberett]

I think the reason I'm getting stuck on this in particular is the highly specific dynamic of "author of popular post swooping in on notes-to-self-and-friends written by total strangers separated by many degrees of separation". *chinhands*

[hilarita]

In other bits of social media, this is very likely to be different. However, this does seem to be a thing that the Tumblr model encourages. I've *mostly* seen it played out when author of popular post is otherwise Famous (e.g. they're an author or some such), but I have seen it in other contexts, and no-one has gone 'ewww, creepy' or anything like that.

[birke]

IAWTC

[staranise]

On other platforms yes, especially since you'd be interrupting existing conversations or whatever, but Tumblr reblogs and asks are so easy to ignore and even miss that it's far less intrusive than most platforms, and also on Tumblr 1.3k isn't actually a lot of notes; it's enough that the OP could reasonably keep track of responses (instead of having to read through a thousand new ones every day) and treat them individually.

[birke]

I've gotten the distinct impression -- from many hours spent on Tumblr -- that asking and reblogging are both acceptable forms of interaction with strangers. As long as you're not being critical, I would be surprised if the person actually felt it was invasive. They do know that the OP can see all comments on the reblogs.

[lireavue]

*wanders in from network* I thiiiink you'd be okay with a cheerleading reblog, as long as you're comfortable with it? (I mean, see my willingness to wander in from network as random allistic.) Also I see my next yarn purchase will be YOUR doing. XD

(I am currently determined to knit from stash DAMMIT, as I have an afghan and a cowl for me that I've been planning for aaaages. But once I hit the point where the stash is looking a little empty...) (And no, I checked already, everything is either committed or wrong kind of yarn or insufficient amount of yarn. Alas.)

[ironed_orchid]

Unless someone is a mutual follow, probably best not to start a dialogue, for all the reasons you suggest above. Ignore this, I am probably reacting to some bad interactions I had.

What you could do (I assuming you have knit, or are knitting this pattern) is reblog their post with a photo of your own work and some notes about how simple it is to do stocking stitch and make one and place the beads. No guarantee that particular person will like your new post, but it might make other people feel better about their ability to tackle the project.

[azurelunatic]

I think that the case of Reblog With Helpful Specifics is an excellent application for a side blog if main tumblr's aesthetic would be upfucked via Extra Conversation.

and I think that a Clarification Of Stitch Knowledge Required For This Pattern Given Paywall is a fully legit and helpful thing to do.

[ewt]

On a completely different note:

I cannot knit for toffee but I can crochet a bit without hurting myself and am thinking of making one of these for someone since crocheting round things is moderately trivial and I clearly need more projects have a very dear friend who would love one of these.

[sylvaine]

I think reblogging would be the most tumblr-etiquette-appropriate option (and such additions are usually very welcome!) Though note that if you do go that route, you should reblog directly from the person that added that comment, as they won't see your addition otherwise.