Video

I love your channel! You really inspire me to tackle “hard” projects by the way you just methodically break down each element. I also sew and knit so my question for you is how do you conceive of or evaluate what project to work on next as it relates to your entire wardrobe? For example: are you the type to just make whatever suits your fancy and then by your taste it just happens to work with your other pieces? Or are you getting to the point where you are filling in gaps to work around tentpole pieces in the collection?

For sure I would like to see you seam a raglan. It's something I haven't done so I'll be nice to know if it's easy. And I love to hear all about everything! Background and family...

I love the dress you made for your husband's graduation. As someone who likes to dress up, I totally understand your concern with not wanting to look TOO dressed up to take attention away from the people who are graduating. I saw in a previous video that you lift weights. What kind of weightlifting do you do? Do you compete? If not, do you want to?

My question for you: What was the first garment you knit that you felt really proud of? My other question would be, have you ever had a really disheartening knitting fail?

Hi, I love your videos? One question I have is whether you have any tips for sewing knit fabrics without investing too much in expensive tools. I struggle to sew knits evenly.

It's always a joy to see the knits and sewing projects you make. Perhaps it's the way you "build the plane as you fly it", and seeing the modifications that result, that gives me courage to modify my own knits. My questions for you are: Which knits do you wear to work? Which knits would never wear to work? I've enjoyed wearing my knits to work on cold days, but find that some knits are "too precious" for active work/living.

i would love to know your absolute favorite garment youve made, for any reason (do you wear it a ton, are you proud of making it, is it super unique, etc etc). thank you so much for your videos!! they always get me so motivated to work on my knitting

Glad to see you again! I love your hair today! Great makes for sure! I’m not a sewer, but love to see what people make. ClaudiaSJI

Two questions for the q&a 1. Do you like to listen or watch things while you work on your projects? Any podcasts, books, movies, shows, CZcams channels, etc. that you are enjoying at the moment? 2. I’d like to hear more about your pets. Names, breeds, adoption stories, or anything!

Hi Melissa, I would love to see a video on seeming. I have knit a sweater in pieces and yet to have put it together. I have done others and do not like it. That being said, my question to you for the Q&A would be, what garment making process (knitting, sewing, etc.) do you find most challenging and what ones bring you the most joy?

Hi Melissa, I really appreciate your channel. For the Q&A I'm curious what your job is and how it relates to your making (or doesn't.) And I would be interested in how you seam a raglan. I've done a few seamed garments but I don't doubt that I could learn something new from you!

Q: Strange question but I've been crocheting for over 2 years now but only started knitting recently (inspired by your videos actually!) and am having trouble picking it up (motivation, technical skills, etc). For someone who's interested in knitting garments specifically, what projects would you recommend a beginner knitter?

A seaming video would be a great addition. I just made 3 seamed cardigans in the past 2 months. Before this, I hadn’t seamed a sweater in decades and I have to say that there is something very nice about the structure seaming provides to a finished garment that I had forgotten about during the “raglan years”. It really is something of a lost art in finishing techniques and I found myself liking both the process and the finished garment. Once again, you have lovely finished projects.

So nice to see another update from you. You are so very talented. Are you self taught in all these making skills or have you had any formal training?

HI Mel as always an enjoyable and informative episode ❤. I would love to see you seam an entire sweater. I have fallen in love with a lot of seamed cardigans but I get intimidated by not doing a good job. I ve been practicing,😂 but it would still be lovely to see you go through the whole process. My question is what edge stitch would you recommend for the best seaming result? And would you consider doing the bottom ribbing after you've seemed the garment? I've noticed that it's hard to make the seamed ribbing look good at the bottom. Thank you!❤

I love knitting flat & seaming, looking forward to seeing your tips & techniques for it!

Always a good start to the day to see another video from you! For the Q&A how do you balance your busy work, weight lifting and crafting?

I love your videos and can’t wait for the next one! For the q&a: what is your favorite project you’ve ever made, your most worn, and the one you’re most proud of?

You are my one of the most favorite channels! I love your attention to details and I do learn a lot form you. Q: How do you find sewing patterns that you like? It's always been a struggle for me. I'm used to the convenience of Revelry database to search for knitting and crocheting patterns. But when it comes to sewing, I don't even know where to start to look for interesting designs.

i do like the wip series as it helps me value mine more and not give up so easily. I would like to know what motivated you to study Japanese and how is it going? Tanoshimi? I picked up a couple of the Japanese knitting books you mentioned and am enjoying planning some projects.

I have a question for you - more than 50% of the time, I am disappointed at the outcome of the project. I am a process knitter but I do like to have a good product at the end. I am not a perfectionist but i am often quite disappointed. Hats, gloves, scarves - I am hardly disppointed but garments - don't like them much. Do you have this type of experience? Do your garment projects always turn out be happy projects? You are an amazing knitter. So I bet you like how things turn out pretty much all the time.

I would love to know your cultural/ethnic background (if you're happy to share it) and if you have cultural/ethnic traditions passed down from elders who have taught you (or was everything knitting related learnt from online youtube tutorials?). Thank you for your episode uploads - they are so informative but also precise (without overt waffle and distractions) which makes them unique imo, at least in the knitting podcast world. And although I occasionally enjoy a podcast which is 'rambley', I really look forward to your uploads as I know I will be getting a lot of interesting and relevant information about the knitting projects you choose.

Yes to the seaming vid! It's on my list to make a pieced garment - the way I learned back in the olden days. Like others here, I'm curious about your life beyond the camera.

absolutely hype to see the mohair sweater. I have been thinking about it on and off since you posted it. I don't think I will ever knit anything like it - I get easily exasperated by things like clingy mohair and more strands than 2 or 3 - but it is meltingly beautiful. I would also enjoy a seaming video. I'm getting into seamed garments this year for the first time in my nearly 20 years of knitting and my next project will be a self-drafted seamed cardigan and I really need to hype myself up for it. I really enjoy, by the way, your mix of knitting from patterns and knitting self-drafted garments, or knitting from patterns but modifying. I really love your project-based videos because I love getting into the weeds of the nitty gritty moment-by-moment decisions you're making when you're knitting. Still, I enjoy your WIP wrap-up videos because you often dig into those decisions in retrospect. Tried to think of a question - don't really have one. Do you have favourite yarns, designers, construction styles, magazines? You are an eclectic knitter so I am guessing your answer will be "I like the yarn that is right for the effect I want to achieve", but maybe it's more complicated than that. What garment are you most proud of? What garment do you wear most?

Ive said it before, but i love your content! You were a huge inspiration in my starting my own channel. This is going to be a niche question, but how long does it typically take you to prpduce a video? And what does ypur editing routine look like?

The graduation dress is absolutely stunning! I love the time and consideration you put into each of your makes.

Hi Melissa, I just absolutely love watching your episodes. I feel smarter after I listen to how you describe things and talk about the process. I learn a lot. I was wondering if you do a Q&A, I would love to hear a bit about the inspiration behind your tattoos? I love your arm piece.

I’m definitely a fan of yours. I’m very partial to any workable (for me) style of construction so, I’m not wedded to top down. In fact, I think I prefer the bottom up style of construction. I attribute my preference to the way I like to work; do the 80% first then, do the interesting and possibly more complex part last. I’d like to see the way you sew pieces together please. If you would be willing to share your crafting journey from beginning to current, I personally would appreciate and love to hear that. Manythanks

I am curious about your lifestyle when you are not knitting, sewing or working. (is that a dumb question?)

So enjoyed this video. I love hearing you share the details about your makes. I would definitely enjoy hearing you answer questions. I really enjoyed Selma's Q & A and learning more about her. I have a few questions. Knitting related - do you usually get inspired by yarn and purchase a sweater quantity and then look for a pattern for it or do you generally purchase yarn specifically for a knitting pattern that you are excited to make? Sewing - when and where did you learn to sew? Have you taken any classes in person or learned techniques online? You mentioned a fabric stash. How have you acquired your stash? Through visiting stores in person? Inspired through newsletters from online sellers? Do you usually have a garment in mind or style of garment in mind before you purchase fabric? Personal - I love hearing about people's backgrounds - their education, careers/jobs they have had, places they have lived. Anything you feel comfortable sharing would be lovely. Thanks for taking the time to share your makes and the journey. :)

It always makes my day when you release a video! Discovering your content was what inspired me to learn more about knitting and yarn besides just following a pattern, so thank you for that! I have found your speaking voice so soothing and engaging. And your communication style is so informative! I'd love to know what you do to prepare that for these videos. How do you approach a project walk through? Do you have a script? I'd also love to know what resources /books helped YOU learn the most about the technical aspects of knitting. And selfishly, I'd love to learn more about your pets

Hi Mel, I'm definitely in the superfan category! I really enjoy this format in which you share a wide range of your creative output. I would like to know how you select your projects. You always choose such interesting designs, from a wide variety of designers and with interesting construction and techniques. Do you start with the yarn, with a construction element, or a design aesthetic?

I’d like to know what your favourite book of all time is.

I’m a loyal viewer and so was concerned when you didn’t post any videos for so long last year. Honestly, I was worried about you.

Hi Mel. Would love to see a video on stitching a garment together 😊 Also, I have been watching your videos for a long time and you always pick such interesting projects - can you share more of your proces when choosing a pattern, both knitting and sewing? Best, Ida

I LOVE that Kaufman linen/rayon fabric too--I've used the navy and the black for 2 dresses. It's easy to sew and feels so nice to wear when it's 1 jillion degrees outside. I think I'm going to get some more in the Heliotrope color and make a popover shirt for fall. 🤩 Great podcast/video, as always! Hope you are staying cool in New England.

I have been enjoying the three-month updates, particularly the range in types of making and items. Please think anything you do is too boring; it is not. Question - What resources would you recommend for learning knitted construction or modifications? It's the same with sewing. I am always amazed at your ability to make modifications.

Thank you for the lovely podcast as always! :) I just rewatched one of your older videos on Gudrun Johnston's Vair, I think, where you say you want to knit one of the dresses from the book but would not have the patience for so much stockinette. You know what? Knitting machine for all the boring bits, while having fun with colorwork ;) As for the question. How do you decide no your next project? I am an advanced knitter and I want to be challanged all the time, meaning that I am attracted to crazy patterns with all kind of techniques. But the finished project I actually NEED in my wardrobe are more basic understated things. You seem to balance this very well with your projects. How do you do that? PS: unrelated, you definitely made me jump on the japanese knitting train (I have knitted a few patterns now), with the problem that I can no longer stand knitting from written patterns. I want my patterns to be fully charted, every time and always, lol. You want me to read pages of written -short row- instructions?? Forget it! How much easier it is to work short rows from a simple chart! Now, I just re-chart the english patterns on paper so that I have all my instructions in one simple chart and don't need to refer back to the actual pattern :D

I have just recently found your series and look forward to each new episode! Yes, to a video seaming knits. I have never done this being somewhat new to garment knitting. My questions would be 1. Are some yarns not as suitable for seamed knits? 2. How do you accurately seam horizontally knitted fabric to vertically knitted fabric. I tried once and gave up.

Listening to your bright sweater description, I can’t believe I knit it! It’s been a while…I’m mostly sewing now, but I do remember the back has the cape-like shape you mentioned. If I were to make it again, I think I might try to reduce some of that back material.

hi Mel, I wouldn't have asked if you wouldn't have asked for questions, so my question: does the flaring out hem of your bright sweater doesn,t disturb you? many greetings from Germany, Gabi

This was such a nice surprise! I wasn’t expecting a new video so soon after watching the other wip check-in. Personally, I love a wip check-in, but you need to do videos that you’re interested in. 😊 So excited you mentioned the hypnosis sweater! I was actually gonna go back through and make sure I didn’t miss an update on that project. I’m super excited to see how it turns out. I would absolutely love to see a video on how to do seemed knitted garments. It’s something that I’m interested in, but would love an intro a la Mel before diving in.😅 For the Q&A, I’d be interested in hearing you to speak about how you organize your stash, if at all. Do you keep track of it anyway, such as via ravelry or anything like that? Also, I love that you, Selma, and Megha are such good friends. It would be interesting to hear how y’all met. If that’s something you’re up for sharing. As always, thanks for the time and energy put into this video. It was much needed on a sick day. 💚🧶

Thank you once again for an informative and thoughtful podcast. I appreciate the way you think aloud and change designs in small ways. I've altered knitted garments along the way, too, and it usually makes me feel more confident. Your aesthetic is highly creative, which I enjoy, since my makes are more traditional. Brava!

Love all of your content as so many have said already it’s inspiring and I love to hear about how you approach a pattern. I’m always very impulsive to get started and admire the decisions on colour placement and construction before diving in. Who are the makers that inspire you when you see a finished object and if ever you have the time I would LOVE to see your stash and how it influences your choice of designs. Hi from Brussels 🥰

I‘m really looking forward to your hypnosis sweater, Melissa! This sweater is definitely in my queue. Thank you for sharing your process and thoughts once again 👍 Happy celebration!

Yes to the seaming video 🤩🤩🤩 Thank you so much for sharing your knitting with us. So insightful and inspiring. I’m a big fan of your videos. Hello from Germany 💚 Q: What keeps you inspired? (In general and with your knitting?) Please do skip this question if you consider it too personal.

Thank you for your podcasts. i enjoy your content and style of podcast!

One of the things I like best about your videos Melissa is how you share analytically what motivates your choices in a pattern or in how you approach a project. Are you like that in other aspects of your life?

I found your channel a few months after I started knitting, and listening to you describe your approach to knitting helped me be adventurous when I was starting out! I'm curious if there's any particular knitting techniques or designers that you haven't tried yet, but want to in the future!

belated congrats to your DH on his graduation, hope the new direction works perfectly for him! --from a fellow booty-having, color-loving petite knitter 🙂