Knitty!
During broadcasts, “What are you making?” or “What are you working on?” are the most common questions. I tend to bounce around from project to project, but usually viewers will find me working on scarves, blankets, hats, or knitted plushies.
I’ve been fortunate that I get to chat with my viewers during my Twitch broadcasts. Some might think I’m teaching others to knit, but often it’s the other way around. Many of my viewers have a lot more experience knitting than I do, and they offer up suggestions, or patterns, or search out links to help me or others in the chat with a crafting issue. Many have taught me new cast on methods, or how to graft stitches, or work a new pattern. Some have gently persuaded me to try new techniques, or use different needle types when I was stuck in old patterns. While I’d resist at first (What can I say; I don’t like change), they were often correct in their suggestions and ultimately my project improved because of their efforts.
Back in March, when I started streaming on Twitch, I was working on blankets — Very simple, very easy, very boring blankets. Things I could knit while talking, without following a pattern; and frankly, something I couldn’t screw up on camera – a big fear of mine at the time. But as time went on, and my audience grew, and as I studied other knitting broadcasters, I began to realize I wasn’t challenging myself to try new things. Socks, colorwork, difficult design patterns: I was skipping all of this.
Lil’ Pillow Dudes or LPDs: One night back in May, I couldn’t sleep. I ended up laying in bed trying to figure out what I could make that would be different, that I could sell, that might generate some excitement with the audience. I jotted some notes down, including a drawing. Then I fell asleep.
The Original LPDs
That late-night idea later became the Lil’ Pillow Dude, or LPD. The LPD came together over the period of about 6 weeks. From the reference drawing that viewers could see during the broadcast, viewers gave tips, input on design, and cheered me on when I was about to give up. They even spent hours looking up patterns to improve the project, some going so far as to test knit an idea. And out of everything I’ve made on camera, the LPD is the most popular item I’ve made to date.
Group Photo LPDs!
The Future of LPDs: Soon I’ll be offering LPDs for sale! And LPDs won’t be alone: their siblings Big Pillow Bro (BPB) and the youngest and smallest, Bromigo, will make their debut on channel soon!