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My Mom grew up in 🇨🇦 during The Depression and The War. At the age of 6 she was knitting socks, mittens, and balaclavas for soldiers fighting overseas. At that time there was a program where people collected the wrappers from bars of Lux Soap and turned them in at Eatons (former iconic Canadian Department Store) for free wool to knit items for soldiers. My Mom knit her entire life… right up until she passed away a few years ago at the age of 86. Why am I telling you this… well, she was a huge advocate for home-based hands-on skilled activities. She always said that working with yarn was therapeutic, and that every ball of yarn held a project within that would come to life with the dedication of one’s time and talent. Immy, I see you have brought this cardigan to life using your time, talent and dedication to learning new skills. My Mom would be proud of you!! I’ll bet your Mum is proud of you!! This high school sewing teacher is 💯 proud of you!! Bring on more projects, more learning, more skills, and more enthusiasm for the DIY hand-made approach to sustainable living… whether it be food, furniture, home decor, climbing, gardening or whatever you want to share with us. I’m here for it!!! Ⓜary🧶🌿🧵

that carabiner you used in your dungarees 😂❤️ good to see you back on YT!

As a knitter myself, I think that the sustainable part in knitting your own clothes is already that you make it yourself and that you will take good care of it, because it took hours to make. I also try to support local brands and shops by buying my yarns from them. You can also dive into yarns like linen, nettles or bamboo. Also try once knitting in the round, than you also don't have to put the whole garment together😀

“Make… Do… Move.” These three words are my simple mantra that I try to live by. More specifically: To MAKE things, to DO hands-on activities, and to MOVE my body are the focus in my daily wilderness lifestyle here in northern 🇨🇦. With that said, Immy, your ☀Skilled Girl Summer☀ is right up my alley. For me, learning skills and doing activities is good for my mental and physical well-being as well as my wallet, the environment, and my psyche! I full-on appreciate that today’s video highlights the importance and acceptance of making mistakes and learning from them, to overcome the mindset of perfection, and most of all… to be proud of one’s achievements and to share our accomplishments. I’m uber-excited about more videos of this nature (☀SGS☀) and for your upcoming VlogAugust series. Thanks so much, Immy, for this chill update, the summer vibe, and for filling us in on your projects and plans. PS - I, too, have been enjoying Leena Norms and her “I Made This” videos. Ⓜary💕

Hi Imme, You are reminding me so much of my mom. I love love love all the things you take on with patience and love, just like her. For the potatoes - my mom always told me that when the plants die on top of the ground is when they are ready to be cultivated from underground - hence why the flavor was perfect. For the knitting - first let me say - BRAVO! beautiful cozy impressive cardigan! When you knit the sides, commence both together on 1 knitting needle so you work them simultaneously. Not only will you remember to increaser decrease them together, but if your knitting is looser or tighter on different days, they will come out the same. You are a peaceful joy to watch! Hugs, Rachele~

Best option is going to thrift stores and looking for yarn, that way it doesn't matter as much what kind of fiber you get, since you're keeping something out of landfill! Some places even have designated yarn re-sale stores, and I think people also re-sell yarn on ravelry. If you're willing to use wool, it's also worth considering buying yarn from local farmers if those are in your area. It will be expensive, but you're supporting local farms and that's really worthwhile.

Something I've started doing is trying to be totally independent from industries for certain products. These can be tiny things. For example - I grow and preserve enough thyme, sage, and peppers to where I never have to buy them anymore. I'm working on expanding that list, and also getting to that point with bread. Becoming a producer instead of a consumer, even in tiny areas of life, is a big accomplishment!

A fun Netflix to watch might be Anne with an E. yes it’s a drama based off a childrens book but the characters are always gardening farming mending baking sewing learning. It always inspires me to “do” more myself ❤

I love the style you are going into! I am now watching your videos regularly again, it seems like you feel more confident but you still seem authentic and honest. I'd love to see more videos about new skills you are trying out and your garden, as well as cooking :) Thank you for your time and effort!

Love the skillbuilding, what a great idea for summer! Though it did make me think. We can never learn all the skills. That's why many people who live sustainable live in groups. So maybe building a community should also be on the list (and it gives you ppl to take care of the plants "D)? Have a great start of vloggest!

I am not vegan myself, so maybe my opinion on the yarn thing won't be compatible with others', but my general take is that it is always better to favor natural "second life" materials (thrifted or recycled materials) than new materials, even if it means using wool or leather. Then if you have to choose between new and new, choose the more cruelty-free option. The ideal vegan-compatible option would then be recycled cotton :p

For the few shepherds left in Germany it was actually cheaper to throw away the wool, than to use it because they only would get a ridiculous low price. And most of the wool for fast fashion was imported from Australia from mass production 😢 a really really messed up system. But recently there have been more and more little farms again making use of the wool, selling yarn or clothes and so on. So now I try to buy from them for my occasional crocheting projects. At first I thought that was my solution, but then I learned about different sheep races and that some of them are not at all made for German weather and so on. So for my next project I will try wool from old german sheep races to support their shepherd :) But I guess what I'm saying is, there are so many sides to everything... There's probably rarely only one right way, but it's always great to read so many people are trying to make the better choice :)

I love your thoughts on knitting. You should be proud. I'm knitting quite a lot and the things you mention (neat ends, nice finishing,...) are the things in also still struggling with. Not at all beginner friendly with other words. 😉 I haven't tried it myself, but unraveling a secondhand garment to get yarn for knitting might also be an interesting option for you.

Well done on the va divan, it looks fantastic and very comfy. Few thoughts re yarn work. You might have some left over due to your knitting tension, it's a good idea to do the boring test square before you start. Knitting for adults is expensive, even if the yarn is cheap and cheerful! Try thrift shops for yarn, you might find that and/or knitting needles there at a cheaper price and youre saving it from landfill. Ravelry is a good site for patterns and many are free. I personally find crochet harder, but made two blankets, so it is possible 😅. Hats are a great thing to knit, little amount of yarn needed so you can go better quality and they make great gifts. Knitting in the round does away with the messy seams. X

Your sweater turned out so lovely! I knit and crochet and I HEAVILY favor the latter (part of this is due to some personal mobility things that just make crochet easier). They are different crafts, crochet tends to have less drape than knit but also to me has a lot more flexibility in terms of what you can make. Plus it's faster. I churned out a blanket that covers my full size bed with overhang in 2 months ish? Albeit I was working on it dang near constantly, that blanket feels like my Magnum Opus. TL Yarncrafts has a lot of crochet tutorials and is really good (she does yarn reviews and tutorials and patterns). I'm wanting to learn ukulele, I got one at a local second hand shop and am very excited!

you could also thrift knits with yarns that you really like and unwind them and reuse the yarn! there’s lots of sustainable ways to knit and craft 😊

As a lifelong crocheter (and infrequent knitter), I just want to say that your cardigan is beautiful, especially for a first time!! Don't sweat little things like messy seams - I've been doing yarnwork for 20+ years and sometimes still struggle to make things straight and tidy. 😂 As long as you're happy with it and it meets your needs, that's all that matters. Definitely an accomplishment to be proud of! (Also, it's wonderful to see you back. I was just thinking the other day that it had been awhile since I'd seen you in my subscription feed. ☺ Hope you enjoyed your vacation!!)

That’s a wonderful first knitted piece! If you stick with knitting, you’ll eventually find knitting in the round and seamless garments. I personally really enjoy top-down raglan tops/sweaters. No seams and you can try it on as you go so you can check the fit! I also prefer crochet for pieces like cardigans that are made flat and seamed.

ReCreative Denver is an absolutely amazing shop to visit. It is a second hand craft/DIY shop that where you can find everything you mentioned pls friendly and knowledgeable ppl. It's a treasure trove! Also, buy nothing groups are a great way to gift and ask for things in your community. Just a few options for second hand items that are a bit more local. I like the sound of "skill girl summer." ❤

Knitting is so hard for me. I like the idea of using organic cotton.

No "skill girl summer" for this middle aged mama, I'm just trying to survive a massive move, a house purchase, registering the kiddo for school (omg it's SO much more complicated here in the UK than it ever was in the USA). I'll be relying on previously learned skills a lot more, especially as moving to the UK meant giving up our car and we aren't planning on buying a new one. If we're lucky, we may be able to get a bit of a garden going for the Autumn, or at least plant some trees & shrubs but we'll see.

Awesome video! I love your approach to knitting, and I think that recycled wool is a good starting fiber to use. Like you said, it's very nuanced and takes a lot of time to look into the wool industry. If you'd like a pattern for your first crochet project, I have a pattern I've been making that would be (in my opinion) a great project and I would be so happy to show you! Wool is, like you said, a very nuanced topic. It's not inherently cruel, but it can be if done wrong. Try looking for local fiber festivals and shows - some places you can get yarns with the source animal's name on each skein! It might cost some money (and people can judge me for being a "yarn snob") but personally I find it the most ethical option. Anywho -- great video and so glad you (a) are back to making content and (b) took a good break!

I think that water content is important too. I imagine that cotton production and growing requires lots of water. ❤

As someone who has some 30 year old unfinished knitting projects, I think you've rocked the knitting! I can't offer any knowledge on ethical wool but someone who is fantastic on the evils of fast fashion and how to construct an ethical capsule wardrobe is Justine Leconte. I also follow Bernadette Banner, who is a professional period costume designer, currently working in London, but who figures out how to adjust patterns, she sews mostly by hand or uses a 100 year old plus machine. It's just fun to see how people can manage to do things in "non capitalist" ways. It warms my heart somehow, even though my arthritic old hands can't emulate such skills. I love that you didn't burn the ear on your loaf! It's something which drives me nuts to see bread makers burning the ears on their bread until totally blackened. Why ruin a your own loaf of sourdough? You are doing so well. The two I have mentioned have both self taught themselves through upskilling on KZfaq. I think Bernadette's sister does her editing now, because she's working full time. I think you would find Katherine Sewing another self taught 16:07 inspiration too. She also works out patterns and posts them online plus she has mistressed the art of controlling her curly hair, which is how I started following her. As with you, it's wonderful to see accomplished young women achieving such positive things and doing things against the consumerist norm. I'm glad you had a good summer with the American side of your new family. Btw, my last potato crop was like yours (summer killed the green growth), and I've never enjoyed teeny tiny potatoes more!

I LOVE this "skilled girl summer" !!! It's so inspiring ! Here are the skills I'm currently learning : embroidery, quilting, italian, climbing, gardening (I'm very bad at it), drawing, video editing, managing my mental health better. You should do videos about your climbing ! I would be so up for it !!! Have a nice skilled summer ! :)

After a long time not watching (kids) we’re on the same journey! Cant wait to see more!

I crochet and have tried knitting, but haven't really mastered that. Right now I'm working on a mesh shirt for my sister :) Good luck learning crocheting and can't wait to hear how it goes!

Wow! A sweater the first time out for a knitting project?! You did a fantastic job! 🙌

Your house is so beautiful I’m so jealous. Also please share embroidering! I also like buying boring t shirts from the thrift store and want to spice them up

Great idea to start new skills. Thanks for the inspiration and the beautiful call video.

I learned to knit,crochet and embroider when i was in school. I still love to do that. I knit my socks,scarfd,etc. I croched a blanket with left over wool, it was very colourful at the end. I love to do embroidery,i am working on a table cloth. I want to knit or maybe crochet a loopscarf,i am not sure yet. Maybe i'll do that in autumn😊🌻. I am sure,once you get to know how you do it,you'll have lots of fun. My daughter started doing embroidery, when she was 7. She is 18 and bought something made like a picture with a frame. She has to do the embroidery still. This is going to be lots of fun,i am sure you will enjoy that.

Hi Immy! I love to knit and appreciate your thoughtful view of yarn sustainability. Many large cities have craft thrift stores, that sell secondhand craft supplies. I bet Denver has one! Some vegan knitters I follow will also thrift a sweater and unravel it for its yarn, therefore using existing fiber and saving it from the landfill. You can also knit with non-animal fiber yarn. I actually don’t recommend cotton to knit with (it’s heavy, bulky and difficult to work with) but you can get nice linen and bamboo yarns too.

This video is so soothing. I love this style!

i’ve wanted to get into knitting/crocheting - kudos to you for your cardigan! looks so cozy!

You did a great job on that cardigan; I love it!

Your sweater is beautiful!!!! You should be very proud of yourself. BTW who saids that you cannot learn something at an intermediate level? When I learn a new skill I have to take it apart before I can learn it and creating a cardigan for your first knit is something I would have done as well. I have been knitting for years and I still make mistakes and an old saying I learnt was " never knit your soul in a garment. Always have a mistake" lol. Also with regards to wool with Veganism/ minimalism and environmentalism can be a taboo subject but I feel as a sustainable product ie getting it from a local mill is better for the environment than choosing Acrylic. I was a vegan for over five years and as a knitter I always used wool as it is more sustainable, breathable unlike plastic wool, and it cleans itself by hanging it outside on the line overnight !!! also Cotton will stretch and lose shape as it has no memory so you may find your hat getting bigger so washing it regularly will keep some shape to it. Don't be afraid to reach out to the knitting community for help! We are here to teach lol. I am also learning a new language to keep my brain healthy and have taken many free courses of Korean on Coursera which was really good and Udemy. Because I wanted to know more lol, I decided to buy courses on Udemy at a discount for about $20 and these are amazing. I would highly recommend both for getting started.

Great video, GREAT JOB FOR ALL OF YOUR CHALLENGES... 👍👏

Congratulations 👏🏻 , you did a great job with your cardigan. If you want a more polite ending I recommend you knitting with circular needles. There are a platform called ravelry, there you can find plenty of knitting and crochet patters and projects.

Loved this! I love crocheting and sewing, I need a sewing machine though. I have been hand sewing everything and its just so time consuming without a machine! You have inspired me to learn more, to work more towards sustainability and a less consumeristi lifestyle. I always find your videos inspiring and fun to watch 💚 One love

I started with wool that was a family members who passed and rather than let it go to waste I took it with the intention of using it as I wasn't sure if I would really enjoy it so I didnt want to buy new and I have made a few scarves but have been picking it up and dropping it as I get frustrated or bored with it after a while. My next project is a blanket though

I would love to learn how to knit an sew. When I was little, my mom would knit sweaters for me. She and my grandma have also sew me a dress for the first Communion. So when I will be a mom, I want to do the same ❤

Thanks for sharing your jorney :-) Regarding wool: maybe you can hrift wool yarn or wool sweater as source for your next knitting project.

Immy; So good to see your face. Glad to have you back. Luv your sweater and Yes you should definitely be so very proud of your new skill. I used to knit, quilt, crochet, X-stitch, bead and much more. But, as with most things life has gotten in the way a bit too much but I still try and find time to do projects that bring me joy. I too get many white t-shirts at a local charity shop. I recently saw a video on using plants, flowers to add some colour and something different. I took some small violets and using waxed paper pounded them onto the collar of my shirt. They came out so fabulously and makes me smile every time I wear this shirt now. Can't wait to see what you get into next. Happy Summer!

You're just fantastic and I hope your positive and loving impact on the world continues to spread.

You are sooo cute with your basil plant! You are a great plant mom! 😁

I love your sweater! You did a fantastic job for your first project, and being flexible and fixing things is a great skill to have.

Good for you to dive right in knitting Your gauge will become much more even with time. I hope you find a nice yarn shop near by to drop in and get help. I relearn knitting after 30 something year and found a knit shop near by that had a knitting group that was nice for help. Have fun🧘‍♀️🙋‍♀️💞☕

Finally found the time to sit down and watch this video and immediately I‘m so inspired to learn new skills as well! Tried knitting last year and I didn‘t get into it just yet, so I might start crocheting this year - maybe I‘ll like it better and then knitting can be learned another time haha. It‘s crazy cause at the start of this year I kind of set the word EXPANSION as some sort of a theme or mantra for the year and I went on a trip this year that I‘ve been pushing away from me cause it was far out of my comfort zone. Well guess what, I just came back from that trip last week and it was life-changing. I healed parts of me that desperately needed healing and now I forgot the point I was trying to make, but I‘m excited to get inspired by your skilled girl summer to keep my mantra of the year up. Also really looking forward to Vlaugust!!! 😊

For me, sustainability is more a triangle than a right or wrong. using a recycled cotton or wool is the peak, next cotton, next wool, next other heavily processed natural fibers. I am in the camp of, if it exists already use it up. I wonder if there’s 3rd a next step of getting wool from a second hand craft store!

A small piece of advice for climbing: try to buy your harness and climbing shoes as soon as possible. It will end up being more expensive to rent them in the long run. After my first 5 sessions, I realized it was worth it. It cost me around 100€, and they're yours forever. Don't go for the most expensive equipment. Remember that harnesses for indoor climbing are different from those for outdoor routes. And for shoes, choose beginner-friendly ones, or you'll be in a lot of pain

I've been trying to use up my stash of yarn this summer. I've had some for 15 years! But I've made some products that I wanted instead of buying a new product. Going forward I think I'll buy yarn with more intention than before, and I think I'll try to get yarn from secondhand art supply stores or by unraveling wool sweaters from thrift shops.

Hi Immy! Tip from a knitter: if you struggle with sewing the parts of the garment together, you might wanna look into knitting in-the-round techniques, that don't require any sewing! Also, you'll find crocheting is easier than knitting, particularly when you have to correct mistakes 😉

Looking forward to Vlogust!🎉

Your Videos are so calming ❤

Ahhh well done on your cardigan, it’s fantastic! I’d totally wear it! I know how to crochet really well and I’ve tried learning to knit but found it tricky. perhaps thick yarn and proper pattern to follow rather then yet tutorials would be easier way to learn? I know how to bake sourdough, I make lots of kimchi and kombucha, dressmaking is next on my list just hunting for a second hand sewing machine ❤

I love your summer Vlogmas idea Immy. Also, well done for producing a pretty convincing cardigan on your first attempt. I would be pretty happy with that

Love the idea of "skilled girl summer"! Can I ask what brand or type of notebooks or journals you're using around the 5:00 minute mark? And have you already made a video discussing your journaling or planning process? ❤

Looking forward to all the climbing stories! : )

Omg, can’t wait for August!!! 😬 I love the idea of learning new skills and using them to become even more sustainable. Very inspiring video Immy!! Thank you!

Cotton vs wool I’m not super aware of the sustainability aspects, but what I do know if that cotton yarn doesn’t have the kind of stretch that wool yarn does (or at least any of the cottons I’ve tried dont) so they act in a different way while you’re using them. I’m also a crochet-er so I don’t know how much the difference affects knitting

You are such an inspiration!!! 💚🌱

A great way to utilize animal fiber and reduce waste, is to unravel sweaters you find at thrift shops. Just like you would purchase a sweater to wear that might have wool fiber, you can purchase a sweater with the intention of unraveling it and reusing the yarn. Engineering Knits actually just posted a video about this topic and I'm dropping the link here incase it's helpful to anyone. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ft6idt1p3Ky8YZc.html

Glad you enjoyed your trip! Cant wait for Vlogust!

That is a lovely series that you start - it's motivate me to do similar things, maybe not in your level of intensity, but still that a huge help. I recently feel more creative with cooking - just open a fridge and put together some god meal or cook something that i never done before. I looking forvard to your thoughts about learning new language, ws that is one of my goal.

Perfect! I was just looking for a video to watch during dinner haha

Embroidery is a great skill for mending!

That Cardigain is very you, Immy. Well done!! 🎉❤

I am so in awe that you made that cardigan it's amazing. Also I am so excited for vlog-ust

Yay, for the wonky cardigan club! I have a lumpy, lopsided cardigan that I adore. Looking forward to hearing your opinions on wool too! I love cotton wool, but find that it’s not at all warm, so I’m thinking of just sewing recycle polar fleece tops to wear in winter

You definately can be proud of yourself! You did an amazin work and you've showed yourself and many of us, that our limits or lack of knowledge can be always changed and we can grow and improve every day! Btw-this little basil plant is adorable! Cheers!

This was inspiring, thanks

You are so lucky, to life in such Beautiful Place out in nature ❤

hi immy, i went down this wool conundrum myself. over time ive realised how much wool there is at thriftstores. you could even unravel an item.

This video made me so excited!! What language are you thinking of learning?

Welcome home! I live in Denver too! Would love to meet up sometime!

Thanks for sharing all your progress, Emmy! What language are you thinking of learning? I speak Spanish and am TESOL teacher, and I'm still learning Portuguese (at a basic conversational level right now). You've inspired me to make a list of some skills I'd like to add to my skills kit

hey sista id love to know how the clothes you took to the us with you are fairing in the change of weather and what clothes yo had to buy as i see you wearing your trusty faves and it makes me smile

You should check out Bre Ellis, she has an amazing small garden and is testing out all these new skills etc

I think your cardi turned out great. It looks so snuggly and warm. I am vegan but i do love wool. I buy 2nd hand Aran jumpers & cardis. I am self teaching myself to sew. I had tons of flour towels and turned some into un paper towels. I watch videos on how to make clothing out of curtains and a round skirt or lacey top out of tablecloths to practice sewing. I want to make linen minimal dresses to throw on over t-shirts. I think we all could do with learning these skills that our ancesters knew. One never knows what could happen in this crazy world these days. Back to basics just might come in handy one day 😉

Love your cardigan ❤

Hello Immy! Such a nice video and I love that you've started knitting! I'm a knitwear designer and I specialize in wool, mostly swedish wool though. But! I was vegan for a long time but still used wool because of it's outstanding qualities. There isn't any other material that have the properties that wool has. For example water resistant, anti-bacterial and it gets you warm when you're cold and cooler when you're hot. It's a magical material! And on to the vegan part. The law says that sheep farmers have to sheer the sheep at least once a year, otherwise the sheep will choke on it's own wool. So if we don't use the wool it will be burnt or buried, which is such a waste. And England has such a great wool industry and the english wool is amazing. So please don't swear off wool just because of the vegan part! Love your videos! Best wishes, Anna.

🥰🧶👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

How did the marathon go? x

You could also go to the thrift store and find sweaters or rugs or whatever there that you don't think people will love and recycle that wool by unraveling the object. I think that's a sustainable way to use those kinds of materials because it's still second-hand and it's from the thrift store. I have mixed feelings about using second-hand animal products (like leather, wool, etc) but I think if it's second-hand then it isn't contributing to the demand for the product and that makes sense to me. It's like how you should keep using up the things you've had since going vegan instead of getting rid of it all and buying all new vegan things. There's always a fine balance between being an ethical vegan and being sustainable that I think is a personal line everyone must walk for themselves.

Can you link the other KZfaqr you mentioned please?

Hi Immy! Loved this video. I'm a professional seamstress (costume maker) if you ever want advice on sewing your own clothes

Climbing videos please!!!!!!!!

love that cardi sista

Brand new wool, although I appreciate it isn't vegan, may actually be the most ethical option- sheep are sheared for their own welfare rather than for profit (it costs farmers more to shear the sheep than they make from the wool), as thick fleece can harbour flesh-eating pests. Of course, there are also the nuances resulting from the sheep themselves being reared for meat, but I thought this was a factor to consider

Immy, you are not a girl anymore:)

Please do not use 'recycled' wool. It will be wool at the end of the day and you will promote an aweful industry, I know you are care about animals. (Organic) cotton will be different I know that people has to get used to the new characteristics. So please do not have any expectations. ((I do not work with any of these materials yet working with someone who does and heard all about it. But she had to unlearn many years of experience. And she is weaving anyway, but the cotton vs wool convo is a daily topic)) That recycled stuff someone else will use. But the ethical choice... well just a hand full bothers with that. We need you on that side. I only write since you told it to do so in the video and I hope the algorythm will help your channel, yet I hope that you will not going to accindentally push the carriage of the animal exploitation. I love your humble voice in the internet. Please show as much you feel comfortable to share, enjoy your experience you are going through and all the good wishes to you people. We still need you, now more than ever!