Knit Stars | May 31, 2026
🧶The Viral video I deleted
BY SHELLEY BRANDER
Dear friend,
A couple of months ago, I posted a video on the Knit Stars instagram that got 30,000 views – in the first hour.
A video with that much initial engagement can easily reach hundreds of thousands, or even millions of viewers.
And a couple of hours later, I deleted it. At the time, I was embarrassed, but now I’ve decided it’s important to share about it – and what I learned from the experience – because I think it might help you or someone like you, in your knitting and maybe even in your life.
The video was called “Knitter vs. Flight Attendant.” I made it the night I flew to film the first masterclass of our upcoming Knit Stars 2026: Your Season of Genius.
To be honest, when I was making it, I had a feeling it might go viral. It had that thing that so many content gurus say makes a great video – the “negative hook.” (In case this term is new to you, it’s a psychological strategy used in content creation to grab attention quickly by using a harsh truth, warning, or negative-sounding statement.)
I’m generally not a fan of this idea. I’d rather stay positive, even if it means that fewer people see my posts. After all, our mission is to Knit and Crochet the World Together, right?
But I made the video anyway. I told myself, maybe I won’t post it. But since I’m being transparent here here…it was fun to make. Cathartic.
Here’s why…
On my first flight, the flight attendant had walked by, noticed my knitting and pointed out what she thought was a mistake. (It was the hole that can happen at the underarm join). Most likely, she was just trying to make conversation, and to be helpful.
Then I asked her if she was a knitter, and she said “Oh, I would never have the time.”
Well look…that’s a perfectly normal thing to say. Especially for someone who works as a flight attendant on short haul flights. It’s highly demanding with a huge amount of responsibility.
But for some reason, this comment just went all over me.
My mind went to the thousands of people through the years who I felt judged by…who might have been asking perfectly innocent questions about my knitting, but I assumed they were thinking things like “must be nice to not have a job” or “what a grandma thing to do” or even “what a nerd!”
So I decided to make my little Instagram video. Then I posted it. Watched it immediately catch on. But even as the engagement numbers went wild, even as the comments of agreement and support poured in, something was gnawing at the pit of my stomach.
Then came a couple of brave comments that made me pause. “This woman is just doing her job,” said one. “I expect better of you,” said another.
Ooof.
And I knew they were right. So even though the “attagirl” comments far outweighed the “nope, not cool” ones, I deleted the video. And even though I was careful to hide the flight attendant’s identity, I am still sorry to her, and to anyone else that saw the video and felt that same gnawing pit in their stomach that I did.
Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I realize the whole situation was an important teacher to me.
It reminded me how much the mind can love a villain.
It’s so easy, when triggered, for the brain to look for someone to blame.
Like maybe when you find a knot (or three) in your yarn.
Or when you walk into a yarn store and don’t get greeted immediately by the overwhelmed staff.
Or when you buy a pattern and realize it only has charts, no written instructions.
In these moments, I try to remind myself that everyone is doing their best. And that, like the stitches we create, we are all intertwined. Even in a “negative hook” world, there is still so much more that connects us than divides us.
Thank you for being here, for being a part of this big intertwined community committed to lifelong learning and growth. 🤍✨
xoxo,
P.S. Speaking of connection, we just re-opened our Knit Stars Masterclass Facebook Group after a long pause. If you own one or more Seasons, you can jump back into the conversation and share pics of your latest Knit Stars makes here. I look forward to seeing you inside!
