The Tortured Knitters Dept.

I do not pretend to be an expert on artificial intelligence, but as a writer, I am familiar with the offerings (or lack thereof) when it comes to ChatGPT, an easy-to-use language-learning artificial intelligence.

As a creative writer, I would like to think ChatGPT could never replace the depth and personal touch that a real writer brings to the page, but I have successfully used ChatGPT for writing prompts in the past.

I’m a little late to the party, but recently my brain has gone down the proverbial rabbit hole and I have begun to wonder what other skill sets could OpenAI attempt to replicate? Surely, not something as hands-on and personal as knitting? But then again, when stripped bare, knitting is really a form of code and language… so maybe it can?

I have heard of experiments (many failed) of knitters and crocheters asking ChatGPT to write a pattern. The results are quite hilarious and certainly boost my morale that no chatbot is going to replace us talented fiber artists anytime soon.

When I am not knitting, I enjoy taking time to teach others to knit. It is so rewarding to witness people take those first wobbly baby steps when learning to knit basic knitting stitches. Could ChatGPT take away that personal connection I offer when I teach others to knit: no way! But could ChatGPT teach someone to knit? Maybe?

When I prompted ChatGPT to “teach me to knit” this is what it said:

I’d be happy to help you get started with knitting! Here are the basic steps and materials you’ll need:

Materials Needed:

1. Yarn: Choose a medium-weight yarn (labeled as “worsted weight” or “4”).
2. Knitting Needles: Start with size 8 (5mm) needles.
3. Scissors: For cutting the yarn.
4. Tapestry Needle: For weaving in ends.

Basic Techniques:

1. Casting On:
   • Slip Knot: Make a loop with the yarn, pass the tail through the loop, and pull tight to create a slip knot. Place this knot on one needle.
   • Casting On: Use the long-tail cast-on method. Measure out a length of yarn about three times the width of your project. Make a slip knot on one needle. Hold the needle in your right hand. With your left hand, grasp both the tail and the working yarn. Use your thumb and index finger to separate the strands, making a “V”. Insert the needle under the strand on your thumb, then over the strand on your index finger, and pull through the loop on your thumb. Tighten the loop on the needle. Repeat until you have the desired number of stitches.
2. Knit Stitch:
   • Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from front to back.
   • Wrap the yarn around the right needle counter-clockwise.
   • Pull the right needle and yarn through the stitch, and slide the old stitch off the left needle.
3. Purl Stitch:
   • Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from back to front.
   • Wrap the yarn around the right needle counter-clockwise.
   • Pull the right needle and yarn through the stitch, and slide the old stitch off the left needle.
4. Binding Off:
   • Knit two stitches.
   • Use the left needle to lift the first stitch over the second stitch and off the needle.
   • Knit another stitch and repeat until one stitch remains. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail, and pull it through the last stitch to secure.

Practice:

Start by practicing the knit stitch to get comfortable with the movement. Once you feel confident, try alternating between knit and purl stitches to create different patterns like stockinette (alternating rows of knit and purl) or ribbing (alternating stitches in the same row).

Simple Project:

A great beginner project is a simple scarf. Cast on enough stitches to make the scarf the desired width, then knit every row until the scarf is the desired length. Bind off and weave in any loose ends with the tapestry needle.

Would you like detailed instructions on any specific part of this process?

(End of ChatGPT lesson)

Ok, so while these instructions are correct, they leave a lot of smaller details out. For instance, it does not mention how to hold the yarn in the front when purling, and the beginning explanation where it says ‘make a slip knot’ and then instructs you to make the slip knot again for the long-tail cast-on is confusing. But overall, the basic idea is there and I would possibly pull from these written instructions when teaching someone to knit.

Then I went further down the artificial intelligence rabbit hole, asking ChatGPT to offer its opinion “do you think artificial intelligence can teach someone to knit?” Yes, I realize how ridiculous it is to ask a chatbot for their opinion… but here’s what it had to say:

Yes, artificial intelligence can be used to teach someone to knit. Here’s how it can be done:

1. Interactive Tutorials: AI can power interactive tutorials that provide step-by-step instructions, adapting to the user’s pace and skill level. These can include videos, animations, and augmented reality overlays to show exactly where to place needles and how to move the yarn.
2. Virtual Knitting Assistants: AI-driven virtual assistants can answer questions, provide tips, and troubleshoot problems in real-time. They can use natural language processing to understand and respond to spoken or written queries.
3. Pattern Recognition and Feedback: Using computer vision, AI can analyze a user’s knitting progress, identifying mistakes and offering corrective advice. For example, an AI app could use a smartphone camera to track the user’s work and provide immediate feedback.
4. Personalized Learning Paths: AI can assess a learner’s current skill level and customize a learning path, gradually introducing more complex techniques as the user progresses.
5. Community and Support: AI can connect learners with online communities and resources, offering forums, Q&A sessions, and virtual knitting circles where they can share experiences and get help from more experienced knitters.

While AI cannot physically knit for someone, it can certainly provide a comprehensive and supportive learning environment to help people learn to knit effectively.

(end of GhatGPT prompt)

So now I am actually freaking out! Virtual knitting circles? Analyzing the knitter’s progress and mistakes? Virtual knitting assistants? Yeah, this virtual world scares me.

I still stand strong on the idea that there is no OpenAI on the planet that could replace human connection. Nothing can replace the hug I receive after teaching a friend to knit or helping a fellow knitter interpret a pattern, and certainly, nothing could ever replace the friendship and laughter of a true knitting circle! (Heck, we older ladies need diapers the laughter is so contagious around some knitting circles. We can get rowdy!)

Still, it is a little scary, isn’t it? What do you think? Does artificial intelligence help or hinder the world of fiber art? I’d love to hear your opinion.

P.S. I do use AI to create the header images for all of my blog posts. Sometimes it gets it right, other times I look back at posts like this one and think, what are those hands doing? They are definitely not knitting correctly.