As a viewer, this resonates strongly with me. I have been growing tired of the majority of RU-vid channels. Everyone wants to sell you something CONSTANTLY. RU-vid used to be a place where normal people talked about and showed their hobbies or whatever they love in their life. They shared that with likeminded people. There aren’t many RU-vidrs left who work that way. I really don’t need highly produced videos that look like TV commercials. I just want to share what I enjoy doing with likeminded people, have fun, relax. (For that same reason, I don’t use instagram.) RU-vid used to be content creators or content sharers. Nowadays, it feels mostly like your friend trying to force you to buy Tupperware or whatever they get sponsoring for.
I concur… lots of these people literally having a commercial in the middle of their content that has nothing to do with their content. Talk about not feeling authentic!
Although I have never purchased something from a RU-vid sponsorship, I don’t mind if it is part of a video. I understand that people use sponsors as a way to earn money. I usually ignore it or tap/fast forward through that part of the video.
I find the most enjoyable content to watch is those from creators who are sharing their own authentic journey, they arent doing it for the audiance, its a journey they want to. be on and will be on anyway, with the added bonus they are choosing to share it. xx
I have this mantra... "You do you". As probably a much older viewer , it's taken me a lifetime to understand this and I am now committed to implementing this in my life. When we work on finding and living our authentic selves this is what resonates with others. I want to watch content creators and content sharers, who inspire me, make me laugh and feel like I am sitting with a friend chatting while I teach myself to sew and finish off the multiple knotting UFO I never completed because of having to meet the metrics associated with with my previous academic life. I have found myself progressively unsubscribing from YT channels that are more about the "next big thing" or that focus in what I shouldn't be doing etc. So "you do you" and savour the journey.
Please don't quit RU-vid! I just found you two weeks ago and am having a good time!!!!! Its taken me a few years to find sewers, creators, Goths and cooks that reply back to me and not be so snobby or condescending. Some of my friends YT friends are big vloggers and some are much smaller than you. What all of you guys have in common is sincerity and dialogue. I'm not all that socially adept because of the autism but I'm always willing to backtrack to sort out misunderstandings. I took down all my videos and will pist again. I went through a rough time with medical issues and three of the major episodes has doctors shocked I'm alive and recovering. So my vids stopped. I see my clothes, food and gardening as entertainment. I'm very low income and not much of a TV person. Not too many folks around here do any moderate cooking, gardening, sewing, canning or yarn stuff. I live around "DIY PREPPERS", who don't understand clotheslines, can't grow grass, no idea how to sew on a button, split wood, crochet, cook beyond frozen tv dinners, sew basic things, mend clothes or do simple home projects like paint the walls. Really I kid you not! You are one of the REAL people out there I connect with for my sanity and can share with. Just be you!
I feel you so much on these thoughts - you really do need to love what you are doing in a video, as well as love making the video itself, in order to keep loving being a RU-vidr, which is why I had to transition from embroidery tutorials to all the random stuff I'm making these days. Be real, be passionate, have fun! When I'd get down on myself about the views, I tried to remember that if 500 people were sitting in a room watching me sew, I'd be absolutely floored (and freaked out) that they were all interested in what I was making.
What I really like is a series of collection of videos in a playlist because it means I can ‘play all’ and not have to touch my phone much while I am busy doing other things.
I love your chatting videos. I've been following you for 2yrs now. I'm a knitting, crafter also. I love your style as it's similar to mine. I agree YT has definitely changed not what it use to be. Do what makes you happy.
ive noticed that you too many RU-vidrs have been uploading less and less too. the subscriptions are now dry. you should show up how you feel and with no worries even if you upload less and less. I enjoy your content and look forward to your content :) ! its making Cassie not breaking cassie lol :D
Lovely chat today. I agree about RU-vid... For what it's worth... your audience will grow gradually and the folk you get will be kind particularly when they realise that you are authentic. People not be finding you because of the algorithms... I've only just been shown you and joined your channel!
As someone who makes and shares my work on Instagram and Wordpress, I identified with this 💜 Thank you for encouraging me to continue approaching my makes with authenticity and joy.
This was such a lovely watch this morning! I had you on while I was working on a little painting :) What you said really resonated with me - I've felt a lot of the same things, often going through a little cycle of creating something because I thought it would do well, then feeling disappointed I wasn't as authentic as I set out wanting to be. I always have the loveliest chats with people online when I'm totally being myself, and that feels so lovely. It's hard to get the balance right sometimes (especially when you care a lot about it, like you say) but this sounds like a really good approach :)
Thanks Lorna! It’s definitely not easy but I think aiming to feel good about the stuff we’re making (whether it’s content or clothing or whatever) is probably the best place to start ☺️
I really enjoyed this knit and chat. I also totally understand you reevaluating how you’re creating content. The constant go go go of content creator life looks exhausting. I’m glad you’re choosing to be happy and enjoy the process instead of keeping up with algorithms.
This is so awesome that you’re finding your groove and making what makes you feel calm and what makes you happy! I remind myself often that knitting and making and art are fun for me and they make my happy and I need to protect that and not let myself make it a stressful thing.
I love videos that are a bit more slow-paced and quiet and relaxed. If the creator is under pressure to film you can often pick up the tension, which makes me feel stressed myself. I'd rather have no new videos in my subscriptions than three new ones when one of them makes me feel bad for the person who "had to" put it out for me.
I love your approach to YT channel. If you can continue on the way youve been showing up recently, im really sure it will be the best way. It doesnt need to feel like work. I love seeing your vlogs come in BECAUSE its a chat, no selling, just chatting. Love it, keep it up ❤😂
I am so happy you're back with your knit and chats! They're my favourites of yours. So excited to see what else you put out and happy you're doing what feels right for you 🤍
Here for you making the videos you enjoy and feel yourself making. I'm watching/listening to this, sitting on my living room floor, glueing together a pattern and I'm having a great time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🧡
Really appreciate how honest you are here. I found your channel today and the thing that make me go from one video to the next was that you seemed like you're just being yourself. I'm so burnt out by youtube channels becoming homogenous advertising zones, and seeing so many creators seeming to get burnt out by the grind of producing content can be really sad too. Luckily recently I have found a few channels where people are just being chill and showing whatever arts and crafts they're working on and having a little cat. I totally get the pressure to chase the brand deals and to produce videos in a way that has been successful for others, but it all just becomes the same. Best wishes and hope you have a lovely day.
I just discovered your channel this weekend - subscribed immediately & my favorite content is the “knit & chat” style. It does feel like knitting with a friend - I like to hear your thoughts on crafty topics. I do not really sew - I’m a knitter & often I’m knitting up something while listening to you. I’m sure the burn out is real. Do not let the stress of producing this podcast dictate the process. Do what makes you happy - your followers 100% support you ❤
Little late to the party…but I liked and watched your videos because you are so different from me even though we are both named Cassie! Your style is way different than me but I like listening or watching you make something cool! Am I going to knit, nope but I’ll gladly watch you do it! P.s. life is too short to do something that puts so much stress on you. I hope you are doing well!
Hi Cassie Thanks for making your videos!! They are so enjoyable : ). I just noticed how you were knitting the sock and your link to 9 in circular needles,... this blew my mind! I had no idea this was an option. I've never made socks, double end needles I find challenging, dropping stitches etc and magic loop takes a bit of practice not to twist the first row. Do you use the 9in for the whole sock or do. you change for the shaping part? Maybe an idea for a video?
While I'm new to sewing (I made my first project 1 year ago but I'm now completely obsessed) I'm a long-time internet girlie. I'm talking mid-2000s LiveJournal and the early days of blogging, back before the concept of influencers or the idea of planning content was conceived of. I never got particularly big in the blogging world, which has now more or less died out in any case, and I know that's partly because even as I realised people were starting to take it seriously and were making money from doing it, I had a day job and didn't have the capacity nor the drive to try to turn blogging into anything more than a fun creative outlet and a way to make friends online. But I did always feel this weird push and pull around authenticity vs how much it matters to you whether people actually see your content or not. Like is what you're doing for you because it brings you joy to make it? Or is it for other people and it really matters to you how many people see what you're doing or take the time to comment, etc. Of course it feels good for things you've spent a lot of time on and feel really proud of to perform well, but is the joy in the creating or is it in the acknowledgement from others? It can be both but ultimately I think you've already come to the conclusion that you know which one is more important to you. I no longer create any content online but have been toying with the idea of creating a sewing Instagram because I'd love to connect with other people who love to sew and to find a bit of community in that world, but the idea of adding this burden of "work" into the mix of something I find super joyful and which I adore as this new creative outlet for myself feels daunting. I feel like the whole hustle culture is also sort of just capitalism pushing people into monetising their hobbies and in this hyper-online world of influencers there's almost this expectation that any worthwhile hobby should also be a side-hustle that turns into a business so you can tell everyone you're an entrepreneur (lol). What's wrong with just having a hobby that brings you joy and why can't that be enough in itself? Also you're 100% right that the amount of work you would have to put in to create a garment to satisfy a company that gave you some free materials is not worth it not just for the hours, but for the pressure it would put on you to do it quickly and interrupt your creative workflow and the plans you had for what you wanted to make next, etc. It just steals the joy from your hobby and turns it into work and that's not a nice feeling. Anyway I love your content and my fave sewing videos to watch are just sew with mes or planning videos about what's inspiring you, what you want to make, etc. Basically just watching other people enjoying their hobby is what I'm into and you do it really well so I'd love for you to keep going! Long form content forever!
I like "feel good" content the best. That's the kind I prefer watching most of the time, unless I need a how to video or something. I feel like the RU-vidrs thatI watch are my friends, even if they don't know that I exist. I'm not sure if other viewers are like me, but I follow a lot of different RU-vidrs, and because I do, sometimes I miss some of them and don't see their videos for quite a few weeks or even a few months because I tend to get distracted by the videos RU-vid suggests for me. But then I realize I haven't seen someone for quite a while (like you recently. Sorry.) But then I binge watch them and catch up on what I missed. Maybe those videos that didn't get as much attention, will catch up eventually.
I found you thru your defining your personal style thru making your own clothes video(s?) I follow you because i like your personailty lol but also to get inspired by your style and also your body positivity/acceptance :) Im a crafter but kind of refuse to make my own stuff nowadays because i dont have the time or the oomph to put in to make things that are actually good that i will actually wear. Doesnt stop me from watching vids about it, Looking for patterns, and designing them haha. Ive thought of making my own channel which i probably should do but still havent decided what one thing it will be about. Prob need to give myself less rules and just do SOMETHING 😂 Anywayyyyy ill keep watching now
I enjoy your channel so much. I miss the long content. You are not the only RU-vidr that is cutting back on the amount of videos you are producing. Personally I’m not a fan of the short content as it’s hard to watch (listen to) while I am working.
Quite a few creator i follow have had lower than usual viewer counts for a few weeks : i know i myself have watched less videos than usual, as uni started up again.
