Learn French: Tu dis que le tricot est irrégulier, mais je l'aime quand même. - You say that the knitting is irregular, but I like it anyway.

In French, quand même usually goes immediately after the conjugated verb (here, aime). While English speakers often tack "anyway" onto the very end of a long clause or sentence, French keeps this concession connector tightly attached to the verb.

Could I use tout de même instead of quand même in this sentence?

Yes, you can replace it with je l'aime tout de même without changing the meaning. Tout de même is a perfectly interchangeable synonym for expressing "anyway" or "all the same," though it can sound just slightly more formal than quand même.

Why isn't est in the subjunctive after Tu dis que?

Verbs of declaring, saying, or thinking (like dire, penser, or croire) take the indicative mood when they are affirmative. They are seen as stating a fact or presenting an opinion as a reality. You typically only trigger the subjunctive if the verb is negative or inverted in a question (e.g., Tu ne dis pas que...).

Does le tricot refer to the action of knitting, or a physical piece of clothing?

It can mean both! In this specific context, because the speaker notes that it is irrégulier (uneven) and says je l'aime (I like it), le tricot refers to the finished physical item, such as a hand-knitted sweater or scarf.