True or False - Crochet Tension

[crochet smartcat]

I say this is false, from HGTV:

 

"Tension can ruin your knitting and/or crocheting.

True! If you're feeling tense, it can transfer to your work causing stitches to come out very small and tight. Avoid knitting or crocheting when tense."

 

I find that crocheting or knitting relaxes me. How does it affect all of you?

[Empress Busy Bee]

I don't think it's false. Depends on what's causing my tension and how bad it is.

Crocheting is relaxing but I've also been in situations where I'd have ruined whatever I was working on if I'd done it then.

[thecrochetdude]

I've noticed that if I'm watching an action packed t.v. show my tension will be different than when I'm outside listening to birds singing. Whenever I'm doing something for publication, etc, I always create a calm atmosphere.

 

[dhaunae]

Crocheting calms me, but I definitely notice that I crochet (and knit) more tightly if I'm upset or unhappy than if I'm calm. I'd say this is a question that isn't easily answered true/false; I wouldn't avoid crocheting when tense, but I wouldn't pick up a WIP either. I like to do quick fairly mindless things like scrunchies, towel toppers or dishclothes when I'm upset; doing something productive is definitely good when your mind is spiralling out of control.

[antara]

I don't know that tension (we're talking stitch tension, not emotional tension here, right?) can absolutely ruin a project. I suppose it depends on the crafter's perspective.

 

Crocheting definetly helps me to de-stress. So does knitting, even though I'm not that good at it. Simple, monotonous patterns seem to melt away the stress the most for me.

[hischildsindi]

I've seen for me that (yarn) tension can cause projects to not be their best at times. It can most definitely throw the gage off, in the very least, which in the middle of a project could cause problems.

 

I know for me when I am upset (usually around my sister ) I tend to crochet faster and faster... thus usually more tense.

[AidanM]

I feel really strange compared to the rest of you! My tension remains the same no matter how I'm feeling. Usually when I crochet or knit I end up thinking about problems or things that are on my mind, the sort of stuff that you would think would stress me out.

[Empress Busy Bee]

we're talking stitch tension, not emotional tension here, right?

I took it to mean emotional tension by this part: "If you're feeling tense".

[Niccers]

I use my crochet to help me relax and unwind. I worked a PT retail job this past christmas and often would not get home till 1:30-2:00 am. I would all uptight and wound up and would crochet for 30-45mins so I could unwind and go to bed. I cant say that I specifically saw a difference in my work, but I didnt really look for one either. The stuff I was making wasnt really that difficult or intricate.

 

Since I'm in the Grandmothers Flower Garden CAL I have made hexes when Im angry or irritated and man can I whip those things out in a hurry then. I actually think they turn out a little better when Im in that mode than they do when Im not.

 

Thats a hard question to answer with a straight yes or no.

[eurolyons]

I've never been so upset that I had different tensions in my crocheting, however, if I'm really, really tired and trying to finish up something (just one more row before I go to bed type of thing) that's when I find I really make mistakes...it won't be a tension problem, but that of doing wrong stitches...

 

If I am so upset that I'm making mistakes in my crocheting, I have to put it down, otherwise, it's not a calming activity at that point, it's then a source of frustration.

 

So, I can see where the above could be true...

 

For the most part, yes, crocheting relaxes me...

[salos]

I heard about a woman who knitted a dress for herself. She did one side in a normal year, and the other side when her son was in Vietnam. Guess which side had the tighter tension!

[BY&BH]

I don't see a difference in my tension when I'm upset, and I feel it relaxes me. I do tend to work on more guage-friendly projects, though. Things may be different if I was working on something more difficult or important.

[Stacey]

I've never noticed my gauge coming out different if I'm upset. And crochet relaxes me, so if I'm upset or anxious I feel much better after working on a project for a while...

[pragmatica]

I tend to have a lot more problem with maintaining consistent tension in knitting than crochet; maybe it's because I'm newer to knitting but can more or less crochet in my sleep, or maybe it has to do with the intrinsic differences in the processes. With crochet, you can fix tension on any given stitch because all you have to do is loosen or tighten the loop on the hook, but in knitting, you have to live with the tension of the stitch that you did on the previous round and there's no good way that I know of to correct for too-tight or too-loose tension since you can't change the loop without affecting the preceding and following stitches. (Disclaimer: I'm newish to knitting so this is probably a sophomoric assessment of the difference.)

 

I do find that I screw up patterns magnificently when I'm stressed, to the point that if I'm waiting for someone to get out of surgery, for example, I can only work on items that are straight-up SC or DC with very simple increases. I have frogged a ridiculous amount of stuff that looked fine in a waiting room but turned out to have a miscounted row way back in the beginning that screwed everything up.

 

Elissa

[LeslieJo]

Could someone please tell me what "frog" means? I have seen the term used quite a bit here and am not familiar with it. I know the sewing term frog; I have a suit that has frogs instead of buttons or snaps to close it, but they are not crocheted! They are made out of cording with loops that hook over buttons on the other side. I don't know what it is to "frog" with crochet. :shrugSomeone please shed some light for me. Thanks!

[hischildsindi]

Leslie, when you have to "frog" something, you have to rip it out, undo the work you've done. And the only reason I can think (never officially heard ) of why it's called that is because you "rip it".. "ribbit"... if that's not it, can some one enlighten me too.

[losingmymind2]

I was trying to start an afghan with a mesh pattern as tensions were escalating in the Gulf...I can safely say do NOT start or work on something intricate when your waiting for war to break out. Especially if you insist on watching CNN.

[seagull1993]

>> it's called that is because you "rip it".. "ribbit"... if that's not it, can some one enlighten me too. <<

 

You got it right! :-)

[LeslieJo]

OH, I am so familiar with that, but I never heard it referred to that way before! I guess I am an expert in frogging because I do it all the time!! LOL. Thank you so very much!!