Big Lots. Crochet. Umm...no.

[13bodies]

I was at Big Lots yesterday shopping for toys and I found two kits labelled--in big, unmistakable letters, mind you--"Learn to Crochet." I had to take a look, of course.

 

However, the pictures didn't look like crocheting. They looked knitted to me. I looked closer and written along the bottom was "Included are two knitting needles and a crochet hook." Knitting needles? Who needs knitting needles to crochet? We don't have to knit to finish our stuff. I peeped in the box, and the "crochet hook" was actually a latch hook! On the back of the box was a picture of someone--I kid you not--CROCHETING with a LATCH HOOK!

 

So, we have a kit clearly marked "Learn to Crochet" although the project pictured is knitted and there is no crochet hook in sight. Uh-huh. Can you imagine trying to crochet with a latch hook? It would be nearly impossible. While this could be due to incredible ignorance and incompetence, I suspect it's a plot by anti-crochet people. Think about it: someone tries to crochet with a latch hook and becomes nearly insane with frustration within 3 minutes. They'll never try to crochet again. Think about it.

[Ladycrochat]

I would write to the manufacturer!

[caitlinsmom]

I wonder where that kit was made. Sometimes they don't understand what we know as crocheting. I had to laugh at the thought of trying to crochet with a latch hook:think

[Daisy]

It could have been a pre-opened kit by someone and just left on the shelf with pieces missing and when the clerks tried to reassemble the kit....they put all the wrong stuff into it....just because they don't know the difference between crochet, knitting and latch hook.

[Empress Busy Bee]

I've seen something similar at the dollar store.

It's not worth writing for. It's most likely made and/or assembled in China or somewhere and it's pretty much cheap junk.

Sometimes it really is true: You get what you pay for.

[snugsmontreal]

Think about it: someone tries to crochet with a latch hook and becomes nearly insane with frustration within 3 minutes. They'll never try to crochet again. Think about it.

this is why they throw in the knitting needles, it really is a conspiracy against crocheters:hook

[Crocus58]

Ignorant kit assembliers - this reminds me of the first Quilted Northern commercials with the "cartoon quilters" - they were knitting the tp!

 

That version ran for about a week, then was reissued with the quilters quilting. This totally cracked me up , and still does sometimes

[midnightexpression]

......the people that made it should be slapped with a ginormus crochet needle!!!

[mudpie]

The kit is a victim of our country's outsourcing. I've seen this before. Design and packaging are done elsewhere, and somebody who speaks English (fluently) has not proof read the text or graphics. That is how those things end up at Big Lots. A company has tried to save money by having "cheap" labor prepare the package, then has had to scrap the project and start over, thereby spending MORE money instead of less! Sheesh!

[Chrome Kitty]

That is quite an image! Big Lots is one of those stores that gets stuff other stores couldn't sell. I've seen things like basketballs labeled as baseballs, etc. which was probably due to poor translation, but if the picture on the box shows someone crocheting a knitted item with a latch hook, that's just crazy! I agree it wouldn't be worth your time to write to the manufacturer, but I would return it to BL.

 

I don't know if I saw that Northern commercial and didn't catch the boo boo, but that's pretty funny too. Maybe non crafty people just assume all crafts are made with two pointy sticks.

[luckybmr]

Probably right - made in China - first thing I thought when reading this thread.

 

My Big Lots does have nice yarn once in awhile - you have to get there right away, otherwise you might night get enough skeins of one color to do anything with. I got some great fun fur - name brand, but don't remember which for $1.00 each. I found two skeins that were the same and then two more - everything else and it wasn't much was just a single skein of some color.

[Nan-Nan]

About the only 1/2 way good thing about a kit like this is 1. you can use the cheap yarn to teach someone with or let the kids have it for their knitting spools. 2. You get a latch-hook to keep or give away & 3. you get a big laugh. I've seen joke books that cost quite a bit.(you didn't say the price on this).

[pinkroses]

my big lots doesn't carry yarn any more. or at least I haven't seen any. The one that is closest to me . It is not a very good one in my opinion. I have never found anything worth really buying there. I don't know. Maybe it was the way the store was set up? PINKROSES

[tiggerhale]

wow...I don't know what else to say

[13bodies]

Deep Thoughts (by I'm Handy) [and you'll need to be over 30 to get that reference ]

 

1. The kit was indeed made in China

2. The needles and latch hook were original to the box.

3. It cost $3. If the needles were wood instead of nasty grey plastic I might have bought it and used the needles as hairsticks and the latch hook as a freakin' LATCH HOOK and not a crochet hook and tormented the cats with the yarn (Ugly, ugly, nasty, plastic-y yarn that our dear Fugly wouldn't be caught dead sporting on his person. I'm not so sure the cats would deign to touch the stuff, come to think of it. Seriously, it makes RH feel like silk. Blech.)

4. Our Big Lots has a very small yarn section--it's a plastic bin at the end of the candle aisle--but I've gotten some nice yarn there.

5. There were 3 kits: 2 were learn to crochet; one was an (ugly) pillow, and one was an (ugly) purse. The other kit was learn to knit and was a (not as ugly as it could be) stuffed bear/cat thing. It also contained a pair of knitting needles and a "crochet" (latch) hook. So somebody at some point did know what knitting was, though the whole concept of special hook just used for crocheting still seems to elude them completely. ("A hook is a hook! Just shut up and pack those boxes!" And all over the world, disappointed little children struggle to learn how to crochet with latch hooks, and fish hooks, and coat hooks, and Captain Hooks....it's sad, really. )

[sakurasaku]

I think you gals are right...someone just trying make a quick buck by piggy-backing on the popularity of these kits and putting together something without knowing or caring about what they are doing.

 

13 bodies, I got the Jack Handy reference right away. I am indeed (well) over 30 and I used to watch SNL every in college...I guess I didn't have enough of a life that I wasn't going out on Saturday nights.

[kroshaykitti]

Now, that is funny! I am sure that is why it wound up in Big Lots. Lots of things there are mismarked and/or assembled incorrectly, but that's why the prices are so low and how important it is to really check it out, like you did.

 

Appreciate the "heads up", though - some of us who are in a real hurry might just grab the thing without really looking at it because it says "crochet" - LOL!

[Krystal16]

Yes, but if they drive the other wanna-be crocheters insane, no one would want to buy yarn, then yarn would become CHEAP and we'd rule....

 

I like that idea....

[tlisley]

......the people that made it should be slapped with a ginormus crochet needle!!!

 

 

ROFL! I thought I was the only one who said "ginormus"!!

 

That is too funny about that kit! I agree, it's an anti-crochet subversive plot co-conspirited by knitters and latch hookers...

[Chrome Kitty]

And all over the world, disappointed little children struggle to learn how to crochet with latch hooks, and fish hooks, and coat hooks, and Captain Hooks....it's sad, really. )

 

[mythunderbird]

thats nuts, like we don't have enough people mistake our art as "knitting", don't get me wrong, i also knit(yes i slipped over to the dark side many years ago) i swear people go out of their way , to give us a poke(must be those long needles they think they make good weapons, which they do,) thanks for bringing that to my attention, sometimes i just grab and not pay attention then its to late and if i remember correctly, big lots does not refund your money spent, except in a store gift card, which you could always use to buy another "crochet ' kit LOL a good lesson learned. watch for latch hooks for crochet hooks:yes thanks again my friend:hug

[Suebee42]

Deep Thoughts (by I'm Handy) [and you'll need to be over 30 to get that reference ]

 

It's Jack Handy.

 

*shows her age*

[gannka]

In Japanese and Russian (and maybe in some other languages, I do not know) there is only one word for knitting and crochet, and you have to specify if it is with hook, or with needles. Maybe this is the case here? I saw some Japanese books with clear picture of crocheted item on the front page titled "Knitting" in big English letters

[squish_52]

at dollar tree they have kits that say crochet but really it's one of those knifty knitter thingers

[tlisley]

Too funny... I told my friend about this post and she told me someone got her daughter one for Christmas last year!! Poor kid... I'm amazed she still wants to learn how to crochet!