young crocheters, have you noticed

[leesespieces]

alright, i just went through all the posts, and i think i got yall beeaaat... 'cept frogsrock. i'm 19. i work at michael's and i've had a few older women ask me if i know anything about crochet or knitting and when i say yes they go, "oh, really???" and then they look so shocked when i immediately not only answer their question but recommend other things like stitches, patterns, or types of yarn. i kinda like the responses cuz i know people have a preassumption about people my age - that they don't care about their jobs and they're too young to know anything. so i like proving them wrong. i didn't know anyone else my age that crocheted until i started working at michael's either. there's another 19yr old girl there that does it. and an older man teaches the classes!

[bella_song]

Hey now, you don't have me beat either, I'm nineteen too!

[Gretchen]

For the poncho question - they are VERY much still in style this season! I saw a beautiful faux fur poncho just the other day - and it was quite pricey. I buy most of my clothing and fashion from QVC, they are pretty up to date on the fashion trends throughout the country, and they had two ponchos on their weekend shows this week. So if you think you might wear it again - go for it! Otherwise make something pretty from the yarn!

[bella_song]

hmm...I can't help on the poncho question, I never liked them.

[hookjunky]

I too am not a big fan of the poncho...the last one I had was a plastic rain poncho with a picture of smurfette on it when I was about 7. I think they are fine for little ones and I have made a few but on the adult crowd they just don't do it for me.

[Mandys76]

I didn't realise other peope my age crocheted until I found this site. I don't know one other person who crochets, aside from my Aunt, who taught me in the first place. I started crocheting when I was 8 or 9, and now I'm 30 this month.

 

I'm sick of being called a grandma because I love both knitting and crochet. My husband was ashamed of my crocheting and used to make me put it all away, including things I had made, when his mates came around. I didn't stand for that very long! But he was right, they all give me looks like I've got a disease, or laugh at me when I do it. It hurt at first, but now I don't let it bother me.

 

It's for this reason that I rarely make anything to give away either. I find that no one I know appreciates the hours it takes to make an afghan or something, and they don't like the way they look either. As a result, I have HUGE amounts of afghans laying around.

 

It's a shame. I can't wait to have children so that I can teach them...I want to instill in them the pride they can feel in themselves when they've made something themselves.

[Shell]

my ex bf fondly called me GIT

 

(granny in training) hehe

[hookjunky]

IIt's for this reason that I rarely make anything to give away either. I find that no one I know appreciates the hours it takes to make an afghan or something, and they don't like the way they look either.

 

Oh Mandy that totally sucks! I would be so sad if my work was so rudely received. My friends thought I was a freak at first but have now started paying me to make dolls of their favourite video game characters! I have an order for 4 Katamari Damacy dolls right now! Maybe you should make a graph afghan with the words *%$@ you! on it and give to one of those ingrates!

[Lady_of_Roses]

Maybe you should make a graph afghan with the words *%$@ you! on it and give to one of those ingrates!

 

Nah.. make it a graphed pillow.. would take less time that way.

[Karla]

Everybody I mention crochet to starts immediately talking about doilies and any number of other things made out of thread. They don't think about crochet with yarn.... they only relate yarn with knitting. Crochet, it's the new thing to do with yarn! We need a bumper sticker, or something.

If you find one let me know! I want one!!!

[Mandys76]

Oh Mandy that totally sucks! I would be so sad if my work was so rudely received. My friends thought I was a freak at first but have now started paying me to make dolls of their favourite video game characters! I have an order for 4 Katamari Damacy dolls right now! Maybe you should make a graph afghan with the words *%$@ you! on it and give to one of those ingrates!

 

Oh I'd love to! But they're not even worth the effort of that!

[awnm]

It's for this reason that I rarely make anything to give away either. I find that no one I know appreciates the hours it takes to make an afghan or something, and they don't like the way they look either. As a result, I have HUGE amounts of afghans laying around.

 

Just an observation. You might not be surrounded by people who appreciate your work, but there are lots of people in nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc who would. Don't let their attitudes keep you from sharing your passions and your beautiful work.

 

Anna

[kls7980]

I'm 26 and I facinated a little boy one day because I was crocheting. Also 2 women at a craft fair couldn't believe that i crocheted but my mom didn't. My aunt taught me how.

[saribear28]

I'm 25, and I can honestly say that my mother wonders where I got the patience to crochet. Her sister-in-law taught me to chain when I was 7, and I've been hooked ever since. Both my sisters and I like to sew, but I'm really the only one in the family who likes to crochet. My grandmothers both know how, but I'm the only one who actually does it. Somebody's got to carry on the tradition. :-) I'd be happy to teach any of my cousins or siblings, but nobody really wants to know how. Isn't it sad?

[taligator]

My Mom is just tickled that I actually LIKE to go to Michaels now .. I used to hate it growing up. She would crochet, cross stitch, and do plastic canvas and I hated all of it.

 

A couple years ago I *had to have* a Harry Potter scarf (uhm, yeah I'm 30) and someone told me to learn to knit that it was "so easy" and so I started to knit and decided that I was just pants at knitting so I took up crochet and now I think my Mom is gloating.

 

But yeah .. several people have asked me if I knit/crocheted something I had with me and when I reply yes they look at me in awe.

 

I love making people look at me in awe. I think the area I lived in is so snobby that to be able to do this is so rare that it's actually cool. I've never had anybody treat me like a granny or granny in training when they find out I crochet. Most just admire me ...

[Sarah Jane]

Okay I beat all of you (except frogsrock) because I am 18!! I crochet in my lunch hours at work at the Bundaberg City Council here and I get alot of "Knitting are you??" Or "What's that? Is it knitting or something?" I reply with a prompt "No, it's crocheting." But generally most people just ask what I'm making or doing and they all think it's pretty cool.

 

I also have made myself a mobile phone case to hang off my belt lops on my pants for work and this morning one of our more senior heirarchial members went to say something and all I heard was crocheted so I pulled him up and said "Were you going to ask if this is crocheted?(holding my case for him to see properly)" He said he wasn't going to ask because he thought it mustn't have been because I was so young. I told him I made it and he was like "Oh..." and that was it. I think I really shocked him. I was delighted he knew what it was but he didn't think it was crocheting because of my age!!!! Silly old man!!

[Phoenix]

Oh what a perfect thread!

 

Me: 23. Taught myself crochet at 18 in college. No family on this one. And I don't have kids, so I don't crochet out of motherly instinct either (not knocking it, just not my thing :-) )

 

Fav reactions to my hooking:

(from looong term boyfriend) "so, what is it you do again? Knit or crochet?"

(from a professor upon seeing me working in the hallway): "so, are you pregnant or what?"

(from "friends"):"did you make that/what are you making?" followed by the inevitable "but, why are you making it yourself? You could just buy it. Is it cheaper to make yourself?"

(from everyone on the blinking earth): "oh, knitting...."

(from Hobby Lobby clerks): "Oh, I thought knitting was the popular one"

 

Hey, I love crochet, and when someone thinks it's knitting, I correct them. When they go all "grandma and doilies" I nicely point out that they are missing a lot. But when they go "Oh, I could never do that" I do not humbly say that it's easy, I laugh and take pride in it. Everyone really can- but not everyone would. The dedication is the difference.

[Beaglelady]

I'm not as young as you girls are (49:eek ). I've enjoyed reading through this thread. IT's totally GREAT that people of all ages, especially the younger crew are keeping it alive. WHen I've had comments if I was knitting and I'd say 'No, I'm hooking." . You should see the looks! . I got into crocheting when I was in my teens and really got hooked right after highschool. I do mostly afghans. I've made a couple of vests that actually fit my mom. Made a Poncho (first ever) for a lady friend in the UK. Stuffed toys.

BUMMBER STICKERS?? I thought they were available in The Crochetville store?

[MeMe]

i'm 27 and when ppl see me crocheting in public they are flabbergasted...my doctor even said, "wow u don't see anyone doing that anymore. it's truely a lost art."....

 

i would say for the most part that yes ppl don't think the youngsters know anything about crocheting or knitting...

 

but honestly a lot of ppl period in todays society lack any form of culture and have no trade or talent...most r too hyped up in video games...not that there are anything wrong with video game but to each his own

 

give me a hook and some yarn or a pen and some paper and i'm just as happy as happy can be

[Sahahne]

I can relate to so many of the posts in this thread! I'm 27 and have often had the comment about crocheting being something older people do. Some responses are nice though - mostly from the 'older people' who think it's lovely to see younger people interested in crocheting.

I'm happy to say I have a younger cousin (12) interested in crocheting, and hope with a bit of encouragement she'll stick with it. Nice to have more young people crocheting proving it's not just an 'old people' craft - it's a craft for all ages!

[Nevermore]

This has been such a fun thread to read!

 

I'm 26 and was a "closet crocheter" for years, since a roommate in college made the comment "you should hang out with my grandma." But now I don't care what people think so much and they are generally impressed by what I can do. I think it helps that there are patterns and books being published that are designed for the younger crowd, making it seem less like a "grandma" activity. I've always been into arts and crafts and need the release of doing something relaxing while creating something beautiful.

 

Still working on getting my friends to pick up the hook though!

[Chanti]

I'm 29, and i know exactly what you mean - i only have one friend who crochets and one who knits and when people pull the aawwww did nana make that..... i reply with no mummy did and the shock on there faces you are right watermelon sized gapes, then they start in on where do you find the time............... i just smile..

[mythunderbird]

today i was at the local antique mall(i love looking for old pattern books, i found several i liked an had then hold them for me while i searched more. when i went to pay the clerk goes, oh crochet, booklets, i can see why they are selling them for so much(was 4.00 a magazine) and i said whys that, she replied well crochet is a lost craft, i said no its not, its a very hip up to date craft, well actually its not even a craft, its a art form, people designing things that are selling for thousands of dollars. she was kind of taken aback and said wow i wonder why, i said well because its a beautiful way to show your artistic art form, then proceded to gather my purchases up and head for home where i could actually get busy making something out of my treasures:devil , i have been crocheting for almost 44 years now and i learned from my 3rd grade teacher,. thanks for letting me vent, i now to go work on my projects

[roxie in oh]

I am 48 and my mom taught me to crochet when I was around 10 well just the basics, the rest I taught myself we would crochet together until she died last year. Son knows crocheting and wears hats I make him at one time he sold some to a Christain band (national) , I crochet everywhere when I took mom to the drs he always what are you making now (at the time I made alot of hats for the troops), I have been working on a doily at work and have had several women stop and look and one girl in her 20's said she wished she could crochet told she could but she didn't believe me. My 2 sistersinlaw try to crochet and my sis won't even try. Sis is going to be a great grandma soon so guess who crocheting the baby afghan among other things?

I don't care crochet is my stress release the more upset the more I crochet

[sewnsew]

I'm 26 and most people think it's great that I can do all sorts of crafts. Although I recently got asked what I would do when I was old I told them I hoped to be able to continue what I was doing now just be alot better at it. lol. Some people just don't understand.