What is it with the yarn companies?

[goldi316]

I've been picking up a bunch of different knitting magazines lately, along with any crochet ones I find that look appealing to me, and I've noticed a very strong trend in my browsings through both types of mags: the knitting magazines are positively overflowing with glitzy ads for some of the most gorgeous, drool-inspiring yarns I've ever seen! In comparison, there is only about 10% of these resources (as I estimate it) available in the crochet mags, and the quality of their ads doesn't even come close to approaching the other! Is it yarn snobbery? Is knitting that much more popular than crocheting? The quality of the publications themselves also seems to suggest so. The closest I've seen a crochet mag come in quality of printing, pictures, layouts and all those other elements that go into a magazine is Crochet! And it's no comparison to an Interweave Knits or Knitter's, as good as it is.

 

And this isn't just an oversight in their advertising either. The vast majority of these companies, when I've browsed their sites online, cater almost exclusively to the knitting crowd, almost like they are not even aware that some of their potential customers might like to see some crochet patterns for their yarns. Lion Brand is almost the lone exception, with a good mix of both, as well as guage and hook size recommendations included in their yarn descriptions, which maybe explains why I have so much more of this brand of yarn in my stash than any other. I realize some of these other yarn companies DO have a few crochet patterns scattered about on their sites, but they still favor the knitting patterns over crochet by at least a 4 to 1 margin, if not more, and otherwise don't encourage the use of their yarns for anything other than knitting. It makes me as a crocheter feel discriminated against and offended. Anybody else?

 

Done for now...

[mythunderbird]

oh yea i agree, i always look for differnent crochet magazines and books just because i collect them, and i have a really hard time finding anything. even crochet world and Crochet,the magazine. i have supscriptions to both of those as well as annies crochet newsletter, and also hooked on crochet, and also crochet fantasy, but there is still some out there i know there is:( :( :ohdear i always wait and wait and wait for my magazines to come, i love getting them and seeing the new stuff in them. i buy alot of older ones on:ebay too, in fact have all the issues of crochet world now:neener my hubby says he is going to have to build another garage to hold all of my craft supplies!!!! i laugh at him ! :nahnah :lol vicki

[Catana]

It's hard to find any magazines at all where I live, but I recently got the current issue of Crochet Fantasy, which I'd never seen before. The layout is terrible, but it goes deeply into technique and has very interesting articles, so I may subscribe. If you want luxury yarn for crochet, CF has an article on FUR crochet. All about how the "yarn" is made, and even a pattern. But who in the world can afford it?

 

B&H Simply Creative Crochet has lots of lovely patterns, but I think it is one of those specials that doesn't come out very often.

[HookandCrook]

I'd love to be proven wrong here, but market research has shown that knitters will spend more money for yarns than the average crocheter. So the yarn companies advertise their fancy stuff where they think they will get the biggest return.

 

All the knitters I know follow this pattern, and not one of them goes to WallyWorld or Michael's for RH yarn. They drive to the fancy yarn shop up the road and buy the imported and fancy stuff. Maybe it is snobbery on their part. I don't know.

 

I also remember reading that it takes less yarn to knit a ghan, vs crocheting, but I could have that all half-a** backward.

[goldi316]

I'd love to be proven wrong here, but market research has shown that knitters will spend more money for yarns than the average crocheter. So the yarn companies advertise their fancy stuff where they think they will get the biggest return.

 

All the knitters I know follow this pattern, and not one of them goes to WallyWorld or Michael's for RH yarn. They drive to the fancy yarn shop up the road and buy the imported and fancy stuff. Maybe it is snobbery on their part. I don't know.

 

I also remember reading that it takes less yarn to knit a ghan, vs crocheting, but I could have that all half-a** backward.

 

Yeah, you're right - I know you're right. But that don't make it right! LOL! I guess I was just expressing my frustration over the apparent unfairness of it all.

 

And as far as how much yarn to knit as opposed to crochet, I've read that this is the rule in general, not just for afghans.

[Julie]

I believe crocheters use a third more yarn, or something like that.

 

Every once in a while I end up buying some of those knitting magazines just to see the yarn ads.

[Catana]

I'd love to be proven wrong here, but market research has shown that knitters will spend more money for yarns than the average crocheter. So the yarn companies advertise their fancy stuff where they think they will get the biggest return. ...

 

I wonder if that research isn't out of date. Crochet has been out of fashion for a long time, and the general view has been that's it's something mostly for old ladies who make baby outfits and afghans for gifts and need to keep their costs down. And those are probably the people who were interviewed for market research.

 

Now that crochet is getting to be high fashion, it may take yarn companies a while to catch up with the concept.

 

I would drive the marketers crazy if they interviewed me. I'm a grandmother who loves exotic yarns for high fashion items, but can't afford the prices for new yarn. So I buy thrift store sweaters, usually for a dollar each, and unravel them for their yarn. If I can ever get my work spaces cleaned up and organized, I'll also be getting into hand dyeing my recycled yarns.

[RebeccaVelasquez]

my thought on this is that crocheting got caught in a stigma of being only for toilet paper covers and other such things. the patterns just didn't exist that do now for crocheting with yarn and not just thread.

i think it is growing in popularity, and the advertisement will catch up.

Interweave Knits is starting a Interweave Crochet magazine.... check out their website

[diamond]

I totally agree with Goldi on this matter. And not only do the magazines, yarn companies, etc cater to the knitters, have you also noticed that patterns for knitters are 100% more up-to-date than those for crocheters. They are cuter, more elegant, use fancier yarns, more of them and promoted more. I have seen so many cute knit patterns and then go to find similiar for crochet and there is nothing. As far as Lion Brand goes, yes they are more equalized than any other company, but they still aren't there either. For instance, check out their newest yarns....Midnight Mohair for example. Go to LBs yarn listings, then choose Midnight Mohair. At the very bottom they have links to their free patterns for that yarn. There are 3 there for knitting....NONE for crochet. It's simply not fair. And since crocheters do use more yarn than knitters (whether it's Red Heart or the more expensive yarns) you would think these companies would cater more to the people who are buying more of their products. Also, I can find knitting magazines in my local pharmacies and grocery stores. None for crochet tho.

 

Sorry, if I've gone off on a tangent but this has been a sore subject with me for the longest time.

[The Shrone]

My mom owns a yarn shop and so I hear far more about this debate than I care to at times LOL!

 

She's 130 miles outside of Seattle in an economy that doesn't have the Microsoft money. However, the knitters down in her town are still "yarn snobs". It's worse in Seattle where I found that crochet is associated with being low-brow. Three different yarn shops up there looked at me funny when I asked where they kept their DMC threads! They were all based upon selling $15-$25 skeins of scarf yarns.

 

That's the thing: the majority of women going into a LYS are making scarves. That's what my mom's inventory has become is sock and scarf yarn. She still maintains a good supply of worsted and sport weight yarns, but her bread and butter is the fashion crowd that wants to learn how to knit a quick foo-foo scarf or hat.

 

It is true, that knitting requires less yardage of yarn or thread versus crochet. This is a set-back to us crocheters who might want to make a poncho or sweater because it will cost us even more in yarn versus a knitter, which I think is why we gravitate toward the "cheaper" yarns of Lion Brand and Bernat (and for some, Red Heart).

 

What I've noticed is that the crocheters who do come into my mom's shop are skilled and can make something more than a simple scarf. The majority of the people coming in to buy for knit either make only socks or only scarves and the rare few make both. The even rarer few make sweaters and ponchos. In other words, I think that the crocheters are more skilled. However, very few people come in to learn how to crochet. I hope we're not a dying breed!

 

When I visit my mom's shop and take my sweaters, everyone assumes I'm knitting them and when I say I'm crocheting it, they are in disbelief! They don't believe you can crochet a sweater that looks nice. I always laugh.

 

I suppose the only way we'll get taken seriously is through the power of consumerism. The knitters spend the big bucks which is what it is all about for the yarn companies. Crocheters have been pegged as not being as affluent or likely to spend the same, so there's very little money seen in us as consumers. Sadly, it boils down to dollars.

 

~ Lori

[DesertCrocheter]

Well, if we're worried that crocheting is a dying art, let me tell you about my friend who tats. She's in a local tatting club, and she at 39 and her friend at 45 are the only members under 70. The club president is 92+! While I think it's amazing that these women have such great eyesight and enthusiam for tatting, many people look at my friend like she's some kind of weird throwback or something. Now there may be a dying art.

 

I re-started crocheting at Christmas, and my friend decided to take up knitting at the same time. I've made 4 and half scarves so far (to learn all the different stitches), and she's started 2 and not finished either! So we may use more yarn, but frankly, I think crocheting is more newbie-friendly.

 

So what we need to do is start emailing the companies that are putting these patterns up only with knitting directions and ask them to convert to crochet, please!!

 

Patty

[mistiaggie]

I always thought my grandmother could knit, but I found out she only crochets. She was the reason I started crocheting a few years ago. I too would love to do something more than blankets and seeing people make purses, well, I think it's great! Knitting sounds like fun, and perhaps i'll try one day, but right not crochet is great!

[HookandCrook]

Yeah, you're right - I know you're right. But that don't make it right! LOL! I guess I was just expressing my frustration over the apparent unfairness of it all.

I agree with you on "the apparent unfairness of it all", and it IS frustrating. I have to drive over an hour to find anything other than RH, or to even find enough of any brand/color to make an afghan. This is why I do a lot of mail order for supplies. Herrschner's even carries the fancy yarns.

 

Today in a major local paper there was an article entitled "Clickety-clack - these knitters on track". It's all about a commuter train program:

 

Stitch 'n Ride. The goal: to take commuting knitters (as well as crocheters, cross-stitchers and sewers) on a unique trip by offering a commuter car just for them.

 

Now there's a great way to get crocheting out of the closet.

[Carol]

Crocheting _is_ considered "lowbrow," and that attitude really offends me. I make it a point to show off my more unusual work to knitters, because they can't believe the stuff is crocheted. My purses are done in Tunisian stitch with chenille, so they look woven. I made a ton of fur scarves for Christmas gifts, and not one person could tell they were crocheted. I've seen crocheted wall-size hangings of Marilyn Monroe and Billie Holiday that looked like beautiful photographs, crocheted wire sculptures, etc. I think people are used to seeing the crocheted toilet paper covers and think that's all crochet is good for.

[goldi316]

Well, it's nice to see I'm not alone in my frustration! I too have gotten the incredulous looks when in response to someone's admiration of my "knitting", I inform them it's crochet. "It is???" they ask, and lean in for a closer look... lol!

 

Lion posted results of a survey they took (somehow I missed it), according to them they had a whopping 15000 responses! The percentage breakdown was interesting:

 

My primary reason for purchasing yarn is to

• Knit – 51.6%
  
• Crochet – 37.9%
  
• Other – 10.5% (most responses indicated both knit and crochet)
  

 

I agree, it might help if we nudge these yarn companies a bit, let 'em know we're here and that it might be in their best interests to not forget about us! One good way to do that, I would imagine, is when we are ordering from them. Maybe if they realized how many people were buying their yarns for crochet projects, they might start thinking of including at least basic things such as hook sizes and stitch gauges for their yarns. At least it would be a start!

 

In the meantime, I am doing my best to promote more interest in the craft. I get lots of comments from people who see me crocheting on my lunch hour. Lol - the most common response I hear is "I have no patience for that, I could never do it"! But there's a growing chorus of "I'd like to learn how to do that" too.

 

And I really enjoyed your report on your mom's yarn shop, Lori! That is too funny that all those snobby little knitters are one- or two-item wonders, lol! I'd have never believed it!

 

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[sem464]

I am having the hardest time finding yarn here, besides RH. Not that I don't like RH. I live on the SW side and most of the shops are closer to town. I don't even have a Hobby Lobby that close to me. I am going to have to shop mail order for special yarns I want. Maybe with the added attention that knitting is getting around here, the selection will expand a bit.

[tnredro]

The owner of the lys in my area actually talked down to my mom when she said she crochets. I've never been to the shop.

Even though there are "less" crocheters, the fact that we use more yarn should put us on the same level consumer wise as the knitters. Perhaps these companies don't understand that while they would be selling to less people, they would be selling more yarn?

I met lots of new people in college simply by crocheting in public areas. Lots of girls had moms/grandmas/aunts who crocheted or knitted and they thought it was so cool that I did too. Many of them had tried to learn when they were little, and on several occasions I had girls run to their room and come back with yarn and a hook to get help on their project or to show it off. I also ran into the girls that had started knitting because such and such actress was reported to do it and thought they were sooo much cooler than me.