Crochet Assumptions - What annoys you most?

[redbird51]

i posted before but forgot about this. i donate hats and ghans for babies to hospitals. i've done prayer shawls, too. folks don't understand that you spend time making things and spending the money on yarn just to give them away. i was amazed that people would think this is strange.

[Sylviaf]

I love this thread! I totally agree with all the peeves that have been said. My biggest peeves have been those who knit who think that crocheting is 'cute' but not really worthy of recognition:( , my mother who thinks because I make a scarf for her that I will also make one for everyone in her garden club:no , and the polite looks on people's faces when you give them a crocheted gift:angry . I have found when you tell someone you crochet, you can practically see the pics pop up in their heads of doll toilet paper covers, granny square afghans, and potholders. I personally have never met a crocheted item I didn't like!

 

Kim

 

My mother and mother-in-law occasionally ask me to make something for their group of friends. I can't refuse, because they have both done so many nice things for my husband and me, but I always hate doing it. I suppose that makes me an ungrateful daughter, but I worry that the things I make will fall short of their expectations, and they also don't quite realize how time-consuming some of the requests are. At least I have the good sense to keep my mouth shut and just do what they want!

[PBLKNP]

i posted before but forgot about this. i donate hats and ghans for babies to hospitals. i've done prayer shawls, too. folks don't understand that you spend time making things and spending the money on yarn just to give them away. i was amazed that people would think this is strange.

 

Yes, I always think it's strange that people don't get that. After all, they give their money to good causes...

[shuttlebuggy]

ALL OF THE ABOVE!!! And they think we should be "busy" and that if we do crochet we aren't listening!

[shelly_bean]

My mother and mother-in-law occasionally ask me to make something for their group of friends. I can't refuse, because they have both done so many nice things for my husband and me, but I always hate doing it. I suppose that makes me an ungrateful daughter, but I worry that the things I make will fall short of their expectations, and they also don't quite realize how time-consuming some of the requests are. At least I have the good sense to keep my mouth shut and just do what they want!

 

I too am constantly worried about that. right now i am making a blanket for an auction for dh's chief's group. I am worried they will get ragged on because it only has 46 stars ( that is the way it is in the pattern not much i can do about it) and the stars are 6 point stars.. he keeps telling me not to worry that it looks awesome.. still i get nervous when showcasing my work.

 

i posted before but forgot about this. i donate hats and ghans for babies to hospitals. i've done prayer shawls, too. folks don't understand that you spend time making things and spending the money on yarn just to give them away. i was amazed that people would think this is strange.

 

exactly, they think you are wasting your time and money giving it away, yet when you tell them what you would charge, they get super offended at the price.. well which is it??

[Heather M.]

Everything everyone said plus it is such a nice little hobby. I'm sorry it is NOT a hobby it is a way of life! It is what keeps me somewhat sane and helps calm me down so I don't tear insensitive sods heads off!

 

I agree!!!

 

I have to admit, I was one of the...why waste your time...when I was young and my Grandma tried to teach me, boy should I have paid more attention!!! No when asked why I waste my time, I simply say, to make my Grandma proud!! That will usually stop that line of conversation.

 

I think my other pet peeve is again how unappreciated your gifts can be!! I made a baby blanket for my Niece, only to find that she threw it away!! My mom had taken it from the trash, washed it and put it away.

 

I do get a fuzzy warm feeling when I take a lapghan to my favorite nursing home and gift it to an elderly woman, I usually get...OOO I didn't think anyone crocheted anymore!!!

[HappyBunny]

I

I do get a fuzzy warm feeling when I take a lapghan to my favorite nursing home and gift it to an elderly woman, I usually get...OOO I didn't think anyone crocheted anymore!!!

 

 

Oh, I love that you take the lapghans to a nursing home...what a wonderful thing to do!

 

Kim

[frogsrock]

exactly, they think you are wasting your time and money giving it away, yet when you tell them what you would charge, they get super offended at the price.. well which is it??

i think a lot of people feel "well you give it away to strangers, why are you chargeing me so much?"

~~~~~~~

 

another peeve is when people dont use things crocheted for them because they want to keep it nice

their intentions are good but i didnt spend all that time on it to have it sit somewhere

 

i'll admit i have some big thread crochet things that my (dead) grandmom made and right now they're in a tote but thats because i dont have a spot for them right now

but i do intend to use them

[catsncrochet]

Assumptions or stereotypes of any kind irritate me. lol.

 

Aimee

[PBLKNP]

Another peeve is when people dont use things crocheted for them because they want to keep it nice

their intentions are good but i didnt spend all that time on it to have it sit somewhere

 

Yes, yes, yes!!! I gave some good friends an afghan for Christmas one year. I went back to their house a few months later and discovered they had the afghan carefully put away in a bag...they didn't know that it was made out of 100% Acrylic and that they could just throw it in the machine . The last time I went there, I found that it's now on the end of the bed and they get a lot of use out of it.

[AprilC]

I think my other pet peeve is again how unappreciated your gifts can be!! I made a baby blanket for my Niece, only to find that she threw it away!! My mom had taken it from the trash, washed it and put it away.

 

 

This is my pet peeve too. I made a really pretty thread angel tree topper for my SIL for Christmas a couple years back. She didn't seem that impressed when she opened though she was at least gracious. A few weeks later I saw it at her house kind of tossed in the corner with the wings broken off. I had only hot glued them (which I thought should have held). Actually if she had mentioned it I would have fixed it a bit more securely for her. But since she didn't I wasn't sure if I should point it out.

I dunno maybe I'm hyper sensative. We didn't go to her house for Christmas last year because she was traveling. This year we are so hopefully I'm wrong and the angel will be set out. Though I'm not holding my breathe.

 

I pretty much only make gifts for fellow crafters. People who make things themselves definatly appriciate handmade gifts because they understand the time it skill it takes to make things. I'm making an afghan for my MIL this Christmas. She knits and crochets so she definately understands what goes into an afghan. I'm making my Mom a hat and mitten set for her birthday that are knit. She's impressed because she sews but doesn't know how to knit so she's amazed at the knit and crochet items I make. It's definatly better to make something for someone who I know will appricate and love the finished item.

[anu_paradox]

My pet peeve is when yarn has the knitting gauge but no crochet gauge....grrrrrr

[Sockmad]

This isn't so much a pet peeve but a question. Who comes up with the color names? I bought a skein of Paton's SWS it is called natural raisin and it is purple. I don't know about you gals and guys but the only color I have seen raisin in is very dark brown and golden never purple. The ticker tape I am using right now is called suede. Earthworm would be more accurate but it probably would not have sold well. Actually I don't think suede worked for it either as I picked up six skeins in Ithaca NY at JoAnn's for 97 cents each. Oh another pet peeve is the condescending insincere smile a person gives you when you say you crochet.

[TammyG]

OMG! I just want to say that I am so surprised by the way some of you have been treated by friends and family. WOW! I get nothing but praise for what I make and people are so happy with it and truly appreciative. Most of them look forward to what I'm going to make. I can't believe that someone's niece threw out her afghan. I'm just amazed!!

 

I have had a couple of snide remarks thrown my way by people I don't know (sorry but usually in a LYS, by a customer and once by the owner - first/last time at that store)

 

Even my friends who are knitters, we talk all the time about our projects.

[draydev1]

I've decided that I like when people say "you have way too much time on your hands" about my crochet. As I sit and think about how busy life is, with work, kids (mine are 13 and 11), school (I'm in college at night at least 2 nights after working all day), I actually need to stop and spend more time on my crocheting. Life is way too precious to just let it pass me by without doing the things I love to do.

 

So the next time someone says, "you have way too much time on your hands" about my crocheting, my response is going to be, "you're absolutely right, and I'm spending it doing something I love, for the people I love!"

[Jadzia]

I've decided that I like when people say "you have way too much time on your hands" about my crochet. As I sit and think about how busy life is, with work, kids (mine are 13 and 11), school (I'm in college at night at least 2 nights after working all day), I actually need to stop and spend more time on my crocheting. Life is way too precious to just let it pass me by without doing the things I love to do.

 

So the next time someone says, "you have way too much time on your hands" about my crocheting, my response is going to be, "you're absolutely right, and I'm spending it doing something I love, for the people I love!"

 

Good for You!

[Trinket]

I haven't run into a lot of people who know I crochet anything, so I guess I don't have many peeves. Among the ones I do have are:

 

People thinking my prices (which is usually $5-$10 above material costs) are too high when I attempt to sell my finished work.

 

People who tell me crochet is for "old women" and that it's "weird" for a younger woman to be interested in it.

 

Not being able to find the color yarns I want... That's a peeve I'm having currently...

 

Oh, and then there's the people who think I can crochet some of the really, really hard stuff, which I'm not experienced enough to do yet. And then they claim I can't crochet if I can't do those things...

 

And one can't forget about how crocheted gifts oftentimes find themselves sitting in people's closets, unused, because the recipients wanted to keep them nice. Now, yeah. They do have good intentions, but as it was already said by someone else, I didn't make those things just to have them sit in a trunk or closet forever and never getting used! I even scolded my mom for that. I made her a granny-ghan (she'd asked me to), and she had it put away. I found it in the closet and said, "Now, Mama! I made that for you to use! I really would feel better if you would put it on your bed and make use of it." She did, and has been happily using it since. I guess she thought it wasn't as durable as it is..?

[miller3602]

The most annoying comments?

1. "I don't see how you can waste your time doing that."
   
2. "What are you knitting?"
   
3. "I would much rather watch something on TV than waste my time 'knitting'."

I also hate that people always refer to it as 'knitting'. I mean, there is a difference! Crocheters are SO much better!

[miller3602]

Me too! My mom's face is always like and she's so amazed that crocheting can look so good! But I guess she should be...she knits.

OMG! I just want to say that I am so surprised by the way some of you have been treated by friends and family. WOW! I get nothing but praise for what I make and people are so happy with it and truly appreciative. Most of them look forward to what I'm going to make. I can't believe that someone's niece threw out her afghan. I'm just amazed!!

 

I have had a couple of snide remarks thrown my way by people I don't know (sorry but usually in a LYS, by a customer and once by the owner - first/last time at that store)

 

Even my friends who are knitters, we talk all the time about our projects.

[eurolyons]

"So the next time someone says, "you have way too much time on your hands" about my crocheting, my response is going to be, "you're absolutely right, and I'm spending it doing something I love, for the people I love!""

 

Perfect!

 

I have a question...when people have said to you, "Crocheting is for old ladies to do;" or "you're wasting your time..." etc...roughly how old are they, and what do they do with their time? I realise it's probably all ages that probably say the first, but it seems to me that it might be said by the younger generation that didn't grow up with moms, sisters and grandmothers that did crochet.

 

As far as gifts go, I can tell you that as my skill level increased, I got more compliments and far less negative comments, with the occasional exception of my MIL who thinks I'm wasting my time and talent because I don't make a business out of what I do.

 

Many people have no real clue about crochet. Especially in America, people who don't "like crochet" have just one mindset about crochet...that's it's only all about tissue box covers and granny squares.

 

Some people have their own prefences and prejudices about how others should live their lives...they simply cannot relate to others who might be involved in something that they are not.

 

Sometimes, yes, it's a jealousy factor too...

 

And sometimes let's face it, there are those of us that are insanely addicted to our craft and that can be scary for others to watch.

 

It's not limited to crochet...I'm sure there are knitters that would have similar pet peeves and quilters and so on...

 

Oh and about the money factor...when it's handmade, even if the craftsmanship is top notch, people just get sticker shock. Heck I do...first thing I think is, "I could make it myself" (if it's something I really could make myself) or "That's really lovely, but it's out of my price range..."

 

I try not to begrudge the artistisan their prices, as I do respect the time and talent involved and where I possibly can I do support their efforts, but it's almost always on a small level that I can afford.

 

People always want a good deal, especially in this age of Ebay and Craigslist and Walmart...and many times people want something for nothing.

 

But there will be people that will pay for something they feel that absolutely have to have. And pay through the nose...just look at Ebay again...

[amdm]

This knitting vs. crochet feud seems to be limited to the USA. Here in India few people do either, but those who do one can usually do both, and are very aware of how one craft can enhance the other. At the most, knitting is perceived as more useful (since most sweaters are knitted), and crochet as more decorative, (since most crocheters do lacy thread items), but, in my own experience of several decades of knitting and crocheting ( I learned both when I was 10), both the crafts receive the admiration they deserve.

If I have a peeve it is the general assmption that a double-bed-sized blanket takes a couple of days time, and a few rupees worth of yarn to make. And, yes, the peeve many of you have mentioned : if you do crafts it gives everyone the right to demand specific items as gifts from you. My gifts are always appreciated, but I am made quite uncomfortable by the unmasked jealousy of non-recipients.

As for putting away in a cupboard - I would regard that as a compliment - they like it too much to spoil it, and keep it for special occasions.

[Hookerangel]

I have to say I have crocheted since I was 8 and in all that time I have had very very few negative comments regarding my craft. I cant knit, sew or do anything else but I LOVE to crochet. I usually make gifts for people mainly afghans and people seem to be really appreciative. In the supermarket a few weeks ago I met a lady and her 21 year old daughter (who I havent seen for years). The lady said to her daughter this is the person who made you the pink blanket when you were born. The girl hugged me and said I love that blanket and keep it on my chair in my room - it is one of my favourite things. You could have knocked me down with a feather! I have lots of beautiful thank you cards for the gifts I have given. But I do feel crochet is a dying art here in the UK. In Belfast there are some crochet classes BUT thay are always held during the daytime and as I work full time cannot attend. it is assumed only older people with time on their hands (yeah I hear you all chorus WHAT TIME!!!) will attend. Now that is a BIG peeve for me.

[Auntie Kellie]

Mine are the same as those listed above. For those that know I only crochet and ask me what's the difference between knitting and crocheting, I pull out my hook and my needle and ask them if they really want to know the difference.

 

Another pet peeve of mine is my hubby when I'm crocheting. He'll ask me what I'm making and I'll show him. Then ten minutes later, he'll ask me the same darn question. Although, since I started the Ohio Star Variant Crochet Quilt, he's been asking me the same question a lot more then usual. Guess it's time to trade him in for a younger model

 

Hugs and Cookies

Auntie K

[cgd]

This is a great thread--I can relate to many of the things y'all have listed already. Thankfully most people I meet are supportive. When waiting for the doctor, I usually get positive comments such as, "I used to crochet and it's so relaxing, I need to start it again," or "That's so neat." People who know me know it makes me a better person. It's not any more stupid or less valuable than other hobbies, such as DH's on-line gaming (he's supportive of me).

 

As for the handmade gifts, here in the south many people like them. I'm making some dishcloths this year for those whose name I didn't draw last Christmas because they told my mother they hoped I drew their names this year! I've finished a round ripple for my parents-in-law, who value crafted items. I just try to choose carefully whom I crochet gifts for since it's not everyone's thing.

 

Speaking of stereotypes, here's a new one: I'm a civil engineer (work with mostly men and am a very logical person) and I guess some people assume that I shouldn't like traditionally feminine (another stereotype as I know there are men who crochet too) things even though I am actually a woman, all of which blows my mind. So I get some funny looks when people find out I like to crochet and knit. I'm left-brained and not particularly domestic, but since I use my mind all day at work, crocheting quiets my noisy left brain by providing the fun of creating something. Haven't those people heard of balance?! Why can't I be logical AND like crafts?

[Reneva]

Hey all, I just wanted to drop my two cents in...

I think my only pet peeve is that I don't know anyone else my age who crochets (I'm 26) so I don't have anyone to share my projects with except my online friends. I've never really run into any knit/crochet prejudice, or had many nasty comments made about my craft, so I guess I'm lucky.

In reply to all those who say that their gifts get put away in closets to be kept nice, that happened to me a few times too, so now I make a point of telling the recipient the washing instructions, and most of the time I include a skein wrapper with washing instructions along with the gift. That seems to help quite a bit.