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Crochet Assumptions - What annoys you most?


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When I get the 'too much time' or other such nonsense I tell people "I could just sit around and watch tv. At least I keep my hands busy and create beautiful things. What do you do at night?"

 

I tell people flat out that "I'm making this for you to use - not to sit in the closet."

 

And I ALWAYS give a 'how to take care of me' card with everything I make this way people know how to wash and dry stuff. I usually give a ziplock with small balls of yarn and tell them that this is for any future repairs. Then I make them promise that if anything ever happens to it that they'll let me know so I can fix it.

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I make lots of doilies,and usually have people lined up to get them.

But one sort-of friend of my mothers was looking at my sets(1 large and 2 small doilies) and when she learned I wanted $15.00 tossed it back at me saying she "could get them cheaper at WalMart."

I told her go ahead and buy something made in a Chinese sweatshop.

She holds a lot of yard sales and only wanted my things at a wholesale price.:angry :angry

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My main pet peeves are:

 

1) when people see me crocheting and ask, "can you make that for me?"...they don't understand that it takes time and money to make something, and that I can't just whip it up. It's flattering that they admire something I'm making enough to want one, but they don't realize that usually it requires some expense (procuring the right yarn as well as TRAVELING to a LYS that carries what I need...you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had just finding plain old chunky yarn) and an investment of time- I work slowly...I'm a hygienist and often my hands hurt after a day on the job...sometimes too much to be able to crochet in the evening. I don't mind making things for others, and I would never take money for most of the things people ask me to make (unless it was a very large project with a specialty yarn) but I just wish they would realize that I can't just wave my wand and produce a finished object.

 

2) that yarn manufacturers would understand that crocheters like to use premium yarns, too. Just about every premium yarn I've ever seen gives knitting guidelines but no crocheting guidelines (ie, number of sts per inch, etc). Most of the online yarn sites are geared toward the knitter as well...I've actually seen books on some of them with names like, "knitting for the crocheter". They just assume that we crochet because we don't understand how to knit...it's like we're the redheaded stepchild of needlework.

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I have had all these happen to me, I think. But about 10 years ago, my two sons were about 7 and 11 years old and had a friend over for a visit. The friend saw that I was crocheting and said that his Grandma did that and she was really good. That's all it took for my sons to spring into action. They ran to their room and brought out their junior size afghans that I had made for them and showed their friend that their mom was no slouch when it came to crochet skills. In their eyes I was the best. That is all the encouragement I've needed. And when unappreciative people say and ask rude things about the thing that even my boys think I'm good at, I explain to them nicely about what they want to know. If they dissagree, so be it. I'm the expert. LOL

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Most all of my pet peeves have already been listed, but here's one that makes me grind my teeth every time: "Can you teach me how to crochet over the lunch hour?" AARRGGHH!! Sure, an hour is all it takes to teach you how to crochet. Yah, uh-huh.

 

Next time someone says it's an old lady hobby, strangle 'em with your yarn. LOL LOL

 

Debbie

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I :yes My biggest peeves have been those who knit who think that crocheting is 'cute' but not really worthy of recognition:( , Kim

 

I was recently in a LYS and the lady that ran the place was on the phone, an older man came out of the back (possibly her father) to assist me. He was fairly knowledgable about the yarns and was showing me various types. Something was said about technique and I said I don't knit I crochet. Well that seemed to confuse him a bit and then he told me that they had yarns I could crochet with. I promptly informed him that I could crochet with any yarn in the store. At this point my courtesy level changed and when he tried to convince me with hard sell I just rudely told him no!

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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?

 

I get that, too. I'm a tom boy type. I've never done much in the way of feminine things, even as a kid. I didn't like dolls and preferred action figures and playing in the mud, and I highly dislike dresses. I don't like sewing and needlework like cross stitch, but I do love crochet. Those who know me and know what I'm generally like seem baffled that a "sissy" hobby like crocheting would appeal to me at all! :lol

 

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'm the same age, and I have that problem, too. :(

 

But one sort-of friend of my mothers was looking at my sets(1 large and 2 small doilies) and when she learned I wanted $15.00 tossed it back at me saying she "could get them cheaper at WalMart."

 

I got a comment like that once. I was selling an afghan, and someone was interested in it. They asked me how much it was, and I told them the price. They scoffed at me and said they could get the same thing at Walmart for a lot less. I couldn't help from laughing out loud, and I said, "Well, if you happen to find this same thing at Walmart, you let me know!" Because it was something I'd designed myself. :P

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Its and "old fashioned" hobby.

If you do it you must be old.

 

 

Oh i hate that. I've heard it ever since i was 18. "That's an old lady thing to do." My reply once to a (obnoxious) guy in his 20's was "well since i'm 21 now are you suggesting that my hobby should be swinging around the pole at the local smut parlor in dental floss underwear?" He was so thrown by the answer, he had nothing to say, and i was able to get back to my afghan.:hook

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When I get the 'too much time' or other such nonsense I tell people "I could just sit around and watch tv. At least I keep my hands busy and create beautiful things. What do you do at night?"

 

I'd be afraid that they'd provide way too much info as an answer. lol:eek

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I've read all the posts and argee with alot of you ladies.

I've been crocheting for over 35yrs, and as a man, it's been especially hard. Starting off as a teen in college, then going thru my adulthood. Now, as a older adult, I'm less concerned about the looks, stares, snide comments I still get.

 

I've always believed that as a man doing a more traditional woman's craft, I had to be twice as good to be taken seriously. Well, that works sometimes....but not always.

 

I still think it's harder for men today, but it's getting better.

 

As far as what annoys me, it's not the non-crocheters/knitters (I've pretty much expect their attitudes), but the laziness of our own group.

 

Too many of us rely too heavily on patterns, not taking any intiative to come up with their own ideas. Relying more on the yarn, not the technique, to make items.

 

I've been teaching crochet for over 8yrs. I find most people are more concerned about wanting to just make something, rather than learning something.

 

I think people need to work more on quality, rather than how much time/money they spend.

 

That might help with people's perception of crocheters

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I was recently in a LYS and the lady that ran the place was on the phone, an older man came out of the back (possibly her father) to assist me. He was fairly knowledgable about the yarns and was showing me various types. Something was said about technique and I said I don't knit I crochet. Well that seemed to confuse him a bit and then he told me that they had yarns I could crochet with. I promptly informed him that I could crochet with any yarn in the store. At this point my courtesy level changed and when he tried to convince me with hard sell I just rudely told him no!

 

Yeah, I don't get that either. People seem to think that we need different yarn. I've even seen "crochet yarn" advertised in some catalogues. Go figure...

 

I'm actually lucky with the LYS near me. They seem to be making an effort to include crocheting in their classes, plus they have a good selection of hooks.

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I've read all the posts and argee with alot of you ladies.

I've been crocheting for over 35yrs, and as a man, it's been especially hard. Starting off as a teen in college, then going thru my adulthood. Now, as a older adult, I'm less concerned about the looks, stares, snide comments I still get.

 

I've always believed that as a man doing a more traditional woman's craft, I had to be twice as good to be taken seriously. Well, that works sometimes....but not always.

 

I still think it's harder for men today, but it's getting better.

 

As far as what annoys me, it's not the non-crocheters/knitters (I've pretty much expect their attitudes), but the laziness of our own group.

 

Too many of us rely too heavily on patterns, not taking any intiative to come up with their own ideas. Relying more on the yarn, not the technique, to make items.

 

I've been teaching crochet for over 8yrs. I find most people are more concerned about wanting to just make something, rather than learning something.

 

I think people need to work more on quality, rather than how much time/money they spend.

 

That might help with people's perception of crocheters

 

you know, if you used a size-cazillion hook made of walrus bone and hooked fishing nets the men would flock around to do their version of ooh-ahhh and think you man of the year.

 

:lol

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I've crocheted about 35 years and knit for about 7. What gets to me is how crocheters and knitters view each other. I've heard snide comments BOTH ways, knitters who view crocheters as being "on the cheap" and crocheters who view knitters as "snobs". I view the two crafts as "sister" crafts, not competition, and not opposites.

 

Before I learned to knit, I viewed it as too difficult. Once I figured it out, I now wonder why I was so intimidated by it. I am completely self taught in both crafts. I broke down and learned to knit, because, quite frankly, the patterns, yarns, etc. offered to knitters appealed to me more than what is offered to me as a crocheter. I still own several crochet pattern books and magazines, and every once in a while, I get excited about a crochet pattern I find. But, admittedly, I still knit more these days.

 

As I was crocheting on the light rail train one day, I had one lady tell me she was teaching her daughter to knit because crochet was "too hard". I told her crochet uses more loops to form each stitch, and is easier to pull apart (frog) stitch by stitch. But I wouldn't call it more difficult to learn than knitting.

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It never bothers me when people think I'm knitting when I'm crocheting or vice versa, when they say "what are you knitting?" I rely " a crocheted scarf "

What does naff me off is my friends telling me it's a waste of time. C'mon, its MY time, I spend it doing whatever I please! and atm crochet pleases me no end. I usually get this from a friend who sits for hour after hour watching mindless drivel on the TV.

People who say "why bother to make things when you can buy them?" also annoy me. I bother because I want to, simple as that.

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I went home to the UK for a couple of weeks. During that time I was working on a ripple bag. Almost every single person that saw me doing it said "ugh knitting is for grannies". Then when it wasnt done in a day "haven't you finished it yet", or "why would you want to make a bag anyway" or "bet the person getting is that is really going to love it hahahah". After three days I mostly put it away and just did it in private. Although I did have a few snide comments to my brothers 18 and 26 who were rushing out to play bingo every night about my hobby making me a granny. My husband tried to stick up for me a little bit, but he did laugh along at times.

 

My other pet peeve is people that want to learn, and then try once for 15 minutes and say its too hard. Did you learn to drive in 15 minutes? It takes a little time, but its worth it in the end.

 

OH well, we must suffer for our craft.

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What annoys me is when people say that it's for old maiden's only. And another is, I work hard for the design and they ask me how much would I sell it then I say the price and they would look shock as if I overpriced it. They said that they could buy it cheaper in a different place, well yeah, go ahead but that won't be like my design and with the same quality! Plus their designs are ripped from someone else's design. How would someone like it, definitely not me!

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I hate when people say "can you teach me to do that?" and then expect it to only take five minutes! I mean, sheesh!

 

That is so true! :yes And I hate it when people make comments that I should do this pattern because its pretty and it should be shorter or longer, and they don't even know how to crochet! :think

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