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A little rant about people's view of crochet


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My first thought is who cares what she thinks? If you enjoy what you are doing, then do it. And why in the world would you stop sharing it for others to see based on one persons comment. Don't give her that power over you. She may not be into it, and see it as a 'old lady hobby' but on the same side of that coin someone else may see it and get into it.

 

I can see things from both sides of it. Most people saw their grandma crochet when they were younger. I've had one guy tell me I reminded him of his grandma cause I loved to cook and I crocheted. He didn't mean it badly though and I just laughed it off. I've also had another guy point out that I can keep a guy's tummy happy and keep him warm in the winter.

 

Crochet has come a long way from when my mom did it in her 20s. I bring home yarn all the time that she never worked with. It has also been revamped from the 70s colors to all kinds of cool and updated patterns.

 

Even with family that did it, I never picked up a hook until I was like 28. And two years later I'm not sorry I did. My family is very supportive. And the one friend's who's opinion matters most has mentioned she'd like to learn it and thinks it is cool.

 

She has the right to her opinion, even if it is way off base. ;) Keep on :crocheting!!

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Luckily, most of my family and friends appreciate my crocheting skills and love to see what new project I pull out of my bag when I visit them. Actually, most of them say they are jealous of my "talent". I have had a few comments from people about it being an "old lady" pasttime. I usually tell them (in a nice way) that crochet is an art form and they never have a good comeback for that.

 

I'm 23 and I've been crocheting since I was about 11 or 12. While I consider myself an "old soul", I am definately the exact opposite of an grandma!

 

Don't let her comment get you down. Either she's jealous of your talent or she doesn't understand it. I totally agree with what another of the posters brought up. How many people do you know that sit in front of a television or computer for hours and hours on end. At least we're productive! :P

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LIke others said, don't let it bother you. I get comments too and just keep crocheting (yes in public).

 

I have been playing around with the idea of making a granny square jacket, and I keep going back and forth on whether it of would look weird to wear out shopping or whatever.

 

After reading this, I've decided. I like granny squares and I like crocheting and I'm going to make one and be proud to wear it!

 

I was thinking of making one too... We need to.

 

Yesterday went into my local Guitar Center and the sales associate when I said I would crochet a drum case he said my grandmother crochets I'm sure he didn't mean it as an insult but like I told my fiance I am taking the stereotype out of crocheting for example this old lady thing and the gender thing now here's an article it's not crocheting but it's about knitting but to me it's all the same yeah crocheting takes more yarn and knitting takes less but they are both great handiwork crafts http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7896441.stm here's the article to read

Thanks for the article, that was great.

Debbi

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Hey, you at least are doing something worthwhile with your time. People who make these kinds of comments are (like I said in another post) the same people who sit around playing video games for hours on end or watch hours of mindless reality TV.

 

There are all sorts of people who crochet nowadays. When I was at my SnB group at our local Starbucks, we ran into some young teenagers, and one of the guys told us that he crocheted--definitely NOT a little old lady!

 

So tell your friends to put a sock in it...and to get a life, and stop worrying about what you're doing with yours. :D

 

Hey! :yes I play video games for hours on end (late, late into the night), and sometimes I watch hours of mindless TV, but I still love to crochet (sometimes at the same time as the mindless stuff) I think those who don't know how have no idea how satisfying crocheting (knitting too, for that matter, but mostly crocheting) can be. Maybe you should offer to teach her. She doesn't know what she's missing!!!! :yay

 

Don't let anyone's silly comments keep you from doing what you love to do. :hug

 

(Oh, and BTW, I am a big old lady, but I like to call myself "seasoned" instead of old. ~~ 52 years old next month ~~)

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geez how uncool of them is there a particular age to begin crocheting no one said you have to be old to crochet apparantly they havent seen all the neat things that can be made it is their loss and their ignorance dont let it bother you just keep up the good work and tell them they are on the never getting anything i make list heheheheheh

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Thanks, everyone :) I do not plan to give it up, it just hurt my feelings more than anything. The friend is a rl friend...the funny thing is I've made her things in the past and she's loved them. So, I think that she MAY be jealous like someone suggested.

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Hi,

 

Don't worry about it. I use to be self conscious too. But now I take my crochet hook and yarn and crochet at my daughter's soccer games. I don't care if others don't get it. I'm proud of my skills. People who can crochet are creative and skilled.

 

I support you.

 

Your friend,

Linda

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Don't let it bother you. There are a lot of ignorant people in this world. If someone is so out of touch that they equate a certain craft with a specific age group, that's their problem, not yours. ;)

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I'm an old lady at this time. When I started to crochet I was 17. People often make remarks like these for several reasons and it basically boils down to lack of understanding and no appreciation for a skill that produces happiness and beauty. Ignore them. Enjoy the beauty only you can make.

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What does it matter that someone thinks crocheting is an "old lady" sport. It is, and so is biking, and skiing, and skydiving, and driving, and everything else that someone did when they were young and are still doing when they are "old". I hope to grow up to be a very old lady one day, and I'll still be crocheting. The comment might actually have had more to do with the granny squares, then with the skill of crocheting, granny squares, to some people, evoke everything that was ever "bad" about crochet.

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LIke others said, don't let it bother you. I get comments too and just keep crocheting (yes in public).

 

 

 

I was thinking of making one too... We need to.

 

 

Thanks for the article, that was great.

Debbi

 

 

 

Debbi-a1 - sent you a pm

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I started to learn how to crochet :crocheting when I was in my 20's and now I'm 58 (okay soon to be 58). Of course that was in the 70's and crocheting was becoming all the rage. It seems to me that is what is happening to crochet again. It's all the rage again. Just look at all the crocheted clothing items you see in the stores and catalogs. So as far as your "so called" friend maybe she is just jealous you can make something that is all the rage right now. Just keep crocheting. If it makes you happy then it shouldn't matter to anyone else.

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Almost 70 now, I started crocheting in my 30s when bright-colored hippy designs, including grannies, were all the thing (Just check out those old Woman's Day granny square magazines; they were great). And my friends these days certainly don't complain when I give them my afghans or scarves. Many of them are updated versions of old-fashioned patterns. Often, disparaging remarks stem from envy.

 

As to the post on shuffleboard, I recently was reminiscing, looking at what I have to ruefully admit is now an ebay "collectible" brochure for a Costa cruise, one I modeled for around 1960, and it showed all young people playing shuffleboard. Sometime since then, it has somehow turned into an old people's game.:think

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Well, ive been crocheting since I was about 4 years old (will turn 40 this year), and I tend to get smart-alecty w/ folks over crazy comments they make (like the time a girl asked me who braided my hair and i told her me..... her comment "you braid good for a white girl". me-"ummm, i didn't realize it was a color based skill")

 

Anywho, I have long hair and sometimes wear it in a bun ("granny style", lol) and my response would be something like "i sometimes use it to hold my bun, so that when folks make mean comments I can 'whip it out just right" and stab them w/ it" (aka, check my sig out for my armed and dangerous ;) ).

 

Sandy

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Yes, I've gotten comments from people about my crochet.......but it tickles me when I have a cute new scarf or hat on and their jaws drop........"Why, yes, I made it", and I try not to gloat. After that, they rarely mention my crochet in a disparaging way.

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:clover:hugYou know you may show your crochet here any time you please:hook !!! And what does she know...has she ever tried to crochet:think??? Tell her she doesn't know what she is missing :hook!!! You have a wonderful "family" here...we want to see what you have had on your hook !!! :clover

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I have said this before, but I'll say it again...

 

In my view, I only hold a section of my yarn. One end stretches into the past and is held by my grandmother and my great-grandmother, both gone now, and all the amazing women who came before them who took the time to sit and teach a child a heritage art.

 

The other end stretches into the future and is held by my daughter who I have taught and children yet unborn who I will sit and teach not just crochet, but a respect for your history and a love of generations of family and tradition.

 

And anyone who would ridicule another person's choice to remember and do a hertiage art, whether it's crochet, or weaving, or spinning, or whatever, has missed out on that amazing link with another person.

 

Someone taught you to crochet. Even if you learned from a book, someone thought it was important enough that they wanted to share it with you. That makes you special and charged you with the responsibility of remembering them and their gift to you.

 

How sad that the person who said that to you has no idea what you were given as a gift!

 

:hookColleen

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I have been playing around with the idea of making a granny square jacket, and I keep going back and forth on whether it of would look weird to wear out shopping or whatever.

 

After reading this, I've decided. I like granny squares and I like crocheting and I'm going to make one and be proud to wear it!

Yesterday I was at a couple thrift stores looking for yarn (no luck). I saw a bag made out of granny squares and a sweater too. Such a shame that these items ended up at a thrift store!

Who cares what other people think of your crocheting! It's legal, it's productive and it brings smiles to family and friends who receive the items. I get "antsy" and a tad bit impatient if I have to wait somewhere too long and crocheting is a great distraction for me. It is easy enough to put enough yarn in my purse to make a dishcloth or granny square. I see the doctor at the VA hospital and I always crochet when I wait and no one has ever said anything negative to me.

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I'm just a cranky old woman who doesn't care what other people think of me and what I do. It's a remarkably liberating feeling that comes with middle age and perimenopause and I highly recommend everyone adopt it, regardless of age or sex. (And that's only partly a joke.)

 

 

Patty

Right there with you lol!

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Feel sorry for those folks who are blind to the art. Maybe ask her just to watch you crochet for a few minutes. Who could not watch such a graceful ballet of fingers, hook and yarn and not be envious? I know I am. To me, watching someone crochet is like watching a campfire... its mesmerizing!

Sad that more folks just don't get it.

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I am new here, just joined. Actually I just started crocheting only like 2 weeks ago! haha and I am already hooked. It's fun. So now I'll tell ya, I am 23, married mother of 2 little girls. I started making baby beanie hats. And I have made about 15 of them in the past 2 weeks! haha People laughed when I told them I have been doing this, but they admit that I am really good at it and people are making orders/requests for some already! A photographer already made me an offer for some. I just don't listen to the comments.. though I know it can be a pain. If your good at it and you enjoy it, who cares right? I like doing it while I am watching TV at night with my husband rather than sitting there being a lazy butt haha And it's become a good time passer while I am nursing my youngest daughter.

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A. Say thank you. Most "little old ladies" I know are WAY WAY cooler than my 30-something friends. 'nuff said.

 

B. She wouldn't be a "friend" of mine for much longer if she thought it was okay to be demeaning to someone in such a way. What hobbies does she have? Compare her hobbies to yours. What? Her hobby is shopping? watching the soaps? What does SHE create with her hands?

 

C. I am fortunate that I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I have a LONG list of "will you make me's" and several friends who are begging me to teach THEM how to crochet.

 

Keep your chin up and your hook going and tell that friend to get a hobby and quit knocking yours.

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I have friends that BEG me for things and are so apreciative of what I make for them...

 

And some just dont care - but I tend to go out of my way for the ones who DO care and it makes me feel that much better when I give them a finished product...

 

my two beans :)

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Thanks, everyone :) I do not plan to give it up, it just hurt my feelings more than anything. The friend is a rl friend...the funny thing is I've made her things in the past and she's loved them. So, I think that she MAY be jealous like someone suggested.

 

If she is a real friend and she hurt your feelings then tell her that. She really may have been thinking she was being cute and it came off totally wrong. When things are said through the internet with out the inflection of emotions on our voices a simple comment can totally be taken for something else.

 

Before just assuming she is jealous, have a talk with her. Get it out on the open and find out the real reason for her comment.

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