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firecatLast night, my sweetie ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kyubi and I were discussing making fabric using yarn and sticks, including the fact that a lot of people either knit or crochet but don't do both.
Therefore, I want to ask a bunch of questions. Answer as many or as few as you like, or whatever else you feel like talking about.
Do you knit and/or crochet?
If you do both, do you prefer one or the other?
Why?
Is one harder than the other for you?
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not?
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
I'll give my answers in a separate post.
kyubi and I were discussing making fabric using yarn and sticks, including the fact that a lot of people either knit or crochet but don't do both.Therefore, I want to ask a bunch of questions. Answer as many or as few as you like, or whatever else you feel like talking about.
Do you knit and/or crochet?
If you do both, do you prefer one or the other?
Why?
Is one harder than the other for you?
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not?
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
I'll give my answers in a separate post.
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no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 05:46 pm (UTC)2. See answer to above.
3. Knitting for some reason is a lot harder; I don't know whether it's that I've had less practice at it or less in the way of concentrated teaching or both. (It's not the same learning from a book at all, and I don't know too many local knitters.)
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:02 pm (UTC)What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? I honestly don't remember, but I know I mostly learned on my own, and that I learned wrong.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not? I tried briefly to learn to knit, but my mom had forgotten how, so we dropped it.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
I think that knitted garments are more fashionable, but I like crocheted things a lot, especially if they are lacy.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? I don't think I have.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:03 pm (UTC)I came to knitting about a year ago, inspired (oddly, perhaps) by someone who crochets and sent me to a yarn store to fondle yarn.
I chose knitting because I prefer the fabric it produces; I'm interested in knitting garments, and on looking at the patterns available, knitting seemed more versatile. As it turns out, knitting has prompted me to pick up the crochet hook again, because crochet is a great way to make edgings, etc. for knit pieces.
Plus somebody gave me a whole bunch of knitting needles. Never look a gift horse in the mouth and all that.
Knitting is certainly trendy right now, driven by the marketing of books like Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n' Bitch. But that kind of thing comes and goes, and I'd be surprised to see a fraction of today's new knitters still at five years from now. And Stoller's announced plans for a book on crochet, so who knows ... Craft trends tend to have a 2-3 year life cycle, in my experience. (Anybody remember rubber stamping?)
Snobbery? When it's there, it's probably just the old human impulse to make What I Do better/more important/cooler than What You Do. I haven't seen much of it re knitting vs. crochet, but I've seen some snarkiness over things like choice of yarn or English vs. Continental knitting. See above paragraph.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:18 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Why? Knitting just feels more natural to me, for some reason. I think there's a balance to it that appeals to me.
Is one harder than the other for you? I got lost much easier in crocheting.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? I could never learn either from printed instructions. I would watch and watch someone do it, then try it myself and get confused, watch again, and in some cases, have someone physically move my hands the right way, until it clicked. It was a very visual/spatial process. (Also known as, "Oh, so THAT'S what the yarn's supposed to be doing!")
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) As I said, I've gotten sucked into the knitting marketing thing, but I do love the idea of these sort of feminist knitting circles, where knitting (and crafting in general, really) almost becomes an act of rebellion, of taking back a long-disregarded area of "feminine" craft and pulling it to the forefront again.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:37 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Crochet, at this point.
Why? Because I can do it without thinking about it.
Is one harder than the other for you? I'm having a hard time learning how to knit because crocheting is so ingrained for me, and I don't have anyone to actually teach me.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? Mom taught me to crochet. It was fairly easy to pick up, but took time to learn to control tension, read patterns, etc.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other? yes.
Why or why not? I like the fabric knitting creates.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Yes.
Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) Because when I was younger and my grandma made me things out of icky scratchy cheap acrylic yarn, I thought crocheted stuff was yucky.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? Yup.
What's that about? Hell if I know.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:41 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other?
Why? I like them both equally, I go through phases of doing more of one than the other, but that's more to do with the projects than the technique.
Is one harder than the other for you? No, I am equally comfortable with both.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? I don't remember much about the learning, I was 4 when I learned to knit and 9 when I learned to crochet... and that was a very long time ago. ;-)
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) I have watched both of them go in and out of fashion so many times over my life... it's nice to see them back in vogue when it happens, but it doesn't affect what I do.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? I have met people like that, but I never hung around for long enough to find out what was driving their opinion. I think it's about making yourself more important or something of that ilk... can't see the need to do it personally.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:53 pm (UTC)2) I prefer knitting. I just like the fabric more for most things. I think it's more flattering in a garment. You can't beat crochet for blankets, though.
3) Crochet used to be harder because I had the muscle memory for knitting and hadn't crocheted enough to be fluid. Now I do, knitting is still easier because, well 15 years of experience in a craft versus 6 months.
4) I found knitting very frustrating to learn too. I didn't understand the difference between the 2 stitches and kept knitting when I should have been purling and not understanding why my granny and mum could see this when I couldn't. And I had made several jumpers before I learnt to cast on - my mum used to do it for me. Crochet was frustrating because yarn was my thing and yet I couldn't get the hang of crochet. Then I relaised part of the problem was which hand held the yarn and invented my own way of doing it.
5) n/a
6) I think knitting is cooler. But I'm starting to see more crocheted clothes that aren;t fugly so it may change.
7) Hmmm. I guess at times I've been that person. I never understood why crocheters didn't learn to knit. Now I'm older and more relaxed about these things. But I never expect to crochet as much as I knit
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 06:58 pm (UTC)I knit. I've attempted crochet and failed miserably.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
Fun! I took a 5 week class at the local community college put on by the owner of one of the yarn shops in town. It was a greate way to learn to read patterns, learn basic stitches, etc.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
I feel that with crochet you can attempt much more oddly shaped things than you can with knitting which is why I'd like to learn how to crochet.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
Nope. Maybe they're just weird?
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 07:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 07:37 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? I preferred knitting to crocheting.
Why? I love the sound of metal needles clicking and sliding against each other.
Is one harder than the other for you? Not really. It's all just fiber being intricately gnarled.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? Marvelous. I was inspired to learn from my grandmother and mother. who both pretty much did those things every single day, but I don't remember them actually teaching me. Instead, I learned from instruction books and practice.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) See answer four. I can't imagine how knotting yarn with two or more needles could be considered by anyone as "cooler" or hipper or more fashionable than using one needle. Wait. I'll qualify that. I don't feel that knitting is cooler than crocheting, or vice versa. But I do feel that knitting with three needles is way cooler than knitting with two. My grandma was a whiz at three needles, and I never got the hang of it.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 07:43 pm (UTC)I knit. A lot.
If you do both, do you prefer one or the other?
Why?
Is one harder than the other for you?
I have tried to crochet, but don't get the engineering of it as well as I do that of knitting.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
I taught myself to knit, from books. It was actually fairly simple once I got going. I've tried to teach myself to crochet the same way and it's not gelling. I've even watched a friend learn to crochet through our stitch n' bitch group, but I don't get it.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not?
see above. I haven't tried harder to learn crochet because I don't see it as being as flexible at the beginning stages as knitting is, and I'm not a big fan of the fabric it produces for garments, which is what I'm most interested in making.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
I think knitting is regarded as more hip, but I also think crochet is going to be the next big thing. I think crochet had more of a hurdle to overcome with those of us who remember terrible scratchy acrylic earthtone things from the 70s. And those toilet paper cover dolls.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
There's a LYS in my city that recently closed, and a few crocheters in my group said they looked down on crocheters. I'm not sure why that is, since they are still paying yarn customers!
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 07:57 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Why?
Right now I am very engrossed in learning to knit, so I'm doing more of that. But I don't really prefer one over the other.
Is one harder than the other for you?
Initially I thought knitting was harder, but now that I have gotten a little better at knitting, I just find the two to be different. One is not harder than the other for me.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
I learned to crochet as a little girl from a neighbor. I remember really liking it and crocheting these huge chains. :-) I stopped for a while, but it was really easy for me to pick up again as an adult.
Knitting was a little more challenging for me because I taught myself. I also think the initial transition from crochet to knitting was hard.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not?
I do both. I decided to learn to knit because I like the different fabric it produces from crochet.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
I think knitting is currently portrayed as more "hip" right now. I'm in college (again!) and all the 20-somethings are learning to knit.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
I haven't personally encountered this, but I have heard of it happening. Usually I hear of knitters looking down on people who crochet.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 08:48 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other?
Why? Neither. I actually prefer tatting.
Is one harder than the other for you? not really. I'm not much more than strictly amateur at either!
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? Fun!
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not? N/A
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) erm I don't tend to rank them based on their "coolness"
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? *shrug* I've not encountered the concept in RL.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 09:46 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Why? I definitely prefer crocheting -- partly because I'm much more comfortable with it, having been doing it much longer, but also because knitting involves a lot more concentration and dexterity. Having to make sure you don't drop or twist your stitches is a pain, and the difficulty of ripping out mistakes has almost been enough to make me give it up. I hope that'll get easier as I do it more, but I think that crochet will always be my favorite.
Is one harder than the other for you? See above answer.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? I was only maybe 7 or 8 when I learned to crochet, so I don't remember the process very well -- my aunt or someone taught me. I rememeber starting out with miles-long chains and then progressing to the other stitches. It was several years before I learned to make a square or rectangle that didn't have wavy edges, and I was in my early 20s when I taught myself to read and follow patterns and work with thread.
I'm learning to knit using books and Internet tutorials/videos. Without guidance, it's probably been slower going than it would have been if someone had taught me in person, but my knowledge of crochet and pattern-reading has undoubtedly helped me somewhat.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other? Why or why not? I decided to learn to knit for a couple reasons -- there are far more knit clothing patterns than crochet, and crochet fabric is so thick that I have several sweaters I made that I can't wear except on the absolute coldest days. For afghans, scarves, and other items, I will stick with crochet, but I want to knit sweaters.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) Not really. Both seem to be making a big comeback as trendy; I see many crocheted clothing items in stores now, whereas they all used to be knitted.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? Not directly, exactly, but I've noticed a very definite bias towards knitting in many LYS's -- they generally carry some hooks and a token crochet book or two, but the bulk of their stuff is knitting-related.
no subject
Date: 18 Feb 2005 10:54 pm (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Prefer crochet.
Why?Probably because I learned it first and have been doing it longer.
Is one harder than the other for you? Knitting is harder, but that may be lack of practice.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? I don't really remember learning crochet, except that I have a vague idea it was pretty straightforward for me. I took a four-week (two hours a week) class to learn to knit, after trying unsuccessfully for years to teach myself out of books. Once I saw someone doing it slowly, it was pretty easy to pick up the basics, although I'm pretty sure I could be a lot more, um, coordinated.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not? NA, finally.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) Feel that knit is more fashionable for most things, and with some reason, since it tends to work up lighter and more flexible.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? Not that I recall, no.
no subject
Date: 19 Feb 2005 01:06 am (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? No, each has its purpose.
Is one harder than the other for you? I am just learning to knit so it seems harder.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? Crochet I learned when I was home at 5 or 6 with chicken pox. Was fun. Knitting I am currently learning. It is neat. I want to learn more about the Continental method.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not? N/A
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) I like them both for different purposes. I find crochet works better for blankets, makes them thicker and warmer. Knittng works better for clothes, making them more moveable with the body.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? No.
no subject
Date: 19 Feb 2005 01:53 am (UTC)I like the challenge of knitting. Every thing I make is different from the last--even the second sock of a pair of socks is always different from the first in some way. I don't feel challenged by crochet in the same way.
I'm proficient at both.
I think knitting is currently more trendy, but that doesn't impact me. I do like knitted fabric better than crocheted.
unspoiled answers
Date: 19 Feb 2005 02:43 am (UTC)When I was fairly young, I tried to learn to crochet, but between short attention span and never having to try hard at most things I gave up pretty easily. I haven't tried since then, partly because I am busy knitting. Learning to knit was pretty easy: an
I find knitted garments generally more appealing. There's so much bad old crochet out there that it taints the method for me. (Mostly I object to MY GOD THE COLORS of most old crocheted garments, and I don't much like the blobby texture that I often see on them either.)
No encounters with snooty people, no idea what it might be about.
Re: unspoiled answers
Date: 19 Feb 2005 04:17 am (UTC)Re: Knit vs. Crochet, the world cup final
Date: 19 Feb 2005 05:10 am (UTC)If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Why? overall i probably prefer knitting, slightly -- it's more versatile, and allows for a wider range of soft, flowing fabrics. for certain things i prefer crochet -- when playing around freeform, it's much easier for me to experiment; frogging back something that didn't work in crochet is much easier.
Is one harder than the other for you? knitting is slightly more of a bother for me; i am faster crocheting, and doing so without actually looking at the fabric much. but neither feel "hard", both are in my personal "easy" category when it comes to crafts.
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet? i don't remember much, since i learned most as a young child. i do remember fighting with 5 needles when learning to kit norwegian patterns for mittens.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.) i personally don't feel either is cooler, but knitting is still considerably more fashionable out there in the real world, though crochet is now making something of a come-back, and there are finally books out on "hip" crochet.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about? oh yeah. some knitters looks down on crocheters. that's in part about the horrid crap that's been produced in the crochet world -- too damn much kitsch, and some truly ugly things, in horrible colour combinations, from cheap, scratchy acrylics.
Re: unspoiled answers
Date: 19 Feb 2005 06:02 am (UTC)Re: unspoiled answers
Date: 19 Feb 2005 06:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 21 Feb 2005 05:25 am (UTC)I knit and crochet. I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other, they're different things, good for different purposes. For most clothing, I much prefer the look and texture of knitting, and the pattern possibilities. For sculptural and mathematical things, crochet all the way. I don't really understand people who try to make one look like the other, or imitate the other's strengths.
I don't find either harder, difficulty for me usually depends most on the yarn and the pattern. There are types of knitting and crochet I do quickly and easily, and types I'm slow at (I like to think I'm still learning).
I learnt both by the time I was 10, and don't remember terribly much about either. I can remember my mum showing me crochet, and doing a bit, and almost having the hang of it, and her helping me with the last bit (the chain at the end of each row). Knitting was more frustrating, as I couldn't get the very basic pulling of the yarn through from either my mum or the diagrams. I thought I wanted a little hook at the end of the needle, and I forgot about it all for six months. In the end, a friend of my mother's showed me how, and it was suddenly easy. Once I was past the basic mechanics of each, I could use books to teach myself everything else.
At the moment, I think knitting is more hip, but there are more ultra-trendy crochet things for sale. I am wondering if crochet is about to become hip to do.
One important factor to me, particularly with bought finished items, is that knitting can be done on machines, whereas as far as I know, crochet has to be hand-made, stitch by stitch. I'm really hesitant about buying anything where the price, relative to my estimate of the time and effort required, suggests slave labour to me.
no subject
Date: 25 Feb 2005 07:30 pm (UTC)I do both.
If you do both, do you prefer one or the other? Why?
Sometimes i do, but I seem to go in phases. Right now, I'm wanting to knit more than crochet, but I don't expect that to be a permanent preference. In part, I think, it's because there are still knitting techniques I haven't learned or have learned recently, whereas I've been crocheting longer and there's not much new territory.
Is one harder than the other for you?
Knitting was harder to learn, but I think that was because the book I used wasn't as good. Now that I'm comfortable with the basics, I don't think either is harder, per se, but it's easier to make mistakes knitting. (e.g. worse things happen if you lose your grip and drop a needle than if you fumble the hook.)
What was it like learning knitting and/or crochet?
I thought crochet was very easy to learn. The book I used had nice clear drawings and instructions, and I wasn't at all frustrated by it. Knitting was harder; I couldn't find a book I really liked, and it took a while to figure out how to do it properly -- at first, I was twisting stitches and making other errors of that sort.
If you do one but not the other, have you tried to learn the other?
Why or why not?
I learned to crochet first, and resisten learning to knit for a while, partly because it seemed harder/easier to mess up. (I think the latter is still true), partly because I was satisfied with crochet (but I kept finding interesting knitting patterns), partly because of the attitudes of some (but far from all, or even most) knitters, partly because I just hadn't gotten around to it.
Do you feel like one or the other (or the products thereof) is "cooler"/more hip/more fashionable? Why or why not? (This isn't about what you think rationally but what you feel.)
Not really. Some things are better knit, some are better crocheted. Crochet tends to make a thicker, bulkier fabric; sometimes this is desirable, sometimes not. Crochet is easier to do odd shaping in (stuffed toys, strange hats, etc.) but it's possible in knitting, of course. Crocheted lace and knitted lace are different, but both can be lovely. It's hard for me to be fair right now, because I'm really into cables and knitted lace at the moment, and I'm feeling a little avoidant about crochet because I need to seam a sweater so I can edge it.
Have you encountered people who do one looking down on people who do the other? What's that about?
Yes, mostly knitters who look down on crochet. I have know idea why.