Divide is defined according to Dictionary.com as to separate or part from something else; sunder; cut off. In the grand scheme of things division has its place, but in crafting?
There have been some great debates when it comes to this or that. I know we all have different life experiences that drive us towards that which we love. My question is what makes different wrong or bad? For example the internet was all up in arms over the Grits divide. Are you team salt or team sugar? Listen folks were serious about how grits should be eaten. 
I prefer salt and pepper but what I eat don’t make you 🚽 so why does it matter? photo credit canitalkmyish.com
Please don’t make me discuss the black vs. white or in my culture light skin vs. dark skin UGH!! The word “and” exist for a reason but I digress, back to crafting.
My Crochet Herstory
I learned to crochet as a kid in summer camp. Yes I can and will crochet too. Does that make you like me any less? I would hope not! I am still GG, the Yarnho, the Orange fanatic and Shelbey’s mom.
Yup I hooked that baby up and proud of it! When all I could do was crochet, I mostly focused on baby gifts. I didn’t venture into more complicated items until later in life. I was always afraid of knitting because it looked more complicated, however I never labeled folks that knit vs those that crocheted. As for yarn, I shopped where I knew which was Michaels, AC Moore and hell coming up Woolworths (did I just go all the way back? well it’s throwback thursday so there)
Facts according to Wikipedia
Crochet (English pronunciation: /kroʊˈʃeɪ/;[1] French: [kʁɔʃɛ][2]) is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials using a crochet hook.[3] The name is derived from the French term crochet, meaning ‘small hook’. These are made of materials such as metal, wood, or plastic and are manufactured commercially and produced in artisan workshops. The salient difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before proceeding with the next one, while knitting keeps a large number of stitches open at a time. (Variant forms such as Tunisian crochet and broomstick lace keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.)
However the earliest published pattern was in 1824, in a Dutch magazine. There are no known examples of crochet that are earlier than 1800. Knitting on the other hand, has examples as far back as around 1000 a.d.–these were a pair of knitted socks found in Egypt. Although the first knitting trade guild was started much later–in 1527 in Paris France.
The Divide
I was a part of a challenge where the majority of the participants crocheted. The talent blew me away on a daily basis. What their talent did not do was make me feel less than because I knit, not for one second. One day, a phenomenal crocheter was proud of her knitting progress; she was learning to knit. The reactions from the crowd hurt my feelings. I know they weren’t talking about me but…. comments like “knitters are bougie” wait what?, “crocheters don’t spend money on yarn” or how “crocheters are mistreated in local yarn stores”.
Listen, I am a lot of things, some you may not like, but bougie is not one. One of my dearest friends crochets her assets off and SHE introduced me to the yarn shop world. Teresa has a ton of yarn, yarn that she got from a yarn store. The same yarn stores she went to for help with HER CROCHET projects. I have been mistreated, but not because I knit vs crochet, but the color of my skin. They didn’t even bother to find out if I could do either, simply judged me based on my appearance. I am usually cute..sooo why can’t we all just get along? They are equally beautiful crafts. Period, the point and the blank.
Yarn Shops
To all my yarn shop owners, those of you that I know personally, I can’t imagine you treating someone who didn’t knit rudely. I simply can’t! The feeling is so strong that I reached out to a few shop owners here in NJ. I even reached out to a shop I visited in Florida Stash and they offer crochet classes which were not well attended. Hell Nancy Ricci, who works in a Knitty City and is a fabulous knit designer, is currently crocheting.
Chelsea Yarns in Redbank is planning a CAL in the summer and the same for Frame & Fiber. Admittedly, most of their clientele is knitters yet they are crochet friendly. Have you all seen that crochet blanket that everyone was making on Instagram? Most of them are knitters. I kept hearing the same story. I talk to Laura from Four Purls (I love her BTW) and the same thing..they offer crochet classes and no one attends. The result is private lessons for crochet. Yarn is yarn people..look at the picture below. I did both knit and crochet from the same ball.
So my challenge is this, for those crocheters that feel left out in yarn shops, go talk to the owners and see what happens. To my shop owners, make sure you are crochet friendly, because the ultimate goal is to sell the yarn to whoever wants to purchase.
let’s discuss
The word AND damnit! It exists! Did we not learn it in the kindergarten? If I have a choice, who are YOU to judge my decision? My choice in no way diminishes yours. Whew this post got under my skin, so I will stop here.
Let’s discuss, I would love to hear your thoughts on this from both sides of the coin. Which one are you, a knitter or crocheter? If you only do one of the two, do you have an issue with a person that does the other? Have you as a crocheter had a bad experience in a yarn shop? What can we as makers, as Yarnhos do to bridge the gap? See you in the comments.
Do what makes you happy
GG
I am both a crocheter and more recently have gone back to knitting. My local LYS was primarily knitting under the previous owner. It now has new younger owners and although they are knitters they are actively reaching out to the crocheters and offering classes and get togethers. I have not felt demeaned because I am primarily a crocheter. We routinely have get togethers that have both knitters and crocheters at the same table.
I love it! Yay to your yarn LYS thanks for sharing!
I am both. I learn crochet first and then in my 20’s learned to knit. I was taught by my aunt, continental style. Back then, in the 70’s, the problem I had with the yarn shops was; I was too young and couldn’t possibly know anything about yarn or knitting. When I would ask questions about adjusting a pattern to a different size yarn I was treated with utter rudeness. It was even worse when they discovered I was a continental style knitter. I didn’t dare bring up crocheting because “those people” can only use synthetic yarn…..back then I was making all of my twin sisters sweaters. She worked and was a true clothes horse! We would go together shopping for patterns and yarn. We were treated with simple annoyance….until we brought everything to the register. Imagine paying $100 for yarn/pattern in the 70’s! It was only then they changed their attitude towards us. For many years I put away my knitting and crocheting because I couldn’t face the treatment. Things have changed since then and I’m back to my passion! Thankfully!
Yay for things changing right? Thanks for sharing
I guess I stand out because I love to go to my LYS and have some very nice yarn to work with, crocheting or my knitting. I hope I didn’t offend you in any manner, the word bougie by itself…..NO. Love you Gaye-GG!
Never offended me, I guess it was the first time I was exposed to that thought process. It was shocking
I love to both knit and crochet, and fortunately, have never been exposed to prejudice either way. I learned to crochet at age 5 and to knit at 12. Now that I am retired I do both on a daily basis. I don’t need any more of the projects I choose to make, but I enjoy the process and the creativity of matching the right yarn to the right project. Four Purls is my LYS and how lucky I am that it is. Not only do I find the most beautiful yarn there, but the shop is so welcoming that I spend several days a week there doing my craft. Knitted and crocheted items are both appreciated and I have had, and right now, have several finished items on display in the shop. And what fun it is to see what others are working on or have completed. Time and talent go into both types of yarn work.
I’m so jealous you get to go to Four Purls when ever you like! Thanks for sharing your story
I crochet. I learned to knit, but don’t. I have noticed the “Knit Snub”, having been on the receiving end. It took a couple of gatherings before I recognized it for what it was. Crochet, knit: it doesn’t matter. Do what you like. I crochet, but absolutely love everything GG! Keep it up! Now where is my crochet hook?
lol hook on my friend
I do both, I learn to crochet first in high school home ed class we had to make a granny square vest. After getting married and moving to Okinawa Japan (exhusband was in the Air force) and being bored I taught myself to knit. I love doing both as well as cross stitch and sewing. Ive never had any problem asking questions in the yarn store.
Hey Ms Ruth! Thanks for sharing your experience
Hello as you already know I crochet, never had the desire to knit, looks more complicated to me. Anyways I learned how to crochet as a child by my grandma. We would make Afghans and only the shell stitch I did. But it wasn’t until 2005 when someone stole my Fabulous designer scarf and I wasn’t able to replace it. I ended up going to “RAG SHOP” purchasing a crochet hook and yarn. After soooo many screw ups I was onto something. I’m what you call “BOOTLEGGED CROCHETER” I don’t read patterns at all and have no desire to do so. I create stuff first in my mind and then try my hand at it. I say all of that to say I believe we are all one in the same, KNITTER OR CROCHETER if I knew how to knit I would still be “BOOTLEGGED” lol!!! A lover of fiber and a creator of all things I can visualize in my head and then hook it up. 😁😁😁😁
Yasssss to all of that my friend. We still have to plan a meet up!!
I am a crocheter. I honestly have not been mistreated because I have not until recently encountered other fiber artists. However, I admire a knitter as well as a crocheter, not because of which they are but because of the art they create. I am simply an ART LOVER.
Yes an art lover. That part! Thanks for reading and responding Jo!
This was a very needed post, we all are fiber lovers, create with yarn so it shouldn’t matter which one we do.
Exactly! I can honestly say I am enjoying the responses. They make me feel good to know it’s not that bad.
I learned how to knit and crochet from grandmother years ago.
What an awesome gift to get
I’m m a hooker for life and have definitely for the knitters snub most times it doesn’t bother unless money is involved then I want to get all “pretty woman” on them like you see all this big mistake lol! Seriously I just think it is all art and should be appreciated as such the fact that you can take your two hands and a ball of yarn and create something beautiful will always amaze me!
Yes I totally agree! Hopefully this conversation will bring some change
I started as a crocheter, and I noticed this bias. I always thought there was some knitter snobbery…but once I learned to knit, I realized some of it was probably because of the color of my skin, and some of it was just a general lack of patience with beginners. Thankfully, I think this stereotype is going out of style!
I pray it’s over. I still have folks that are saying they have NOT been welcomed because they crochet. I truly hope that stops! Thanks for reading and commenting
It’s me again. Regarding yarn stores: Didn’t get turned on to the “good” yarn stores until late in my crochet game. Once I discovered the “good” yarn stores, I started making my rounds. I live in Atlanta. One store was going out of business. The owner was very helpful, answered all questions. I didn’t mind spending my money. Needle Nook is fantastic! Great variety of yarn, supplies and classes. I love going there. Every other “good” yarn store I went to, I was followed (while others roamed freely), watched very carefully and got mostly grunts in answer to my questions. I kept my money and they kept their yarn. So if Needle Nook doesn’t have what I’m looking for, I wait for STITCHES SOUTH or some other Fiber Arts show or festival. I Have better oexperiences at the shows.
Yes keep your money…bad behavior doesn’t deserve a purchase. Good for you!
I rescued a knit shop once, literally from being closed. Technically I didn’t have any business doing that because even though I designed my own knit wear for decades, I couldn’t read a pattern.
So since I do both knit and crochet, I featured both crafts and samples in my shop that I painstakingly remodeled on a shoestring budget.
I got criticized by the local yarn community for showing crochet items. Well lets just say I changed their minds over 4 years of owning the shop. People took up classes and enjoyed the occasional crochet project.
Oh by the way, I learned reading patterns by taking every class that was being held in my shop! After 4.5 years I sold my shop because we moved out of state.
Now I am a bonafide knit wear designer with tech editors and test knitters/crocheters and 130 published patterns to my name. I also am the proud owner of an online yarn shop Yarnz2GO where I make my original designs available in kits. You can specialty yarn cakes, Indie dyer yarns and more in my shop.
Oh Gaye, we know each other from Yarnitude on Facebook. 🙂
Happy crafting!
Petra
Hi Petra! Thanks for sharing your story. I love that you changed their minds about crochet! You are the real MVP
Thank you soooo much for this post! I actually do both, but I have seen the rudeness on both sides. I to would love to know why, oh why, we all can’t just get along? I really wish people would stop judging each other and let’s just look at all the Gorgeousness that we all are making!
Exactly! Thanks for reading
I loved this. I learned to crochet as a child. My mother is a phenomenal crochet artist—yes, artist. I didn’t want to crochet because I knew I’d always compare my work to hers (and never be as good in my mind). So I taught myself to knit. I like to do difficult, complex and challenging patterns. I like lace and cables. I’m starting color work. I love the challenge. If my mom had been an ace knitter, I’d be the best crocheter in the family. It wasn’t ever about one being better than the other. It was actually about excelling in a craft and not being compared to my mom. Yeah. It was all about my pride, dammit.
Lol that’s right! Hahahahaha thanks for sharing
Hello,
My name is Janet. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments.
I started crocheting as a result of a dream I had 3 consecutive nights.
Amazing things I never knew I could make. I decided to ask God, if this is something that you want me to do, I will buy a skein of yarn and bring it to my church ladies group. I did just that and was taught the granny square. I was told to create at least 50 of them and then connect the pieces to make a blanket. I couldn’t do them as it was to tedious for me
And I wanted my project to be done quickly. Anyways, I learned quite a few stitches after that and before I knew , I was crocheting with no pattern. I visualized everything in my head and on I went. That was in 2004. Today I knit and crochet inspired by God and have named my
Business Divine knits by Janet. It was a dream come to fruition by my
Creator. I am blessed and continue to bless others with the gift that I have been given. To God be all the glory!
James 1:17
Thank you for allowing me to share