Crossing the Divide

Submitted by Kim Werker on 11 July 2005 - 7:43am. Categorized As:

Check out MK's blog post about crochet and knitting. She's put it well. There was quite a bit of discussion on this blog about the soon-to-be-released Stitch N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker, and I suspect that discussion was about the article MK refers to in her post. I certainly may have read that quote wrong, but it's been an interesting discussion all the same.

I think I've been pretty straightforward about my opinion that the great divide between knitting and crochet is ridiculous. I agree with MK's hunch that the divisiveness stems, at least in part, from class snobbery. One of the strongest impressions I got from the TNNA trade show a few weeks ago is that the N. American industry perceives the divide the same way -- knitters spend money on their craft and crocheters don't. The vast array of fabulous, contemporary, fashionable, experimental, and just downright kick-ass knitting patterns and accessories on the market definitely speaks to this perception in the industry, especially in the context of the dated, bland, unimaginative offerings for crochet.

Whether they gave some backhanded compliments in their first issue or not, I think the Interweave Knits Crochet annual is the only print crochet magazine worth buying in N. America. Much of the reason I try to stir up discussion on this blog, and with the magazine in general, is because I think it's about time crocheters demand better for ourselves. And since I'm not very keen on demanding things of others, I think it's important that we step up and put our money (and our actions and our creativity and our hooks) where our complaints are. MK has made some excellent points, and it's about time we start worrying more about what our hands are creating than about what other people will label it.

Update: Andrea asks a really good question in her comment: "Is it any surprise that we don’t want to waste our money on “dated, bland, unimaginative offerings for crochet”? ;)"

Not surprising at all. Pick up your hooks people. Let's make some change.

Update (11 July): Julie linked to this post by Ms. Stoller on Craftster.org. Clears up a bit about the much maligned cover of her upcoming book, no? Now that I'm becoming more and more familiar with how publishing works, I know firsthand that a mocked-up cover is frequently needed to go into the catalog months before the actual book (with finalized -- and often unrecognizably altered -- cover). Phew!


Boy did I just do a lot of link-clicking because of this post. I have lots of opinions of why print ads and magazines tend to be "better" for knit than crochet, and goodness knows I'm guilty (but trying so hard to improve) of not wanting to "waste" my money on not just the bland stuff but the good stuff too. If we don't spend money for some of the good stuff, the some of the good stuff won't come to us...Personally I'm a HUGE fan of knitting. I chose to learn to crochet over knitting, mainly because people in my family could knit and would have taught me - but it would then have been on their terms and their time schedule. I wanted to blaze ahead and get things started. Crochet it is. I don't regret it for a minute. Someday I'll learn to knit, there are lots of things I'd love to do. But I'm having waaaaay too much fun with the hook to put it down. It's very sad to me to mention that I read a LOT of knitting blogs but leave few comments; the comments left for me on my blog in return by some knit bloggers (but not all, not by a long shot) tend to make me read in silence and keep my fingers from the keyboard. I'm with MK, "If it involves sticks and string I'm in". It's about the art, the craft, the skill and talent. I can and do admire and respect anyone who does their chosen craft well. Every once in a while I'll get asked why I read such and such a blog... because they've got it, because they inspire me. Because no matter how they did it, the end result makes me stop in my tracks, makes me grab my DH and make him look at the screen with me. That's all that matters and I think that's all that should matter.

Submitted by Julie (not verified) on 4 July 2005 - 9:41am.

Thanks for your post - really interesting reading & linking. When people start comparing knitting & crochet (with crochet almost invariably coming out the loser) I can talk apples & oranges until I'm blue in the face but no-one listens. I've heard things on knitting blogs that just astound me..."Someone mistook my knitting for crochet and I spent 5 minutes letting them know it was knitting & how much better it is than crochet..." Words escape me.It seems to me that crocheters are much less vocal then knitters. We should be demanding decent, fashion-forward publications (not everything needs to come from Annie's Attic) and in the meantime, stop buying the drivel that offered. We need to support Stitch Diva instead of Crochet Fantasy. And, as you said, pick up our own hooks & create some masterpieces. It ain't easy being a knitter & a crocheter in Blogland - that's for sure. If I spend too much time with one craft, I feel I need to give the other "side" equal time. Like Julie, I think it all needs to be about the art - fiberarts - in whatever form that might take. Hmmmm....maybe I should start posting more about my quilting, eh? hehehe

Submitted by Bron (not verified) on 4 July 2005 - 11:22am.

I'm a long time crocheter who learned to knit a couple of years ago, and I love doing both crafts. Knitting as certainly made me a better crocheter, and I know that I picked up knitting pretty quickly because I crocheted first.There is certainly a bit of "the chicken or the egg" quality as to why there aren't as many cool crocheting mags and books as knitting--with the industry saying that crocheters don't support them by buying the upscale yarns and books like knitters do, and crocheters saying that the industry doesn't put out interesting patterns and books so they won't buy.So round and round we go.I have seen some very good crochet books in the last year--from Leapman's Cool Crochet to Jenesen's Hooked on Crochet. Magazines haven't been as much. I really don't like the new Crochet Fantasy, and Crochet! is so so. I have hope these will get better. I still wonder if Stoller really likes crocheting even after I read those articles. However, I'm looking forward to seeing the book.

Submitted by Vera (not verified) on 4 July 2005 - 8:19pm.

Today (July 11) I sent a long email to the editor of Crochet Fantasy, critiquing its problems and letting her know why I do like it (mostly the informative articles). I haven't seen Interweave Crochet, though I'm planning to order the back issue and pre-order the new one. Crochet Fantasy is under new management and I think they are trying to be different from the run of the mill mags. They have a long way to go, though. If I get any kind of interested response to my comments, I'll send her a list of links to the good stuff on the web. I did let her know that most people who wanted new and innovative designs are more likely to find them on the web than in print media.

Submitted by Catana (not verified) on 11 July 2005 - 10:15am.

Thanks for the update. I hope the actual cover will look much better.

Submitted by Vera (not verified) on 11 July 2005 - 11:19am.

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