Let’s get the yarn ball rolling!
How long have you been a hooker?
What got you interested in the craft?
What are you really good at?
What is one thing you’d like to learn?
My mom taught me when I was 8 or so. I could only crochet rectangles for the LONGEST time, but I finally figured out how to read patterns! I would like to create my own patterns at some point, but the ADHD is strong lol
Crochet has been the best thing for my ADHD. Giving my hands something to do why I listen to a lecture? Heck yeah
I learned to knit first, in 2013 after moving in with my now-husband. I’d had it on my to-learn list for ages, but wanted to wait until I actually had a stable place to live with room for yarn lol.
Ended up learning crochet about three months later because I kept seeing so many pretty patterns on Ravelry. And somehow managed to get a pattern design accepted into an actual real life magazine a couple of months after that (I have no idea how!)
Since then I’ve picked up just about every type of fibre craft at least once, but always come back to knitting & crochet along with cross stitch as my main ones.
It’s massively soothing to have something to do with my hands. Easily portable and gets me talking to strangers in public who ask what I’m making. I mostly try and focus on clothes and wearable accessories because having a whole selfmade wardrobe is just such a cool goal even if I never get there.
Wouldn’t say I’m particularly good at any aspect though, more just persistent. Maybe enabling other people? I made a beginner crochet tutorial for YouTube ages ago and get regular photos sent to me from proud newbies making their first ever couple rows 😄
I’ve been crocheting on and off for 2.5 years now. I tend to go through periods of crocheting all day every day and then switch to a total lack of interest for months. I started when my husband and I were super poor and looking for hobbies to do together. We got two balls of yarn, a cheap set of knitting needles and two crochet hooks. We tried knitting first and didn’t like it. We switched to crochet and it clicked for me. Now I love making amigurumi as I can’t stand making bigger items where I have to count stitches. I’m starting to freehand things and am hoping to maybe learn to make patterns myself.
I’m not doing it yet. Just started knitting in December of last year, and am looking to get into crochet as well. I own a pack of cheap hooks and now it’s just a matter of figuring out how it works.
Those who do both, which one aggravates carpal tunnel worse? I’m scared crochet will hurt more because one wrist is doing a lot, but I don’t know. Also, fellow Canadians, where can I get decently priced wool yarn? Do you even use wool yarn in crochet?!?
I have some wrist issues from an old injury and honestly I find that what aggravates mine the most is just doing any one particular thing too repetitively. So I flit around between crochet, knitting and cross stitch for the variety of movement.
There are things you can do crochet-wise though, for example you’ll mostly see people flicking the wrist of their hand that holds the hook, but if mine is playing up I’ll wedge my elbow against something and keep that wrist as still as possible and just do all the movement with my other hand.
p.s. yes you can definitely use wool yarn but I’m not Canadian so can’t help with the other part of that 😄
Thanks for the help! I see a lot of crochet people using cotton and synthetic yarns, maybe because the stitch has different flexibility than knit? I already adapted my knitting to continental which helps a lot, so I may just look into methods that adapt.
Cotton and acrylic are great for things like amigurumi because you get better stitch definition, so they do tend to be popular. Still though the flexibility makes a difference too like you say, I knitted a top from linen yarn once and it just ruined my wrist.
I’m just trying to get back into crochet and knitting. I used to do a lot of both before we had kids, but found it just didn’t work when they were small.
To avoid repetitive stress injuries, I alternate between knitting and crochet. They seem to use different parts of my brain.
Sometimes I feel my brain just wants one, sometimes the other. I also try to have a mix of finicky projects that take a lot of counting or with fine yarn and some with larger hooks and needles.
I find that cheap hooks are more stressful on my body. In the end, I have purchased high quality stainless steel hooks one by one over time as I need them.
As for wool in Canada, better prices are usually found at places carrying discontinued lines and colours. Wool-Tyme in Ottawa sells a lot online. If you’re visiting the region, the store has a large back area where they clear discontinued yarn. See https://wool-tyme.com/collections/sale
Thanks for all your help! Unfortunately I’m not near Ottawa and don’t go there too often. I’ll check out what my local yarn store has on sale. Unfortunately the online retailers don’t seem to have the best deals (or maybe that’s just the way I feel).
My hooks are mid quality, I think? I’ll upgrade to something better after I get a bit more experience under my belt. I’ve been known to orphan hobbies so I don’t want to drop too much cash up front.
I find crochet intimidating. It’s funny because I think most people feel that way about knitting?
I knitted for many years before I was willing to seriously attempt crochet.
My grandmother taught me both, but knitting was something my mum and others could help me with later and crochet was not.
It was actually when I was really sick and need to lay up in bed for a time that I decided to give it a try. I didn’t want to wreck my knitting or needlework projects.
I sent my spouse out on a quest for some yarn, a hook and a ‘how to’ book.
I really found having a decent hook reduced my frustration. Buying one good quality one with a steel head and plastic handle in the size you need for a first project will really help.
Most of the less expensive ones aren’t smooth enough at the tip where you push into the work and some of them are too rounded. I find most of the American brands really bad. And you’ll want the metric sized ones anyway so you can have more precision. Don’t buy a whole set until you know what works for you ergonomically in terms of handles.
Just dropping in again to add that someone has created a yarn exchange community !canadianyarnexchange@lemmy.ca.
I don’t know how people would sort out selling and exchanging yarn, but there it is.
I found a crochet DIY set and I wanted to make it for my little sister… it was supposed to be a pig, turned out to be an eldritch monstrosity 😂 but I had so much fun figuring out how it worked, it kinda stuck around and now I’ve been crocheting for at least 5 years :) amigurimis will always have a special place in my heart. Also, shout out to youtube tutorials haha!