Crochet is more than just an old fashioned hobby. So much more. It is a feeling of creativity, a feeling that something grand is going to be accomplished. Then when you are nearing the end of your crochet creation, it's so unbelievably satisfying to finish that last stitch. You finally stare at your invention with awe. Can you believe that you took a ball of yarn, a jumbled up mess of string, and worked it into knots with your hook until somehow it magically became a sweater? That same ball of yarn would still be sitting quietly and sadly on the shelf at the craft store if you hadn't brought it home, and now it has been shaped into something beautiful and functional. That is more than just a hobby, my friends. It's poetry. Pure, wonderful, unrestricted poetry. You can easily brush crochet off as boring. Or you can join the millions of people across the globe that have a passion for this centuries old art form. It is a free range expression that can become anything you can imagine.
I've met people who don't understand crochet or the process involved. They write it off as a worthless hobby not important enough to learn. Which is extremely sad, because it's a craft that has been handed down for hundreds of years. It has been around for centuries and many researchers believe that the craft has origins in Scotland and the British Isles, but has actually been seen in all parts of Europe. It was often referred to as 'shepherd's knitting'. Basically, crochet is the art of creating knots and loops with thread or yarn with a hook of the corresponding size, usually made out of carved wood or bone. It is a traditional past time but it was also used as a necessity. In the old days, if you didn't have money to buy a coat, scarf, or hat, the next best thing was to make it yourself. In present times, it is most widely used as a recreational activity to create functional and fashionable garments, toys, blankets, art pieces, and much more. It can also be said that crochet helps with anxiety and focus. Once you understand the basics, you can crochet without so much as a second thought.
It is also a fast moving craft. Unlike knitting, crochet builds on rows very quickly without having to pause and wrap yarn around a needle. It's faster to learn than knitting because instead of holding two needles and holding working yarn, you just have to hold the yarn in one hand and the hook in the other.
So the real question is…..crochet or knitting?
Okay, so since I am the Crochet Critic…I may be biased…and may have to pick crochet, but if you are a yarn craft newcomer, both arts are very similar. It can be very difficult to see a difference if you've never picked up either craft before. How can you, an absolute beginner, know which will be the easiest to learn, fastest to work, most secure, most beautiful, most versatile art? Well, children, gather around and your crochet godmother will definitely drop some sweet knowledge on your brain. The answer is really quite simple…
Crochet. As for why I pick crochet…well, I guess you'll just have to come back for the next blog post, won't you?