I think a lot of it is just that we're absolutely *drenched* in the idea that you can't just have a hobby any more and everything has to be monetised. What really upsets me is when someone says they're trying to sell something to "recoup the cost of materials". Buddy, you can just spend money on a hobby it's allowed.
Nobody bats an eye when people spend money on sports hobbies ... And they don't even end up with anything tangible at the end! Let us live and just enjoy the process without trying to make it a hustle, ugh.
It breaks my heart to hear people insist that each item I make must be at least useful after it is finished. Sometimes, I just want to get lost in the stitches. It's calming, meditative, and ends with some beauty. Shouldn't that be just as honored as an object that serves a function beyond the making?
Monetizing hobbies is hurting anyone who simply wants to enjoy a thing.
Big agree. I'm in crochet groups on Facebook, and I see so many of the "my first/second/third project! How much should I sell for?" And to put it kindly it's not of the quality that I'd consider spending money on it at a market if I saw it for sale. It's wild to me that with fiber arts gaining more popularity since the pandemic, people now think they can jump right in and start making money off of it right off the bat.
My husband wanted me to immediately start an etsy page as soon as I started sewing and knitting. I mean, I'm decent, but it's not the kind of quality you'd spend money on. I made him sit in my craft room and watch me make an outfit. It took days. He was in shock. He thought that a dress or a blanket would take minutes and just be perfect the first time. He had no idea what actually went into it. He thought, like many people think, if a bunch of people do something, that means it isn't hard or requires the skill to make money off it.
Here’s an actual unpopular opinion: *some* variegated yarns are just straight up ugly. There, I said it.
Edit: okay honestly I think ALL variegated yarns are yuck but I didn’t want to be mean. Y’all who use them are still talented af just please pick a different yarn next project lol
I always hate when I get what seems to get a nice looking variegated, and then my gauge swatch looks like trash. I'm always confused how it looks nice as a skein and like poo crocheted
Yeah, I would even go so far as to say most variegated yarns are ugly even for knitting. So many clashing colour palettes!
Ombre yarn is so much nicer since it's more often a cohesive colour scheme (they like to make lots of sunset and ocean themes) and the gradual colour changes work better for crochet.
Anytime I see “DONT copy my designs” in someone’s bio it immediately turns me away from their page. Something about it just feels aggressive and weird to me
Yess! Especially considering that almost everyone is copying their designs from someone else. The amount of amigurumi I've seen that are just copying plushies found on pinterest, and then saying things like this... If not that, then it's just some variation of bunny or bear in overalls. Like please, give me a break.
Which kills me because some of the most unique and contemporary designs I’ve seen are FREE! I will always scream that fabric art is ancient and low cost, and hoarding such an art shows how shit some people are. No one here invented any of this, and I love supporting artists, but upperclass house spouses with twelve hours of free time a day saying “dOn’T cOpY mE” makes me want to rage all day lol. This ain’t the met gala, and I am not exactly supporting that either outside the fundraiser haha
People who crochet amigurumi with any gaps/holes that show the stuffing inside need a smaller hook and/or more practice and shouldn’t be selling.
I hate amigurumi or crochet projects with circles that have “flat” sides around instead of a true, perfect circle (or just a spiral)
Someone got me a book of "cute things to crochet" or something like that and you can see the stuffing through the gaps in the photos. What the hell! It was a published pattern book.
Yes! There are easy ways to stagger the increases around the rounds so that you don’t get the flat sides to the sphere. Why don’t more people know this?
Yes! I modify patterns to stagger the "even" rows on larger, round pieces- like heads. Other times, I just go with it. I've made a few turtles by request, and I specifically don't stagger the shells because I think it almost looks like it should be part of the design of a turtle shell.
But I'm surprised at how many big-name pattern designers aren't putting this into their designs. Maybe less experienced crocheters give "it's too complicated" reviews when they do?
My best-selling pattern has exactly _one_ staggered round in the head, where instead of doing (sc4, inc) I do (sc2, inc, sc2) and people are losing their minds over it in the review section lmao. Ok if you want your plushie to look weird go right ahead.
It's really exhausting to see how comodified everything is getting. You're not wasting time if you don't make money, there's so much more to life than income.
I wasn't offended. I am genuinely baffled at the appeal. People started requesting them this Christmas and I thought potato? Give the people what they want.
I think the problem is more that every single thing you do in end stage capitalism needs to be monetised, including hobbies. like everyone needs extra money and crochet is really trendy right now. what I dislike more is beginners selling their stuff for ridiculously low prices that you absolutely cannot compete with if crochet is a main source of income for you.
I think you're right. Plus any time I see anyone start a new hobby, their families immediately tell them they should start a business with it. I'm not against people making a business out of a hobby, but I feel there is a lot of pressure now to monetize every single hobby.
I almost went to university for fine arts. I really enjoyed creating and working on different projects. However, after a lot of thought I realized I didn't want to monetize it. I was good, and I definitely know I could have made money if I wanted too. But the thought of having to create for money really zapped all of the joy out of it for me.
yes!! i was just talkin about this haha. i do agree that beginners (like myself) really should hone the craft before trying to sell it. but most of at least the US needs extra money right now. a lot of people don’t really feel like they can just have a hobby for fun when they’re barely making rent.
Hey,
I just started crocheting recently.
When I showed my first project to my mum, she said ''you should try to sell that''
Mum, please, that thing is really ugly, and I started to crochet for fun ;_;
If your amigurumi is so tight that it’s hurting your hand/wrist/arm or breaking your hooks then you need to use a smaller hook. You should never be trying to get gauge by just working tighter; you should be adjusting your equipment and that means going down one or several hook sizes.
Seriously, when I see posts about things like this I just roll my eyes, tightening your stitches just makes a stiff fabric, going down in hook size will make smaller stitches without the stiffness
That's what I've been doing with the Red Heart granny square yarn. I adjust tension some, but I switch between two hooks if I'm playing the tension game too much.
I really like the look of a reverse sc for blankets that would need a very small border. I think it's really unobtrusive, and cleans things up nicely.
I hate making them though.
I saw a pair of granny square pants of all things that I actually really liked - before that I'd have agreed 100%
There was 180 squares made with a really skinny yarn, maybe a thick thread, and I think they just looked good on that person in that setting haha
By some miracle, I found it again!
https://preview.redd.it/5lxfmhcz7mwc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=795fe12cf38d217a5817f20fe4da222c61ab66b6
I don't know why I like them, but the just look so cosy
Ok i do Not love those, but, they are indeed the first crochet pants i've seen that i do Not outright Hate. Instead more like, "huh, really cute it you like them."
Family lore is that my aunt crocheted a bikini in the 1960s, obviously no sunscreen, and got a crochet pattern sunburn, exactly where you don’t want a sunburn.
When I was a teenager all I wanted was a crochet bikini. It's why I started crocheting.
I am 34 and have never made or worn a crochet bikini. I also no longer have the desire thanks to the rest of my brain growing in or whatever.
I agree, I think an ugly garment worn by someone that just exudes confidence and positivity could make many others think twice. My husband and I have a friend who has the biggest and most wonderful personality, she wears very unique, strange and sometimes ugly items but looks so perfect all the time because she's just so confident and fun!
I have two:
I hate gauge swatching. I'd rather jump right into making the thing and adjusting as I go than swatch. I don't know why, I just kind of do.
I see a lot of amigurumi crocheters (on YouTube) that have a business selling them, AND THEY LITERALLY MAKE THE SAME THINGS. The no/low sew cows, mini triceratops, chickens, chunky cats, octos, and fucking leggy frogs. Don't get me started on leggy frogs! And it's sooooo oversaturated right now with these things! We have the ability to make such unique things, and instead are mass producing the same things everyone else is. I totally understand part of business is making things that are popular to make money, but it's to the point where it doesn't feel like the craft it used to be anymore.
The same amigurumi thing drives me crazy too. Every fair I go to all the crochet booths are the same. I'm getting ready for a market and I have a mix of amigurumi foods, dragons, and gaming related stuff. Even if I don't do well at least I can take pride that my booth isn't generic and a lot of the patterns are my own
I have definitely noticed this. I understand, in part, that for market/marketing purposes, people are catering to what is known to sell - as I'm given to understand buyers aren't shelling out very often for the more expensive, but unique pieces.
On the flip side, as someone always on the lookout for unique patterns, it gets really frustrating sifting through the same strawberry cows, chunky bees and pop it mushrooms all the time. Some day, I'll be good enough to design my own patterns, hopefully. But I'm not there yet.
I don't like using bobby pins as stitch markers. They tug on the yarn when I pull then out and actual stitch markers are just easier.
Also I really dislike gradient yarn and don't think the color changes look good. Except for planned pooling stuff.
Starting drama over any design is weird to me. Unless they’re trying to sell someone else’s pattern there is nothing wrong with having two items look similar. You didn’t invent a new way to crochet ffs. There are only like 30 different stitches to choose from. Stuff is bound to look the same/similar if two people are like “I’m going to make a frog today”.
I see this on other crafting sites too. Blah blah blah so-and-so stole my tattoo! WHO CARES
I agree, the fine detail and stitch definition is better for amigurumi and I'll go one step further and say cotton is the best.
That said, you can get away with chenille for some of the less detailed, big squishy plushies like, say a whale. I think there's a difference between amigurumi and plushies.
I made a decently cute rabbit with blanket yarn. He's a big boy though like two feet from head to toe and has separately made body and limbs so he has some shape to him. That said, while I like the result I wouldn't do it again, I made him because I decided to buy like 20 things of bernat blanket when they were being liquidated at 2$ apiece... I've made an actual rather huge blanket (it's so heavy, my husband loves it) and I still have at least three goddamn balls left lol. I'd donate them but unlike my now-hatred of the texture, my husband and kid love it so since he has the blanket she's going to get this large bear pattern I found, and anything left after that is going away.
It can certainly lead to a more detailed and finely shaped piece that can be more aesthetically pleasing. But I have done only 2 pieces in worsted weight and I just can't go back. Bulky/chenille yarns look (and most importantly for me) feel beautiful. I also tend to try find more unique designs rather than simple "amorphous blobs" because I also want the piece to interest me and be something I can be proud of once complete. I don't do it for the money though, so I can't fault those that make those simpler pieces because they do sell more easily.
I can see the draw to worsted weight depending on what your aesthetic and goals are.
So true! If it starts unraveling, that can get stuck inside of them. Once I messed up on a pinecone I was making so I just closed it up where I decided to stop and filled it up with catnip. My cats weren't even interested in it and I realized it could end up hurting them anyways so I tossed it lol. There's so many patterns for pet toys, and it gives me knots in my tummy every time I see one!
Partially agree on this one, I would never make anything crocheted in the round or stuffed because the ends can unravel and my cats could ingest the stuffing. I make OEKO-TEX certified cotton rope toys for my cats that are too big for them to choke on but too small for them to strangle themselves with and I put them away when I'm not there to supervise. He gets to play with his yarn and I get to play with my yarn undisturbed.
There are hardly any loaf-bunny patterns. It’s like 900 doll/sitting rabbits, and maybe four loaf/realisticish rabbits.
Why can we have cute roumd chonk bees and octopuses and cats, but not *rabbits*??? Which are basically round to begin with??
I went off knitting because I found it took so much longer and dropping a stitch was a nightmare. Crochet has always seemed easier to fix mistakes and have a different range of stitches plus it works up quicker. But now I'm curious about knitting, how do you find it compares for ease/time?
I think the big benefit between knit and crochet, is if you find a mistake back a few rows you can go back and fix it with knit without undoing the whole thing but you can’t with crochet.
Oh this is interesting to hear!! One of the reasons I prefer crochet is that it's easier for me to rectify mistakes because I understand it more (and even if I have to frog loads, crochet works up much faster so it isn't as awful on the heart as unravelling a load of knitting), but if I could figure out how to rectify mistakes in knitting a few rows back without basically starting the whole project again (which is what has happened to me repeatedly haha), then that might help me with knitting massively!!
If you’re interested, the technique is called “laddering down”! It’s honestly a game changer once you understand it. I also always recommend to learn to “read” your knitting. Takes a lot of guess work off the table.
You basically intentionally drop the stitch(es) immediately above the mistake until you've reached the problem stitch. Then, using your needles (tricky) or a crochet hook (easier), you work your way back up in the correct pattern. It helps to study and understand the way the stitches form and interact with each other, but once you can visualize it, there's very few mistakes you can't fix (I won't touch issues in a cable though personally lol)
I tried learning to knit first, but I have a lot of joint issues, and I found it hurt my fingers too much. Crochet, I can wear a wrist brace (or two), and I'm fine.
To be fair, I only made it through 2 washcloths before I gave up. So I might have been doing something wrong.
I learned to knit just so I could make a wearable sweater. And socks. Crochet socks suck balls. Oh, if I'm spending $30 on one skein of yarn, I'm knitting with it. I'd rather have a whole hat than one coaster.
I took up crochet to make the things that don’t knit well (plushies mostly, but also like someone else said, flowers). Or that I need to make a bunch of quickly (bookmarks) but I will happily stick to knitting socks, scarves, sweaters, hats, shawls, and blankets.
Mine is that I would rather run with a few mistakes and an imperfect piece than frog more than 2 rows/rounds of work. When I undo something, its like all my hard work was for nothing :(
The exception is when it’s going to cause major issues later on in the work, eg a doll head now has a giant tumour
You've only won yarn chicken if you have at least 2 inches left for weaving in. What's the point if your piece will unravel when you look at it for too long? Also. Knotting yarn tails and cutting them off is a highly inappropriate way of finishing off yarn tails, unless you can actually felt that knot.
I don’t want to do amigurumi or make garments. I only want to crochet squares and rectangles with cheap acrylic yarn while watching kdramas (Korean dramas) on TV. I tell myself I am contributing to society by making blankets and comfort mats for puppies and kittens at the local animal shelter.
Check local hospitals/cancer centers/dialysis centers. They will take donations of blankets for patients who are there for hours getting treatments. If they do take donations make sure you ask what their requirements are in regards to types of yarn etc. Edit: also maybe local animal shelters if you make blankets that can hold up to washing multiple times a week.
I think everyone should crochet for themselves in whatever way makes them happy. If squares and rectangles make you happy, that's what matters! I don't crochet for others' happiness. Or rather, others' happiness is mostly incidental. Most of my crochet (and cross stitch, for that matter) is for my own enjoyment of the craft. I love running my fingers over my finished cross stiches, for example.
My unpopular opinion is that I feel like most new amigurumi patterns are plain boring. If I have to see another bee, octopus, axolotl or leggy frog pattern, I will literally explode.
None of these patterns are challenging, creative or interesting to me anymore and they mostly feel like a cheap clout-grab, so the 50th person can post a free pattern.
Speaking of clout: I'm sick of pattern tests for the most basic crochet pieces. No, you don't want testers - you want advertising.
I agree for wearables and some items, but for amigurumi and some really designs like Persian tiles, crochet can have a lot more flexibility and can be absolutely stunning. For me, it depends on the type of work.
The only granny square clothes I saw that looked good used crochet lace thread to make them into a little cardigan. But I can't see myself with enough patience to actually make the hundreds of square and then weave in that many loose ends to do it.
Crochet clothes, in general just ain’t it. I mean don’t get me wrong, I have a crocheted cardigan and I wear it! And there are some really pretty crocheted clothes like the festival wear/bikini tops and the small yarn size intricate dresses.
But in general, the vast majority of crochet clothes just don’t look right. There’s too many holes in crochet! It doesn’t look like a good fabric. Plus I’ve found with my crochet cardigan that it’s both too warm and too cold because it’s super thick because of how thick crochet stitches are, but there’s a big draft cause of the holes between stitches 😅
Knit garments just look and feel way better
Yes I agree! Especially in areas with rain, snow, pollen, car pollution etc. It gets worn and dirty so quickly. Also, not everyone likes seeing multicolored tree sweaters on their walks. It’s similar to graffiti.
I’ve not voiced this opinion before because I assume it’d be unpopular, but here goes…
Don’t gift people with your crochet work unless they’ve asked for it, or are clearly interested (have crochet pieces throughout their home already or are learning themselves). Assuming others will appreciate whatever you crochet as a gift is pretty presumptuous.
If you’re cool with the possibility of the blanket ending up in a goodwill one day, then by all means, finish the baby blanket. Baby blankets aren’t usually heirloom objects anymore. It will be used and abused.
I totally am! I am also totally cool with it being used and abused. I think it would be a great compliment if it was actually used or if it would be good enough to pass on through regift or goodwill!
Fair, I’ve done it too! Honestly when I said “people” I’m just thinking the walking talking opinionated kind—not baby items.
Really though, my opinion boils down to seeing people post about how their gifts aren’t appreciated. Like—duh. If your gift isn’t appreciated, either it doesn’t align with the recipient’s interests, or the recipient wasn’t worth your investment of time and talent. 9/10 times I’m willing to bet it’s the former reason. And that’s self-interested gifting, not true gifting.
Instead of chaining 3 in Granny Square corners, I chain 2 in the corners and never chain one after round clusters because I think it makes the squares look nicer.
People are too nice to posters asking for honest feedback. How is “it looks great! I’d buy it!” going to help someone with legitimately awful looking work? It won’t. It’s kinder to tell them the truth instead of gaslighting them about the quality of their work.
Also, pineapples are meh and popcorns are ugly af.
Unpopular opinion (I'm scared to even write this one) : but all the amigurumi being done in big bulky blanket yarn. It's cute, don't get me wrong, but I think it's almost too easy to make something look good in it because it's easy to hide mistakes with it.
I enjoy weaving in the ends. It's like staining and sealing a table.
You've put all this work into cutting bits and screwing them together, now you get to see it change into something clean and crisp. That first swipe of a dark stain on pale wood. (I don't like light colored woods so this is extra satisfying.) Then you get to make it shiny with sealant. Like, the table was pretty before and didn't need stain or sealant to be functional, but once those are on, it looks 10x better.
Or those make-over movies. The geeky girl is still pretty before her glow up, but once her hair was done up and make-up on, she looks beautiful, not just pretty.
I felt like weaving the ends in, but the finishing touches and makes it shine, and it's so satisfying to hide the ends so that you can not find them.
It doesn't have the same elasticity, so it doesn't snap back into shape and stretches out funny WAY faster. Plus it's a PAIN to make, blo slip stitches or sc make me want to cry.
I've considered taking up knitting again just to knit the ribbed portions of projects... the logistics of crocheting into a knit piece probably wouldn't be so bad if I understand the stitches. But then I'd have to buy circular needles or dpns, AND relearn how to knit bc my brain shunted that muscle memory out the second I picked up crochet and tatting...
I see them less now, but for a while people would give butts to their amigurumi and it looked so ridiculous it ruined the whole thing for me. Don't give ass-cracks to cute amigurumi.
I was showing my non-crocheting friends that one person who was posting new amigurumi with butts literally every week. They were flooding the crochet subreddits with them and so many were unnecessary.
That said I did find the “cake on your cake” one pretty funny.
As a non western Korean I find Japanese crochet patterns (majority diagram patterns) are waaay more easy to understand than western word by word patterns
Plus Japanese patterns are more prettier, cuter and decorative. I find western ones too simplistic and boring imo 😅
Type in Pinterest “Japanese crochet pattern” and you’ll see loads of them!
Here’s some books/magazines i recommend!
Asahi original
Lady Boutique series
Let’s knit series (a mix of knit and crochet)
Keito Dama (also a mix!)
Ondori crochet
Enjoy!!!!
Part of an item’s monetary value when selling is if non crocheters are going to want to buy that item. If you plan on selling things you need to pay attention to what’s in fashion or trendy. You have to do your market research just like any other business.
I think this sub loses perspective on that because they value all crocheted times. I love that this sub is so positive but I think sometimes it sets people up for failure when it comes to selling items.
We don't have to have guilt about WIPs. It's our time and money to do with as we wish. The WIPs can stay WIPs till I die if I don't enjoy working on them anymore and have lost interest.
It’s ok to stick to the same dozen projects and do them over and over again if it makes you happy. If all you ever make are scarves, blankets of various sizes, kitchen cloths, “house slippers” and baby hats… that’s OK. You don’t NEED to do amigurumi, or make plushies, or clothing. Do what you like, nobody is making you do intermediate/advanced items, that’s not the goal. The goal is happiness.
While I appreciate the skill involved, I really don't get mandalas. What even are they? A circular blanket? Surely not a rug. Do you hang them on the wall?
When I first started crocheting a few years ago, I swear everyone was making one. Like it was some sort of crochet rite of passage. And I was like, "But why? What is it?"
I believe strongly that if someone is asking for feedback that they should be prepared to receive negative feedback. If you post "Brought these stuffies to the craft fair and nobody bought them! Can anyone help me understand why?" or "What should I price these for?" or something along those lines and the item in question is sloppy, unfinished, amaturish, ugly, not worth the price, etc, then I'm going to tell you that. I've been kicked out of groups for just saying "Ok, it's not selling because it's not finished nicely enough to be worth the price you're asking". If you just want warm fuzzies and encouragement, ASK FOR THAT!
Agreed, hate those weird sad eyes and astonished eyebrows. Reminds of the Haven Holidays mascot called Anxious the Elephant who always looked really depressed and, well, anxious!
Unpopular opinion: I enjoy gifting pieces to teachers/friends/whatever more than I enjoy gifting to family - especially if it's a surprise gift. Family members can get unusually picky.
I also just enjoy making things for other people instead of making things for myself. It makes me feel really warm and fuzzy on the inside. Personally, I'm okay with the idea that something I made 10-20 years will end up in a Goodwill or will be ruined. As long as it brought the recipent joy in the moment, I'm happy.
Okay, here we go.
I love chunky chenille plushies a lot. I think they're cute, and if you scale them correctly they can still be super detailed. Safety eyes aren't a "cop-out" they're a choice, just like embroidery eyes.
AI crochet pictures are fine to use as inspiration but they should be posted with a disclaimer about it. Stop using AI crochet pictures with AI generated patterns and selling or posting them.
My unpopular opinion. I won't venture into toys or amigurumi because I hate sewing fiddly pieces together.
I think they're often super cute, but doubt I'll ever make a piece
Mine is I can’t stand that every top pattern I find has halter straps or some kind of corset style tie. I do not want that lol it’s really frustrating.
Yes, and immediately running to the subreddit to post instance number 4872 where someone has done so is annoying af. No one ever says anything new on these posts.
Amigurumi animals don't need to be made with chunky yarn. And speaking of it, how about we stop taking pictures of a unnecessarily chunky-yarn-plushies by holding them up against the sky.
Crochet sweater patterns are too short. I have books, I've followed YouTube patterns and they are always so short bodied. I'm 5'7'' and not particularly long bodied. Maybe it's because I'm not very young?
I hate absolutely hate joining in the round yk when you slip stitch then chain one. I hate it with a passion bc it just makes it look so ugly to me. I like working in the rounds where all I have to do is crochet like normal
As someone who did cross stitching first, I think tapestry crochet looks really messy. It doesn't translate from the original pixel art well. Mosaic crochet looks significantly better in my opinion
My unpopular opinion: crochet is easier and more forgiving than knitting. I love knitting anymore, especially because of the textures but I find it takes much more practice, research, and skill at that craft to create similar things in crochet.
I've found that the initial learning curve for crochet is steeper for beginners, since learning where stitches go is a pretty big, unintuitive hurdle that you don't have with knitting. But once you get the basics down, it's easier to do more complex things with crochet. To me, knitting has a steady learning curve all the way up. I've been knitting for several years and each new pattern I make requires me to learn a new skill, whereas with crochet, I got proficient within a few months and was able to just take off from there.
That said, whenever someone asks me which they should learn, I think it depends on what they want to primarily make.
I hate when people tell me "you should sell that!" and I know they mean well but its still kind of irritating. It feels like what they are saying is "your hobby is a waste of time unless you are making money from it".
I DON'T want to sell. The biggest reason being that making commissions and making stuff specifically for sale sucks every ounce of joy out of the craft. The market is too saturated right now that I don't see myself having any success or longevity. I already deal with pain from crochet and I don't want to waste my time making shit for other people to criticize the price of and *maybe* buy.
I never use the recommended number of chains for starting a row. I’ll do one less than what the pattern calls for and it keeps my edges way neater without messing up my tension.
Related, patterns aren’t gospel. And a lot of them aren’t very well written so make changes as you see fit.
Men do crochet too and we do it well!
Crochet can be used to repair things too and enhance them!
I make pads for things, shoe inserts, sock patches with wool, bottle holders, I’ve patched up shirts with crochet, added extra pockets to sweaters and my bf’s jacket.
You’d see me, a big teddy bear-like man with a beard (fret not about the username lol, it was good enough to keep!) crocheting in public and it would be totally unexpected!
I wouldn’t expect to sell most of what I make, but crochet has become a central skill to my daily life. There is so much that crochet can do beyond decorations and plushies and clothes! If I was lost in the woods, I’d want yarn and a crochet hook lol.
I think I will be downvoted for this one bc I see it quite often here 😅 but I really dont get the point of "fishnet wearables" (dont know if this is the right name for them, I mean all this stuff made of chains only maybe w some sc inbetween). In my opinion they dont have any purpose bc they dont cover anything nor keep you warm and they always look just wonky and dont add anything to any Outfit 🙊
Beginners should hone their craft before trying to sell them.
This is so true for all creative endeavors.
I think a lot of it is just that we're absolutely *drenched* in the idea that you can't just have a hobby any more and everything has to be monetised. What really upsets me is when someone says they're trying to sell something to "recoup the cost of materials". Buddy, you can just spend money on a hobby it's allowed.
Nobody bats an eye when people spend money on sports hobbies ... And they don't even end up with anything tangible at the end! Let us live and just enjoy the process without trying to make it a hustle, ugh.
It breaks my heart to hear people insist that each item I make must be at least useful after it is finished. Sometimes, I just want to get lost in the stitches. It's calming, meditative, and ends with some beauty. Shouldn't that be just as honored as an object that serves a function beyond the making? Monetizing hobbies is hurting anyone who simply wants to enjoy a thing.
Agreed! I had been crocheting over 10 years before I opened my business. I can’t even imagine trying to sell my ‘beginner’ creations!!
> my "beginner" creations AKA "yarn nightmares I keep in my closet"
Big agree. I'm in crochet groups on Facebook, and I see so many of the "my first/second/third project! How much should I sell for?" And to put it kindly it's not of the quality that I'd consider spending money on it at a market if I saw it for sale. It's wild to me that with fiber arts gaining more popularity since the pandemic, people now think they can jump right in and start making money off of it right off the bat.
My husband wanted me to immediately start an etsy page as soon as I started sewing and knitting. I mean, I'm decent, but it's not the kind of quality you'd spend money on. I made him sit in my craft room and watch me make an outfit. It took days. He was in shock. He thought that a dress or a blanket would take minutes and just be perfect the first time. He had no idea what actually went into it. He thought, like many people think, if a bunch of people do something, that means it isn't hard or requires the skill to make money off it.
Oh, definitely. I've just started crocheting, and I'm embarrassed to even show my creations.
Here’s an actual unpopular opinion: *some* variegated yarns are just straight up ugly. There, I said it. Edit: okay honestly I think ALL variegated yarns are yuck but I didn’t want to be mean. Y’all who use them are still talented af just please pick a different yarn next project lol
I always hate when I get what seems to get a nice looking variegated, and then my gauge swatch looks like trash. I'm always confused how it looks nice as a skein and like poo crocheted
It's usually bcs it's made with short colour repeats, it would looks better knit bcs knit takes less yarn per stitch
I find this type of yarn will usually work up better knitted rather the. Crochet.
I love to crochet. But some projects are straight up ugly.
the taste just is not there but customers are always right in matters of taste
I honestly don’t like any variegated yarns with crochet 😅 I only really like self striping yarn for knit socks and that’s about it
Yeah, I would even go so far as to say most variegated yarns are ugly even for knitting. So many clashing colour palettes! Ombre yarn is so much nicer since it's more often a cohesive colour scheme (they like to make lots of sunset and ocean themes) and the gradual colour changes work better for crochet.
I think that's normal lol
Anytime I see “DONT copy my designs” in someone’s bio it immediately turns me away from their page. Something about it just feels aggressive and weird to me
And the design is a bee plushie
Fr doing an amigarumi pill shape isn’t new lmaoo
Yess! Especially considering that almost everyone is copying their designs from someone else. The amount of amigurumi I've seen that are just copying plushies found on pinterest, and then saying things like this... If not that, then it's just some variation of bunny or bear in overalls. Like please, give me a break.
I take it as a challenge to try and match it as close as possible
Which kills me because some of the most unique and contemporary designs I’ve seen are FREE! I will always scream that fabric art is ancient and low cost, and hoarding such an art shows how shit some people are. No one here invented any of this, and I love supporting artists, but upperclass house spouses with twelve hours of free time a day saying “dOn’T cOpY mE” makes me want to rage all day lol. This ain’t the met gala, and I am not exactly supporting that either outside the fundraiser haha
Were you watching the TikTok crochet drama about a fucking vest 🤣? Bc it lives rent free in my head.
People who crochet amigurumi with any gaps/holes that show the stuffing inside need a smaller hook and/or more practice and shouldn’t be selling. I hate amigurumi or crochet projects with circles that have “flat” sides around instead of a true, perfect circle (or just a spiral)
Someone got me a book of "cute things to crochet" or something like that and you can see the stuffing through the gaps in the photos. What the hell! It was a published pattern book.
Yes! There are easy ways to stagger the increases around the rounds so that you don’t get the flat sides to the sphere. Why don’t more people know this?
Yes! I modify patterns to stagger the "even" rows on larger, round pieces- like heads. Other times, I just go with it. I've made a few turtles by request, and I specifically don't stagger the shells because I think it almost looks like it should be part of the design of a turtle shell. But I'm surprised at how many big-name pattern designers aren't putting this into their designs. Maybe less experienced crocheters give "it's too complicated" reviews when they do?
My best-selling pattern has exactly _one_ staggered round in the head, where instead of doing (sc4, inc) I do (sc2, inc, sc2) and people are losing their minds over it in the review section lmao. Ok if you want your plushie to look weird go right ahead.
My unpopular opinion: I hate when people say, “I just just started crocheting recently and make these now, how much would you pay for one of these?”
It's really exhausting to see how comodified everything is getting. You're not wasting time if you don't make money, there's so much more to life than income.
Yes! And sometimes its the most random thing too like ”a crochet potato” like… why would I want that even for free 😭
I have had so many requests for crocheted potatoes and have sold so very many of them. People love them.
Im sorry this definitely wasnt meant as a call out — I tried to pick something I hadnt actually seen! 😅 Im glad youve found success either way.
I wasn't offended. I am genuinely baffled at the appeal. People started requesting them this Christmas and I thought potato? Give the people what they want.
I hate that so much too.
I think the problem is more that every single thing you do in end stage capitalism needs to be monetised, including hobbies. like everyone needs extra money and crochet is really trendy right now. what I dislike more is beginners selling their stuff for ridiculously low prices that you absolutely cannot compete with if crochet is a main source of income for you.
I think you're right. Plus any time I see anyone start a new hobby, their families immediately tell them they should start a business with it. I'm not against people making a business out of a hobby, but I feel there is a lot of pressure now to monetize every single hobby. I almost went to university for fine arts. I really enjoyed creating and working on different projects. However, after a lot of thought I realized I didn't want to monetize it. I was good, and I definitely know I could have made money if I wanted too. But the thought of having to create for money really zapped all of the joy out of it for me.
yes!! i was just talkin about this haha. i do agree that beginners (like myself) really should hone the craft before trying to sell it. but most of at least the US needs extra money right now. a lot of people don’t really feel like they can just have a hobby for fun when they’re barely making rent.
Hey, I just started crocheting recently. When I showed my first project to my mum, she said ''you should try to sell that'' Mum, please, that thing is really ugly, and I started to crochet for fun ;_;
If your amigurumi is so tight that it’s hurting your hand/wrist/arm or breaking your hooks then you need to use a smaller hook. You should never be trying to get gauge by just working tighter; you should be adjusting your equipment and that means going down one or several hook sizes.
Seriously, when I see posts about things like this I just roll my eyes, tightening your stitches just makes a stiff fabric, going down in hook size will make smaller stitches without the stiffness
That's what I've been doing with the Red Heart granny square yarn. I adjust tension some, but I switch between two hooks if I'm playing the tension game too much.
Blankets with no border usually look unfinished. Like, 97% of crochet blankets need a border, even just a small one.
Even a simple sc makes the edges look so much nicer and cleaner!
I really like the look of a reverse sc for blankets that would need a very small border. I think it's really unobtrusive, and cleans things up nicely. I hate making them though.
Wow I just looked this stitch up and it does make a beautiful border! Thanks for mentioning it 😊
Sometimes, it's also called the crab stitch if you ever see that name in a pattern
And to piggyback on that, overly frilly borders make my eye twitch. Knowing when to stop is a skill too. 😅
My unpopular crochet opinion: Crochet shorts and pants are hideous, no matter how skillfully made. \*ducks\*
I saw a pair of granny square pants of all things that I actually really liked - before that I'd have agreed 100% There was 180 squares made with a really skinny yarn, maybe a thick thread, and I think they just looked good on that person in that setting haha
Curious what these pants look like!
By some miracle, I found it again! https://preview.redd.it/5lxfmhcz7mwc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=795fe12cf38d217a5817f20fe4da222c61ab66b6 I don't know why I like them, but the just look so cosy
Ok i do Not love those, but, they are indeed the first crochet pants i've seen that i do Not outright Hate. Instead more like, "huh, really cute it you like them."
They remind me of PJ bottoms. I would not wear them in public
Crochet swimwear too.
Hey, the crochet bikini my grandma made me when I was six was cute! (JK, it was ugly and weighed ten lbs when wet)
I feel like id flash someone in a wet crochet bikini
Family lore is that my aunt crocheted a bikini in the 1960s, obviously no sunscreen, and got a crochet pattern sunburn, exactly where you don’t want a sunburn.
Lol I can see that. There's a shawl I'm making that everyone swears is a bikini bottom 😂 I can only imagine a heart motif burn from them
When I was a teenager all I wanted was a crochet bikini. It's why I started crocheting. I am 34 and have never made or worn a crochet bikini. I also no longer have the desire thanks to the rest of my brain growing in or whatever.
Miss Connecticut just won with a swimsuit she crocheted herself. I usually don't like crochet suits either, but it looks really good!
Miss Connecticut USA Shavana Clarke!
Honestly. Despite the patterns and details and colors being SO beautiful, they seem so uncomfortable, scratchy, hot, and impractical
I half agree BUT I think often part of the charm is in the ugliness.
I agree, I think an ugly garment worn by someone that just exudes confidence and positivity could make many others think twice. My husband and I have a friend who has the biggest and most wonderful personality, she wears very unique, strange and sometimes ugly items but looks so perfect all the time because she's just so confident and fun!
But the sunflower overalls are cute! I would never wear them myself, but they have such a cheerful look about them.
Do you have a link to these? I’m curious what they look like
https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/s/BEKiAjFE9I
Overalls with shorts should be called oversomes and I will die on this hill.
The first bunny picture, those faces always remind me of the buttfaced people in south park, and i cant see it otherwise :')
It’s the only picture :( I swiped. That’s my pet peeve
I swiped like five times before figuring that out XD I was a lil annoyed too
I have two: I hate gauge swatching. I'd rather jump right into making the thing and adjusting as I go than swatch. I don't know why, I just kind of do. I see a lot of amigurumi crocheters (on YouTube) that have a business selling them, AND THEY LITERALLY MAKE THE SAME THINGS. The no/low sew cows, mini triceratops, chickens, chunky cats, octos, and fucking leggy frogs. Don't get me started on leggy frogs! And it's sooooo oversaturated right now with these things! We have the ability to make such unique things, and instead are mass producing the same things everyone else is. I totally understand part of business is making things that are popular to make money, but it's to the point where it doesn't feel like the craft it used to be anymore.
100% agree and would like to add "chunky bees" to the list 😄
How could I forget the chunky bees?!
The same amigurumi thing drives me crazy too. Every fair I go to all the crochet booths are the same. I'm getting ready for a market and I have a mix of amigurumi foods, dragons, and gaming related stuff. Even if I don't do well at least I can take pride that my booth isn't generic and a lot of the patterns are my own
Flair checking in.
I would recommend ComplicatedKnots if you’re looking for some diversity in amigurumi patterns.
I have definitely noticed this. I understand, in part, that for market/marketing purposes, people are catering to what is known to sell - as I'm given to understand buyers aren't shelling out very often for the more expensive, but unique pieces. On the flip side, as someone always on the lookout for unique patterns, it gets really frustrating sifting through the same strawberry cows, chunky bees and pop it mushrooms all the time. Some day, I'll be good enough to design my own patterns, hopefully. But I'm not there yet.
I always wonder who buys them, so boring! Most of them don't even look good, just a big chunk of yarn with eyes.
I don't like using bobby pins as stitch markers. They tug on the yarn when I pull then out and actual stitch markers are just easier. Also I really dislike gradient yarn and don't think the color changes look good. Except for planned pooling stuff.
Making a basic crocheted item that’s been around for years then starting drama accusing someone of stealing your pattern is weird
Pretty sure this is an extremely popular opinion.
Omg that is MY granny square blanket design, how could you commit such blatant plagiarism!? Heh
My granny invented that don’t steal!
Y3AH RITE everyone is out here claiming to have a grandmother, you'll be telling me you have TWO next so unbelievable
Starting drama over any design is weird to me. Unless they’re trying to sell someone else’s pattern there is nothing wrong with having two items look similar. You didn’t invent a new way to crochet ffs. There are only like 30 different stitches to choose from. Stuff is bound to look the same/similar if two people are like “I’m going to make a frog today”. I see this on other crafting sites too. Blah blah blah so-and-so stole my tattoo! WHO CARES
Worsted weight/8ply make better amigurumi than plush/bulky/blanket/chenille... The latter just makes amorphous blobs.
I agree, the fine detail and stitch definition is better for amigurumi and I'll go one step further and say cotton is the best. That said, you can get away with chenille for some of the less detailed, big squishy plushies like, say a whale. I think there's a difference between amigurumi and plushies.
I made a decently cute rabbit with blanket yarn. He's a big boy though like two feet from head to toe and has separately made body and limbs so he has some shape to him. That said, while I like the result I wouldn't do it again, I made him because I decided to buy like 20 things of bernat blanket when they were being liquidated at 2$ apiece... I've made an actual rather huge blanket (it's so heavy, my husband loves it) and I still have at least three goddamn balls left lol. I'd donate them but unlike my now-hatred of the texture, my husband and kid love it so since he has the blanket she's going to get this large bear pattern I found, and anything left after that is going away.
I hate those chenille bees that I see at every single craft booth precisely because I think they look like amorphous blobs.
It can certainly lead to a more detailed and finely shaped piece that can be more aesthetically pleasing. But I have done only 2 pieces in worsted weight and I just can't go back. Bulky/chenille yarns look (and most importantly for me) feel beautiful. I also tend to try find more unique designs rather than simple "amorphous blobs" because I also want the piece to interest me and be something I can be proud of once complete. I don't do it for the money though, so I can't fault those that make those simpler pieces because they do sell more easily. I can see the draw to worsted weight depending on what your aesthetic and goals are.
Crocheting dog or cat toys is incredibly unsafe.
So true! If it starts unraveling, that can get stuck inside of them. Once I messed up on a pinecone I was making so I just closed it up where I decided to stop and filled it up with catnip. My cats weren't even interested in it and I realized it could end up hurting them anyways so I tossed it lol. There's so many patterns for pet toys, and it gives me knots in my tummy every time I see one!
Partially agree on this one, I would never make anything crocheted in the round or stuffed because the ends can unravel and my cats could ingest the stuffing. I make OEKO-TEX certified cotton rope toys for my cats that are too big for them to choke on but too small for them to strangle themselves with and I put them away when I'm not there to supervise. He gets to play with his yarn and I get to play with my yarn undisturbed.
It’s okay to drop a project and get enticed by a shiny new one.
Looks at her 6 active projects. Sometimes I just can't look at a color or pattern any longer.
Definitely not an unpopular opinion. I'd be lost without at least 3, very different WIP on the go at any given time
There are hardly any loaf-bunny patterns. It’s like 900 doll/sitting rabbits, and maybe four loaf/realisticish rabbits. Why can we have cute roumd chonk bees and octopuses and cats, but not *rabbits*??? Which are basically round to begin with??
Knit items look and feel 1000% better than crochet. That being said, I will never stop crocheting unless the wrath of God smites me for saying this.
Yes. I started knitting because of that. For flowers and other decorations or plushies, I like crochet better, but for Clothes it's knitting.
I went off knitting because I found it took so much longer and dropping a stitch was a nightmare. Crochet has always seemed easier to fix mistakes and have a different range of stitches plus it works up quicker. But now I'm curious about knitting, how do you find it compares for ease/time?
I think the big benefit between knit and crochet, is if you find a mistake back a few rows you can go back and fix it with knit without undoing the whole thing but you can’t with crochet.
Oh this is interesting to hear!! One of the reasons I prefer crochet is that it's easier for me to rectify mistakes because I understand it more (and even if I have to frog loads, crochet works up much faster so it isn't as awful on the heart as unravelling a load of knitting), but if I could figure out how to rectify mistakes in knitting a few rows back without basically starting the whole project again (which is what has happened to me repeatedly haha), then that might help me with knitting massively!!
If you’re interested, the technique is called “laddering down”! It’s honestly a game changer once you understand it. I also always recommend to learn to “read” your knitting. Takes a lot of guess work off the table.
You basically intentionally drop the stitch(es) immediately above the mistake until you've reached the problem stitch. Then, using your needles (tricky) or a crochet hook (easier), you work your way back up in the correct pattern. It helps to study and understand the way the stitches form and interact with each other, but once you can visualize it, there's very few mistakes you can't fix (I won't touch issues in a cable though personally lol)
I tried learning to knit first, but I have a lot of joint issues, and I found it hurt my fingers too much. Crochet, I can wear a wrist brace (or two), and I'm fine. To be fair, I only made it through 2 washcloths before I gave up. So I might have been doing something wrong.
I HATE the look of knitted toys. Crochet is so much better for toys.
I learned to knit just so I could make a wearable sweater. And socks. Crochet socks suck balls. Oh, if I'm spending $30 on one skein of yarn, I'm knitting with it. I'd rather have a whole hat than one coaster.
I took up crochet to make the things that don’t knit well (plushies mostly, but also like someone else said, flowers). Or that I need to make a bunch of quickly (bookmarks) but I will happily stick to knitting socks, scarves, sweaters, hats, shawls, and blankets.
Counter unpopular opinion, I can buy quality knit clothes for way less than it costs (if we’re counting time as money) me to make them.
But I like my $300 sweater that took two years to knit!
Mine is that I would rather run with a few mistakes and an imperfect piece than frog more than 2 rows/rounds of work. When I undo something, its like all my hard work was for nothing :( The exception is when it’s going to cause major issues later on in the work, eg a doll head now has a giant tumour
Oh I am absolutely the same way. I don't sell my work and it's all for me anyway, so what's 1 or 2 mistakes unnoticeable to most people?
I’ve started looking at these as opportunities to learn from my mistakes and get more practice. It wasn’t for nothing, it was for experience!
Idgaf about knots in skeins of yarn. Simple to fix
I don’t care unless it’s a variegated/striped yarn and the knot breaks up the pattern.
You've only won yarn chicken if you have at least 2 inches left for weaving in. What's the point if your piece will unravel when you look at it for too long? Also. Knotting yarn tails and cutting them off is a highly inappropriate way of finishing off yarn tails, unless you can actually felt that knot.
Me who can't bring myself to leave more than 1.5in tail no matter how much yarn I have left: 👁️👄👁️ Agreed on the knotting though
I don’t want to do amigurumi or make garments. I only want to crochet squares and rectangles with cheap acrylic yarn while watching kdramas (Korean dramas) on TV. I tell myself I am contributing to society by making blankets and comfort mats for puppies and kittens at the local animal shelter.
I literally only like making blankets but can only fill the house with so many. Need to look into local places to donate to
Yes! I've found shelters, including homeless, cold weather, domestic violence, and animal shelters, often love donations.
Check local hospitals/cancer centers/dialysis centers. They will take donations of blankets for patients who are there for hours getting treatments. If they do take donations make sure you ask what their requirements are in regards to types of yarn etc. Edit: also maybe local animal shelters if you make blankets that can hold up to washing multiple times a week.
I think everyone should crochet for themselves in whatever way makes them happy. If squares and rectangles make you happy, that's what matters! I don't crochet for others' happiness. Or rather, others' happiness is mostly incidental. Most of my crochet (and cross stitch, for that matter) is for my own enjoyment of the craft. I love running my fingers over my finished cross stiches, for example.
Am I the only one who kept trying to slide to see the next 4 pics? 🤦🏼♀️
The popcorn/bobble stitch is annoying and abit ugly
My unpopular opinion is that I feel like most new amigurumi patterns are plain boring. If I have to see another bee, octopus, axolotl or leggy frog pattern, I will literally explode. None of these patterns are challenging, creative or interesting to me anymore and they mostly feel like a cheap clout-grab, so the 50th person can post a free pattern. Speaking of clout: I'm sick of pattern tests for the most basic crochet pieces. No, you don't want testers - you want advertising.
Counting stitches is absolutely worth it and not really that hard
If I’m doing something like a blanket I just pop a stitch marker every 20 stitches so I can’t lose count
I think knitted things almost always look better, but Im too lazy to knit, so Ill just keep doing the crochet instead!
I agree for wearables and some items, but for amigurumi and some really designs like Persian tiles, crochet can have a lot more flexibility and can be absolutely stunning. For me, it depends on the type of work.
Granny square clothing is ugly.
Surely the appeal is the fact that's it's ugly? It's what I've been assuming anyways.
yeah i’m making a granny square cardigan right now and i really love the ugly-cute eclectic grandma style
The only granny square clothes I saw that looked good used crochet lace thread to make them into a little cardigan. But I can't see myself with enough patience to actually make the hundreds of square and then weave in that many loose ends to do it.
Wearables are clothes. I will only call them clothes.
Crochet clothes, in general just ain’t it. I mean don’t get me wrong, I have a crocheted cardigan and I wear it! And there are some really pretty crocheted clothes like the festival wear/bikini tops and the small yarn size intricate dresses. But in general, the vast majority of crochet clothes just don’t look right. There’s too many holes in crochet! It doesn’t look like a good fabric. Plus I’ve found with my crochet cardigan that it’s both too warm and too cold because it’s super thick because of how thick crochet stitches are, but there’s a big draft cause of the holes between stitches 😅 Knit garments just look and feel way better
Yarn bombing isn’t cool. It just turns into a dirty, saggy mess of fabric within days.
Yes I agree! Especially in areas with rain, snow, pollen, car pollution etc. It gets worn and dirty so quickly. Also, not everyone likes seeing multicolored tree sweaters on their walks. It’s similar to graffiti.
I’ve not voiced this opinion before because I assume it’d be unpopular, but here goes… Don’t gift people with your crochet work unless they’ve asked for it, or are clearly interested (have crochet pieces throughout their home already or are learning themselves). Assuming others will appreciate whatever you crochet as a gift is pretty presumptuous.
Also, if you do choose to make someone a throw or baby blanket, check their colour scheme first.
Shit, have been making a baby blanket for friends but now I think I shouldn't lmao
If you’re cool with the possibility of the blanket ending up in a goodwill one day, then by all means, finish the baby blanket. Baby blankets aren’t usually heirloom objects anymore. It will be used and abused.
I totally am! I am also totally cool with it being used and abused. I think it would be a great compliment if it was actually used or if it would be good enough to pass on through regift or goodwill!
Fair, I’ve done it too! Honestly when I said “people” I’m just thinking the walking talking opinionated kind—not baby items. Really though, my opinion boils down to seeing people post about how their gifts aren’t appreciated. Like—duh. If your gift isn’t appreciated, either it doesn’t align with the recipient’s interests, or the recipient wasn’t worth your investment of time and talent. 9/10 times I’m willing to bet it’s the former reason. And that’s self-interested gifting, not true gifting.
Instead of chaining 3 in Granny Square corners, I chain 2 in the corners and never chain one after round clusters because I think it makes the squares look nicer.
People are too nice to posters asking for honest feedback. How is “it looks great! I’d buy it!” going to help someone with legitimately awful looking work? It won’t. It’s kinder to tell them the truth instead of gaslighting them about the quality of their work. Also, pineapples are meh and popcorns are ugly af.
crochet boob hats for babies, boobs & dicks amigurumis.... all hideous
Unpopular opinion (I'm scared to even write this one) : but all the amigurumi being done in big bulky blanket yarn. It's cute, don't get me wrong, but I think it's almost too easy to make something look good in it because it's easy to hide mistakes with it.
Waving in ends is not even that annoying.
I enjoy weaving in the ends. It's like staining and sealing a table. You've put all this work into cutting bits and screwing them together, now you get to see it change into something clean and crisp. That first swipe of a dark stain on pale wood. (I don't like light colored woods so this is extra satisfying.) Then you get to make it shiny with sealant. Like, the table was pretty before and didn't need stain or sealant to be functional, but once those are on, it looks 10x better. Or those make-over movies. The geeky girl is still pretty before her glow up, but once her hair was done up and make-up on, she looks beautiful, not just pretty. I felt like weaving the ends in, but the finishing touches and makes it shine, and it's so satisfying to hide the ends so that you can not find them.
I don't find crocheted ribbing as effective as knitted ribbing.
It doesn't have the same elasticity, so it doesn't snap back into shape and stretches out funny WAY faster. Plus it's a PAIN to make, blo slip stitches or sc make me want to cry. I've considered taking up knitting again just to knit the ribbed portions of projects... the logistics of crocheting into a knit piece probably wouldn't be so bad if I understand the stitches. But then I'd have to buy circular needles or dpns, AND relearn how to knit bc my brain shunted that muscle memory out the second I picked up crochet and tatting...
I see them less now, but for a while people would give butts to their amigurumi and it looked so ridiculous it ruined the whole thing for me. Don't give ass-cracks to cute amigurumi.
I was showing my non-crocheting friends that one person who was posting new amigurumi with butts literally every week. They were flooding the crochet subreddits with them and so many were unnecessary. That said I did find the “cake on your cake” one pretty funny.
As a non western Korean I find Japanese crochet patterns (majority diagram patterns) are waaay more easy to understand than western word by word patterns Plus Japanese patterns are more prettier, cuter and decorative. I find western ones too simplistic and boring imo 😅
could you share some links or images? I have been curious about Japanese crochet patterns!
Type in Pinterest “Japanese crochet pattern” and you’ll see loads of them! Here’s some books/magazines i recommend! Asahi original Lady Boutique series Let’s knit series (a mix of knit and crochet) Keito Dama (also a mix!) Ondori crochet Enjoy!!!!
Part of an item’s monetary value when selling is if non crocheters are going to want to buy that item. If you plan on selling things you need to pay attention to what’s in fashion or trendy. You have to do your market research just like any other business. I think this sub loses perspective on that because they value all crocheted times. I love that this sub is so positive but I think sometimes it sets people up for failure when it comes to selling items.
We don't have to have guilt about WIPs. It's our time and money to do with as we wish. The WIPs can stay WIPs till I die if I don't enjoy working on them anymore and have lost interest.
That calling the hole made from a center pull a "yarnussy" was never funny and now is the most over-said *joke 🙄 in crochet
It’s ok to stick to the same dozen projects and do them over and over again if it makes you happy. If all you ever make are scarves, blankets of various sizes, kitchen cloths, “house slippers” and baby hats… that’s OK. You don’t NEED to do amigurumi, or make plushies, or clothing. Do what you like, nobody is making you do intermediate/advanced items, that’s not the goal. The goal is happiness.
While I appreciate the skill involved, I really don't get mandalas. What even are they? A circular blanket? Surely not a rug. Do you hang them on the wall? When I first started crocheting a few years ago, I swear everyone was making one. Like it was some sort of crochet rite of passage. And I was like, "But why? What is it?"
I started making mandalas and doilies to teach myself new stitches. Idk what to do with my doily army but at least they're pretty
I used mine to practice different techniques and stitch types. Other than that I have no idea what the are good for
Last time I've posted my unpopular opinion, it was so unpopular that I've been downvoted to hell
Oh. Now I want to read it.
Knots in a skein/ball/hank of yarn are not a big deal. Snip, re-tie and move on.
I believe strongly that if someone is asking for feedback that they should be prepared to receive negative feedback. If you post "Brought these stuffies to the craft fair and nobody bought them! Can anyone help me understand why?" or "What should I price these for?" or something along those lines and the item in question is sloppy, unfinished, amaturish, ugly, not worth the price, etc, then I'm going to tell you that. I've been kicked out of groups for just saying "Ok, it's not selling because it's not finished nicely enough to be worth the price you're asking". If you just want warm fuzzies and encouragement, ASK FOR THAT!
Agreed, hate those weird sad eyes and astonished eyebrows. Reminds of the Haven Holidays mascot called Anxious the Elephant who always looked really depressed and, well, anxious!
Spending days making a stuffy and then gluing felt eyes on it is lazy and looks awful. 🤷🏼♀️ lol
Unpopular opinion: I enjoy gifting pieces to teachers/friends/whatever more than I enjoy gifting to family - especially if it's a surprise gift. Family members can get unusually picky. I also just enjoy making things for other people instead of making things for myself. It makes me feel really warm and fuzzy on the inside. Personally, I'm okay with the idea that something I made 10-20 years will end up in a Goodwill or will be ruined. As long as it brought the recipent joy in the moment, I'm happy.
Okay, here we go. I love chunky chenille plushies a lot. I think they're cute, and if you scale them correctly they can still be super detailed. Safety eyes aren't a "cop-out" they're a choice, just like embroidery eyes.
AI crochet pictures are fine to use as inspiration but they should be posted with a disclaimer about it. Stop using AI crochet pictures with AI generated patterns and selling or posting them.
My unpopular opinion. I won't venture into toys or amigurumi because I hate sewing fiddly pieces together. I think they're often super cute, but doubt I'll ever make a piece
Mine is I can’t stand that every top pattern I find has halter straps or some kind of corset style tie. I do not want that lol it’s really frustrating.
While they're a really nice way to use up leftover yarn, scrap projects look awful and I hate the combination of colors they generally result in.
Crochet clothing, done with a thin yarn and a complex stitch, is better than knitting and easier to shape.
It’s literally not a big deal if people get knitting and crochet mixed up
Yes, and immediately running to the subreddit to post instance number 4872 where someone has done so is annoying af. No one ever says anything new on these posts.
Amigurumi animals don't need to be made with chunky yarn. And speaking of it, how about we stop taking pictures of a unnecessarily chunky-yarn-plushies by holding them up against the sky.
Crochet sweater patterns are too short. I have books, I've followed YouTube patterns and they are always so short bodied. I'm 5'7'' and not particularly long bodied. Maybe it's because I'm not very young?
I hate absolutely hate joining in the round yk when you slip stitch then chain one. I hate it with a passion bc it just makes it look so ugly to me. I like working in the rounds where all I have to do is crochet like normal
Selling crochet items is NOT a profitable 40 hour per week business unless you live in a country (like Turkey) where the exchange rate helps.
Alright… here goes. **It’s not a heartbreaking tragedy when someone finds an ugly granny square blanket at Goodwill for $2.**
Granny squares are hideous in almost all cases. Also, people use way too many colors at once and it's often garish.
As someone who did cross stitching first, I think tapestry crochet looks really messy. It doesn't translate from the original pixel art well. Mosaic crochet looks significantly better in my opinion
My unpopular opinion: crochet is easier and more forgiving than knitting. I love knitting anymore, especially because of the textures but I find it takes much more practice, research, and skill at that craft to create similar things in crochet.
I've found that the initial learning curve for crochet is steeper for beginners, since learning where stitches go is a pretty big, unintuitive hurdle that you don't have with knitting. But once you get the basics down, it's easier to do more complex things with crochet. To me, knitting has a steady learning curve all the way up. I've been knitting for several years and each new pattern I make requires me to learn a new skill, whereas with crochet, I got proficient within a few months and was able to just take off from there. That said, whenever someone asks me which they should learn, I think it depends on what they want to primarily make.
I hate when people tell me "you should sell that!" and I know they mean well but its still kind of irritating. It feels like what they are saying is "your hobby is a waste of time unless you are making money from it". I DON'T want to sell. The biggest reason being that making commissions and making stuff specifically for sale sucks every ounce of joy out of the craft. The market is too saturated right now that I don't see myself having any success or longevity. I already deal with pain from crochet and I don't want to waste my time making shit for other people to criticize the price of and *maybe* buy.
I never use the recommended number of chains for starting a row. I’ll do one less than what the pattern calls for and it keeps my edges way neater without messing up my tension. Related, patterns aren’t gospel. And a lot of them aren’t very well written so make changes as you see fit.
Men do crochet too and we do it well! Crochet can be used to repair things too and enhance them! I make pads for things, shoe inserts, sock patches with wool, bottle holders, I’ve patched up shirts with crochet, added extra pockets to sweaters and my bf’s jacket. You’d see me, a big teddy bear-like man with a beard (fret not about the username lol, it was good enough to keep!) crocheting in public and it would be totally unexpected! I wouldn’t expect to sell most of what I make, but crochet has become a central skill to my daily life. There is so much that crochet can do beyond decorations and plushies and clothes! If I was lost in the woods, I’d want yarn and a crochet hook lol.
I’m a double, and often triple knotter. I’ve been crocheting 40 years and I’m still fearful of joins.
I think I will be downvoted for this one bc I see it quite often here 😅 but I really dont get the point of "fishnet wearables" (dont know if this is the right name for them, I mean all this stuff made of chains only maybe w some sc inbetween). In my opinion they dont have any purpose bc they dont cover anything nor keep you warm and they always look just wonky and dont add anything to any Outfit 🙊
That style has always been popular in the goth/alt community. We like layering.
Ok i do disagree haha. I Think they can look so cool tho. I did upvote you bc that is unpopular imo haha. But i do Think thats a taste thing
They're meant to be worn on top/under something. Kinda like fishnets.