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Sunday 29 April 2012

Is there a choice?

Am I a knitter or a crocheter?  I can do both but, if the pages of this blog are anything to go by, knitting must hold the trump card.  Despite loving the actual process of crochet I really do favour the finished results of knitting.  I can't actually see myself wearing a crochet sweater in all its holey laciness, so reminiscent of the pale mini dresses and white PVC boots of the 60s.  Even more, decorative stuff can tend towards the antimacassa school of craft and is not for me



I admit there must be interesting wearable patterns out there that are neither too fancy nor too solid (I shudder to think of a whole panel of DCs or trebles in all its undrapability) but I haven't found them yet.  And there is another problem, while I can follow pretty much any knitting pattern, chart or text (I just need a pen to tick off the rows) I can't work out how to follow a complicated crochet pattern



So is this the nub, doth the lady protest too much?  Is my problem that I don't crochet because I'm just not very good at it? (except simple stuff, I'm disproportionately proud of my greek island blanket). And does it matter anyway?

Does anyone know of a project that will not exactly convert me - after all I'm not sure this is an issue worthy of a heavy weight debate - but enable me to make something to wear that is a thing of beauty?

If so I'll make it, revisit this post and put up some photographs.

Promise

xx

c


3 comments:

Jane said...

I always say I can crochet, but I don't. Like you I find crochet garments unappealing - though I like crocheted blankets, but mostly I don't like the restricted movement. It always feels too fiddly and makes my hand ache! I wonder if this is to do with my having learn't to knit when I was very small - about 3yrs old, but not learning to crochet until I was much older so that knitting is a much more natural set of movements for me.

Tracy said...

I don't and can't crochet despite my mother's continuing efforts to encourage me. The movements feel too small for me too and my hand inevitably cramps. Whenever I am on ravelry I regret my lack of skill as the most striking lace scarfs and shawls all seem to require crochet. I can't offer specifics but I can suggest a browse.

Anonymous said...

Aaah but I'm no help at all. I do crochet. now and again. (right now I am actually making a pillow case in part crochet) but I only have one scarf, that I actually wear that is crochet. No other clothing items of mine are crochet.... it's just not for me.... I prefer a knitted cardigan over a crochet one. When I think "handmade clothes" I think either knitting or sewing...there are a few home decor items I don't mind crochet, but that really would be it.
Oh and afghans. I DO like them better in crochet....