Thursday, May 17, 2007

Ye Olde School Crochet Along

It always amazes me when things deemed uncool are spun 180 to super cool in a relatively short amount of time. You see when I first began my blogging adventure two years ago, crochet was considered to be a bastion for the uncool fiberholic (unbeknownst to me) whereas knitting was for the super cool elite (also unbeknownst to me). [Classic rant located here.] Really, I had no idea that (i) people were gettin' their yarn on in huge world-wide numbers, (ii) knitters disliked crocheters as a rule, (iii) those of us who could both knit and crochet seemed to be few and far between and (iv) granny-bashing slogans were the website, blog and publication graffiti of choice. Poor granny! [Read more about my issues regarding this subject here.]

Seems the tide has turned however, and we are now experiencing a crochet love fest where those who could always crochet have been elevated to the ranks of the super cool elite (Congratulations!) and those who've not yet gotten their hook on are learning to do so in droves. And hey, the granny-bashing has subsided too.

Works for me!

As a result of this new found love for the hook we're seeing an interest in a few classic pats that have soldiered on through the decades, everyone wielding a hook learning these techniques, becoming a sort of right of crochet passage. You know that of which I speak...

Yes, ripples and grannies!

It just warms my heart to see piles of peeps making ginormous blankets and untold amounts of other items using these classics! Here's one of my SNB buds, Molly (with help from Ellen) showing off her creation...



How cool is that? Oh, and if you haven't paid a visit to the queen of granny squares lately, I highly recommend popping over to her acrylic-laden lair. Always a good time to be had.

Anyway, just in case your wondering, I will hop on the granny bandwagon every now again. Probably won't git my ripple on, but then again, I might be feelin' it at some point. Regardless, I will continue to watch and revel in the experience of others.

And can we all agree how refreshing it is to be one big happy yarn-addicted family again?

Jeez who knew all we needed was little ripple? Fred Sanford would be so proud!

22 comments:

Deneen said...

Great post Regina and yes, I plan to start a ripple soon.

I still think if it wasn't for artists like you and your crocheted creations, crochet would still be deemed "uncool".

mama k said...

Delurking to say GREAT post!
I was a crocheter first and later picked up knitting. Crochet still comes easier to me and is my prefered method. I gotta say, I never knew I wasn't one of the "cool kids" but it's awesome to see a resurgence of crochet-love. And yes I jumped on the ripple bandwaggon. In my defence it was not my first one so I'm not doing it just to be cool. : )

Ellen Bloom said...

Ha! I LOVE that photo of me and Molly with her faboo ripple-ghan! I'm gonna steal it!

Yes, we've finally come full circle...again! I've been ripplin' and grannying for over 40 years...yee haw! Welcome back to my world and thanks for the shout-out.

StarKnits said...

It's funny how it all comes full circle!
i'm a g-square posse member! i've made ripples also, but i haven't joined the ripple along.
crochet comes easier and faster to me than knitting but they both are so different and produce different fabrics so i love them both.
rock on!

Batty said...

I want in -- as soon as I manage to crochet a shape that turns out the way it was supposed to! It may take a while...

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, monster mama.

Megan said...

I have a ripple afghan pattern that has been calling my name for nearly a year now. Perhaps I ought to pull out the yarn and get started!

Nancy said...

I still haven't figured out how to cast on for knitting. And I used to be able to do it...when I was 12!! Okay, that was 34 years ago, but STILL!

Thank God I still have my hooks

Monique Marie Sauniere said...

Ooooooooooo! Thanks for the publicity! The paparazzi is lurking outside my door to get photos of my 'ghan.

The Hills Are Alive and I can't wait. Thanks for hooking me up! (see how I cleverly worked a crochet reference in there? gawd, I'm good...)

Crochet Goddess said...

I love this post I did not know until after I learned to crochet in 2005 that crochet was looked upon as the undesirable craft. I just started knitting classes. I like both and hope to do well at both. I have a ripple going but it is not a ripple like the one in your post. I love granny's.

Tandi said...

I completely agree. It's great to see crochet getting the props it deserves. Sometimes it's over the top, like any other craft, but mostly it is amazing.
The ripple blanket your friend is working on is very cool.

Micky said...

I don't know what the big deal is. Anything crafty is good in my opinion. If it makes you smile while doing it, and especially when it's done, do it!
I taught myself to knit and crochet at the same time. I had never knit at all, and had made a crochet afghan. Someone just showed me how to do the stitches and told me when and how many to do them. But I had no idea what they were or how to read a pattern. So I went through stitch by stitch and step by step until I could do them all and read patterns. I have a cute little pile of crochet and knit swatches to prove it.
Craft what you love I say. Anyone who thinks different, is missing out.
:)

Anonymous said...

I wish I could crochet,and knit. As far as crochet goes, I make nice chains. That`s all I have learned. Now about knitting, I pick up the needles, look at the "teach yourself books", and it`s all confusing.
A couple of months ago I picked up a Wonder Knitter. Taught myself how to make strips with it without making a complete circle. These strips get sewn together to make anything from blankets to sweater vests.
I enjoy seeing people do crafting no matter what type of crafting they do.

maryse said...

i've been both crocheting and knitting since i was a kid and got plenty of grief by knitters for my crochet. but now they're asking me to teach them. ha! i love getting the last laugh.

Anonymous said...

My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was like five then I taught myself to knit when ~ 13. Having crocheted first I now can be super cool and knit continental.

katierosmannyc said...

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Anonymous said...

I love your blog. All your posts are so witty and I love the creations you come up with. I hope one day I can find a local SnB. I haven't found any in my small town.

Sus said...

I guess I never really considered whether I was cool or not. Maybe I just figured that being able to do something none of my friends could do was pretty cool. Who knows. I have a tendency to just bulldoze my way through life and notice things later. Not saying that's good, just sayin'.

This probably isn't cool either, but TAG! You're it! ;)

Susan Schwake said...

seems completely possible that regina regins queen of the crochet craft and that you pushed it into the limelight ....
that ripple is super bright and cheery!

Madge said...

Hear hear! As a fellow crocheter/knitter, I've always reveled in the ability to do twice as much with yarn. And may the crochet love-in continue for a good long while! Coz I'm loving how people are updating ripples and grannies.

Yeah So said...

I will always be first and foremost a crocheter! I don't get the aversion some people have, it is SO MUCH easier than knitting. I've got a christening blanket in the works right now.

I did my first granny square blanket a short time ago - 100 small pink and white squares for a baby blanket - I nearly went insane with the weaving in of ends. Never again.

Megalion said...

My first afghan and also first crochet project ever was a ripple. I think I still have it, stashed in a storage locker somewhere in the country.

I've never done/completed a granny but I've always wanted to. I'm also a big fan of flower afghans and have one that's half done that I need to get a buttload of green yarn for to finish.

And why yes I am reading backwards through your entire blog! So much fun and inspiration!