Thank you so much for your amazing engagement! You can now watch and listen to this video essay on Spotify as well with my new show From the Diving Board: open.spotify.com/show/3x5s7DATP1LXAndFl8rt4i?si=847866f20064424d
I think what bothers me most about crochet in fast fashion is that there's not even a good opportunity for crocheters to sell their crochet. A lot of people don't sell their completed pieces and instead sell the pattern because the price they'd have to sell the piece at to account for yarn + time + effort would be too expensive for anyone interested.
exactly, if my top took me 3 hours and 10 dollars of materials and i was paying myself minimum wage (10 Dollars) an hour thats 30 in hours already, plus materials thats 40, if im selling on etsy i need to also add in fees, around 3 dollars so thats 43, and i also need to add in the shipping fee thats around 6 dollars depending where, its gonna be around 50 dollars for one top and thats already underpaying
Passioknit Kelsie has made selling her stuff work by incorporating UA-cam revenue into it. This isn’t an option for most fiber artists. Fast fashion is killing the planet; we’ve got to change.
Fr even me that has been crocheting for 6 years to sell someone a sweater will cost over 100 dollars because it takes hours to make a sweater especially if you want to be paid by the hour. I have also noticed that some brands are selling items that look crochet but actually are knit with machines but either way someone has to tweak it to make it look nice to sell
I feel so much happier making my own clothes that fit me perfectly and are customed exactly for me more then buying overpriced items from a big brand where underpaid workers make and distribute everything. Guilt free clothing. And if zombie apocalypse happens, it’s good to know how to do 🤷♂️
i agree! i never really got into knitting because i found so difficult and finicky. plus i hated that if you dropped a stitch by accident, you basically had to start the project all over again
yes!! this is exactly what it is for me :) I was so hesitant to even try crocheting cause I was worried id be bad at it and it'd just be a waste of money, but early October I decided to give it a shot and now I can't wait to find more patterns to try! and in the end I get a silly little plushie to add to my collection! :D (I'm already someone who LOVES plushies so this just adds fuel to my fire lol)
I do crochet because stuffed animals are way too expensive where I live, and my parents won't buy them because they're expensive. So, I just bought yarn to make pom-poms with my savings. Then I saw crochet, and I got addicted-literally, it's a lifestyle now. 😅 I love it, and it lets me choose what I want, gives me something to do always, and allows me to gift anyone anything. So, crochet is just great! I didn’t learn knitting because I had a mental breakdown trying to learn. 🙃
I have been crocheting for years. My grandma and mom taught me how. Honestly because I know crochet can’t be machine made, I often think “I love this but there’s no way someone got paid well enough at that price” or “I could make that myself” or “that is the correct price but I don’t have nearly that much money” whenever I pass crochet work in stores
I refuse to buy anything made with yarn from stores. I refuse to be a part of slave labor. It’s why I don’t buy new clothing, and if I need a sweater I make one.
@@xlifexwithxlithiumxI assumed OP was talking about small craftsmanship centric stores that sold those thousand dollar handmade pieces where there’s a blurb about the artist handwritten on a 3X5 card pinned to the wall next to the piece
i've been seeing more and more machine knit objects being labeled as crochet in big stores as crochet has become more trendy. it's really sad to me that these corporations are trying to profit off of a craft that's impossible to mass produce by lying about their products and intentionally mislabeling their products in order to be "trendier"
Crochet also provides instant gratification. On days where work or social life don’t provide a sense of accomplishment, seeing that my project grew an inch makes me feel more productive.
As a med student who crochets, I receive so many comments like how do I get the time and stuff like that. And now that I think about it, it started in the pandemic, but now it's also about no dedicating every second of the Day to medicine. Which May be a way to reject the expectations of the med student that only studies, and doesn't have time for their friends or actually anything.
I'm a med student too and I only have time for things like a bucket hat, scrunchie and shoulder bags. I find time to crochet and those are the best times.
^^ absolutely yes. Crochet is one of the ways that I take care of my humanity and reject the idea that if I'm not suffering enough I'm not doing med school right.
I’m a med student too. I started crocheting before pandemic and went to med school when pandemic started. When ppl knew that I could crochet, they thought that I had more time than they imagined. Noooo😭 It makes me sad when they asked me to "crochet mine too". They asked me to crochet such a bag, bucket hat, things that takes a lot of time. I can reject them but I don’t have any idea why they could ask me like that as if crocheting theirs wasn’t a big deal for a med student. If you know what I mean.
@@Volchan04 yes haha like as if you just whip out these huge projects, meanwhile it takes like 30 min a night a bunch of nights a week for one thing to be done. It’s a leisure
Dropping this comment before starting the video just to say: I’m actually quite happy that crocheting made a resurgence. Elder millennial here, and I’ve been crocheting since the 3rd grade, but never have I seen so much variety in available yarns and hooks, it’s insane.
I hear you ☺️ I am 49 and learned to crochet when I was 6, my grandmother taught me. I wasn’t huge at it for years and I made a blanket for my son. I met my husband and stopped crocheting because HE HATED IT. He said it was a waste of time and money. So for 10 years starting in my 30’s, I did not crochet. I saw Bag O Day here on the Tube, and said “ Why did I ever stop for him?” So I took it up despite my husband’s negativity. When I picked it back up I was thrown into a world of: Tulip, Furls, mohair, CASHMERE, Lion Brand, Herrschners 😳😮 I was SHOOK girl 😂 I wanted to get it all, but Furls was where I started 😂. I am a Furls fan, and a bamboo yarn super fan now, and going back to my crochet helped/helps me mentally. I vowed to NEVER be out of the crochet loop again. My husband passed in 2021 😔 And I went to Michael’s to find something to make me feel better. I bought $140 worth of yarn 🧶 And I felt better. I started using it, my first project was a shawl/cardigan. I look for new stuff everyday now 😂
@@Desaundreaoh, I also stopped for a bit because, when I started working and earning my own money, I also thought it was such a waste of time and money (you know, gotta hustle all the time and get those cookies 😅). But glad I rediscovered it during the pandemic, more for my mental health also because I needed to do something with my hands to manage my anxiety levels. And now I’ve been making so many projects I wouldn’t have done before. I just recently purchased my first Furls also as a birthday gift to myself and it’s so nice! 😊
@@toniantiporda9024 My grandson turned 4 eight days ago, so I went to Furls to get their Cancer hook. Oddly enough, it looks like the Aquarius hook made a baby with the Sagittarius hook 😂. His mother, my daughter, is an Aquarius ♒️ and I am a Sagittarius ♐️ 😂 They are great hooks though 🥰
Same here. I started crocheting in 2012, and I largely taught myself through online tutorials and patterns. There were decent online resources available back then, but it's exploded in the past few years. I'm so happy with how diverse and creative the patterns have become, because Lord knows I'm terrible at coming up with my own designs lol
I’m a 40 year old (so an older millennial). I learned crochet basics at a school club at age 11. My grandmother and mum taught me to knit a bit but I never loved it. Then at age 20 my very crafty future MIL refreshed my crochet knowledge and taught me more stitches. Most of her projects were embroidered items just bordered in crochet with cotton. Which was fine, but I started to search for videos as I was and still am obsessed with UA-cam. Of course it was much harder back then to find content but I knew enough to start figuring things out on my own. The problem I see now is very inexperienced/new crocheters jumping in making content or selling patterns that are unfortunately of terrible quality. These days when paying for pattern, it’s not always possible to figure out if it will be well graded and have been properly tested. Of course the use of crochet in fast fashion is a big problem. And not even always actual crochet! Oftentimes, it’s machine-knit fabric made to imitate crochet. Yes, any crocheter can spot it easily, but your average fashion consumer wouldn’t necessarily know. This further devalues handmade items. As others have noted, the difficulty with making and selling crocheted items means that instead, creators turn to selling patterns, and as I said before, these aren’t great quality most of the time. Similar things happen with knitting but it’s often impossible to tell if something has been totally hand knit or has had matching knitting incorporated too. Even smaller sellers crank out machine knitted garments, and this is kind of becoming a craft all of its own, but still sold as “handmade” just not “hand knit”. It’s crazy that when something is done by women, it’s often not even considered a craft but purely a hobby, or just what women did in the past to help clothe their families or make items for their homes. Yet men’s handicraft’s mean their makers are “craftsmen”, a well regarded term, and when men engage in fibre crafts, their work is art, and they’re considered artists. I’m making generalisations, but you get the picture. I even see this in crochet, and UA-cam crochet content. Out of all crocheters, men make up very, very few. And while there are fewer male than female crochet content creators, I get surprisingly many of them suggested to me, sometimes daily! I also will say most are also white. So I have to go hunting sometimes to find crochet inspiration from women around the world- because it’s a worldwide craft. As I was born in Chile and still can speak Spanish, I seek out Latin American crochet content (such as Majovel Crochet- she has an English Channel too) as the designs are great and quite different to the designs from English speaking channels. Black American women crocheters also have some great stuff too, with a well known favourite being TL Yarn Crafts. I even speak just enough Italian to admire Il Filo Rosso’s stunning designs that I still haven’t found an English standard equivalent for, particularly for fingering or laceweight yarn. As much as I do also enjoy young mainstream crochet UA-camrs (such as Jenna Phipps), I don’t love the reliance on granny stitch/granny squares, lack of garment shaping (the boxy sweaters) and chunky or DK yarn (I’m loving the drape of fingering weight and sock yarn).
I agree with you about the lack of shaping! I've often seen a crochet cardigan or sweater on social media that I consider purchasing the pattern for, but I take a look at the shoulder/armhole area and I change my mind. The piece is either falling off the shoulders or bunching up at the underarm.
@Niquenique-uv6gv I've made several cardigans, sweaters from patterns on YT...KnitCro Addict, Wool Story, Crafting Shed, Bag O Day, Handmade DIY and the items come out perfect every time....
@@lizjo7213 Thank you for sharing, I'll give them a look! Honestly I think I'm just ready to move on from rectangles and squares and make more tailored things.
Since you understand italian, may I suggest the channel "Uncinettando con Elsa"? She makes very pretty things, IMHO 😊 I'm just learning, so I'm not an expert, but it seems you have some experience already and I highly appreciate your comment because you suggested a lot of interesting channels ❤
As someone who despises fast fashion and has made a lot of effort to not buy from any fast fashion brands new as much as possible for years now (I still slip up occasionally but that’s okay) ive nearly either thrifted or made my entire wardrobe. I find it a lot of fun to plan an outfit for an event 6 months in advance and thrift what supplies I can and make it thoughtfully in ways I know I’ll be able to wear for years instead of running out and buying a cheap dress for an event. It’s more work but worth it for sure.
I'm on the knitting side of TikTok and Instagram most of the time but the rise of crochet as both a hobby and an art form is incredible to see - I wonder about how these crochet works will compare over time and if it become a staple like knitwear or be considered a trend of the 2020s
literwally crocheting while i watch this 🤪this was so insightful, i hadn't thought about the actual reasons for the resurgence and/or disappearance of crochet as a trend and hobby. Love it!
i feel like you might have assumed that and i’m not sure why ?? I personally wear my crocheted things all the time because i made them to fit my tastes and be comfy
I feel like this argument is very one sided though. We wouldn’t argue that a hobby painter and sketch artist is wasting paper and killing the environment. I feel like criticism of crochet fast fashion is rooted in classism because crochet is less refined than knitting and very female dominated
@@differentperspective7336 knit is seen as being more put together/neat because its weaved instead of knots, it takes more precision and more time to make than crochet, and its also more practical because of knitting machines and the fact that knitwear can more easily fit different bodies, although i personally prefer crochet pieces over knitwear
i know i sound like a gatekeeper but i stand by the fact that you do not deserve to wear crocheted garments if you are not making it yourself or supporting an independent artist.
Not gatekeeping, it's against China's free labor for crochet items. It's dead wrong. Any person who makes handmade anything deserves to be paid decently.
I have been a crocheter since 2002, I was 18, now I’m 40! The resurgence makes me happy but yeah… the fast fashion aspect ticks me off! I love gen z, my daughters generation, for bringing it back to the public eye
I crochet, and love that I have something tangible to show for my hard work at the end. I originally started in 2022 bc I was recovering from a surgery and wanted to learn a less physically-based hobby, and I fell in love! I like the creativity of personalizing something (a garment, blanket, toy, whatever) any way I want, and I love the challenge of learning how to make my creative vision into a reality. Mentally, depending on what you’re making there can be a fair amount of math and problem-solving involved, which I also find fun. Plus, I like how easy it is to undo your work when you mess up (this was the big reason I learned crochet over knitting). My only drawbacks are that it’s time-consuming and yarn can get expensive! Like, if I make a sweater it’ll be like $50 of materials plus like a month of labor. But the trade off is that I can make it fit and look exactly how I want, and I know I’ll end up with a truly unique garment
I started crocheting in 2013 and LOVE that so many more people are into now because there are way more crochet pattern videos and inspo than there used to be when I started. A lot of the youtube vids were older women and not very in style. There's so much more variety. I'm in my early 30s now, and the younger generation is SO creative. It's fun learning from them 😊
I love that you researched the background history of this craft! It's really good to hear that "crochetivism" is (and was) always a thing that a lot of us hold onto in this community
Well done video! I've been into crochet well before the pandemic, but it is so exciting to see it become so popular in today's crafting space. I hope it is here to stay.
I got into crocheting after my final exams in med school, they were so incredibly stressful and waiting for the results I didn't know what to do with myself. Whilst preparing for the exams, I had completely abandoned any form of self care or hobby, so learning to crochet once everything was done was a life saver... It really shuts my brain off, and whenever I get anxious, I just crochet away. I now crochet on my way to work and the journeys fly by! Thank you so much to any creator who has ever posted a pattern on YT !
For me it is just very emotionally regulating, it's like stimming, and the fact that I can have nice stuff after as a result is just the cherry on top!
I’ve know the basics of how to crochet since before I can remember but only in the past few months have I actually started learning how to read patterns and make unique things that I love. I’m big on minimizing my footprint and being more mindful of what I buy so taking the time to make a unique sweater and dress and add embroidery details and things like that has opened up my world to make unique high quality items that actually fit me and that I cant possibly afford to buy from ethical places. I also love giving thoughtful gifts and learning how to make something that is specific to that persons interests and then spend 30+ hours making it for them over the course of a few months is a way I can portray my love to someone. So yeah I really like crochet.
I started crocheting again a few years ago and was excited my 25 yo daughter wanted me to make her some stuff. I’m gonna keep going till no one wants what I make anymore…except me. I am very grateful to those that make tutorial videos on UA-cam. I’ve learned so much and made so many things I would not have been able to even attempt without the more knowledgeable crocheters teaching me. Thank you.
Crochet for me is an art form. I happen to get wearable items at the end of each project which is better than trying to find space on the wall for another painting. I love wearing unique garments. I love mixing colours in individual ways. I like not using patterns but making it up as I go. Making is where it's at.
Loved this video! I’ve been crocheting since the pandemic and I love that it just gives me time to focus on a repetitive task that ultimately turns into a piece of art that can be used to express oneself in a multitude of ways. The takeover of fast fashion with crochet can certainly seem defeating and contradictory but I just breathe and continue with my stitches because in the end my tedious work will be more personal and sustainable than any fast fashion crochet that is being sold on Shein, Temu, AliExpress, etc.
I love how educational this video was. It's been about 4 years since I took crocheting as a serious hobby, and even before the pandemic, I was introduced to it through a friend, though, I wasn't very good at it then. I was really happy to see more and more people on social media learning how to crochet and really pushing pass the limit of creativity when it comes to what you can make and design with it.
I'm crocheting as I listen to this lol. I started crocheting at least 15 years ago. I focused more on stuffed animals and such- I just enjoyed having a hobby that gave me something cute and tangible at the end! I actually started off with knitting and learned that crochet was easier for the types of projects I wanted to do.
It's interesting to watch this and read the comments because I think of crochet as a fast fashion hobby. What I've seen from other people is a "replacement" of fast fashion that still overconsumes, buying endless amounts of plastic yarn that sits in a corner and is never actually completely used, or crocheting anything that's trendy only to never use or wear it because it's not what the person actually likes when the trend is over, and like others have said it can be hard to sell as the time and supplies make crochet works expensive. I'm happy to hear so many people in the comments talking about how the hobby helped them through tough times, or how they are intentional with what and how they're making! It's nice to see, and a good "check" for me to not get too jaded lol. I didn't know the political history either, that's super cool!
Great job! I just started crocheting this year. My mom had bought crotchet supplies probably about 10 years ago and hasn't really used them because it was hard to learn how to back then, like you said it was basically a book or old videos that weren't zoomed in. I was looking for something to do that would keep me off my phone. So basically I've replaced doom scrolling with crotcheting because it feels more productive and it shuts my mind off.
loved this video! you brought so many aspects from the world of crochet, things i didnt even think abt, so that was awesome to learn. just one reason i personally think, as a crochet lover, that made crochet still so interesting, is the fact that it encourages individuality. its so nice to make something from scratch and receive praise from others, like yes, i made that! and you can truly show your personality throught it, also confronting fast fashion like you said.
i think an example of this is the fact that even though tiktok changes aesthetics every week, you can fit crochet into every single one of them, from grunge all the way to coquette, so its very flexible!
great video :) Been crocheting for 15ish years I'm very much enjoying this crochet resurgence. I've always found it frustrating that "craft work" is deemed lesser than other arts or skills when it's so rich in history. I feel so connected to the world and generations of women and artisans before me when I crochet. If you're new to crochet please don't be intimidated by reading crochet chart patterns, I promise once you understand them (it won't take you along) they are much easier to follow than a video. The 2000's also saw a huge push in amigurumi in the western crochet scene as well. Patterns, pictures, and video tutorials that broke down language barriers were able to spread easily around the world via the internet, and lots of Japanese kawaii aesthetics were being borrowed by alt kids in the west. Amigurumis were also much easier to sell on emerging marketplaces like Etsy.
Loved the video! I haven't learned how to crochet yet but I started sewing recently and I would add that one of the things that really makes me love these kinds of hobbies is simply being able to immerse your attention in something other than a screen... also, I feel like even if you start crafts with no political intentions, it's kind of impossible not to think about it. I mean, I have been reading about fast fashion and the environment for years now but *actually* making something with your own hands just hits different because now you're face to face with all the labor involved and how little *you* would be payed considering the cost of the materials alone.
I got into crochet again in 2020, I initially learned from my grandma when I was a kid. It was so rewarding to make projects and gift them to people I love!
I started crocheting after 2020 because i saw tutorial of hyperbolic plain crochet from mathematician. I thought that if he can do it without any training whatsoever - then I can too. Then I saw a pattern of horseshoe crab and decided it'll be cool to make it, then a lot of other amigurumi, and now I can read graphic patterns (and honestly I prefer them in a doilies, they're very convinient as in you don't have to crawl through wall of text, plus usually you don't even have to remember a lot of symbols unless you go out of your way to find complicated piece) and am slowly doing my own clothes.
yay I'm glad to find a fellow pattern diagram enjoyer, they are so much more convenient than having to read through text patterns which gives very little indication what the finished shape of the pattern is and finding your place in a text pattern is way more awkward too. Often if a pattern doesn't have a diagram and it's got a lot of repeats or I'm going to make it a few times I'll draw up my own quick diagram as it's just so much easier for me to glance at. I feel like reading them came pretty naturally to me for whatever reason so I've always been baffled that so many people seem to view them as indecipherable squiggles
My school has started this "crochet a granny square" protect where all the squares made by students will be made into a blanket for everyone to use. So I was hanging around and one girl I knew wanted to learn how to do it and I decided it wouldn't hurt to try too, so then there were like 6 people telling us how to do it. Took me a week and 3 attempts ( I accidentally made a ball) before I had a granny square in my hands and this past week I've just been doing squares and ended up buying myself a hook yesterday lol.An hour ago I also made a snowflake! :D
I started crocheting in June last year after my Nanna passed away, I have always been drawn to ‘turn your brain off’ hobbies and it helped me to crawl out of my grief at the time, now a year on I have crocheted almost every day since I started and I never see myself stopping, it has brought me so much creative release and also education on fast fashion, and a surprisingly amazing community in my city and online. I’m so happy that my generation have revived this beautiful craft
I got into crocheting because I saw my mom doing it. I like your use of the phrase "quiet activism" because while attending college, I crochet out in public only to harassed for doing something that was anti feminist. Those of us who liked crocheting, knitting, and embroidery had to do in the college library otherwise we got verbally shamed for doing something that we enjoyed. This was before the pandemic, and I'm very glad that anything craft related is gaining popularity
I have been interested in knitting and crochet since I was very very young, like I remember I was aprox 8 years old when I saw my grandma and mom knitting sweaters and curtains and said "I AM GONNA KNIT A SCARF FOR MY MOM!"... And then I didn't, I was a child with zero capacity to stay quiet for more than 4 hours (I was very good at sitting doing something entertaining enough like drawing or painting but never lasted more than a day doing the same project or piece) and a scarf would've taken at least 4 days to make. Since then, I just never tried it again, always loved it from afar, but never gave it a chance until very recently, as a 22 year old with a great boyfriend that, in celebration of our first anniversary, provided me with materials, a LOT of yarn and a set of crochet hooks and utensils so that I could FINALLY give it a try~ Now that I have adult patience and that there are a lot of very beginner friendly tutorials everywhere on the internet, I couldn't just let the opportunity pass. That was on may 14th, I've been crocheting mini amigurumis with a passion since then~ I've made two little cats, a small chicken, a bunny and now, the hardest one yet, a little Yoshi amigurumi. I really can't wait to start making accessories and clothes! like I really wanna make a shrug, some leg warmers, gloves and cute mushroom or strawberry bags!
I'm so glad you used clips of Jenna Phipps because she was all I would listen to when I would crochet! I showed my friend a picture of her and she said that she was ugly. And I was like 'thats no the point.' 😕Lets just say Im not her friend anymore. Anyway, great video!
this was such an interesting video! I was always interested in crafts my whole life and always wanted to learn crochet or knitting, and I finally learned to crochet last year (after lots of attempts) the good thing about crochet trending is easier tutorials and more cute designs that inspire me!
I got into crochet in late 2021 thanks to TikTok. I tried as a child but only had magazines with confusing tutorials and no one in my family knew it. Trying again with more accessible tutorials was amazing! The appeal of creating literally anything out of yarn is definitely what drew me in
When I was a freshmen in high school the chunky infinity scarf was all the rage. I had to have one then found out they were like $80.😱 For a scarf. For an acrylic scarf😡! Absolutely not🤬. And that’s where my crochet journey started 😂. And now I have a yarn addiction, so yeah that’s how it’s going 😂😊
I threw this video up to occupy my brain space while mending with thread and needle a few clothing items and just, this is absolute perfection. I'm in love with you and this video brought to light so many things that I've overlooked and connected so many dots for. You're so intelligent
I stopped following patterns to a T anymore. More of a do a few rows and tru it on again, more customized control of the fit of you keep good track of stitches. I stopped trying to sell because no one wants to pay for custom fitted clothes unless its to tailor an already made item 😅 now i have stuff im proud to wear and display my talent i learned over the years
22:07 Awesome critique! You could literally write a thesis on this subject. One of the things that brought me to this craft that I love so much was the death of my dad in 2013. My grief at times was unbearable 😢 then one day a very good friend of mine posted a beautiful crochet blanket on Facebook and I was obsessed to find out how to make one on my own. Eventually I started making hats, scarfs and blankets. Crocheting has given me a peace that I couldn’t find anywhere else.❤
I started learning in like 2018, i found a hook in an old sewing kit but stopped bc i got frustrated, then picked it back up in 2021 and havent stopped since, it really helps my anxiety, keeps me busy and its made me more resourceful, i love shopping and worry i fall into the consumerism trend of today, so being able to make literally anything i need and design it to exactly how i want creates less of a need to go and buy cheap, fast fashion and other items.
I came to crochet a year ago when my mom entered chemo and lost her hair. She had a particular idea of the headcoverings she wanted but we couldn't find many made with natural fibers. I picked up a hook then and haven't been able to stop since. I love being able to create something from practically thin air and know that its production was as ethical as possible in a capitalist world.
I’ve been crocheting since I was 8 because this lovely old lady taught me because I was curious. I love that crochet got popular because that meant I could now bond over a hobby with people my age🥺
i started crocheting right after the pandemic and what i love most about crochet is when i finish a piece and put all those hours of work in it i just feel so proud to wear something or use something that i made myself. i also get compliments from strangers when they see it and its the greatest thing ever😊
I used to crochet when I was a teenager, back in the late 70s and 80s and found it again after retiring from work. It's the ability to create something which I can touch and feel, rather than writing (I am a writer). The joy of creating something tangible with your hands is irreplaceable. I'm also learning new things everyday, thanks to the very generous crochet community who post tutorials online from all over the world. It's something to learn and do. Don't know much about selling, so right now, just happy to learn and create. Lovely video. Enjoyed watching this and would love to learn more about history and how crochet is prevalent and where in the world. A video on latest trends in crochet would also be very welcome. I keep thinking, why bolero sleeves are so popular...Thank you charli!
Really interesting video, thank you! I've been crocheting for a year now, it appealed to me for a few reasons: 1 - you can make cool stuff 2 - i love having something to do that isn't too physically challenging for relaxing time 3 - i was quitting smoking, and the only thing that appealed about smoking was the repetitive hand movement, so i figured crochet was an excellent replacement! I've also found that crochet is GREAT for ADHD. Keeping me busy and focused on something whilst watching TV or youtube feels so much more fulfilling AND relaxing.
Im been crocheting for several years now even created a few of my own pieces as well as utilized patterns. I been doing it before it was trendy started in 2011 in my early 20s but was introduced to it by my mother and great grandmother as a young girl. I started wanting to learn to carry on a family tradition, which started with making a blanket. I also got into sewing because of my grandmothers and great grandmothers.
thank you so much for this video, I really enjoyed learning more about crochet history since I am becoming more and more obsessed with this craft. to me it's a way to express myself and I'm even starting to appreciate the small imperfections of my pieces because they feel like the proof that I'm human, not just a machine making things out of instructions and monotony. also nothing compares to the satisfaction of receiving compliments and saying "thanks, I did it myself"😂❤
I started to crochet back in 1981 as a 14 year old. I was shown how to make a ch and a tr(AUS), dc. by a neighbour up the road. I practiced until I got it. I was loaned a book with some basic stitches. The rest is history. I did stop for quite a few years but started again this year. Absolutely love it. Thank you for sharing this video. Fast fashion is not and never can be crochet. Part of crochet is its handmade with love. A machine can’t produce love into a garment or accessories, afghans, etc. One of my current projects is a blanket for my husband.
watched this while crocheting a custom piece to sell haha , but I really like your points in this video. I love the trend of slower fashion, wearing your own creations, and learning how clothes you make yourself can serve you and last longer
I always joke that I have old ppl hobbies 😂 been crocheting for forever. I even bring my projects to my welding job and work on them during my breaks. Now I’m thinking about your point about free time. Sometimes I just get so excited for the end result.
Personally, I just started crocheting when I was 11 because I saw my best friend's mom crochet really cool hats and loved. She gave me two balls of yarn, two crochet hooks, and an instruction book for my birthday. I was hooked since and made my own blankets. Nowadays I make more stuffed toys, coasters, and now I'm starting to lean into switching colors more for small tapestries. Making images. This video was interesting to watch to be sure. I always joked as a kid that I was like a grandma for crocheting as a preteen and later teenager in the 2010s. It was a surprise to me to later find out more people my age crocheting recently after the pandemic.
Dude this video is so well made! I’m a guy and got into crochet like a year ago? I’ve done markets where I sell my crochet plushies. To me why I love crochet is because I enjoy working with my hands, counting/math, and making silly little creatures. Also if i can make extra income off of that that’s a win.
I picked up crochet to make stuffies for myself and my loved ones! My mom taught me a little as a kid, but I've been learning online through still pictures and text, as that works best for my brain. This video seemed very well balanced and researched and I love it! Thank you for your thoughts and the clips you shared!
I really like the free form of crochet. You quite literally are so free in the things you can make. I also used to draw but I really like the lack of prerequisite ideas of what ‘art’ should be in crochet. Some pieces help to feel cosy. Creating other piece feels connected to my grandma that passed away. I also think we all need some cosyness after the past years. But it is also just fun to create. It is also like you said easy to get started due to many new ideas an tutorials. And the limited materials you need. And when you are chronically ill it is accessible. (hopefully there will me even more accessibility tools in the future tho). Finally, it does feel great to have less extortion for needed for new clothes. And have the say about exactly how I want to pieces to look. We don’t yet have to be a homemaker so crafting is not a ‘necessity’ and it can be grounding
my grandma tried to teach me to knit over skype when I was young and I could never really pick it up and didn’t like it that much but when I learned to crochet I FELL IN LOVE!! it’s so calming and makes me feel so cool to have it as a skill when people compliment my projects 😊
That's an excellent discussion of crochet history! Thank you. I learned from my gran, 35 plus years ago, and it was the fun of creating as well as a way to occupy me.
I tried to learn a few years back, fell off and then got back on it when I saw how cute amigurumi is and the stuff you can make. As I was watching this I was literally crocheting a bandana and it’s just so therapeutic for me. If you’re thinking of giving it a go I would really recommend it!
One thing I love about handmade clothes is the side effect that the creator then learns just how much effort goes into a garment. And then it spirals into appreciating all your clothes and being more mindful about it, in a world where mindfulness is replaced with automation.
I just wanted to say how much I love this video, I have watched it a few times now and it’s just so interesting! I’m very interested in exploring some of the sources you mentioned within my masters research!
I didn't realize that crochet was trending until I randomly decided to engage in crochet. One day I needed a new beanie and I just had the idea to make one instead of buying one. I had dabbled in crochet in the past but never got into a community until I made my beanie and enjoyed it so much i wanted to try other patterns. I sort of fell into the crochet algorithm and found there was a very active community. Now it's everywhere and I just assumed it only cause I interact with it.
Personally I’ve wanted to start crocheting since I was little because we always bought those crochet kits from Costco to make these dolls for all types of shows such as star wars but nobody in the house could figure it out. Not even my mom who could knit or my grandma who used to crochet a bit. Then last year we went to an art shop with a bunch of crochet pattern books and kits and we bought one amigurumi book and a crochet kit for me and my sister to learn together because it was our dream since we were little. I ended up learning it alone near the end of the school year and now at this point I make anything crochet for any reason but mostly for gifts.
I started crocheting 2 years ago during my sophomore year in college. I was so stressed with everything that I needed a hobby to just sit down and relax to while listening to music, so i picked up crocheting. Now I have a shelf full of blankets, scarves, and some wonky amigurumi plushes 😅
I found this so interesting, especially the historical context and examples of art - especially since it's so rare! "Burnt Breakfast" seems like a perfect name for an all girls punk band.
I’m a cosplayer and crochet has been SO USEFUL when doing my cosplays! My most recent cosplay featured a crocheted shrug, potion bottle amigurumi, and glass jar cover! The potion bottle and glass jar also got last minute attachments so they could slip onto my belt!
I learned how to crochet around 2011-2012 when I was a kid. Back there I wouldn’t tell anyone because it was a cringe hobby only old women did, so I kept it to myself. Now everyone is so obsessed about it because its cool and trendy.
i love all the cool trendy patterns nowadays - i first starting crochet 10 years ago and didn't make too much beyond granny squares and weird lacey shawls i never use, i do it a lot more now there's patterns i like EVERYWHERE
I learned when I was in hospital for 12 weeks. I love buying pretty yarn and I love giving people handmade gifts. I love that moment when I finish a long project too.
Fascinating! One thing I think does get left out of many crochet videos is that there tends to be a swing back and forth between various crafts, particularly knitting and crochet, in terms of which is the trendy, finding yourself, joining DIY culture one this decade. Perhaps it's more crochet and knitting right now precisely because knitting was so big in the early 00s. Who knows.
And not to be a downer, but... part of crochet's surging popularity on tiktok is that it is FAST and can be done at a pace that fits an influencer's upload schedule. Knitting has suffered similarly, with chunky sweaters that look like garbage in a week and that are often uncomfortable to wear being much more of a trend than the knits you'd actually want for your wardrobe long term. It's the appearance of slow fashion with the reality of disposable social media hype. Yeah, individual creators are living up to their sustainability ideals, but the trend overall isn't as positive, and it's not just because of huge fast fashion companies.
i started crocheting because i needed a sort of easy, mindless, creative hobby that i could focus on and use up my time with so i tried to start knitting coz i remembered my mum teaching me to knit as a kid but tbh it was a lot harder to pick up on my own than i expected. and my sister saw me struggling and was like 'you should do crochet instead, its so much easier' and i was like 'okay' and went out and bought a crochet hook and i've been obsessed with it ever since. that's not to say i've really made many actually useful or pretty things, but the act of crocheting is just very calming and nice and gives me something to do with my hands and something to think about and focus on when im not otherwise occupied. which i need because i need multiple forms of stimulation at all times and at least this way i can feel more productive than just scrolling on my phone while watching a show
I have been crocheting since the late 70s . My neighbor taught me as a kid. Thing with something being counter culture is that these days it’s not counter culture anymore its culture. Tattoos,piercings etc are the norm now but that was not always the case. To be honest , I enjoy it and making things from scratch or doing other crafts and projects. I give away most of them to my friends or donate things to the homeless shelter. Whether crochet is popular or not I will continue to create period…
I love crochet (and knitting) because it’s really cool that I can create things with my hands! I’ve always wanted a hobby and I’m so happy that I finally do! It’s really upsetting that it’s trickled into fast fashion, but I hope people make the right choice when it comes to these items.
The pandemic also brought me to crochet. I actually learned how to do it to make among us plushies for my friends and me but because of the pandemic I never got it to them before among us kind of died as a trend lol
I am millennial and I've been knitting since 2009 and have been wanting to pick up crochet to supplement what I can do...started crocheting this year and I've loved it. I had no idea it was a huge trend 🤣 I'm appreciating all the cool patterns from gen z tho!!
My great-grandmother taught me to crochet when I was very young (mostly to keep me quiet while i was in her care), so I've known how to crochet for most of my life! It's exciting to see a resurgence in popularity for crochet after growing up always being told that it's a dying art, but i am also glad that people are speaking up for the true time and value of the craft.
My aunt taught me how in high school and picked it back up a year ago. I like it because I love giving handmade gifts. People appreciate it a lot more than something bought.
I got into crochet literally just before it became a trend. A nurse at my school taught me, and I was really excited when all these new crochet tutorials started coming out a year later. Me and some of my friends were able to get a crochet club in school. Instead of “what are you a grandma?” It was “woah, you can crochet??” I thank the trend for that.
thank you for bringing light on this craft! ive been crocheting since i was 12, im almost 15 now and its one of my favorite things to do! i love to make plushies and clothes and even sometimes crochet my characters :3
For me, it's a way to create something specific that I want (plushy, clothes) by myself with limited costs. I often just bought knitted or crocheted clothes in a second-hand store, especially on a sale, turning it into the yarn and making clothes that I like. And crocheted and knitting very forgiven on mistakes. If we compare sewing and crocheted
I got into crochet last summer after being influenced by a good friend of mine who has been crocheting for ten years! I actually had no idea that the crochet boom online had started in 2020, and thought it was much more recent, but maybe it's just because I started tuning into it more recently.
Thank you so much for your amazing engagement! You can now watch and listen to this video essay on Spotify as well with my new show From the Diving Board: open.spotify.com/show/3x5s7DATP1LXAndFl8rt4i?si=847866f20064424d
I think what bothers me most about crochet in fast fashion is that there's not even a good opportunity for crocheters to sell their crochet. A lot of people don't sell their completed pieces and instead sell the pattern because the price they'd have to sell the piece at to account for yarn + time + effort would be too expensive for anyone interested.
exactly, if my top took me 3 hours and 10 dollars of materials and i was paying myself minimum wage (10 Dollars) an hour thats 30 in hours already, plus materials thats 40, if im selling on etsy i need to also add in fees, around 3 dollars so thats 43, and i also need to add in the shipping fee thats around 6 dollars depending where, its gonna be around 50 dollars for one top and thats already underpaying
Passioknit Kelsie has made selling her stuff work by incorporating UA-cam revenue into it. This isn’t an option for most fiber artists.
Fast fashion is killing the planet; we’ve got to change.
Exactly, the simple top i made would be $90 paying myself minimum wage
@@gamespc-zi6zo3 hours?! You're a very fast crocheter. I'm slowly making a vest out of flowers and it's still taking me about a month as of now.
Fr even me that has been crocheting for 6 years to sell someone a sweater will cost over 100 dollars because it takes hours to make a sweater especially if you want to be paid by the hour. I have also noticed that some brands are selling items that look crochet but actually are knit with machines but either way someone has to tweak it to make it look nice to sell
I’m obsessed with crochet because I feel like I have more control over my wardrobe and it feels unique.
Same it's been a while since I've actually bought any new clothes!
Thrifting and wearing lingerie with my outer wear does this, but adding crochet and embroidery to this has been a game changer
And it’s basically free (crochet math)
I feel so much happier making my own clothes that fit me perfectly and are customed exactly for me more then buying overpriced items from a big brand where underpaid workers make and distribute everything. Guilt free clothing. And if zombie apocalypse happens, it’s good to know how to do 🤷♂️
as a gen z male, I got into crochet during 2020 because I needed a hobby during lockdown and knitting was harder 😭
saaaame knitting is so tricky!
i agree! i never really got into knitting because i found so difficult and finicky. plus i hated that if you dropped a stitch by accident, you basically had to start the project all over again
@@coolchameleon21literally my worst nightmare when I tried it 💀
@@coolchameleon21that's not completely true, as a crocheter and knitter, there are ways to pick up dropped stitches and it's not hard at all!
@@coolchameleon21 you can pick up dropped stitches in knitting rows and rows later using a crochet hook just fyi don't despair
I know why!! It’s fun!! It’s challenging!! You get a cute stuffed toy or a cuddly blanket as a reward at the end!
yes!! this is exactly what it is for me :) I was so hesitant to even try crocheting cause I was worried id be bad at it and it'd just be a waste of money, but early October I decided to give it a shot and now I can't wait to find more patterns to try! and in the end I get a silly little plushie to add to my collection! :D (I'm already someone who LOVES plushies so this just adds fuel to my fire lol)
I'm happier seeing them into crochet than pointless pranks or parties and drugs.
I do crochet because stuffed animals are way too expensive where I live, and my parents won't buy them because they're expensive. So, I just bought yarn to make pom-poms with my savings. Then I saw crochet, and I got addicted-literally, it's a lifestyle now. 😅 I love it, and it lets me choose what I want, gives me something to do always, and allows me to gift anyone anything. So, crochet is just great! I didn’t learn knitting because I had a mental breakdown trying to learn. 🙃
I have been crocheting for years. My grandma and mom taught me how. Honestly because I know crochet can’t be machine made, I often think “I love this but there’s no way someone got paid well enough at that price” or “I could make that myself” or “that is the correct price but I don’t have nearly that much money” whenever I pass crochet work in stores
I refuse to buy anything made with yarn from stores. I refuse to be a part of slave labor. It’s why I don’t buy new clothing, and if I need a sweater I make one.
@@xlifexwithxlithiumxI assumed OP was talking about small craftsmanship centric stores that sold those thousand dollar handmade pieces where there’s a blurb about the artist handwritten on a 3X5 card pinned to the wall next to the piece
i've been seeing more and more machine knit objects being labeled as crochet in big stores as crochet has become more trendy. it's really sad to me that these corporations are trying to profit off of a craft that's impossible to mass produce by lying about their products and intentionally mislabeling their products in order to be "trendier"
And selling AI made paterns to uninformed buyers
Crochet also provides instant gratification. On days where work or social life don’t provide a sense of accomplishment, seeing that my project grew an inch makes me feel more productive.
As a med student who crochets, I receive so many comments like how do I get the time and stuff like that. And now that I think about it, it started in the pandemic, but now it's also about no dedicating every second of the Day to medicine. Which May be a way to reject the expectations of the med student that only studies, and doesn't have time for their friends or actually anything.
I'm a med student too and I only have time for things like a bucket hat, scrunchie and shoulder bags. I find time to crochet and those are the best times.
Entering med schooo this year! I crochet during MS too for stress relief. It also helps avoid nicotine addiction for me. I quit abd it helped
^^ absolutely yes. Crochet is one of the ways that I take care of my humanity and reject the idea that if I'm not suffering enough I'm not doing med school right.
I’m a med student too. I started crocheting before pandemic and went to med school when pandemic started. When ppl knew that I could crochet, they thought that I had more time than they imagined. Noooo😭 It makes me sad when they asked me to "crochet mine too". They asked me to crochet such a bag, bucket hat, things that takes a lot of time. I can reject them but I don’t have any idea why they could ask me like that as if crocheting theirs wasn’t a big deal for a med student. If you know what I mean.
@@Volchan04 yes haha like as if you just whip out these huge projects, meanwhile it takes like 30 min a night a bunch of nights a week for one thing to be done. It’s a leisure
Dropping this comment before starting the video just to say: I’m actually quite happy that crocheting made a resurgence. Elder millennial here, and I’ve been crocheting since the 3rd grade, but never have I seen so much variety in available yarns and hooks, it’s insane.
I hear you ☺️ I am 49 and learned to crochet when I was 6, my grandmother taught me. I wasn’t huge at it for years and I made a blanket for my son. I met my husband and stopped crocheting because HE HATED IT. He said it was a waste of time and money. So for 10 years starting in my 30’s, I did not crochet. I saw Bag O Day here on the Tube, and said “ Why did I ever stop for him?” So I took it up despite my husband’s negativity. When I picked it back up I was thrown into a world of: Tulip, Furls, mohair, CASHMERE, Lion Brand, Herrschners 😳😮 I was SHOOK girl 😂 I wanted to get it all, but Furls was where I started 😂. I am a Furls fan, and a bamboo yarn super fan now, and going back to my crochet helped/helps me mentally. I vowed to NEVER be out of the crochet loop again. My husband passed in 2021 😔 And I went to Michael’s to find something to make me feel better. I bought $140 worth of yarn 🧶 And I felt better. I started using it, my first project was a shawl/cardigan. I look for new stuff everyday now 😂
@@Desaundreaoh, I also stopped for a bit because, when I started working and earning my own money, I also thought it was such a waste of time and money (you know, gotta hustle all the time and get those cookies 😅). But glad I rediscovered it during the pandemic, more for my mental health also because I needed to do something with my hands to manage my anxiety levels. And now I’ve been making so many projects I wouldn’t have done before. I just recently purchased my first Furls also as a birthday gift to myself and it’s so nice! 😊
@@toniantiporda9024 My grandson turned 4 eight days ago, so I went to Furls to get their Cancer hook. Oddly enough, it looks like the Aquarius hook made a baby with the Sagittarius hook 😂. His mother, my daughter, is an Aquarius ♒️ and I am a Sagittarius ♐️ 😂 They are great hooks though 🥰
Same here. I started crocheting in 2012, and I largely taught myself through online tutorials and patterns. There were decent online resources available back then, but it's exploded in the past few years. I'm so happy with how diverse and creative the patterns have become, because Lord knows I'm terrible at coming up with my own designs lol
@@toniantiporda9024I'm literally getting a small job just to afford yarn lol (I'm 12)
Im a teen and started crochet about 2 years ago. Its the best hobby i ever learned and feel awesome that i have a whole skill.
I’m also a teen who started crocheting about two years ago and I definitely agree with it being one of my best hobbies that I have
I’m a 40 year old (so an older millennial). I learned crochet basics at a school club at age 11. My grandmother and mum taught me to knit a bit but I never loved it. Then at age 20 my very crafty future MIL refreshed my crochet knowledge and taught me more stitches. Most of her projects were embroidered items just bordered in crochet with cotton. Which was fine, but I started to search for videos as I was and still am obsessed with UA-cam.
Of course it was much harder back then to find content but I knew enough to start figuring things out on my own.
The problem I see now is very inexperienced/new crocheters jumping in making content or selling patterns that are unfortunately of terrible quality.
These days when paying for pattern, it’s not always possible to figure out if it will be well graded and have been properly tested.
Of course the use of crochet in fast fashion is a big problem. And not even always actual crochet! Oftentimes, it’s machine-knit fabric made to imitate crochet. Yes, any crocheter can spot it easily, but your average fashion consumer wouldn’t necessarily know. This further devalues handmade items.
As others have noted, the difficulty with making and selling crocheted items means that instead, creators turn to selling patterns, and as I said before, these aren’t great quality most of the time.
Similar things happen with knitting but it’s often impossible to tell if something has been totally hand knit or has had matching knitting incorporated too. Even smaller sellers crank out machine knitted garments, and this is kind of becoming a craft all of its own, but still sold as “handmade” just not “hand knit”.
It’s crazy that when something is done by women, it’s often not even considered a craft but purely a hobby, or just what women did in the past to help clothe their families or make items for their homes. Yet men’s handicraft’s mean their makers are “craftsmen”, a well regarded term, and when men engage in fibre crafts, their work is art, and they’re considered artists. I’m making generalisations, but you get the picture.
I even see this in crochet, and UA-cam crochet content. Out of all crocheters, men make up very, very few. And while there are fewer male than female crochet content creators, I get surprisingly many of them suggested to me, sometimes daily! I also will say most are also white. So I have to go hunting sometimes to find crochet inspiration from women around the world- because it’s a worldwide craft. As I was born in Chile and still can speak Spanish, I seek out Latin American crochet content (such as Majovel Crochet- she has an English Channel too) as the designs are great and quite different to the designs from English speaking channels. Black American women crocheters also have some great stuff too, with a well known favourite being TL Yarn Crafts. I even speak just enough Italian to admire Il Filo Rosso’s stunning designs that I still haven’t found an English standard equivalent for, particularly for fingering or laceweight yarn.
As much as I do also enjoy young mainstream crochet UA-camrs (such as Jenna Phipps), I don’t love the reliance on granny stitch/granny squares, lack of garment shaping (the boxy sweaters) and chunky or DK yarn (I’m loving the drape of fingering weight and sock yarn).
I agree with you about the lack of shaping! I've often seen a crochet cardigan or sweater on social media that I consider purchasing the pattern for, but I take a look at the shoulder/armhole area and I change my mind. The piece is either falling off the shoulders or bunching up at the underarm.
Hola! También soy de Chile. ¿Ha revisado el canal de Petus Ochoa? tiene patrones muy buenos!
@Niquenique-uv6gv I've made several cardigans, sweaters from patterns on YT...KnitCro Addict, Wool Story, Crafting Shed, Bag O Day, Handmade DIY and the items come out perfect every time....
@@lizjo7213 Thank you for sharing, I'll give them a look! Honestly I think I'm just ready to move on from rectangles and squares and make more tailored things.
Since you understand italian, may I suggest the channel "Uncinettando con Elsa"? She makes very pretty things, IMHO 😊 I'm just learning, so I'm not an expert, but it seems you have some experience already and I highly appreciate your comment because you suggested a lot of interesting channels ❤
As someone who despises fast fashion and has made a lot of effort to not buy from any fast fashion brands new as much as possible for years now (I still slip up occasionally but that’s okay) ive nearly either thrifted or made my entire wardrobe. I find it a lot of fun to plan an outfit for an event 6 months in advance and thrift what supplies I can and make it thoughtfully in ways I know I’ll be able to wear for years instead of running out and buying a cheap dress for an event. It’s more work but worth it for sure.
Same!
I'm on the knitting side of TikTok and Instagram most of the time but the rise of crochet as both a hobby and an art form is incredible to see - I wonder about how these crochet works will compare over time and if it become a staple like knitwear or be considered a trend of the 2020s
I'm super interested in this too! thanks for watching xx
literwally crocheting while i watch this 🤪this was so insightful, i hadn't thought about the actual reasons for the resurgence and/or disappearance of crochet as a trend and hobby. Love it!
thanks so much! xx
i feel like a lot of times crochet isnt rlly "slow fashion" because ppl make projects just for fun or boredom and then never wear them
i feel like it’s very subjective bc everyone has their individual relationships with crochet and what they make as well
i feel like you might have assumed that and i’m not sure why ?? I personally wear my crocheted things all the time because i made them to fit my tastes and be comfy
I feel like this argument is very one sided though. We wouldn’t argue that a hobby painter and sketch artist is wasting paper and killing the environment. I feel like criticism of crochet fast fashion is rooted in classism because crochet is less refined than knitting and very female dominated
@@oliviaormsby7114what do you mean by „less refined“? Genuine question^^
@@differentperspective7336 knit is seen as being more put together/neat because its weaved instead of knots, it takes more precision and more time to make than crochet, and its also more practical because of knitting machines and the fact that knitwear can more easily fit different bodies, although i personally prefer crochet pieces over knitwear
i know i sound like a gatekeeper but i stand by the fact that you do not deserve to wear crocheted garments if you are not making it yourself or supporting an independent artist.
Or if it was gifted to you by the maker
@@theyxaj imo, thats the same as supporting an independent artist, although its not financial, you're still supporting them.
Not gatekeeping, it's against China's free labor for crochet items. It's dead wrong. Any person who makes handmade anything deserves to be paid decently.
I agree, if you find crochet at a big box store, it is 100% made but the hands of slaves. Machines cannot crochet, only knit
I have been a crocheter since 2002, I was 18, now I’m 40! The resurgence makes me happy but yeah… the fast fashion aspect ticks me off! I love gen z, my daughters generation, for bringing it back to the public eye
I crochet, and love that I have something tangible to show for my hard work at the end. I originally started in 2022 bc I was recovering from a surgery and wanted to learn a less physically-based hobby, and I fell in love! I like the creativity of personalizing something (a garment, blanket, toy, whatever) any way I want, and I love the challenge of learning how to make my creative vision into a reality. Mentally, depending on what you’re making there can be a fair amount of math and problem-solving involved, which I also find fun. Plus, I like how easy it is to undo your work when you mess up (this was the big reason I learned crochet over knitting). My only drawbacks are that it’s time-consuming and yarn can get expensive! Like, if I make a sweater it’ll be like $50 of materials plus like a month of labor. But the trade off is that I can make it fit and look exactly how I want, and I know I’ll end up with a truly unique garment
I started crocheting in 2013 and LOVE that so many more people are into now because there are way more crochet pattern videos and inspo than there used to be when I started. A lot of the youtube vids were older women and not very in style. There's so much more variety. I'm in my early 30s now, and the younger generation is SO creative. It's fun learning from them 😊
I love that you researched the background history of this craft! It's really good to hear that "crochetivism" is (and was) always a thing that a lot of us hold onto in this community
Well done video! I've been into crochet well before the pandemic, but it is so exciting to see it become so popular in today's crafting space. I hope it is here to stay.
I got into crocheting after my final exams in med school, they were so incredibly stressful and waiting for the results I didn't know what to do with myself. Whilst preparing for the exams, I had completely abandoned any form of self care or hobby, so learning to crochet once everything was done was a life saver... It really shuts my brain off, and whenever I get anxious, I just crochet away. I now crochet on my way to work and the journeys fly by!
Thank you so much to any creator who has ever posted a pattern on YT !
For me it is just very emotionally regulating, it's like stimming, and the fact that I can have nice stuff after as a result is just the cherry on top!
I’ve know the basics of how to crochet since before I can remember but only in the past few months have I actually started learning how to read patterns and make unique things that I love. I’m big on minimizing my footprint and being more mindful of what I buy so taking the time to make a unique sweater and dress and add embroidery details and things like that has opened up my world to make unique high quality items that actually fit me and that I cant possibly afford to buy from ethical places.
I also love giving thoughtful gifts and learning how to make something that is specific to that persons interests and then spend 30+ hours making it for them over the course of a few months is a way I can portray my love to someone. So yeah I really like crochet.
I started crocheting again a few years ago and was excited my 25 yo daughter wanted me to make her some stuff. I’m gonna keep going till no one wants what I make anymore…except me. I am very grateful to those that make tutorial videos on UA-cam. I’ve learned so much and made so many things I would not have been able to even attempt without the more knowledgeable crocheters teaching me. Thank you.
Crochet for me is an art form. I happen to get wearable items at the end of each project which is better than trying to find space on the wall for another painting. I love wearing unique garments. I love mixing colours in individual ways. I like not using patterns but making it up as I go. Making is where it's at.
Loved this video! I’ve been crocheting since the pandemic and I love that it just gives me time to focus on a repetitive task that ultimately turns into a piece of art that can be used to express oneself in a multitude of ways. The takeover of fast fashion with crochet can certainly seem defeating and contradictory but I just breathe and continue with my stitches because in the end my tedious work will be more personal and sustainable than any fast fashion crochet that is being sold on Shein, Temu, AliExpress, etc.
I love how educational this video was. It's been about 4 years since I took crocheting as a serious hobby, and even before the pandemic, I was introduced to it through a friend, though, I wasn't very good at it then. I was really happy to see more and more people on social media learning how to crochet and really pushing pass the limit of creativity when it comes to what you can make and design with it.
I'm crocheting as I listen to this lol.
I started crocheting at least 15 years ago. I focused more on stuffed animals and such- I just enjoyed having a hobby that gave me something cute and tangible at the end! I actually started off with knitting and learned that crochet was easier for the types of projects I wanted to do.
It's interesting to watch this and read the comments because I think of crochet as a fast fashion hobby. What I've seen from other people is a "replacement" of fast fashion that still overconsumes, buying endless amounts of plastic yarn that sits in a corner and is never actually completely used, or crocheting anything that's trendy only to never use or wear it because it's not what the person actually likes when the trend is over, and like others have said it can be hard to sell as the time and supplies make crochet works expensive. I'm happy to hear so many people in the comments talking about how the hobby helped them through tough times, or how they are intentional with what and how they're making! It's nice to see, and a good "check" for me to not get too jaded lol. I didn't know the political history either, that's super cool!
Great job! I just started crocheting this year. My mom had bought crotchet supplies probably about 10 years ago and hasn't really used them because it was hard to learn how to back then, like you said it was basically a book or old videos that weren't zoomed in.
I was looking for something to do that would keep me off my phone. So basically I've replaced doom scrolling with crotcheting because it feels more productive and it shuts my mind off.
loved this video! you brought so many aspects from the world of crochet, things i didnt even think abt, so that was awesome to learn. just one reason i personally think, as a crochet lover, that made crochet still so interesting, is the fact that it encourages individuality. its so nice to make something from scratch and receive praise from others, like yes, i made that! and you can truly show your personality throught it, also confronting fast fashion like you said.
i think an example of this is the fact that even though tiktok changes aesthetics every week, you can fit crochet into every single one of them, from grunge all the way to coquette, so its very flexible!
great video :) Been crocheting for 15ish years I'm very much enjoying this crochet resurgence. I've always found it frustrating that "craft work" is deemed lesser than other arts or skills when it's so rich in history. I feel so connected to the world and generations of women and artisans before me when I crochet.
If you're new to crochet please don't be intimidated by reading crochet chart patterns, I promise once you understand them (it won't take you along) they are much easier to follow than a video.
The 2000's also saw a huge push in amigurumi in the western crochet scene as well. Patterns, pictures, and video tutorials that broke down language barriers were able to spread easily around the world via the internet, and lots of Japanese kawaii aesthetics were being borrowed by alt kids in the west. Amigurumis were also much easier to sell on emerging marketplaces like Etsy.
love this! I haven't heard of amigurumi I'll have to learn more :) xx
@@charlichatsbasically crocheted stuffed toys! Very cute, and based on the Japanese art form, amigurumi.
Loved the video! I haven't learned how to crochet yet but I started sewing recently and I would add that one of the things that really makes me love these kinds of hobbies is simply being able to immerse your attention in something other than a screen... also, I feel like even if you start crafts with no political intentions, it's kind of impossible not to think about it. I mean, I have been reading about fast fashion and the environment for years now but *actually* making something with your own hands just hits different because now you're face to face with all the labor involved and how little *you* would be payed considering the cost of the materials alone.
I got into crochet again in 2020, I initially learned from my grandma when I was a kid. It was so rewarding to make projects and gift them to people I love!
I started crocheting after 2020 because i saw tutorial of hyperbolic plain crochet from mathematician. I thought that if he can do it without any training whatsoever - then I can too. Then I saw a pattern of horseshoe crab and decided it'll be cool to make it, then a lot of other amigurumi, and now I can read graphic patterns (and honestly I prefer them in a doilies, they're very convinient as in you don't have to crawl through wall of text, plus usually you don't even have to remember a lot of symbols unless you go out of your way to find complicated piece) and am slowly doing my own clothes.
yay I'm glad to find a fellow pattern diagram enjoyer, they are so much more convenient than having to read through text patterns which gives very little indication what the finished shape of the pattern is and finding your place in a text pattern is way more awkward too. Often if a pattern doesn't have a diagram and it's got a lot of repeats or I'm going to make it a few times I'll draw up my own quick diagram as it's just so much easier for me to glance at. I feel like reading them came pretty naturally to me for whatever reason so I've always been baffled that so many people seem to view them as indecipherable squiggles
@@emmao6578 I. Honestly haven't thought of making sketch diagrams myself. Thanks, in highsight that was obvious!
My school has started this "crochet a granny square" protect where all the squares made by students will be made into a blanket for everyone to use. So I was hanging around and one girl I knew wanted to learn how to do it and I decided it wouldn't hurt to try too, so then there were like 6 people telling us how to do it. Took me a week and 3 attempts ( I accidentally made a ball) before I had a granny square in my hands and this past week I've just been doing squares and ended up buying myself a hook yesterday lol.An hour ago I also made a snowflake! :D
I started crocheting in June last year after my Nanna passed away, I have always been drawn to ‘turn your brain off’ hobbies and it helped me to crawl out of my grief at the time, now a year on I have crocheted almost every day since I started and I never see myself stopping, it has brought me so much creative release and also education on fast fashion, and a surprisingly amazing community in my city and online. I’m so happy that my generation have revived this beautiful craft
I learned how to knit when i was 13 and didn't pick it up again till lock down and now I've made most of my winter wardrobe!
omg thank u for the love ❤ I love the crochet community you’re all so wholesome 😊
this is rly out of context but you kind of look like claudia jessie
I got into crocheting because I saw my mom doing it. I like your use of the phrase "quiet activism" because while attending college, I crochet out in public only to harassed for doing something that was anti feminist. Those of us who liked crocheting, knitting, and embroidery had to do in the college library otherwise we got verbally shamed for doing something that we enjoyed. This was before the pandemic, and I'm very glad that anything craft related is gaining popularity
how is it anti feminist???How did they even come to a conclusion even somewhat resembling to this??
I have been interested in knitting and crochet since I was very very young, like I remember I was aprox 8 years old when I saw my grandma and mom knitting sweaters and curtains and said "I AM GONNA KNIT A SCARF FOR MY MOM!"... And then I didn't, I was a child with zero capacity to stay quiet for more than 4 hours (I was very good at sitting doing something entertaining enough like drawing or painting but never lasted more than a day doing the same project or piece) and a scarf would've taken at least 4 days to make. Since then, I just never tried it again, always loved it from afar, but never gave it a chance until very recently, as a 22 year old with a great boyfriend that, in celebration of our first anniversary, provided me with materials, a LOT of yarn and a set of crochet hooks and utensils so that I could FINALLY give it a try~ Now that I have adult patience and that there are a lot of very beginner friendly tutorials everywhere on the internet, I couldn't just let the opportunity pass. That was on may 14th, I've been crocheting mini amigurumis with a passion since then~ I've made two little cats, a small chicken, a bunny and now, the hardest one yet, a little Yoshi amigurumi.
I really can't wait to start making accessories and clothes! like I really wanna make a shrug, some leg warmers, gloves and cute mushroom or strawberry bags!
I'm so glad you used clips of Jenna Phipps because she was all I would listen to when I would crochet! I showed my friend a picture of her and she said that she was ugly. And I was like 'thats no the point.' 😕Lets just say Im not her friend anymore. Anyway, great video!
This was such an interesting video! Thank you for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
this was such an interesting video! I was always interested in crafts my whole life and always wanted to learn crochet or knitting, and I finally learned to crochet last year (after lots of attempts) the good thing about crochet trending is easier tutorials and more cute designs that inspire me!
I got into crochet in late 2021 thanks to TikTok. I tried as a child but only had magazines with confusing tutorials and no one in my family knew it. Trying again with more accessible tutorials was amazing! The appeal of creating literally anything out of yarn is definitely what drew me in
When I was a freshmen in high school the chunky infinity scarf was all the rage. I had to have one then found out they were like $80.😱 For a scarf. For an acrylic scarf😡! Absolutely not🤬. And that’s where my crochet journey started 😂. And now I have a yarn addiction, so yeah that’s how it’s going 😂😊
So resourceful! Love it haha
I threw this video up to occupy my brain space while mending with thread and needle a few clothing items and just, this is absolute perfection. I'm in love with you and this video brought to light so many things that I've overlooked and connected so many dots for.
You're so intelligent
I stopped following patterns to a T anymore. More of a do a few rows and tru it on again, more customized control of the fit of you keep good track of stitches. I stopped trying to sell because no one wants to pay for custom fitted clothes unless its to tailor an already made item 😅 now i have stuff im proud to wear and display my talent i learned over the years
22:07 Awesome critique! You could literally write a thesis on this subject. One of the things that brought me to this craft that I love so much was the death of my dad in 2013. My grief at times was unbearable 😢 then one day a very good friend of mine posted a beautiful crochet blanket on Facebook and I was obsessed to find out how to make one on my own. Eventually I started making hats, scarfs and blankets. Crocheting has given me a peace that I couldn’t find anywhere else.❤
I started learning in like 2018, i found a hook in an old sewing kit but stopped bc i got frustrated, then picked it back up in 2021 and havent stopped since, it really helps my anxiety, keeps me busy and its made me more resourceful, i love shopping and worry i fall into the consumerism trend of today, so being able to make literally anything i need and design it to exactly how i want creates less of a need to go and buy cheap, fast fashion and other items.
I came to crochet a year ago when my mom entered chemo and lost her hair. She had a particular idea of the headcoverings she wanted but we couldn't find many made with natural fibers. I picked up a hook then and haven't been able to stop since. I love being able to create something from practically thin air and know that its production was as ethical as possible in a capitalist world.
I’ve been crocheting since I was 8 because this lovely old lady taught me because I was curious. I love that crochet got popular because that meant I could now bond over a hobby with people my age🥺
i started crocheting right after the pandemic and what i love most about crochet is when i finish a piece and put all those hours of work in it i just feel so proud to wear something or use something that i made myself. i also get compliments from strangers when they see it and its the greatest thing ever😊
I used to crochet when I was a teenager, back in the late 70s and 80s and found it again after retiring from work. It's the ability to create something which I can touch and feel, rather than writing (I am a writer). The joy of creating something tangible with your hands is irreplaceable. I'm also learning new things everyday, thanks to the very generous crochet community who post tutorials online from all over the world. It's something to learn and do. Don't know much about selling, so right now, just happy to learn and create.
Lovely video. Enjoyed watching this and would love to learn more about history and how crochet is prevalent and where in the world.
A video on latest trends in crochet would also be very welcome. I keep thinking, why bolero sleeves are so popular...Thank you charli!
Really interesting video, thank you!
I've been crocheting for a year now, it appealed to me for a few reasons:
1 - you can make cool stuff
2 - i love having something to do that isn't too physically challenging for relaxing time
3 - i was quitting smoking, and the only thing that appealed about smoking was the repetitive hand movement, so i figured crochet was an excellent replacement!
I've also found that crochet is GREAT for ADHD. Keeping me busy and focused on something whilst watching TV or youtube feels so much more fulfilling AND relaxing.
Im been crocheting for several years now even created a few of my own pieces as well as utilized patterns. I been doing it before it was trendy started in 2011 in my early 20s but was introduced to it by my mother and great grandmother as a young girl. I started wanting to learn to carry on a family tradition, which started with making a blanket. I also got into sewing because of my grandmothers and great grandmothers.
thank you so much for this video, I really enjoyed learning more about crochet history since I am becoming more and more obsessed with this craft. to me it's a way to express myself and I'm even starting to appreciate the small imperfections of my pieces because they feel like the proof that I'm human, not just a machine making things out of instructions and monotony. also nothing compares to the satisfaction of receiving compliments and saying "thanks, I did it myself"😂❤
Thank you for this interesting deep dive on crochet history and philosophy. It was really thought-provoking and I’m an instant fan of yours now! 👏
I started to crochet back in 1981 as a 14 year old. I was shown how to make a ch and a tr(AUS), dc. by a neighbour up the road. I practiced until I got it. I was loaned a book with some basic stitches. The rest is history.
I did stop for quite a few years but started again this year. Absolutely love it.
Thank you for sharing this video.
Fast fashion is not and never can be crochet. Part of crochet is its handmade with love. A machine can’t produce love into a garment or accessories, afghans, etc.
One of my current projects is a blanket for my husband.
watched this while crocheting a custom piece to sell haha , but I really like your points in this video. I love the trend of slower fashion, wearing your own creations, and learning how clothes you make yourself can serve you and last longer
I always joke that I have old ppl hobbies 😂 been crocheting for forever. I even bring my projects to my welding job and work on them during my breaks. Now I’m thinking about your point about free time. Sometimes I just get so excited for the end result.
I have started crocheting this summer and I'm in love with it❤❤❤The feeling of knowing that you made this piece of cloth by yourself is amazing❤
Personally, I just started crocheting when I was 11 because I saw my best friend's mom crochet really cool hats and loved. She gave me two balls of yarn, two crochet hooks, and an instruction book for my birthday. I was hooked since and made my own blankets. Nowadays I make more stuffed toys, coasters, and now I'm starting to lean into switching colors more for small tapestries. Making images.
This video was interesting to watch to be sure.
I always joked as a kid that I was like a grandma for crocheting as a preteen and later teenager in the 2010s. It was a surprise to me to later find out more people my age crocheting recently after the pandemic.
Dude this video is so well made! I’m a guy and got into crochet like a year ago? I’ve done markets where I sell my crochet plushies. To me why I love crochet is because I enjoy working with my hands, counting/math, and making silly little creatures. Also if i can make extra income off of that that’s a win.
I picked up crochet to make stuffies for myself and my loved ones! My mom taught me a little as a kid, but I've been learning online through still pictures and text, as that works best for my brain. This video seemed very well balanced and researched and I love it! Thank you for your thoughts and the clips you shared!
I really like the free form of crochet. You quite literally are so free in the things you can make. I also used to draw but I really like the lack of prerequisite ideas of what ‘art’ should be in crochet. Some pieces help to feel cosy. Creating other piece feels connected to my grandma that passed away. I also think we all need some cosyness after the past years. But it is also just fun to create.
It is also like you said easy to get started due to many new ideas an tutorials. And the limited materials you need. And when you are chronically ill it is accessible. (hopefully there will me even more accessibility tools in the future tho). Finally, it does feel great to have less extortion for needed for new clothes. And have the say about exactly how I want to pieces to look. We don’t yet have to be a homemaker so crafting is not a ‘necessity’ and it can be grounding
my grandma tried to teach me to knit over skype when I was young and I could never really pick it up and didn’t like it that much but when I learned to crochet I FELL IN LOVE!! it’s so calming and makes me feel so cool to have it as a skill when people compliment my projects 😊
That's an excellent discussion of crochet history! Thank you.
I learned from my gran, 35 plus years ago, and it was the fun of creating as well as a way to occupy me.
I tried to learn a few years back, fell off and then got back on it when I saw how cute amigurumi is and the stuff you can make. As I was watching this I was literally crocheting a bandana and it’s just so therapeutic for me. If you’re thinking of giving it a go I would really recommend it!
One thing I love about handmade clothes is the side effect that the creator then learns just how much effort goes into a garment. And then it spirals into appreciating all your clothes and being more mindful about it, in a world where mindfulness is replaced with automation.
Just started crocheting on election night to keep my mind busy and off my phone! Thank you for this. It’s so cool to understand the history behind it.
I just wanted to say how much I love this video, I have watched it a few times now and it’s just so interesting! I’m very interested in exploring some of the sources you mentioned within my masters research!
I didn't realize that crochet was trending until I randomly decided to engage in crochet. One day I needed a new beanie and I just had the idea to make one instead of buying one. I had dabbled in crochet in the past but never got into a community until I made my beanie and enjoyed it so much i wanted to try other patterns. I sort of fell into the crochet algorithm and found there was a very active community. Now it's everywhere and I just assumed it only cause I interact with it.
Personally I’ve wanted to start crocheting since I was little because we always bought those crochet kits from Costco to make these dolls for all types of shows such as star wars but nobody in the house could figure it out. Not even my mom who could knit or my grandma who used to crochet a bit. Then last year we went to an art shop with a bunch of crochet pattern books and kits and we bought one amigurumi book and a crochet kit for me and my sister to learn together because it was our dream since we were little. I ended up learning it alone near the end of the school year and now at this point I make anything crochet for any reason but mostly for gifts.
I started crocheting 2 years ago during my sophomore year in college. I was so stressed with everything that I needed a hobby to just sit down and relax to while listening to music, so i picked up crocheting. Now I have a shelf full of blankets, scarves, and some wonky amigurumi plushes 😅
I found this so interesting, especially the historical context and examples of art - especially since it's so rare! "Burnt Breakfast" seems like a perfect name for an all girls punk band.
As an elder millennial who got teased growing up for loving crochet, I am so happy to see this generation embrace it with a death grip.
I’m a cosplayer and crochet has been SO USEFUL when doing my cosplays! My most recent cosplay featured a crocheted shrug, potion bottle amigurumi, and glass jar cover! The potion bottle and glass jar also got last minute attachments so they could slip onto my belt!
I learned how to crochet around 2011-2012 when I was a kid. Back there I wouldn’t tell anyone because it was a cringe hobby only old women did, so I kept it to myself. Now everyone is so obsessed about it because its cool and trendy.
i love all the cool trendy patterns nowadays - i first starting crochet 10 years ago and didn't make too much beyond granny squares and weird lacey shawls i never use, i do it a lot more now there's patterns i like EVERYWHERE
I learned when I was in hospital for 12 weeks.
I love buying pretty yarn and I love giving people handmade gifts. I love that moment when I finish a long project too.
It was fun learning the history of crochet! I do it every day and never thought to look into it. Thank you
Fascinating! One thing I think does get left out of many crochet videos is that there tends to be a swing back and forth between various crafts, particularly knitting and crochet, in terms of which is the trendy, finding yourself, joining DIY culture one this decade. Perhaps it's more crochet and knitting right now precisely because knitting was so big in the early 00s. Who knows.
And not to be a downer, but... part of crochet's surging popularity on tiktok is that it is FAST and can be done at a pace that fits an influencer's upload schedule. Knitting has suffered similarly, with chunky sweaters that look like garbage in a week and that are often uncomfortable to wear being much more of a trend than the knits you'd actually want for your wardrobe long term. It's the appearance of slow fashion with the reality of disposable social media hype. Yeah, individual creators are living up to their sustainability ideals, but the trend overall isn't as positive, and it's not just because of huge fast fashion companies.
Just started crocheting last week and this really resonated! Very interesting and well done video :) thank you!
I’ve been crocheting for years on and off. It’s such a stress reliever and fun thing. My mom taught me and it was the best thing ever! 🫶🏿
i started crocheting because i needed a sort of easy, mindless, creative hobby that i could focus on and use up my time with so i tried to start knitting coz i remembered my mum teaching me to knit as a kid but tbh it was a lot harder to pick up on my own than i expected. and my sister saw me struggling and was like 'you should do crochet instead, its so much easier' and i was like 'okay' and went out and bought a crochet hook and i've been obsessed with it ever since. that's not to say i've really made many actually useful or pretty things, but the act of crocheting is just very calming and nice and gives me something to do with my hands and something to think about and focus on when im not otherwise occupied. which i need because i need multiple forms of stimulation at all times and at least this way i can feel more productive than just scrolling on my phone while watching a show
I have been crocheting since the late 70s . My neighbor taught me as a kid. Thing with something being counter culture is that these days it’s not counter culture anymore its culture. Tattoos,piercings etc are the norm now but that was not always the case. To be honest , I enjoy it and making things from scratch or doing other crafts and projects. I give away most of them to my friends or donate things to the homeless shelter. Whether crochet is popular or not I will continue to create period…
I love crochet (and knitting) because it’s really cool that I can create things with my hands! I’ve always wanted a hobby and I’m so happy that I finally do! It’s really upsetting that it’s trickled into fast fashion, but I hope people make the right choice when it comes to these items.
The pandemic also brought me to crochet. I actually learned how to do it to make among us plushies for my friends and me but because of the pandemic I never got it to them before among us kind of died as a trend lol
I m currently making an adorable 70s inspired shrug and its taking ages!!!! I liked listening to their whole crocheting
I am millennial and I've been knitting since 2009 and have been wanting to pick up crochet to supplement what I can do...started crocheting this year and I've loved it. I had no idea it was a huge trend 🤣 I'm appreciating all the cool patterns from gen z tho!!
This was such a fascinating deep dive into crochet lore - thanks for making this video, really enjoyed it!
My great-grandmother taught me to crochet when I was very young (mostly to keep me quiet while i was in her care), so I've known how to crochet for most of my life! It's exciting to see a resurgence in popularity for crochet after growing up always being told that it's a dying art, but i am also glad that people are speaking up for the true time and value of the craft.
My aunt taught me how in high school and picked it back up a year ago. I like it because I love giving handmade gifts. People appreciate it a lot more than something bought.
I got into crochet literally just before it became a trend. A nurse at my school taught me, and I was really excited when all these new crochet tutorials started coming out a year later. Me and some of my friends were able to get a crochet club in school. Instead of “what are you a grandma?” It was “woah, you can crochet??” I thank the trend for that.
thank you for bringing light on this craft! ive been crocheting since i was 12, im almost 15 now and its one of my favorite things to do! i love to make plushies and clothes and even sometimes crochet my characters :3
For me, it's a way to create something specific that I want (plushy, clothes) by myself with limited costs. I often just bought knitted or crocheted clothes in a second-hand store, especially on a sale, turning it into the yarn and making clothes that I like. And crocheted and knitting very forgiven on mistakes. If we compare sewing and crocheted
I got into crochet last summer after being influenced by a good friend of mine who has been crocheting for ten years! I actually had no idea that the crochet boom online had started in 2020, and thought it was much more recent, but maybe it's just because I started tuning into it more recently.