Debunking Crochet Stereotypes

Almost everything has a stereotype attached to it, and crochet is no exception. You may have heard of some crochet stereotypes. In this blog post, I will be examining certain crochet stereotypes and explaining why they are not true. The first stereotype that comes to most people’s minds is that crocheting is only for “old ladies”. I think the reason so many people believe this to be true is that when most people were raised, the only people they know who crocheted were their grandmothers, aunts, or mothers. Now, I’m not saying aunts or mothers are old but children and teenagers tend to view them as such. Since some people are raised like this and know no younger people that crochet, they tend to believe that crocheting is only for older people. The internet can also play a part in people thinking like this due to memes, pictures, videos, and other people showing that crochet is just for older people. Now, this stereotype is not true. Of course, there are older people that crochet, but there is also a large population of younger crocheters growing each day. I am only eighteen, and I’ve been crocheting for about six years now. I started crocheting when I was twelve years old. If you take a second to look into the crochet community, it’s full of people of all ages and doesn’t belong to just one age group like a lot of people tend to believe.

Another very strong stereotype is that crocheting is only for women. I think this is also a stereotype that is influenced by the internet and the thought process that crocheting is only for “old ladies.” This stereotype is also simply not true. Yes, a larger population of the crochet community are women, but I have seen the male crochet population grow by the day. The record holder for the largest crochet granny square is a man. His name is Stephen Duneier and he’s from Charlotte N.C. He crocheted a granny square that measures 1,311 square feet and weighs over 60 pounds. That’s crazy! Another male crocheter that does amazing work is @knot.bad on Instagram. I have been following him for a long time. He was one of the first male crocheters I was introduced to and made me realize this stereotype isn’t true. He also actively talks about how crocheting is for everyone who cares to learn and the fact that it’s not only for women. He’s an all-around cool guy, so you should go check him out. I think the idea that crocheting isn’t masculine and that it’s a feminine thing is crazy. There should be no gender or label on who can or cannot crochet. Crocheting is for anyone who enjoys it or wants to take the time to learn it.

I have people mix up crocheting and knitting all the time and think they’re the same thing. I don’t know if this counts as a stereotype but I’m going to include it anyway. It’s understandable how a lot of people can mistake the two if they know nothing about them, but the thought that they are the same thing is not true. Yes, they are both fabric crafts that use yarn, but they are completely different. If you don’t know the difference, crochet uses crochet hooks and has a variety of different stitches. It’s a whole different process compared to knitting. Knitting uses two knitting needles, and the hand movements and stitches are different than crochet; therefore, the process and results are very different. Though it may not seem like they’re very different to most people, they are. Just because someone crochets, it does not mean that they knit too and vice versa.,

These are only a few examples of crochet stereotypes but there are many more. I just found these to be the most popular. It’s understandable why so many people believe these to be true if they know nothing about crocheting. If you take the time to learn about the crochet community, you’ll quickly learn they are not true. These same stereotypes can be applied to knitting and knitters too, and it’s not fair to think of these hobbies being only for older ladies or being the same thing. Having these stereotypes can divert others from wanting to learn crochet because they see it as something it’s not. I will leave this post by saying the crochet community is one of the most supportive and honest groups I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of, and anyone and everyone is welcome.

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I hope you guys have a good rest of your day and have a good week. Good luck on any projects you may be working on and happy crafting!