Martha Stewart and Vanna White

[JudyD]

[quote=Second, crochet received a LOT of publicity from Martha Stewart when she emerged from prison wearing a poncho she had crocheted herself while serving her sentence. I think that shows that she DOES crochet. DCM[/quote]

Martha didn't make the poncho...here's a quote when she was released from prison...

Stewart told her employees that the poncho was made by an unidentified fellow inmate who crochets about 12 hours a day using yarn from the prison commissary. "I hope she is reading the news and looking at television, because I'm so proud of her."

Judy

[carterm4]

doesn't Debbie Macomber have her own line of yarn and knit. I know she isn't a celebrity per say but a famous author

[TEMA]

I've crocheted for years and knit for years. I love crochet for different reasons than I love knitting.
First of all... I love crochet because one stitch? It's easy to unravel and you never lose your place... in knitting I prefer to unknit (or tink) to ravelling... I can never find the place where I want to be after that.
Second... I find that crochet makes a lovely fabric...depending on what you want... from fragile lace to sturdy jackets...
Lace is a non-event for me in Knitting.
I love knitting because I feel so darned smart doing it and it is quite relaxing and worth doing. These days I do plain knitting because I'm under a great deal of stress and need something not too difficult if I'm going to do it right.
I love to knit and crochet on the same piece. I see a lot of knitting patterns call for crochet edging instead of doing a rib... I think that looks beautiful and it's so simple.
Crochet is so easy to teach... at least, initially. You only have one needle to keep track of and most kids seem to think they will be able to do it...
In any case, what does it matter? It's all about the yarn, wool, whatever you are using... the fact that your mind, hands and brain are engaged in an activity that finishes up with something beautiful and useful at the same time and does wonderful things for your ego... well, that's priceless!
TEMA

[DogCatMom]

I've crocheted for years and knit for years. ....
In any case, what does it matter? It's all about the yarn, wool, whatever you are using... the fact that your mind, hands and brain are engaged in an activity that finishes up with something beautiful and useful at the same time and does wonderful things for your ego... well, that's priceless!
TEMA

Exactly, TEMA, and thank you. It just gets VERY OLD, time and time again, to hear some "knitters" bash crochet (i.e., "why can't they just learn to knit?") and it needs to be stopped whenever it rears its ugly head.

Thank you again.

DCM

P.S. thx for the clarification about Martha Stewart's poncho, everyone! but the profile-raising was priceless.

[lenaznap]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the quality of yarn qua yarn. The texture, hand, color, durability, etc.

Go to any big box craft store and look at the yarns available from huge yarn manufacturers, some great stuff, some extremely ugly color combinations and strange textures I would never want to live with for the duration of any project, let alone live with the finished item.

There must be a market for all this yarn I hate or it wouldn't take up so much shelf space. I know some of my favorite colors must not be universally popular too -- surely all of us has exercised willpower and declined an impulse purchase of a beautiful yarn only to think of it months later to find it has been discontinued.

So I don't really care if yarnmakers knit if they can contribute to the variety of colors and materials that are available to me as a knitter and crocheter.

How far back in the design process would you demand knitting skill? I demand only that pattern designers know how to do the craft they are designing for. I don't care if Martha Stewart knits or crochets any more than I care if the dyer or spinner or sheep farmer or the sheep know how to knit.

[suzeeq]

Yes, there's a big market for those lesser yarns, and some of us prefer them for other qualities.

[debminerva]

What does it matter if the celebrity "endorsing" the yarn is crafter or knitter or crocheter? Yarn is unique to the individual purchasing it....the color, the texture, the smell (yes, I *smell* the yarn before purchasing...I'm odd). What matters is how it makes *me* feel.

I'm definitely one that buys the "inferior" yarns because they are the only thing I can afford and I knitting. It is the only thing that has been effective in lowering my stress level.

I took a "crochet-for-knitters" class at my local LYS last year. There are so many aspects of crochet I like but I haven't been able to complete a project yet.

I respect all crafters, knitters and crocheters alike, and I'm glad to be part of a hobby that can create such beautiful items and provide an amazing life skill.

[DogCatMom]

... I hope I don't sound bitchy, I would just think that since knitting is such a big thing these days, why not learn? It's not that difficult. ... ???

I don't think this question/topic translated well on the computer. It wasn't a bash towards anyone who crochets, *I* crochet and knit. ... In no post did I bash people that crochets. I'm actually working on a crochet afghan.

(No additional text here; what could I add?)

DCM

[PinkRoses]

(No additional text here; what could I add?)

DCM

Exactly where am I bashing people that crochet? Again, I crochet.

[Jan in CA]

I don't think you bashed anyone, Pink Roses. Crochet can be a sensitive issue. I prefer knitting, but I started as a crocheter. It's all personal choice and the love of fiber arts.