I love the folks on my discussion groups, but sometimes I get so frustrated with the level of ignorance that I about burst! Stitches West has been a huge topic of discussion in recent days as it was in town this weekend.
Stitches is a knitters expo! Always has been. Crocheters attend to buy yarn from places that are not easily obtainable.. Great opportunity to pet yarns so the next time we want to order from cyberspace, we know what we are getting. There are a few vendors that feature some crochet. There were a few crochet books. There were some absolutely gorgeous hooks. There were only a couple of classes for crochet. Stitches is a knitters expo!
I found there to be more crochet this time than in other years that I've attended. CGOA shared a booth with TKGA and my guild chapter, Men Who Crochet, manned the Warm Up America booth.
People who own yarn stores and think crocheters are beneath them find themselves out of business! If you are in the East Bay of Northern CA, visit Piedmont Yarn & Apparel. This is a very crochet friendly store. Bente bends over backwards to stock the things we want. She is helping us celebrate National Crochet month with special displays and additional classes in crochet. You will not be disappointed in this store.
My own distorted point of view is crocheters do more for charity than knitters, so we do have a tendancy to buy lots of inexpensive acrylic yarns for that purpose. That is what the charities want to receive. We don't make the rules, we just try to follow them.
At Stitches West this weekend I purchased some superwash merino for a vest I want to design and make for myself. I also bought a lovely wooden shawl pin and some "happy hands" hand creme made especially for handling yarn. I was gifted 3 hanks of handpainted Koigu yarn by Merilyn of Foxyknits. I think this will become a shrug type thing for moi.
I didn't buy too much this time as my circumstances have changed in the last year, and I have yarn from last year still in hanks. MMM! Might be time to get busy and do something with it.
Anyway, if you go to an event like this, remember who the target audience is and remember you are a guest. A paying one, yes, but still a guest.
5 comments:
Thanks for that. You wouldn't believe the amount and level of abuse I have received for expressing the same viewpoint online. I chose to delete this bile rather than to respond. I'm glad to know I am not alone.
You know, I've felt the same way here on the East Coast as well.
The general consensus here is that the main difference between knitters and crocheters is 'quality vs. quantity'.
They both spend money, but for different reasons.
Thank you for sharing this. I crochet, knit, and quilt, and I have never been treated like I don't belong. But then, perhaps the people that get treated badly show up with a huge chip on their shoulder. We have to remember, we receive what we put out.
Cay, I agree with your comments. As I knit, I feel annoyed BOTH ways, I've seen crocheters stomp in demanding to be accommodated for free, and knitters do the same darned thing. The only reason I learned to knit is that I liked the look of the projects being offered to knitters better than what I liked what was offered to crocheters. Although I must say, after 35+ years of crocheting, I believe what is being offered to crocheters IS getting better.
Hopefully as the years go by we get an increase of crocheters in the midst. I crochet by choice, I knit by choice and I spin by choice, because it is fun. I really don't care what other people say , they can give me attitude, they won't get my cash. ha ha ha.
Post a Comment