The REAL Cost of Crochet: More Than Just Yarn and Hooks

[@vickysimons5477]

I crocheted years ago and then life got in the way. So when I decided to start again I still had my hooks and other stuff. One day I saw a amigurumi toy and just had to make it. So down the rabbit hole I went. Where I live there aren't any yarn shops just Hobbie stores with one or two rows for yarn. I have ordered yarn on line and some have been great. I think you are wonderful for offering your patterns for free. The work and love that you put into designing is worth so much. Look forward to seeing your videos.

[@lucykatecrochet]

That’s so lovely to hear, thank you!

[@SaraS-lg2ex]

These are really great points, The stress involved in making things look "like the photo" is something hobbyists often get hung up on, and sometimes unnecessarily so. There is beauty in making art for the sake of making art. Success doesn't have to be measured by how close the item looks to a source material. Sometimes it's good to measure other things as well when we consider whether or not a project was a success: Did we enjoy the process? Did we learn something? Does the end result, a labor of our love, make someone we care about happy? Those things are all successes in their own right.

[@theMermaidRhonda]

I've been crocheting for decades and I love it! I do love some really nice yarns and will occasionally pay more for them if I have a special project in mind for it. Fortunately some of the local craft stores like JoAnn and Michael's have come out with really nice, affordable yarns..like beautiful wool blend cake yarn for under $10. I have a couple hooks from Furls and I really like them, but I almost always use my Clover hooks and I try to get them with a 50% off coupon from JoAnn when I can. I also like the locking stitch markers..they're not expensive and hard to lose..:) I'm like you in that I can crochet for hours with no pain. My grandma is the one who taught me to crochet and if she was still alive today she'd LOVE some of the new yarns. I'm so glad she passed this skill on to me and I plan to do the same for my niece.

[@JameelandKatieHassan-Oxberry]

The costs of patterns and things as well is something to consider. I can get really quite hyper focused on my crochet and I am trying to take a step back and just realise this is a hobbie and it’s meant to be fun. Not everything needs to look ‘perfect’ like something off of Instagram. X

[@judith6133]

Oh yes, I am totally in with the stress factor. I love to knit and crochet for my family, but they never get a handmade gift for christmas or birthdays. Maybe 3 of them were born around christmas. It would be just to much to handle. I have several project which are just before finishing, but at this moment I love to crochet ornaments. And for the mindless part I am knitting a pair of socks. For me, its all about fun and relaxing.

[@lucykatecrochet]

That's really sensible, it can be SO overwhelming doing projects in time for Christmas! I dream of being able to knit socks, I keep trying to learn to knit and getting in a spectacular muddle :)

[@starred56]

Great Video, thank you!

[@floraidh4097]

Crochet is one of the less expensive hobbies I have had in my life. I have helped save money by concentrating on using up the yarn I have. If I am making clothing then of course matching dye lots and weights between different colors is important, but when making a amigurumi flower or whatnot I will use what I have no matter if it calls for purple and all I have is pink etc. I am working on these things as a pastime so if I can make do with something that isn’t quite perfect it’s important to me to do so.

[@mariakristinahawl1640]

My favorite stitch markers are safety pins.

[@lucykatecrochet]

Oooh, I like that!

[@LynneRedick-su1ji]

Good advice! Thank you for sharing. 😊

[@lucykatecrochet]

You are so welcome!

[@dorotheekschmid]

I spend also money on project bags, measuring tapes, row counters, a little scale, patterns, an etui for my hooks… On the other hand is crochet (and knitting) the most important resource to recover and relax. So I don’t count the time because it’s like sleeping but better.

[@lucykatecrochet]

Like sleeping but better is such a lovely analogy!

[@cet9521]

Excellent and thoughtful video, thank you!

[@lucykatecrochet]

I'm so glad that you liked it!

[@Chifaire]

For a long time my biggest cost was always the financial one, which is why I rarely buy expensive or top quality yarn, instead finding it cheap or heavily discounted. I've always had low paying jobs, and now that I'm on a fixed income due to disability, I have even less money to spend on my hobby. In the last couple of years I haven't worked at all and have had more time to crochet and knit, but unfortunately that has brought with it some other costs. I've never experienced any kind of physical problems from crocheting, until about a year ago when my left elbow (non-dominant side) started hurting and will occasionally go numb because of the repetetive motion. I'm trying to teach myself not to move my elbow as much to manipulate the fabric, and instead let my hook hand do most of the work, but it's hard to break a decades long habit. I was diagnosed with tendonitis and have had some physical therapy when the pain first started. The doctor told me that if it gets any worse I will have to stop all kinds of movements that put a strain on my elbow and forearm tendon, not just crochet and knitting, but also things like doing the dishes by hand or pushing the vacuum cleaner with my left hand. I live alone and am absolutely terrified of the day I might no longer be able to do those every day things, like cleaning the house, but also the day I will be told I have to give up my craft or face permanent injury.

[@lucykatecrochet]

I’m so sorry to hear this, it’s incredibly unfair and I really hope that things get easier for you. Xx

[@LennyLefebvre-qb6qx]

I’m so sorry and I’m in a similar place with my non-dominant elbow. One of the worst affects is the fear and the despair. Try to focus your mind on more positive outcomes. I know it sounds trite but self fulfilling prophecies are powerful because of confirmation bias. Often the reduced activity that your doctor talked about is not permanent, the break can give you healing time! Consider a second opinion, you never know what options your doctor doesn’t know about. Your yarn budget can go into supplements for your tendons and nerves. These helped me ALOT.

[@Chifaire]

@@LennyLefebvre-qb6qx Thank you for your kind words and advice. I will look into supplements, as well as ask my neurologist about it. I have a neurological, autoimmune illness, and am on meds that wipe out parts of my immune system, so I'm kind of iffy about taking anything that my neurologist havent said is okay. For now I'm doing daily stretches, as well as resting often (even if it is seriously cutting into my Christmas crocheting right now :D )

[@chelenapavlova1562]

If I am crocheting something "just for fun" then it is a real stress buster, BUT if I am going to crochet a gift for someone, it is very, very stressful. I have to pick out the Perfect yarn, (color, fiber) then the Perfect pattern then it has to be crocheted perfectly, etc. I am actually crocheting a wool blend scarf for my nephew, and I started this whole process in October.Anybody else do this or am I just weird, lol?

[@veronicaambler1846]

What a fab video! Got me thinking ;) I have fibromyalgia, so the physical cost for me can be quite high. When I first started, I had no idea just how much it would take out of me, so I've had to learn to pace myself, and actually take days off if needed. Yarn costs can be extortionate, but like you, I use only what I can afford, which at the moment is acrylics, but I do buy 'nicer' yarns when they're on sale, or from suppliers who stock discontinued colours/brands/ranges. As for hooks, well, the first set I bought was RIDICULOUSLY cheap, but I'm still using it! :D I have other sets, but yep, I tend to go straight to the cheapo ones lol! It's easy to spend a ton of money on the bits 'n bobs like pretty scissors and stitch markers, but I only treat myself to the pretties when I really can afford it... then it IS a proper treat ;) x

[@janemack8852]

The cost of patterns and pattern books. Packaging, whether gifting or selling. The emotional cost of reactions (those who diss your work. those who over-adore your work--both add pressures).

[@rexzs794]

Great video! First time seeing you in my algo, what kind of lovely creatures are in the vivariums behind you? n_n