It seems as though knitting uses less yarn and there are so many things you can make. But then...
I settled on crochet for a number of reasons:
My grandmother crocheted. My grandmother passed away a little over a week ago after an extended illness. Granted, I started teaching myself about a month ago, but I'm glad this was my choice; I suppose I think of it as a bit of a legacy. She tried teaching me when I was around 10 or so, but all she taught me was the initial chain. Nonetheless, I chose crochet. Grandmother = Reason 1.
Needles. In crochet, you only use one. This may not be a selling point for many, but it was for me. Needles: 1 = Reason 2.
One can crochet a variety of cute, pretty, and functional things with crochet. Reason 3.
Finally, while at a large chain craft store, I had knitting needles and yarn in my basket and ideas in my head. I strolled over to the knitting/crocheting books. I thumbed through a few "how to" knit books, but it looked so complicated: cast on, knit, purl, cast off; if you mess up, you need thread, yarn needles, and a crochet hook; etc., etc. Not to mention, the books for knitting patterns were far outnumbered by the number of crochet books; and I liked the crochet creations better. Reason 4 is based on books - books I have yet to buy, and given the wealth of information online, I may never buy.
So, thanks to several well-made instructional videos found online, I've learned some simple stitches. I've made a blanket (4' X 5 1/2', weighing almost 6 pounds), a few headbands, and I've started another blanket.
Oh; I learned this weekend, while doing the physics lessons with the kids, that crochet is French for hook. See? I'm even learning about crochet while doing science! ;)
At the end of 2011, the year I (almost) read a book a week [I missed my goal by 2 books], I decided that in 2012, I would rediscover my crafty side. That said, I tend to burn out on crafts quickly. Every 5 years or so, I cross stitch. I'm not a sampler kind of person; instead, I choose a HUGE project, work on it diligently for 6 months, get it framed, then I don't touch DMC thread for years. What I'm saying is, I don't know how long my craftiness will last, but for now...
