AIBU to remind you that crochet is hand made?

[StripyHorse]

I am currently crocheting a top for DD. It's taken me a few evenings so far and I am not even half way. In the meantime, I keep getting adverts on social media for various crochet items like this top https://www.hollisterco.com/shop/uk/p/crochet-v-neck-halter-top-51495819?faceout=model&seq=02

Unlike knitting, crochet can ONLY be made my hand so this top will have taken someone hours to make.

AIBU to ask you to consider this before buying crochet items on the High Street? If the price seems cheap (remembering materials costs / shipping and company profits) someone is being paid peanuts for all their hard work.

Yanbu. At all.

I've actually noticed though that a, lot of things that are advertised as crocheted are actually knitted.

Warp knitting machines can produce fabric that looks a bit like crochet but is definitely knitted.

I very much doubt Hollister are selling anything handmade.

I don't know anything about this stuff, but is it possible for stuff knitted on machines to look like crochet?

Ah it's that how it's done, thanks. I keep looking at things thinking "that isn't crochet" but as a non knitter I couldn't work out how it was done.

100% agree and I'll tell anyone who will listen the same. If you're seeing a fully crochet piece for high street fast fashion prices then someone somewhere is being horribly exploited. I was at a festival recently and there was SO much crochet that I sincerely hoped was stupidly expensive or handmade. This included a chap in a jaw droppingly gorgeous full body black granny square jump suit that must have cost hundreds (I hope!)

I am pleased that perhaps some things aren't really crochet - possibly the body of the top I linked to? But the trim looks crocheted so will be hand made.

There are loads of granny square tops and bags around. I can't see how they can be anything other than crochet.

If you look at these 2 photos, the green/blue/ white stripes are advertised as crochet. But they have a totally different look to actual crochet (the Rainbow coloured bit)
I think to the "untrained" eye, or from a distance they look the same.

@StripyHorse I don't know if whatever technique made this stripy jumper could be used to make a granny square.

YANBU. It's why it's very hard to sell hand made things. people expect to pay primark prices for something that takes many, many hours of work

Perhaps he made it himself?

Spend any amount of time on Instagram if you are a knitter/dressmaker/crocheter following similar accounts and you will see many amazing items people have made for themselves.

I'm currently wearing an outfit that is entirely handmade. You wouldn't know it was handmade until you saw the label says 'Shit I made this' rather than 'made in China, size 14'

The quality of the Hollister photo is not great; I wouldn’t bet folding money that that’s real crochet. There are some machine-made lacy fabrics that can do a convincing job unless you look closely.

I dont disagree with the point at ll.

But I think all handmade sellers should value themselves and charge properly for time and materials.

Hobby sellers are a part of the problem.

Why shouldn't someone with no crafting skills expect to buy this tiny top for under £20 when people charge similar for handmade baby cardigans in the UK?

It makes it easy to call proper sellers a rip off.

YANBU. However, the main body is machine knitted and sewn together, the flower trim is clearly crochet and hand applied after.

Knitting and sewing also require a great deal of work. When people think of "machine made", they tend to imagine very little operator input. Anyone who has ever used a sewing or knitting machine knows how untrue that is. Someone needs to be there, constantly manipulating the machine.

YABU because there is no reason to single out crochet. The entire fashion industry is built on underpaid, exploited workers.

Do you take custom requests OP 🙏🏻

https://www.reddit.com/r/craftsnark/comments/15et1qx/crocheters_need_to_shut_up_about_how_its/?sort=new. Some interesting discussion on Reddit.

The first one is just stocking stitch with eyelets on a self striping yarn; to a knitter's eyes that is obvious enough, but perhaps, as you say, not to the uninitiated.

I've loved crochet for years and now every born bastard wants it
I can't do it though and I value the skill required and that every piece is unique

🤣🤣 I know you are joking, but even if I was any good (only started crocheting this year), I wouldn't want to take away from the enjoyment side by making things to sell. The balance between my time costs vs the quality also wouldn't make anything I made desirable.

I make DDs' birthday cakes each year and someone once commented that I should sell them. For me, the same principal applies - it's one thing making something as a gift for a loved one, another trying to make enough to cover your costs and make it worthwhile- while still worrying about the quality not being perfect.

I am pleased that many of the cheaper things will be produced by machine - but perhaps the descriptions should be honest.

I agree. Partly because people don't know the difference, so when they ask me for a quote to make something they then decide they can buy something 'exactly the same' from a high street shop because the item says its crocheted even when it isn't.

What do you want? I do a very limited amount of custom makes.

They are interesting.

And I apologise if I have started something that has been done to death on reddit!

I appreciate the work that goes into making regular clothes too, and do try and avoid throw away fashion. It's a shame that only some brands are very transparent about their supply chain.

This is why I don’t do sewing for anyone now. They think they can have a bespoke outfit for the same price as off as the peg in Primark. I’ve made wedding dresses, evening gowns, you name it I’ve done it. It used to be worth my while but the cheap imports have given people the idea a garment can be just run up no time.

I agree with you, @StripyHorse , but would like to draw an analogy to something that happened in post war Germany, when I was a young child. My father was in the Army, and was posted to Germany as part of the peace keeping occupational forces. They were in their twenties and from very poor backgrounds. When they arrived, Mum was horrified to discover that the army quarter came with a daily maid, a local woman. My mother tried to refuse. She felt that this woman was demeaned by having to work for her, a much younger woman. Frau G didn't speak English, but when her neighbour came to translate what my mother was saying, she became hysterical, and begged my Mum to change her mind. The neighbour explained that the pittance she earned was vital to her.
I crochet too, and I know how much work goes in to those garments. Ideally the makers would be paid properly for their work, but I wonder if, like Frau G, the maker would prefer to be paid something for her work, rather than having no income at all.

Cheap cheap fashion is both the bane and the freedom of modern life.

Is it better to live exploiting poor people so I can buy the kids socks, or should I spend any spare time knitting as they would have nothing to wear otherwise.