Where are crochet bloggers-

Yesterday on Twitter, designer Vashti Braha started listing crocheters who use the service. She did so in response to Amie Hirtestweet wondering where all the crocheters are. Ah, yes. Where on earth are the crocheters? I replied:

Where Are the Crochet Bloggers?Since the earliest days of CrochetMe.com, I’ve wondered where the crochet blogs are. I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t many crocheters online; of course there are. For this post, I’m focusing entirely on blogging and tweeting; forum participation is a different breed of online activity (ask me why). But, compared to blogs from other types of crafters—and yes, the sewing- and knit-blog communities are at the top of my mind—there just aren’t that many. The explosion of crochet blogs I anticipated five years ago hasn’t manifested. That’s disappointing. A large, thriving community of crochet bloggers would not only make hordes of people happy, it would also provide a fertile ground for experimentation and collaboration. These things are the foundation of the evolution of the craft.

This morning I had the first spark of an idea, though. I had a lengthy (well, for Twitter it was lengthy and please pardon my typo) conversation with designer Jocelyn Sass, who asked me if I have a theory about why there aren’t very many crocheters blogging and tweeting.

Where Are the Crochet Bloggers?We discussed further, and during our exchange she mentioned keeping her tweets and blog posts mostly related to crochet. That’s when the switch clicked. It’s a rare blogger—on any topic—who can remain entirely on topic all the time and still be engaging, still inspire readers to care about what they have to say. They have to be a wizard with words, they have to absolutely kill with high-quality information, they have to post the most beautiful photographs around. The rest of us—well, the rest of us have to bring in other topics to keep things interesting. We have to relate our craft to our everyday lives, we have to go off on entertaining tangents, we have to write about major events going on around us, our work, art, other crafts. What might be considered irrelevant tangents to the most narrowly focused crochet blogger are actually the ingredients that make many blogs worth reading.

I didn’t say it before, but I will say it now: Of the relatively few crochet blogs that are out there, a vast number of them are boring. They’re the blog equivalents of Bubba listing all those kinds of shrimp. Kids, that’s just not interesting.

And so here’s my first theory in five years about why there aren’t very many crochet bloggers: If there were more riveting crochet blogs, more crocheters would blog. More people would want to participate in the conversation. More people would be inspired to share their own stories.

What makes a blog interesting? Getting to know what makes the blogger tick; seeing the amazing products of their imagination; learning new techniques or tips; being entertained; being inspired.

Sometimes I want to shout to the world, “Would you please be more interesting?!” I could make a top-ten list.

Top Ten Ways to Be a More Interesting Crochet Blogger

  1. Blog for you. Write the things you need to say.
  2. Your readers are people, and likely crafters just like you. Make them think, and make them feel.
  3. Tell us what inspires you.
  4. Blogging is about conversation. Converse.
  5. Have an opinion. Share it. Don’t apologize for it.
  6. Read blogs that aren’t just about crochet. Read the news. Talk to people. Listen to music. See movies. Watch television. Understand that doing all of these things informs what you do with your hands. Let that come out when you write about your craft.
  7. Stop! Do not post another blurry photograph on your blog. Take another picture. Turn off the flash and use natural light. Rinse. Repeat.
  8. Use spell check. Seriously. It prevents you from undermining your own credibility.
  9. Punctuate. Seriously. Punctuation is what makes written works understandable. To be interesting, you must be understood.
  10. Tell a story. Tell your story. Tell any story. (But don’t steal someone else’s.)

What do you think? Do you read boring blogs because you feel you have to? What interests you? What do you do with your own blog to keep things interesting for yourself and for your readers?

67 responses to “Where Are the Crochet Bloggers?”

  1. Tracie Barrett Avatar

    I probably don't have a lot of readers to my crochet blog because I work very hard to keep it strictly crochet related. There may be the occasional non-crochet post (like my engagement photos) but for the most part, I'd rather skip a few days of posting rather than post about general stuff. I've seen a few blogs where it starts as crochet content and now talks about everything but crochet. It's likely a personal choice and all that and I know I'm rambling now so I'll stop. :)

  2. Megan Avatar

    I would love to see more crochet blogs! I unfortunately do not have my finger on the pulse of the industry, but would definitely read those who do. I also like to hear about design processes and that sort of thing as well. I am woefully undermotivated when it comes to blogging myself, though, and I'm not sure why. I suppose part of it is that I don't take the time to sit down and DO it.

  3. Vera Avatar

    I knit and crochet and I blog. Most likely, my problem is that I don't blog often enough since I tweet, plurk, and facebook too. Still, I decided long ago to just simply love my crochet–not to apologize for it or go into any knit of “knit vs crochet” stuff. I do good work that pleases me and others and that's all I need.

  4. Kim Werker Avatar

    Vera, yes! That's it — do what pleases you. It's not about *how often* you
    blog (unless you're looking to rock search-engine rankings, and what kind of
    motivation is that?), it's about what you blog and what you get out of it.

  5. polgara Avatar

    My blog is mostly about crochet and what happens in the crochet world. I try to keep a regular pace at blogging and also not talk about crochet on an other media such as FB. I try to give my readers something to think about and often ask them what's their opinion. I also try to share a lot on what I'm crocheting (work in progress, tutorials, …) But that's difficult. I mean, I havn't got enough time nor space in my publication agenda to write about everything I'd like. Plus, my readers have developped an habit of commenting with great insight and point of views (which I am happy about) and that pushes me to keep up the level which requires a lot of work . Don't get me wrong, I LOVE blogging, all I'm saying is that getting people interested in a crochet blog is a LOT of work.

  6. Kim Werker Avatar

    Yes, it sure is a lot of work. It sounds like you get a lot out of it, too.

  7. Julia Avatar

    Well, my first thought was “oh my god, she thinks my blog is boring!”.
    I really just blog what I want to share and what I would want to see, I am not trying too hard to be interesting. Maybe I should? I don't know.
    My blog ist not a hundred percent crochet, but I try to keep it craft related.

    As for twitter and Facebook, I am still not on either, but I am starting to feel left out. But I have no idea how and when I could handle another couple of sites to keep up with and update. I don't know how you do it.

  8. Kim Werker Avatar

    Oh no! I didn't write with any specific blogs in mind. I just wrote with the
    assumption that bloggers want to reach people and that some bloggers want to
    reach as many people as possible.

    In no way do I keep up with “it all.” On Twitter, I follow people very
    selectively, and I don't actually read many blogs. Once I got comfortable
    giving myself permission to only keep track of sites and people I find very
    engaging, thought-provoking, inspiring, or personally gratifying, I stopped
    being stressed out about my involvement online. It took years.

  9. m.k. Avatar

    I started blogging after another designer pointed out to me that I was hard to find online (that was about 4 years ago; with Ravelry and Etsy I'm now much easier to find!). I haven't noticed much of a difference in traffic to my blog for crochet-related posts vs. knitting-related posts – but for comments, you know what really wins? Photos of my dogs. :D

    I can't speak to other people's choices. My blog is about what I happen to be doing that I want to share, whether it's crocheting, knitting, sewing, baking, sorting shell midden, or admiring my dogs. I'd say I'm unlikely to try to turn my blog into a fabulous, crochet-focused blog mainly because I'm not really that into blogging, honestly. I've been doing it for years but I get much more interaction and feedback on forums and social networking sites. I've even been considering dropping the blog in favor of directing that time and energy towards getting more design work done.

  10. Mary Beth Temple Avatar

    Blogging recently is a chore – designs I can't talk about let alone show, industry things I pull back on lest the blog read like a commercial for all my new work, family stuff that I don't post lest it intrudes on someone's privacy. Doesn't leave me a lot of subjects.

    Now the podcast I love – and I figure if people really want to know what I think they can tune in there, since I do a new one every week.

  11. Kiba Avatar

    I would love to be part of a community of crochet blogs. While my craft interests are more diverse than just crochet, it is the one I do the most. Just today I was talking to my fiance and trying to figure out exactly what it is I do with my evenings when I'm not rehearsing for a play, and the verdict came down internet and crochet.

    I have trouble sustaining my own interest in my blog (evident, as my last post is from January, and my average posting rate is probably about once every two months). It's not that I don't love to crochet and to read about crochet – those are two of my favorite things – or that I don't want to write about it. I just don't know what to say.

    The operetta I'm in is consuming my life right now but I hope in April to re-commit to kibathediva.net and make it a blog worth following. (I have multiple blogs, and March is the month I'm spending recommitting to my reading one, though it hasn't been as strong a commitment as I hoped because again, operetta.) I have lots of inspiration and am getting more all the time. I have designed a whole two things ever, which I think is part of why I struggle to feel like I have something valuable to say.

    I do love to read your blog, as well as Robyn's, Vashti's, and Doris's.

  12. Lara Avatar

    I am interested in lots of crafts, so read a range of craft-related blogs – sewing (clothes, bags), quilting, crochet. I blog myself too, but because my interests are broad, the content of my blog is too. I started to blog as a form of “show and tell”, and that is mostly how it has stayed. I'm not a designer or particularly creative person, but I do love to crochet, so there is always quite a lot of it on my blog. One of my favourite crochet blogs is Attic24 – evocative writing combined with glorious colour – but if I'm looking for crochet inspiration I spend more time on Ravelry than on blogs. It all depends on why people are blogging I think – and on how much available time they have to be online! Sorry if this is a bit incoherent – typing with toddler on my lap.

  13. Ellen Bloom Avatar

    I blog at least 5 days a week. I crochet and knit and blog about both often. I also blog about art, architecture and interesting things going on in the Los Angeles area. I try to read as many crochet and knit blogs as possible. I agree with you about photos!!!! Take that item OUTDOORS and take as many shots as you need to get a decent one. Cropping your photo works wonders too!

  14. Vashtirama Avatar

    I've been blogging about crochet and reading blogs for years. Crochet designing was personal for me–a beloved hobby–and became my profession organically. I wanted people to be able to find me online but I didn't want a commercial website. I figured with a blog I could be my complete crocheting self online (boy was I wrong for awhile, see below), but I knew I didn't want to do the personal diary type. There were so many and I don't read those much. I'm not a consistently witty/entertaining writer, so I decided from the start to make *content* the top priority–that I stay on topic and post when & if I have something to say.

    When I look back, the profession aspect of it was hugely inhibiting! A designer's professionalism pivoted on how secretive s/he could be, yet I'm at my most gregarious as an online crocheter! I want there to be nothing left unsaid about every facet of crochet. In professional crochet world back then there was this suppressive climate about how crochet designers should comport themselves as professionals and in public. It has not been a good fit with the blossoming web 2.0, and the conflict basically fried my inner blogger. This climate has been relaxing into something more reasonable and does remain a practical requirement of freelance designers to a certain degree. In my case though, I think I was always more cut out for self-publishing. It's so freeing I can't get over it! I don't have to be crazy-secretive anymore. I define what makes this 21st century crochet designer professional! (My own pattern lines coming soon.)

    Around the same time I became a director of CGOA–another layer of being 'presentable' and another batch of stuff in my life that I had to be careful of how I blogged about it, if at all. My favorite content is the in-depth reviews of '70's crochet books I did, and very few people left comments. I did see some talk about them in forums but I came to feel like I was blogging into empty, lonely space. When I went to a crochet conference and was surrounded by fans of my blog anxious for the next '70's book review, I began to wonder about the comments thing–why don't people comment more? Commenters feed a blogger and I think most people don't know that. A few blogs I visit get tons of comments about anything; is the reason the same for each of those blogs? Luckily I installed a stat counter so that I could see visitors.

    The next blog development is that I wrote some articles about crochet or print publications and got paid the same amount, for less effort, than I've been paid for some crochet designs! This is also when professional writers, photographers, and business commentators were complaining about writers giving away too much for free on the internet, and I wondered why I was blogging for free. Yet I love the blog medium, so I guess it's its own reward.

    More recently, Ravelry happened and I saw about 3 of my original blogging goals met by my Ravelry pages simply and elegantly. Twitter is actually a great Blogger's Tonic! I can blurt and be responsive to the moment without it having to be a polished (professional, literary, etc) blog post with amazing photos.

  15. Janet Avatar

    I blog but am kinda new at it. Sometimes it's yarn related, sometimes not. Just depends on what bubbles in my brain.

  16. Vashtirama Avatar

    Why do you figure forum participation is a different breed of online activity? It's looking like you're right but why?

  17. Woowork Avatar

    I particularly agree with #6 and #10 on your list, about applying your own varied experiences & life stories into what you write and crochet. Interested people are interesting.

    As someone new to both crochet and blogging, the audience I aim to attract is the person who was like me a year ago: someone not interested in crochet or crochet blogs. However, crochet blogs like the ones I will list below were successful at transforming me into crochet blog reader and, eventually, a person who crochets amigurumi and blogs.

    Thanks for your Top Ten Ways to Be More Interesting, which can be smartly applied to every blog! :)

    ~ Howie

  18. Woowork Avatar

    Some interesting crochet blogs:

    Yummypancake
    Mygurumi
    m203gow
    Berrysprite
    Owlishly
    Roman Sock
    Geek Central Station
    Monster Crochet

  19. Woowork Avatar

    Yummypancake
    Mygurumi
    m203gow
    Berrysprite
    Owlishly
    Roman Sock
    Geek Central Station
    Monster Crochet

  20. Woowork Avatar

    yummypancake.blogspot.com
    mygurumi.blogspot.com
    blog.livedoor.jp/m203gow
    berrysprite.blogspot.com
    owlishly.typepad.com/owlishly
    littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock
    geekcentralstation.blogspot.com
    monstercrochet.blogspot.com

  21. Amy Avatar

    Vashti, I understand how you feel about balancing professionalism with the desire to maintain an open and creatively honest blog. One of the things I struggle with most is maintaining the energy of inquisitive inspiration that my blog began with. When I was a new designer, I was constantly figuring things out and writing about them. Now that I'm a bit more seasoned, I'm still creatively stimulated in my work, but I'm not necessarily problem-solving as much, but I'd still like to have that spirit in my blog.

    Regarding comments, I'm not sure why some blogs get millions of comments and others don't. Like you, I no longer worry about that because know my readership is there. Also, I feel privileged that my commenters are thoughtful and insightful when they do leave messages.

  22. Kim Werker Avatar

    Oh, Vashti, I know exactly what you mean. If you go back through the
    archives of this blog, you'll probably notice a fairly sharp change in tone
    and content. This past fall, I decided I'd had enough of being
    “professional.” Even before I started working at Interweave Crochet, I felt
    I needed to be professional as the representative of CrochetMe.com. Then as
    an author. Last spring I realized I was exhausted from trying to play all
    the roles I'd assumed I needed to play. So in the fall I gave it up.
    Although I'm rarely compelled to write about my personal life, I did slowly
    out my opinions about politics and social issues, and I started writing
    about things I'm interested in beyond crochet. I had no idea what would
    happen, but I did know I'd end up hating being online if I had to continue
    to self-censor. No one ever told me I had to, I created that expectation all
    on my own.

    Anyway, I agree that comments are the lifeblood of a blog, and I'm
    fascinated both by which posts of my own inspire people to comment, and by
    which posts on other blogs inspire me to comment.

    I loved your reviews of '70s crochet books, but you're right — I rarely
    commented on your blog. I don't know why. I likely didn't think I had
    anything to add. I spout off comfortably in my own space, but often think I
    don't have much to add in someone else's. I hadn't really thought of that
    before. It's great food for thought.

    I'm excited to see what you're getting up to!

  23. gale (she shoots sheep shots) Avatar

    Ok I hardly ever crochet so that rukes me out as a crochet blogger, but…just wanted to say what an excellent list. Especially number 5. And, of course, number seven.

  24. Kim Werker Avatar

    For the most part (and there are certainly exceptions), forums aren't the
    go-to place to share big ideas. There are very specific expectations of
    members of a forum: You're expected to converse, to chime in, to
    participate, to ask questions, possibly to answer questions. In many cases
    it's like a long-term, long-form, public IM conversation between lots of
    people. In no way do I mean to denigrate them, I'm just trying to contrast
    them with blogs and Twitter.

    On a blog or on Twitter, you're expected to share some big ideas. Not “big”
    as in life-changing, but “big” as in original, uniquely your own. You set
    the rules on your own blog. It's up to you to start a conversation, and it's
    up to you to try to keep that conversation going. On a forum, it's
    collective. All of it. There's a different responsibility. I lump Twitter in
    with blogs because the same expectation applies — people follow you so they
    can hear from you specifically.

    I don't think I'm being very clear about this; when I wrote the post I
    thought I had a very concise and clear designation in mind, and it turns out
    I've either lost it or hadn't actually thought it through fully.

    What do you think?

  25. Kim Werker Avatar

    Hi Gale,

    I dropped the ball in our discussion, didn't I? I apologize! How are things
    going?

    Cheers,
    Kim

  26. juliet..... Avatar

    I've blogged about crochet but the word that drew readers in was “scrumbling”. You should see how many hits I've received from the US, Australia and NZ when scrumbling has been a topic. I'm sure there have been a few hits due to mentioning Prudence Mapstone and Sylvia Cosh, but scrumbling is something people are eager to read about. I guess that means, when you post, just toss in a scrumble or scrumbling here and there and watch your comments and hit build! Whooo Hooo! Scrumble, scrumble, scrumble…..

  27. Jennifer/Jaybird Avatar

    I HOPE I have an interesting crochet blog! LOL!! I try to talk about crochet related items mostly, but I do add in personal info too. I think my readers like to know a little more about the designer, even if I am new to the designing world. I also use it as a promotional tool since most of my patterns are self-published and I like to make sales, LOL!!

  28. Jocelyn Avatar

    I was going to comment here, but then decided to write a blog post in response to Kim's post! You can view it here if you would like:

    http://crochetcafe.blogspot.com/

    I am going to try and be a better crochet blogger!

  29. Vashtirama Avatar

    Blogging can be such a mirror because I'm an avid reader of them, so I watch myself as a reader/commenter. Like you, there are many where I don't spontaneously comment either, yet enjoy what I read. Sometimes I stop at a blog on my way to somewhere else and am too preoccupied to notice that I have a reaction to what I've read. Other times I'm just sated and there's nothing to say.
    I do comment more when I decide that I'm going to, and I've made great new connections with people because of it.
    A flip side is responding to comments on one's own blog. I stopped doing that early on–the blog architecture didn't really support a 2-sided conversation feeling–but things have improved there.

  30. Vashtirama Avatar

    Yes–I think your emphasis on the differing responsibilities is key. Twitter is very stats-based among many users (how many follow, the ratio of following to follow, proportion of @ replies to not, etc) which amps up the sense of responsibility for the conversations one starts. In a forum, the moderator/listmom feels a kind of responsibility that no other member of it does.

  31. Kim Werker Avatar

    I can't say strongly enough how much using Disqus has helped to improve conversation on this blog — not only because I can easily reply publicly to comments if I want to, but because *all* commenters can participate easily in actual back-and-forth conversation here.

  32. Dora Avatar

    Hope I'm not too late chiming in here. Personally, I don't have enough time to read blogs, though when I do I find them interesting. When I decided to go on line, I went for the ezine idea, hence Crochet Insider. Sometimes I wonder, though, if I should have a blog instead, or as well? I mean, I get lots and lots of readers, so does it matter? What I really want to do is help change the crochet world, but not sure of the best way.

  33. SbutterAMfly Avatar

    Thank you for this post, and for all these great comments! Reading all this has really inspired me to pay more attention to the quality of words, etc that are posted in my blog.

    I too have often been torn between being professional and expressing myself fully. I almost feel obligated to keep it professional because of my relationship with a certain yarn company… like what I put forward as my personal opinions could reflect how people view this company. It's been requested, that I not rant and rave about yarns from other companies, despite how much I really love the yarn.

    When I'm wrapped up in things that don't involve this yarn company, sometimes I just don't post at all. I'd rather just not post than say things that are restricting the way I really feel. Anyway, that's frustrating… but I'm inspired now to be more creative with what I post about. It doesn't always have to be about the yarn! Thanks everyone.

  34. marikka Avatar
    marikka

    I guess I'm trying to figure out what exactly one means by an “interesting crochet blog.” Are we looking for a crochet tech blog? A crochet photo blog? Something akin to Yarn Harlot, but focused on crochet? A blog about designing? And also, what makes a crochet blog?

    I'll be honest, I always wondered why crochet didn't have a Stephanie Pearl-McPhee or an Elizabeth Zimmerman. Is it because we tend to keep it all in the family? Is it because there aren't really that many of us? Is it because of a residual stigma? Or is it more that we might not need it? I've always held EZ as more of a teacher, and I wonder if there is as definite a role for a iconic teacher in crochet. I do think there's a place ready for a crocheter to become a sort of SPM for crochet, but you need someone willing to be that open, that intimate, and that familiar with a crew of strangers, and then those strangers have to find him or her.

    Or maybe, what is a cool knitting blog? It might be that I don't know what I'm missing because I don't know what others have.

  35. Kim Werker Avatar

    I'd love to know what others find an “interesting” blog to be. For me, it's
    one that provides the things I mentioned already. If it's tech-oriented, the
    techniques are explained well and they're useful. If it's a photography
    blog, the photos are outstanding. If it's a blog that relies on writing,
    that writing is high-quality, the stories and anecdotes are entertaining,
    informative, moving.

    What inspires you subscribe to a blog?

  36. marikka Avatar
    marikka

    See, I don't really subscribe to blogs. I poke around and my taste in blogs changes. Right now, I love reading the comic bits. A couple of months ago, I was back to the book blogs that were brutally honest and never apologized. Before that I was into the craft blogs with beautiful pictures (and Alicia Paulson's because of her food pictures).

    I have a blog for a long-lost reason. Back when I had a LJ account, it was to be able to say the brutally honest things I couldn't say out loud, but then when people found me, I self-censored. And now, I self-censor because I have a life outside of what I put on my blog that needs to be tended and protected. I can't be brutally honest anymore because employers look at Facebook and MySpace accounts and blogs. I'm okay with the self-censoring because it helps one know reasonable boundaries, but I wonder how interesting a blog can be if there are these recognized boundaries.

  37. Annette Avatar

    Most interesting thread since the one on Sarah Palin, Kim! Seriously!

    I don't blog often enough. This is particularly true in winter, since I believe that a good post on my blog must have a nice photo, and the light is so crappy here in the winter.

    That being said, I think that my best blog posts have nothing to do with the photos. They come when I stop thinking about what I should write, and just sit down and, well, write.

    I think it's very interesting to see how new social media, like community sites, Twitter etc. affect blogging. Personally, I can't keep up with it all, but I've noticed a new focus on blogs in my own case. And definitely more quality than quantity – I follow just a few blogs regularly, but I read them all the time.
    A very good blog is about a million times as interesting as any forum on the Internet, IMHO.

  38. Kim Werker Avatar

    You nailed it, Annette, and I've experienced the same thing: When I stop
    thinking about what I should (and shouldn't) write and just sit down and
    write, I do my best work.

    I'm surprised by how common the perception of the need to self-censor is. I
    don't see being professional and being honest and true to self as being
    mutually exclusive. I'm going to write more about that once I send these
    book proofs in…

  39. Julia Avatar

    … which is kind of ironic, as it was you with this blog post that started me wondering about what I should and shouldn't write, if I was doing things right, if my blog was boring, interesting, if I had good enough photos……. . :)

  40. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    I see everyone saying they have a blog, but don't list their blog address. Please post your blog url :) I just started mine, http://www.the-fish-cube.blogspot.com

    Also is there a list of twitters who tweet about crochet? I am fishcube on twitter!

    Sharonkay

  41. Sharon Avatar

    sorry forgot to add my webpage to my profile.

  42. Michelle  Avatar

    There are several interesting topics here. Thanks for hosting the discussion.

    I was with a group of knitters the other day and the hostess had a couple complaints about crochet: one, that it was difficult to work the first row, and, second, that she had been told to “just increase wherever you want to.” It was too loose-y goose-y for her. I do think a certain personality type is attracted to crochet, me included — maybe the type doesn't really like a bunch of rules, is more willing to take risks, is rebellious and won't be put to such mundane tasks as using stitch markers or editing a post? I like how free-form crochet can be. I can refer to a stitch book, do a little swatching if I feel like it, and then make a custom garment. To tie this back into the topic, I guess I think that knitters make better bloggers. Knitters probably read their camera instruction book, too. ;)

  43. mollymade Avatar

    This has seriously got me thinking. I've been crocheting for over 10 years now. This has been a great year of selling items to friends/coworkers, and random people through my facebook group – Molly Made. I promised myself that this year I would actually start posting things on Etsy and set up a blog ( http://mollymade.blogspot.com). I have a few very good friends who are great crocheters/knitters/actors, but I've not really known how to get involved in the fiber arts community. I've had a lot of success as a musical theatre actress, which is great, but also keeps me on the road. Living all over North America makes it hard to establish a connection with a local community, and I'm unable to attend classes or regular group meetings.
    I thought a blog might be a great way to motivate me, and help me to stay invovled. HOWEVER… after reading this, I think the way I have approached my blog has been all wrong. First of all, I know I don't write enough – that is something on which I will definitely work. And, I find myself apologizing. Even if I don't apologize in print, I do in my own head. I worry about the fact that I am a much better crocheter that a knitter. In fact, I enjoy crocheting more than I enjoy knitting. Why do I feel the need to hide that fact. (I think I know why and I'll soon address it in my blog) I started knitting a year ago, and I find so many things that I love about knitting. I love combining the two, and I wish everyone could appreciate the beauty of both crafts. But, I don't need to hide the fact that crocheting is really where I do my best work, and where I am able to really express myself.
    I decided to use my blog as a list of the yarn shops I've been able to visit on tour. How boring! I have loved each and every LYS I have visited and I've loved writing about what I have found in each shop. BUT… I know I have much more I could be writing about, and asking about with my blog.
    I'm vowing to stop apologizing (even if it's just in my own head) and to start conversing. This post has been so helpful. I know this will not only make my blog more interesting to read. It will make it more interesting to write.
    Thanks for the inspiration and advice!
    Molly

  44. kristi Avatar

    I'm posting sort of as an outsider as I have never blogged about crochet… I don't blog much about knitting anymore either though! But I'm thinking about blogging in general… is it still as vital as it was now that there's twitter and facebook and ravelry and various other fora for discussion? Maybe it's just too diffuse?

    I do remember way back when in 2002 when I started knitblogging, there was a webring and the membership was small enough you could really surf the whole ring on a good day. There was such a sense of community to it! I remember feeling compelled to keep up with it, seeing what everyone was doing and doing my part to comment and keep the conversations going and i think that feeling was very much shared at the time. I think people discovered it and really did sense that there was a community and wanted it, wanted to be part of it. And that's what caused the explosion in the number of knitblogs. Sure there was great content, but I think the sense of community and discovery of like-minded souls was really the driver. Knowing that people I admired and was learning from would be reading me too inspired me both to blog and to be creative in very powerful ways. Maybe the fact that there are relatively few crochet blogs makes the potential for community building at this moment stronger?

  45. Kim Werker Avatar

    I hope the potential really is there. Note that you mentioned that you found
    like-minded people — this ties into sharing your thoughts about the craft
    in your blog. To get to know other bloggers, you have to open up a little. I
    haven't seen much in the way of that on crochet blogs, with some wonderful,
    notable exceptions.

  46. Mia Avatar

    Hi Kim,

    I've kept meaning to chime in, and then have been distracted. I did want to say that I also quite frequently wondered about the lack of crochet blogs. When I got back into crocheting I searched high and low and was frustrated that there weren't many substantial crochet blogs.

    I think offline more so than online I've been a lot more vocal about discussing crochet, even though probably 90+ percent of my posts are about what I've crocheted. Feelings of inadequacy also creep into the back of my mind when calling myself a crochet designer, because I make dolls/amigurumi, not necessarily garments, so I sometimes feel like I shouldn't always speak authoritatively on the subject. I think especially because I tend to be very blunt in real life, and been accused of putting on airs often enough to feel as though I should tread lightly with people who don't exactly *know* me online.

    And, as witnessed, I also tend to get somewhat tangential, and have to reel it back in. I do try to discuss crochet, and I've been meaning to show more about how I do things, because even though the things I do to make my dolls seem commonplace to me, I forget that it would be helpful to others who don't think the way that I do to get an idea of how I crochet.

    I've just gotten too busy, and I've been trying to do too many things at once- new patterns, embroidery, picking up knitting, figuring out the book proposal thing, being a mom to 2 maniac (major time vortex there), reading and being intimidated by way too many other blogs, etc. Then it's been 5 days between posts! Twitter is something I've been trying to figure out lately as well. I signed up, but I'm trying to negotiate a balance between talking about what I'm doing in my personal life with talking about my craft. It's all very thought provoking though, and your post, as well as all the comments after it have been rather interesting.

  47. Jessica Avatar

    It is very rare to find a crochet only dedicated blog – there are a few and they are very good but mostly I get my crochet blog kick from reading a selection of craft blogs that also do the occasional crochet post. Crochet still isn't as big as knitting and perhaps it never will be, because of this there just isn't the volume of patterns, books and events for the avid crocheter to blog about.

    I love crochet – it's definitely my number one thing to do when I have a rare spare minute, but when I decided to join the blogging community I did it as a crafter and not solely as a crocheter. Why? Well maybe because crochet fills the gaps so nicely, quick easy projects that can be done to embellish and add interest to other crafts. I didn't want to limit myself to just crochet and in a way that gives me the chance to experiment more and feed that back into the crochet I do.

  48. mkcarroll Avatar
    mkcarroll

    Oops! I'm moving my blog to http://www.mkcarroll.com; everything *should* be there now. Back in February I wrote a long post about crochet symbolcraft and how I'm trying to bring a more user-friendly charting into my self-published patterns, and I got exactly zero comments and emails regarding it. It was kind of the last straw for me. If I really want traffic, I should post more free patterns. If I really want comments, I should post more photos of my dogs. *shrug* As I said earlier, with the other networking options out there, blogging may be something I choose to stop doing in favor of other activities.

    m.k.

  49. avanta7 Avatar

    You can find my combo blog (knit and crochet), A Good Yarn, here. I'm part of the Crochet Liberation Front Blogring, as well.

    BTW, I found your blog when I was writing my review of the latest issue of Interweave Crochet and looking for a suitable link for your name. (Sorry to see you leave IC, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Marcy does with the publication.) I love your “Top Ten” list up there, and will do my best to incorporate each of those suggestions into future blog entries.

    Happy hooking!

  50. tintocktap Avatar
    tintocktap

    Great post – and the comments make a fascinating read too! When I started crocheting more about a year ago, I looked around for crochet blogs and was disappointed not to find anything much. I've been blogging as a stitcher for almost 3 years and we have a wonderful community of stitching bloggers. Bloggers need to blog about what they find interesting and inspirational as it all feeds in to what and how we make things whether crochet or otherwise. And the internet is such a wonderful resource for this kind of thing.

  51. monika Avatar

    This is so interesting! But, sorry if I'm being a bit dense here but I'm not totally clear from your article whether you want more crochet blogs with other elements of life included in it, or not? It seems you want more crochet blogs, but think crochet blogs that blog ONLY about crochet might be boring? I agree with your point about not wanting to look at 'endless lists of projects, badly photographed and badly written, but I really wish there were more crochet blogs that blog ONLY about crochet!

    As someone who is relatively new to crochet (but not to blogging) I am constantly seeking out other crochet blogs. I'm not always looking for patterns or tutorials (though they are v. useful of course), i find just looking at other people's WIPS and FOs inspiring and exciting in itself (and discussions about crochet such as this one are very compelling to me).

    For me personally, crochet bloggers (in particular) definitely do not need to bring in other elements of their lives (e.g. recipes etc) to keep it interesting. If anything, i get turned off if someone blogs too much about their cooking/church etc. I guess I'm pretty 'narrow focused' in that respect! And in my own blog, so far I've kept it solely crochet crochet crochet, as that is what I want to read myself. (rule no.1 of your list!) But I admit that so far, it does follow mostly a 'list of things I made' format, so I intend to add more writing eventually.

    Anyway thanks for a good read, it made me think :)

  52. jd Avatar

    i'm a blogger! i'm a crocheter! i'm a crochet blogger! check me out at http://crochet.craftgossip.com. i'm probably a bit older than you who tweet and text and such. but, i can write and i love to crochet, so writing about crochet just seems like a natural to me.
    jd in st louis

  53. Libelula Avatar

    That's exactly what I was thinking. Crochet is one of those often misunderstood crafts. Quite a few people really don't like it, or see it as somehow inferior to knitting. This makes posts on crochet rare in the internet world compared to other crafts. Though I do believe some of this is also because it is a relatively new craft with less history and therefore less complications. I'm not saying it isn't complex, but that there aren't at least 3 completely different ways to colour crochet. So blogers are unlikely to always post about the techniques of colour crocheting for example.

    Personally I have a lot of different hobbies and I do tend to focus on a handful of projects at any one time. I will look into blogs about those projects, will bookmark them, and then move on to the next project.
    I'm a flighty crafter. And I don't think I'm alone. I found crochet much easier to master than knitting or sewing. Especially once I learned the basics and was ready to move on. Once I am confident with something, I tend to move on to something new.

    The main attraction of crochet for me is it's lack of boundaries. You can crochet in any direction, with any yarn or non yarn easily, remedy mistakes as you go along and it's quick so presents for pets which will be destroyed won't make you cry. I think generally crochet attracts people who will mix crafts and have many hobbies and little time, so those who blog are few and far between. Thank you bloggers, for saving us flighty crafters! ;P

  54. funkygirl Avatar
    funkygirl

    I am a crocheter that has turned my hobby into a business. I make purses and I am looking for someone to blog for me. If there is someone out there who is willing I am willing to give them a purse. Please contact me. Thanks

  55. Cora Shaw Avatar

    I have to say my blog, http://craftygal1965.blogspot.com/ is about everything, not just crochet or knitting. I have been developing some crochet ideas and hope to have more on my site. Lately it has been about politics and social issues. I have dealt with a lot in my little old life so I tend ot talk about. Sometime sit is out there as it I work through feelings surrounding the deaths of friends at the hand of a serial killer in Vancouver, BC. I do live in Edmonton, Ab now however was deeply affected by this. I am a person who needs to blog about my life and my struggles, so others can see that no matter what happens in life it does get better.

  56. Dryden Avatar

    I think these are great tips for ALL bloggers. I hope you’ve inspired some fresh new perspectives in the crochet world.

  57. Brendy Avatar

    I have been trying to get my knitting and crochet blog started for months; my problem is that I am not as computer savy as I thought I was so I keep getting caught up reading and joining sites of topics that pop up while I am setting up the page. First I was in Blogger but I couldnt get my menu categories to work; so I have loads of drafts not posted; I just joined wordpress.com and it has the menus I need and so I transferred over all my posts but in reading how to create traffic to your blog I decided to find top crochet blogs and see the style used to communicate that makes their blog so good; that’s how I landed here, Kudos to you, for being listed as one of the best, but dont ask me what list you were on lol I have no clue; but I do want to thank you for your list of things to not be boring; I will follow them as best I can. I personally have visited many crochet sites that’s how i collected so much information and then decided to blog about my best findings. My categories are free patterns, japanese, tutorials, andcrochet news and upcoming events. I hope I finally manage to start posting boring or not at this point posting something is better than nothing for me at least…hopefully I will get it out soon; would love to get some feedback Thanks. Brendy Couture Stitches.

    1. Kim Werker Avatar

      You’ll find your voice as you get going, Brendy. All the best of luck to
      you!

  58. Brendy Avatar

    I have been trying to get my knitting and crochet blog started for months; my problem is that I am not as computer savy as I thought I was so I keep getting caught up reading and joining sites of topics that pop up while I am setting up the page. First I was in Blogger but I couldnt get my menu categories to work; so I have loads of drafts not posted; I just joined wordpress.com and it has the menus I need and so I transferred over all my posts but in reading how to create traffic to your blog I decided to find top crochet blogs and see the style used to communicate that makes their blog so good; that’s how I landed here, Kudos to you, for being listed as one of the best, but dont ask me what list you were on lol I have no clue; but I do want to thank you for your list of things to not be boring; I will follow them as best I can. I personally have visited many crochet sites that’s how i collected so much information and then decided to blog about my best findings. My categories are free patterns, japanese, tutorials, andcrochet news and upcoming events. I hope I finally manage to start posting boring or not at this point posting something is better than nothing for me at least…hopefully I will get it out soon; would love to get some feedback Thanks. Brendy Couture Stitches.

  59. Dsavoie Avatar

    everything is not ok to try once, suicide, heroin, you get the idea, otherwise ok, yeah stick to one topic.

  60. Dsavoie Avatar

    everything is not ok to try once, suicide, heroin, you get the idea, otherwise ok, yeah stick to one topic.

  61. Jacqueline Mukweto Avatar
    Jacqueline Mukweto

    Great article. I am a crochet blogger http://www.mukweto.blogspot.com but like you said there is only so much you can say about crochet and keep it interesting and crocheting moves slower then lets say card making or sewing so sometimes it is a few weeks in between amazing work.

  62. jd wolfe Avatar
    jd wolfe

    my blog is 100% crochet related.  i’m sponsored by a larger craft community which features blogs from a variety of interests (knit, beads, upcycling, etc).  there are a lot of crochet bloggers out there but many of them don’t seem to have a lot to say.  i think that’s too bad as i have a lot to LEARN!  thanks for your blog.
    jd
    http://crochet.craftgossip.com

  63. Jess Avatar

    I am a blogger that crochets. I am in the process of switching to a blog that talks more about crochet. My “problem” is that I have a 3 year old and a 10 month old, am a stay at home momma, and so the times that I get to do anything are from 9pm-2am. I burn the midnight oil most nights. Not the best time for picture taking. 
    Yet, I am determined. 
    What do people want to know about? I think that’s what has kept me from it in the past.

    I second Kiba’s response in that I would love to be a part of a crochet bloggers community. I know of a few blogs that I frequent… http://easymakesmehappy.blogspot.com/
    http://peoplewebs.blogspot.com/
    http://dottieangel.blogspot.com/
    http://crochetforfree.blogspot.com/

    Other than the last one, they aren’t JUST crochet blogs but personal blogs of crocheters.

  64. Irene Avatar
    Irene

    Crochet is shaking it these days. Love that!
    I crochet and I blog about it, but I don’t have a rule about when I do it. I blog when I have something to tell, that is what makes it interesting for me. Writing for the sake of writing serves no purpose in my opinion.

    I love when I come across sites that have cool words and cool crochet spiced up with cool photos. I read them and I make sure to interact with them, to encourage more of the same from them. To me, interaction is vital!

    http://www.yarnclasses.com

  65. Chris Arlington Avatar
    Chris Arlington

    Great post! It took me a while to stop blogging if I didn’t have something good to show. It never occurred to me that I always have an opinion about something,(LOL). I was ecstatic when I discovered you live in Vancouver, B.C. I live in Coqutilam but was raised in Vancouver. I love crochet! I have been creating off and on since I’ve be 5, that was 57 years ago. But, I never stop learning new and improved methods etc. Thank you for your contributions to my world.

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