Hi there! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted polling results here but I have been doing them weekly in the Official CCC Social Group on Tuesdays and more frequently in the It’s Crochet O’Clock Group on Facebook. If you want to participate in these pollings please join the groups and look for them. They are a great way to make friends, find new patterns and participate in Crochet Alongs as well! Plus, I’m there.. what’s more fun than that? NOTHING!
Polling Results!
Well this week did not turn out as I expected it to at all but I suppose no other week has so we are at least keeping on trend. My goal this week was to gather your favorite stitch names in hopes of assisting those who are new to crochet or stated that they wanted to increase their knowledge in 2018. We had 845 participants and 328 of them or 38.81% selected that they didn’t have a favorite. So while my plan wasn’t completely foiled I do believe we could have had a lot more listed here than we actually do. I still think that the information we gathered can be helpful and as always a situation has risen that will give a lot of us an opportunity to learn as well.
If you remember my last polling of 2017 was about what our wishes and desires would be in terms of crochet for 2018. By leaps and bounds more CALs was selected but there was also an extremely large number of people who said they wished to expand their skills. In my results for that week I suggested to those who wished to learn more than they begin an “expansion blanket” where they decide if they will choose a stitch to learn every week, every other week or once a month and build on the blanket using that stitch. I know there are a lot of crochet stitches to choose from so it can be daunting. Below are the crochet stitches that our members have chosen as their favorites, listed in order of popular first. Some you may recognize and others you may not.
Half Double Crochet (US Term) – 156 Votes
Double Crochet (US Term) – 144 Votes
Front Posts and Back Posts – 54 Votes
Puff Stitch – 22 Votes
Granite/Moss/Linen Stitch – 19 Votes
Bullion Stitch – 7 Votes
Solomon’s Knot/Lover’s Knot – 6 Votes
Treble (US Term) – 5 Votes
Bobble Stitch – 5 Votes
Herringbone Stitch – 4 Votes
Bean Stitch – 3 Votes
Extended Single Crochet Stitch – 2 Votes
Chain – 1 Vote
Cast on Half Treble Stitch – 1 Vote
Loop Stitch – 1 Vote
These numbers are very curious to me because it paints a picture. Either our group is extremely traditional or a large number of participants have not branched out away from the basic stitches, which means this polling will be helpful for them, at least it is my hope anyway. I was hoping that more people would select “cast on” stitches because I think they create a very unique effect when worked. But, perhaps they are still too “new age” and are being a bit slow on the uptake in the popularity department. If you haven’t heard of “cast on” stitches I suggest you look them up. It’s a very neat spin on traditional stitches.
The following “stitches” aren’t actually stitches at all. They are what I like to call “micro patterns” that create a specific effect when worked in multiple rows. When I added the initial options to the polling I did add a few “micro patterns” into the mix because I wanted to take the opportunity to touch on this. It gets rather confusing and it isn’t a huge deal but there is a difference. An example is the “Pineapple Lace Stitch.” When you “complete” the “Pineapple Lace Stitch” you actually have an entire crocheted pineapple. It could be a coaster. That’s not a “stitch” that’s a pattern.
Crocodile/Dragonscale – 22 Votes
Corner 2 Corner – 15 votes
Waffle – 13 Votes
Star/Jasmine – 10 Votes
Basketweave – 6 Votes
Camel – 2 Votes
Diamond – 1 Vote
To be able to form the “pattern” that give these “stitches” their names one must crochet over multiple rows using a combination of other basic stitches. This is the rule of thumb I follow when thinking of “micro patterns” verses “stitches.” If you have to work over multiple rows to complete a “stitch” then it isn’t actually a “stitch” at all.
Of special note: For those of you who selected “Alpine Stitch” in this week’s polling, your numbers were placed in the Front Post/Back Post stitch because the Alpine Stitch isn’t actually a thing. It’s a blanket pattern made of front post stitches by Jerica of Yarn Hook Needles. Jerica, if you’re reading this… you’ve started a movement lady!
I decided that I’d give Tunisian Crochet Stitches their own area here simply because you have to use a different tool when working them. For those of you who are thinking about learning Tunisian Crochet below are the three stitches that were offered this week.
Tunisian Full Stitch
Tunisian Simple Stitch
Tunisian Honeycomb Stitch
So we didn’t gather enough stitches to do a stitch every other week on a blanket but we did get enough to do one a month. Or perhaps instead of a blanket, if you’re new to crochet a scarf might be a better option if a whole blanket without any specific “direction” seems a bit over whelming. Don’t forget that there are tons and tons of stitches out there to learn that haven’t been listed here as well. Grab a pen and paper and make a list and work your way down it.
Regardless, if you’re new to the craft or not I do hope that this week’s polling has brought a stitch or a micro pattern to the forefront for you, that it’s peaked your interest and that you’ll dive in and expand your knowledge!
Once again, thank you all for participating. I will see you next week!