I’ve just returned from a 2 week cruise of the Mediterranean. Yes, I know showing off but what I wanted to tell you is how popular crochet is in Europe. I spotted it all over the place.
I took my crochet with me and worked on it on sea days. Several other passengers came over to introduce themselves and ask what I was making. I’d taken a blanket project which is made up of bands of different colours and stitches, which provoked lots of comments.
I had a lovely chat with this lady in Valetta, Malta. She was making and selling Amigurumi on the street. She spent ages chatting to myself and another lady, we even got out our phones and showed each other photos of our work.
When we reached Kusadassi in Turkey on a Sunday, there was a craft market on the Quay. Lots of crochet for sale there, amigurumi and bags being most popular.
Onto Rhodes Old Town, and in among the tourist shops a great range of crocheted bags and Plushies, toys made from chenille yarn.
Crochet can only be made by hand, although there are some machine made fabrics that look like crochet but aren’t. The question is , do you buy from shops? You have to think about who is making these cheap crochet items. Almost certainly they are being made by cheap labour somewhere in the third world. Those crochet items that you see at craft events that look expensive compared to what you buy from those Chinese websites, there is a reason for that. Lots of hours go into making them, so think before buying about the person who has made them.
What Kate Made Today 