Process and Product Crocheters: Which Are You?

Are you a process or a product crocheter? Maybe you’ve never stopped to think about it or perhaps you’ve never heard of these categories before. Read on to learn more and find out what drives your crochet process.

Product Crocheters

How do you pick your crochet projects? If your main focus is the end result of your finished project, you’re likely a product crocheter. Because your main goal is to create the desired piece, you may not even look through the pattern before you begin. For fearless crocheters, this is a wonderful way to gain experience in new techniques you may not have otherwise tried. You choose your pattern based off of a garment or accessory that you want to wear or complete for a gift. Generally, product crocheters will focus on one project at a time and finish what they’ve started.

Process Crocheters

For process crocheters, it’s all about the journey. You love the act of crocheting and simply want to play with different yarns and your favorite stitches. Process crocheters tend to pick larger projects that allow you to crochet away without much stopping for measuring, hand finishing or fiddling with any kind of stitch you don’t enjoy. You may also cherish the act of searching for the perfect pattern, pairing with the perfect yarn, and swatching until everything is just right.

Combination Crocheters

Most of us aren’t strictly process or product crocheters, but a combination of the two. I know there are certain stitches or finishing techniques that I just don’t enjoy, so I do tend to shy away from patterns that are heavy in those areas. For the most part, I have a rough idea of my finished product in mind when I’m searching for a pattern. I usually start with a yarn from my stash and the amount of yardage guides me to what is possible (one skein? A lacey scarf or hat. Several skeins? Sweater or shawl time!). From there, I look at what the end result would be and if I like it, I’ll take a closer look at the pattern to make sure I’ll enjoy creating the piece. Combination crocheters want to cherish both the act of their craft and the end result.

Something fun to note is that preferences can differ from craft to craft. I find my knitting process is very similar to my crochet process, however I’m definitely a product sewist. The act of sewing isn’t as therapeutic to me as crocheting, so I just want the project to be completed and off my sewing table. In contrast, sometimes I just want to crochet for the sake of crocheting. I’ll grab a skein or two of yarn, my hook and a simple pattern repeat to create a shawl or scarf that just goes and goes. I always want something in process on my hook or needles.

So, which type of crocheter are you? Whatever your process, cherish your crochet time!

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21 Responses to “Process and Product Crocheters: Which Are You?”

  1. Melissa Sapp

    I'm not sure which one I am maybe both. What I do most of the time is go to the craft store and walk around the yarn aisle and see if any of them speak to me. A lot of people call me crazy when I tell them that but it is the best way to describe it. I look at the yarn and touch it and it will tell me if it wants to be a scarf, hat, fingerless gloves or a animal or whatever and sometimes they don't speak to me at all. When that happens if I tell my husband or my adult children that they ask me if I am sick because that almost never happens.

  2. Jenny

    I am a combination crocheter.

  3. Cherie

    I am definitely a "process' crocheter at this point ... I find the process very very relaxing ... I also have been quilting for 15 years which seems to be more challenging (perhaps I am more product oriented with quilting) ... at this stage of crochet (a newbie) I enjoy something easy and relaxing. For these trying times ... crochet is my choice.

  4. Melinda Ratchye

    I love learning new things to add to the design arsenal. I don't like having too many WIPs, and love finishing a project. However, when it's done, I'm done with it, and don't want to look at it anymore no matter how beautiful, and give it to whomever admired it. So not quite sure where I fall.

  5. Amelia Henchey

    Definitely a combination crocheter - I look for specific products that I want to make, but always keep in mind whether a project offers an opportunity to learn something new.

  6. Eileen

    I would say I am a combo crocheter! I learned 50 years ago from my gram and love to take on challenges. When one of my daughters says “can you make this” I jump at the chance to try something new!

  7. Lynda Parker

    You had me pegged from the word combination. I am both types of crocheter and though I love to sew, just like you said I want it done almost as soon as I start! Amazing how we are all different but so much alike!!

  8. Nancy Pawlowski

    I am definitely a combination crochet or knitting. I do a lot of afghans/throws to donate as well as hats and scarves to donate. The only things I keep are samples for my classes. I teach beginner knitting and crochet classes, crochet or knit toys, scrubbies, and tatting (which is time consuming so we only do tiny things). I tend to shy away from complex stitches and patterns as I want to get things done and on to the next project. I tend to use the same patterns over and over when they are fast and easy to remember. I usually watch TV while I work, but I also have to have something to work on while sitting in a waiting room. I have a hard time just sitting without something in my hands. I learned to crochet from my mother about the age of 8 and made lots of yarn-chain ropes for my toy horses before starting on blankets for my toy horses. Back then I could get a skein of Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn for a quarter, so many of my first projects were made with that rug yarn. My mother taught me to chain on fine baby yarn because that's all she had on hand. I still have one of my many yards long chains from back then (I am 63 now). I enjoy the making, the experimenting and the teaching. Guess that makes me a very combination person.

  9. Beverly

    I never thought about being a process or product crocheter. Although I am a combination crocheter, I'm more of a process crocheter. I select patterns based on how they look and I prefer learning new stitches. I have difficulty repeating a pattern.

  10. Jamia Ross

    Crochet bags with a leather bottoms pattern