If you feel behind in your crochet journey, watch this video... 

Comparison is the thief of joy. We all progress at our own paces. If you’re better today than you were yesterday, you’re ahead of the curve.

I learned to crochet when I was 16. I made a few blankets but life got busy and I didn’t crochet for over 40 years! Now I can’t get enough of it. I’m so happy to have this hobby. Crochet comes along when we need it. Enjoy the journey. (At whatever stage of life).

Hi Shannon 🤗 totally agree…we are right where we are meant to be in our crochet journey! I started crocheting at 55…my younger self didn’t have the time, patience, money or want to learn! As usual lovely hanging out with you! 🥰🧶🤩

I used to be an expert but have so many brain injuries and chronic illnesses that I feel behind . However, now I can follow tutorials to help me understand the pattern and diagrams. I have learned so many professional tips on RU-vid that the "behind" isn't real. I learned tricks like writing out instructions in plain language, maybe make the pattern in a heavier yarn in an exciting color even if I won't wear it. Somebody will love it.

I learned at age 69. Now at age 72 I'm living in a senior retirement apt complex. Guess what!? None of the other gals (who used to crochet in their younger years) crochet anymore. They're bored or burn out? But I'm a very very active crocheter. Motivated by my adult kids, grandkids, neighbors and charity. Its like day and night! So I'm glad I learned at an old age 😊

Hi Shannon. Crochet is the next step in my crafting journey. I started with a round, wooden loom, making hats for everyone. Next, a favorite uncle gifted me a simple embroidery kit when I was 10, then I discovered cross stitching. As a teen, my older brother started working at AC Moore! My crafting world exploded! Glass etching, fabric painting, you name it. I was 48 when I was gifted a box of yarn, crochet hooks and accessories. I learned crochet from Mikey from the Crochet Crowd. And here I am. Addicted to yarn with an attic overflowing with yarn. We are where we are supposed to be.

Started at 72 yrs. No comparison, just enjoy.

My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 8, and I've been crocheting for 40+ years. By the time I was in high school, I was selling crochet items to my high school teachers (I was NOT the cool kid lol). My advice would be that there is always something to learn! I am still learning new techniques and improving old ones; the only way to improve is to just do! I have a hexagon motif blanket I made when I was in my 20s that I am super careful with because my grandma taught me to clip the yarn close to the knot instead of weaving ends. Now, I knot my ends and weave in tails because I learned the hard way. I recently learned overlay mosaic, and am really enjoying it. Tunisian crochet is on my list, and I'm sure I'll make some mistakes while I'm learning. I don't do much amigurumi, and I have a lot left to learn about finishing amigurumi items. I still have to frog things from time to time. We never stop learning, and you shouldn't compare yourself to someone else no matter how much experience they have. Enjoy the journey!

Hi Shannon , Jo from Iowa back. Love your vlogs. I learned how to crochet at 12 my next door neighbor was a widow and I would go every day to help her with her garden ( I soon found out the difference of weeds and plants ) after we would sit on her porch swing, she would bring out lemonade and yarn with hook, we did that for many years. FIRST YOU ARE NOT OVER 40 GIRL. I would say my nagging problem is not learning new stitch or make patterns, it is , I need to finish this….oh look yarn….. haha. I made myself a wonderful sweater, just out of triangles and sewn together, I get compliments every time I wear it. Yes people ask, I say start up a chain now put the chain behind you where you want your sweater to be, then the front and so forth, all the writing up is too time consuming with me. So for me, it’s not things I wish I knew, I simply don’t like things that are too busy. I have been crocheting over 45 years and never looked back. I did take to knitting but only for socks, one year I made everyone socks for Christmas. And that’s all I will ever knit. We recently lost most everything as the roof in our rental fell in, we were told grab what you can’t live without in 5 minutes and out you must go. So I took all the pictures off the wall. You just can’t replace your family pictures, all my three friends ( I am an introvert) gathered some yarn and hooks up for me, we lived in a hotel room for 2 weeks one more week would have ended in a bad bad way. Now we have a lovely place outside of town and I love it. Ok sorry. I get going 🤣🤣🤣🤣 back to the blanket.

I want to tell you that I love the color of your top. Love the color on you. I know that all of us learn in different ways and different times.😊

I guess I don't feel left behind, since my Grandma taught me to crochet as a young bride in 1983! She taught me to single crochet, and I bought pattern book at a hobby shop and learned from there.

I learned to crochet when I was about 19 years old. I think I crocheted for about 5 years, but then life got too busy. I picked it back up when I was about 61 years old. I don't compete with others. I just make what I like. I only watch RU-vid, so I'm not seeing the glamorized version of anything. Today I'm making a single crochet pocket that is 5x6 inches. How special does that sound? But I will be really happy to have that pocket on my cardigan.

I actually started to crochet as a teenager, but the reason I couldn't learn or get into it was a language barrier since my grandma was teaching me in Spanish. 😅 More than 10 years later, I'm telling my best friend how my grandma tried teaching me years ago and I still had the hook that she gave me, he asked if I still remembered something. I was like "No, but lemme search RU-vid if I can manage to make something" and now I'm obsessed 😂

Really great video, Shannon! I learned to crochet when I was 40 and wished I would have started sooner, but you are right…we are right where we are meant to be…I may not have stuck with it at a younger age. Thank you so much for mentioning my tutorials!! ♥️😊

Catching up from ancient times because life this week was....... summer with kids 😵‍💫😎 Beautiful, encouraging topic, my friend! You made so many good points to help our hearts filter out the noise and recenter on what's truly important! ❤💗

I also struggled with this a lot more when I was younger. I think its more of that need to create "content". I was a sewing blogger for 12 years before I started RU-vid, and when I was doing my blog I was competing with people who it was their job to do what they did. I had a full time job, so i couldn't just churn out new projects to post about, so I always felt like I was lagging behind and losing readers to bigger blogs simply because I couldn't create fast enough to keep my viewers' interest. Now ive got 12 years of projects up on the blog to point at if I need to, and i confess it is super satisfying to scroll through all the projects I've done over the years. But there is no way around just needing time to pass to have more to show of things you've made. You're also absolutely right about things not being made well on youtube videos. I sew clothes and im SO TIRED of seeing these big creators talk about only sewing with thrifted sheets from goodwill. There is a reason sheets are sheets! It doesnt matter if you made a light summer sundress if its entirely polyester microfiber - it will be a smelly sweat sack! Also it will hang on you like a sheet. So maddening lol. And they dont finish their seams inside, so it won't be comfortable to wear nor will it last in the wash. So how sustainable is that? It makes me crazy

Absolutely right - looking at my new books and marveling at the skills of the creators - one has a visual design background and the other is an architect - people are bring all sorts of other skills to the table.

Shannon the crochet therapist 😊. I love a good video tutorial, especially when I was first learning crochet. I'd watch the instructions, put it on pause and then switch to another type of video to watch while I finished the row. Then I'd go back to the tutorial for the next step. So relaxing and exciting/productive at the same time!

It’s just persistence and focus, I crochet mostly amigurumi, but now I’m learning knitting and I’m in my early 40s it’s been difficult at times and I’ve redone a beanie like 3 times on circular needles, I don’t love the yarn I’m using it’s just to practice, I chose a beanie to learn to use circular needles I’m choosing to make items with my goal of making these amazing patterns by Claire Garland once I’ve mastered this skill I will move onto the next skill I need, you just have to be disciplined and you can learn anything, I plan to smash out the learning.

A great topic again. Love that green on you! Really suits you.

Wonderful advice based on your experience from your Crochet Journey! Thank you!!!

Shannon, I love your episodes! These feel like encouraging or pep talks, always filled with helpful heartfelt hints - thanks for doing these videos! ❤😊

Preaching right to me! Thank you for this

Yes I try to see myself where I am now. And I did try to learn how to crochet in my 20s. I am 45 now. I couldn't grasp it because I am left handed. Most of the books didn't have left handed instructions. And those that did had wording like read right handed instructions and good luck. Mirroring a right handed person didn't work for me either because I couldn't flip the image in my head to do it left handed. I took up quilting instead. I didn't pick up crochet until youtube and I was able to watch left handed people crochet left handed. I have been crocheting around a year I think. I don't know I haven't kept track. I am planning a RU-vid channel where I combine crochet, quilting, and making clothes. No videos yet though.

I am still a beginner at 54 in crochet and still struggling with tension and consistency and kept giving up after previous attempts. But I can knit , cross stitch ,sew, and do needle point .but find crochet hard to master. I still have urged to want to learn and finds getting past the first row tricky after trying to get the chaining right. Progress is very slow after watching different tutorials

Great talk about understanding where you are in the crochet journey. Yes, my first cardigan and tank top are not the best but boy o boy did I learn. I loved making them but am not happy with the weight of yarn or type of stitch. I am looking for different patterns and yarns. ❤ your suggestion on participating the basic stitches along with a nice feeling pretty yarn. Be Well

You give some really good advice. I hope you don't mind me chiming in.

My goodness! How old ARE you because you look super young! I was older learning to crochet and I'm glad I'm still learning.

Another fab video, thanks!

❤ my name is Mary,l have been crochet for years and I am right well I like to be.❤🎉🎉🎉❤

Always great topics ❤

I enjoyed this video. 😊❤

Sis out here looking like she is in her 30s ! What being a kind person can do for aging !

I feel left behind sometime but mostly around my mom cause she'll compair my ability to my 16 year old cusion cause I'm 29 and I have autism and I'm the first case in my family with it and my mom always makes me feel bad cause my cusion has a business and I don't and super creative with crochet it makes me feel bad😢

Hi! I've just recently found your channel & i love your straightforward & honesty comments. I really appreciated your points on the highlight reel that is social media, it's definitely more about filters & photography tricks sometimes & less about the actual projects. Thanks for the great video! 🧶💕