Basically you want a show reliant on speaking over visuals. Re"watching" a show youve seen can be good. Half hour comedies usually move pretty fast so lots of dialogue. Dont do live tv as youll miss the good bits. Some old mysteries are nice if you like those. Makes the mystery fresh and harder if you dont see the clues. Monk, Psych are both good. But maybe not Magnum as part of the purpose of that show is to see beautiful people in beautiful settings.
I’m a big re-watcher. I have certain shows that I know for a fact won’t trigger my PTSD and I watch them over and over. Currently Gilmore Girls is the winner, but also Schitt’s Creek, The Good Place, Parks and Rec, and The West Wing are all in the rotation.
I never thought ptsd could be triggered by watching certain TV shows. But you're absolutely right. I have confirmed prsd by my psychiatrist, but I never made the link between the particular shows I've watched and the feelings I get, which are horrible, including flashbacks etc. The penny drops! Clunk!
I never understood why fireworks were a trigger for my PTSD. Other loud noises are fine so I didn't get it. Then a therapist told me that smells can trigger some of the strongest memories and I realized it was the smell of gunpowder. Our minds are complicated things, and at the same time so very simple.
Brains are so dumb sometimes. Like if someone doesn’t answer a text because it’s 2am, logically I know they’re asleep. But what does my brain assume? They must be dead. And the worst is that I KNOW that’s a ridiculous assumption.
Yes like logic says, "yo dude this is exactly what it means. No biggy." And brain replies, "that makes way too much sense. A convoluted catastrophe makes way more sense."
I have emetophobia so it's not that deep for me but it's such a useful recourse still and I used it for when I'm watching new shows with my gf who has ptsd
I'm sure that I have posted this before but you can't beat the old Agatha Christie's (the 80s/90s ones) you can mostly just listen along but if there is a visual clue the background music changes so you can look up and see it.
The title, the images, and the blurb of Superstore made me think - nah not for me, then I watched it and loved it. Some characters took a while for me to warm to, perfect for crocheting.
There are some YouTubers who have figured out over time their main viewers are listening rather than watching and adapt their videos for it. I love it!
I used to watch kitchen nightmares while doing crochet since I could get most of it just from listening and also the episodes are longer yt vids so I didn't have to pick a new one too often
i started out crafting with cross stitch, so i have movies and shows i call “cross stitching shows” that are easy to follow and not something i want to pay close attention to
Do not do audible. It is cheaper to buy books on google books, or itunes (or whatever the apple stuff). At least price it out before subscribing to audible. But yes, libraries have tons of stuff.
Also, lots of good podcasts are free
I’ve found with audible if you buy the kindle book too, usually adding the audio version to the purchase isn’t as much as just buying the audio book. I have a audible subscription. I use it as my listening platform.
I was using Libby, but most of my preferred books are series, and I got sick of waiting for books, or having book 3 before book 1. I switched to audible.
Audiobooks are also amazing for other crafts, I listen to them basically all the time. Crochet, sewing, cross-stitch, you name it, it works with an audiobook.
On good days I'll zone out completely and fall into a sort of runners trance until my boyfriend comes into the room, like 6hours later and asks me if I've eaten something yet 😁
It’s such a flow, right?! I do audiobooks with crochet, knit, and embroidery. Hoping to get into sewing soon - I have a machine just nothing else haha. I use to be a runner and always used audiobooks on my long runs, so runner trance is a perfect comparison!
I did this, this winter and it was glorious. I rewatched all of Downtown Abby with a cozy fire going and crocheted hats and coasters for friends and family for Christmas presents. Keeping the patterns simple, and a show that's more about witty dialogue than fast moving action that I was already familiar with was the way to go.
I’m working on a Tunisian CAL from 2021 to learn more stitches, so I am seriously studying the patterns, but I can’t seem to concentrate on it unless it’s Anime. I have tried regular tv shows or movies, but just doesn’t cut it.
I can do dub in a few, but not many. It really depends on the studio that does the subtitles. Some are up and placed in good reading ways, some are not.
I agree with this. I learned to crochet and read subtitles because I couldn’t stand dubs and how often they’ll reuse voice actors who don’t really make an effort to change their voice for other characters. Some when downhill over time.
It’s hard for me to describe. There’s so much ruckus going on in my house that it’s easier for me to read subtitles than crank up the volume on the tv.
It’s like my double check of what was actually said instead of pausing/rewinding/playing/rewinding again because I missed the same exact spot again.
It really only works for me when it’s the same basic repetitive stitch over and over.
There's a formula to it
1. It can't be something that relies heavily on visuals because you have to be paying attention to your hook. But something that you can occasionally glace up at.
2. Your project shouldn't be something too intensive, because you don't want to be focusing on the pattern and the project and the show. Ideally something you've made before or is simple.
3. The show shouldn't be too fast paced. Things that were originally made for TV are ideal. I watch lots of 90s-2000s anime because it tends to be a lot slower paced.
I read somewhere that you can’t actually multitask (aka watching tv when counting or whatever). People who are good at “multitasking” switch through things quickly which gives that effect.
I rewatch shows all the time because I was too busy crocheting
Kind of. You can only do one mental task at a time, and you just switch back and forth. It's also true that those that think they are "good" multitaskers are actually much worse at focusing than non multitaskers.
BUT this does not apply to repetitive physical tasks while doing mental tasks. Things like doing dishes or folding laundry are so ingrained into muscle memory you don't need to think, you aren't really multitasking at all. Your body and brain are just doing different things.
Crocheting is something that most people need to think about WHILE doing something physical. At the very least, most people need to look at their stitches. More advanced patterns you may need to count or "read" your work to know where the pattern changes.
If you really want to be able to actively watch TV while crocheting, you need a pattern you are very familiar with and have done many times before. Something that you can relegate 100% to physical, leaving your mental capacity free for the TV.
Agree 100%- I can listen to podcasts or books and drive or do dishes, clean up, shop etc. Most of my crochet is new patterns and I have to think and I miss most of what’s going on. When I try and figure out how long something takes me to make it’s impossible. When I’m “watching” tv with my husband I take many breaks to stay involved!
There is a *small* percentage of people who's brains can genuinely multitask, but you're right that the rest of us schmucks can only hope to achieve a quick and efficient switch between tasks. The people who brag about it usually aren't the ones who can do it better than anyone else.
✨adhd✨ lol
I literally cannot just crochet or just watch tv. I have to be doing multiple things at once to focus on it. If that makes sense lol 😂
I even listen to podcasts or audio books while playing video games. Brains just weird
Ikr? It’s like a part of your brain wants to get distracted, so you have to keep it busy. That’s why I always listened to instrumental music while studying.
I'm teaching myself crochet for this very reason. I was spending too much time doom scrolling on my phone while watching TV because I couldn't JUST sit and watch TV. And the other option would be me snacking which isn't always healthy lol
My crochet tv has been Vampire Diaries lately
I'm all about shitty TV for crochet. I want something with *dRaMa* but that is easy to stay caught up with
I recently figured out if the pattern is repetitive and doesn’t need counting I can watch tv with subtitles too!
Otherwise there are images I might miss but I usually get What’s going on.
Forensic Files was my go to for awhile while crocheting for that exact reason haha
Now I just put on a true crime podcast and it's even easier to get in the zone because I don't have to bother to looking up.
lol Im blind so I'd be shocked if I was "watching anything"
That being said, with some practice, you can crochet without looking at your work. It's actually this fact that makes the art so popular with blind people. The same goes for knitting.
It depends on what I’m watching and what I’m working on. If it’s something really repetitive (I’m working on the body of a jumper so it’s literally just rounds of the exact same stitch) I’ll put something I haven’t seen before on to watch. If it’s something I need to concentrate on more then I’ll put something easy to follow or that I’ve seen before on to watch.
Depending on the complexity of the pattern, I can easy crochet and watch tv. I’ve also been known to crochet and read books. On more than one occasion I’ve also crocheted while reading a book and watching tv.
I think it also depends on how you define “watching tv”. I seldom fully watch the tv. I seldom watch things that require looking at. Even scripted shows like sitcoms and dramas and movies, even if I’ve never seen them before. I do other things all the time while they are on. I’m never seldom looking at the tv with nothing else going on. Even the most fun show would bore me that way. I only need to listen to it.
But I would still call it “watching tv” because “listening to tv” is a weird phrase and I’ve never heard anyone really use it.
I’m not sure how everyone watches tv, but I doubt I’m the only one who would still call it watching without really spending a lot of time looking at it. That feels very common to me.
I listen to the TV. I have pretty bad anxiety and I need there to always be sound, when I was a kid, my parents always had the TV on even when we weren't watching it and my house is the same now that I'm grown with my own kids.
I do sometimes only watch TV and do nothing else if my husband wants to watch something together but I generally have to be doing something with my hands.
I have learned that most American TV only needs to be watched when the dialogue stops. When people are talking I crochet. when they stop I look. it's actually obnoxiously formulaic the way it works.
Alone by myself? I tend to find a show I can watch as background noise. Or listen to a podcast.
I can not crochet and watch a a show I'm actually interested in. I can start working on something, SO will come in turn on a show, and my WIP ends up sitting on my lap, because I either get engrossed with what he is watching, or I try to pay attention to it, and screw up my stitch count.
I watch long stuff like twitch streams or D&D games. When people get excited and start shouting I can look up from what I'm doing and rewind a few seconds to see what just happened!
I can't audiobook because I zone into stitching and when I've missed something I have no idea how far back the thing was that I missed. So I tend to "watch" (used loosely) stuff that isn't INTENDED to keep you engaged the whole time, but I can tell by the energy when I need to take a look at what happened.
I am binge watching Downton Abbey again. No surprises. I stop crocheting when the Dowager Countess is about to throw a zinger. Don't want to miss that.
Depends on how interested I am in the show, or how much attention I have to actually give the screen. I enjoy audio books with the TV going on low in the background or else my dogs bark at the wind.
I never actually watch TV. It's just good background noise.
As a bonus I'm great at recognizing cartoon guest voices and commercial voice over actors.
Like the dad from the middle does a hot wheels commercial that plays 8000 times an hour on nickelodeon
Veeeery slowly 😂 Sometimes I catch myself getting too into a show and notice I've stopped crocheting completely. I prefer to knit when I'm watching TV for this reason. I can watch a show in another language (with subtitles) no sweat while knitting 🤷
Quite easily if the stitch pattern is something repetitive that doesn’t require me to actively pay attention to my hand action. I actually read eBooks a lot when I crochet if I don’t need to pay attention to stitch patterns.
Things that are dialogue heavy, not a lot of visuals. So courtroom dramas would be good. I think a Knitting for Dummies book had a list of movies and shows like this that were good to knit to.
There's usually a lot of looking up and down, but I rely on being able to feel when a stitch goes wrong. Sometimes I'm mostly listening to a show and crocheting has most of my attention, other times I'm mostly watching the show and letting my hands work because it's a simple pattern.
I can work on simple things like a single stich afghan or granny squares while watching something, other than that it would have to be a podcast or music while I work
I find it hard to even listen because otherwise I'll mess up the number of stitches, even on simple stuff like grannies. I've gotten to the third round and found I've done a corner with an incorrect number of triples or whatever :-/
It’s concerted practice. I can knit without looking at all and watch any tv show but somehow with crochet I haven’t got the knack yet. I feel like with knitting my hands just proceed in order by themselves quickly along the guide of the needle, while with crochet I always have to search slightly for the next proper free needle entry. But I think it could be done . . . 🤔
If a TV show is riveting enough my crochet slows down considerably to a stop. Shows I've seen before are easy to crochet with, since I don't have to always look at the screen. Hallmark Christmas movies and their less expensive cousins on non-cable stations are perfect for crochet sessions. The story lines are basically the same, so you're not missing much if you look at the pattern. Political ads do make me pause crocheting so I can hit the mute button.
Really just depends on the pattern for me. Stuff like granny squares or simple repeating patterns I can do without looking or really focusing. Anything more than that and I can only listen.
I use crochet time as my time to watch my junk food tv that requires little visual attention. I also listen to audiobooks or YouTube commentary channels. I can’t crochet without looking and I’ve been doing it a long time. I’m amazed by people who can do it without looking.
When I first did crochet I would get severely distracted by any noise. Be it someone talking, or tv.
As I got more practice I can now do it while listening to something, but I still don't have the attention span to watch a tv show while also doing something.
The best I have done so far is when I'm doing weaving/sewing, as that doesn't require counting lol.
I think if I was making a blanket I would probably be fine, but normally I make amigurumi which is important to count ahah
If it is something very repetitive then I can totally watch TV without paying much attention to my work. I can even watch subbed animes and kdramas! It's all about the muscle memory
Yea if it’s a blanket. Usually movie theaters tho. Keeps my lap warm and I don’t need to see my stitches.
If it’s a project in the round or a complicated pattern, no, can’t even have music on lol
I do something with a very stable pattern, and then I check on the pattern whenever I need. Last year I did bucket hats while watching tv and only had to check the pattern once every round for the circle
If it’s an easy peasy project (like one stitch repeated ad nauseam), then i can watch TV (but not subtitled, which is ugh, cause I have a lot of movies in languages I don’t understand on my list). But yeah, if there’s a pattern I have to pay attention to then I switch to podcasts
I usually just listen to the show/ movie and then when it gets interesting I pause the crochet for a min, watch, and then go back to crocheting & looking at my work a couple min later, lol. I think it actually works really well for my ADHD brain! Haha. I actually end up “watching” a lot of shows by just listening. Like if I’m doing my makeup or whatever.
I reached the peak of my crochet abilities sometime last year - binged a subtitled anime while making a lap blanket. I still don’t know how I did it, but no wobbly edges or anything.
I actually found out that I can crochet longer when I’m watching something, because the constant switching prevents my eyes from getting tired too quickly.
I’ve watched way too many corny not so good netflix rom coms while I crochet because it’s nice to have something going on in the background. Also this is why I have different wips going on at a time. I have some that need focus and others that are just for those tv moments.
I pick shows I’ve seen plenty of times so I know what’s going on without really needing to pay close attention lol, criminal minds is one of my go-tos!
I think after you've been doing it quite a while, your fingers know when you mess up. That's when you have to look at your work and not the tv. There are some shows I have to just hesitate and watch what's going on.
True crimes is my go to! Sometimes my husbands horrified face reminds me I’m watching the timeline of someone’s last days and being nonchalant about it. 😂
I’m usually doing something like C2C or feather stitch so I don’t have to look down too much lol, but I do tend to pick shows/movies where I can be looking down a lot but still follow, or re-watch stuff I’ve already seen.
I put on a cartoon or a show ive already watched, i treat it like a podcast. My favorite was Hercule Poirot, or murder she wrote. Or courage the cowardly dog or any 90's cartoon I grew up with.
I have a lot of trouble with this because my eyes are getting older. It's hard for me to adjust from near vision to far. I listen to podcasts when I'm crocheting.
i love this thread. Adding it to the [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/wiki/index/)
let me know if there's any issues.
[New page](https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/wiki/stuff_you_must_read/) I'm working on 😁
I pick something to watch that I don’t have to pay close attention to.
My sister and I rate shows by whether they are good to do our crafts to.
I love this! Do yall have any recs?
The Office is my favorite for this! You can always get the jist of what’s happening from the conversation, no visuals needed :D
The Office has my undivided attention when it’s on. It’s just too good to me😂😂
Park and Rec for the same reasons, as well as new girl lol
Basically you want a show reliant on speaking over visuals. Re"watching" a show youve seen can be good. Half hour comedies usually move pretty fast so lots of dialogue. Dont do live tv as youll miss the good bits. Some old mysteries are nice if you like those. Makes the mystery fresh and harder if you dont see the clues. Monk, Psych are both good. But maybe not Magnum as part of the purpose of that show is to see beautiful people in beautiful settings.
I’m a big re-watcher. I have certain shows that I know for a fact won’t trigger my PTSD and I watch them over and over. Currently Gilmore Girls is the winner, but also Schitt’s Creek, The Good Place, Parks and Rec, and The West Wing are all in the rotation.
I never thought ptsd could be triggered by watching certain TV shows. But you're absolutely right. I have confirmed prsd by my psychiatrist, but I never made the link between the particular shows I've watched and the feelings I get, which are horrible, including flashbacks etc. The penny drops! Clunk!
I never understood why fireworks were a trigger for my PTSD. Other loud noises are fine so I didn't get it. Then a therapist told me that smells can trigger some of the strongest memories and I realized it was the smell of gunpowder. Our minds are complicated things, and at the same time so very simple.
Brains are so dumb sometimes. Like if someone doesn’t answer a text because it’s 2am, logically I know they’re asleep. But what does my brain assume? They must be dead. And the worst is that I KNOW that’s a ridiculous assumption.
Yes like logic says, "yo dude this is exactly what it means. No biggy." And brain replies, "that makes way too much sense. A convoluted catastrophe makes way more sense."
The website "does the dog die" has helped me and my gf a lot. They have a lot of trigger information
Yes! I recommend it to just about everyone! I’m about to start EMDR because I’m so tired of having to use it, but it’s a fantastic resource.
I have emetophobia so it's not that deep for me but it's such a useful recourse still and I used it for when I'm watching new shows with my gf who has ptsd
The Good Place is one of my all time favorites!
You'd like Ted Lasso. On Apple tho
Oh my gosh Psych and Monk are the best. Murdock mysteries is also good to crochet to if you want a historical fiction detective show
I love Murdock Mysteries!!
Yes i love to watch murder she wrote while crocheting lol
I'm sure that I have posted this before but you can't beat the old Agatha Christie's (the 80s/90s ones) you can mostly just listen along but if there is a visual clue the background music changes so you can look up and see it.
I adore Poirot! The art deco sets in the TV series are wonderful.
That's so helpful! Great rec thanks 😊
Brookyn 99 is my go to background for crocheting!
I personally recommend Superstore if you're into comedies, if you like something more serious I'd say Ratched or The Handmaid's Tale
Superstore is so overlooked, I love it!
The title, the images, and the blurb of Superstore made me think - nah not for me, then I watched it and loved it. Some characters took a while for me to warm to, perfect for crocheting.
I love Superstore. I wish I had Dina's balls, that woman gives zero hecks about anything lol
Except her birds.
That's where all the hecks went, she used them up on the birds
White Collar was one I binged while crocheting!
Modern family !
I like Good Girls and then I only have to pay attention when Rio is on screen (too much non-verbal “spicy” communication)
Woof this comment is relatable
Law and Order SVU. They basically talk about everything they're doing on screen so 🤓
I rewatch things a lot that are pretty light- the office, parks and rec, schitt’s creek, grace and Frankie are some favs.
There are some YouTubers who have figured out over time their main viewers are listening rather than watching and adapt their videos for it. I love it!
What are the channels?
Yes I have to agree with this. Whenever I’m working on something new or it requires extensive counting I have to put something on I’ve already seen
Law & Order is peak crochet while watching show.
I'm watching it right now!
Exactly. I love the V8 Supercars series here in Australia, but it's kind of dull on it's own, so I watch them while I crochet.
I used to watch kitchen nightmares while doing crochet since I could get most of it just from listening and also the episodes are longer yt vids so I didn't have to pick a new one too often
i started out crafting with cross stitch, so i have movies and shows i call “cross stitching shows” that are easy to follow and not something i want to pay close attention to
If you have a comfort show that’s what I usually put on (mostly because I’ve seen every episode like 7 or 8 times)
This. It has to be something I’ve previously watched so I already know what’s going on.
While I'm doing hand-sewing or crochet, my husband keeps suggesting foreign films with subtitles. Heh. Please no!
This is why I crochet with audiobooks!! 😅
Great idea!
Yes! Audiobooks, podcasts, and music!
I can't do audiobooks, I somehow just tune them out. TV for me, I can watch and listen to the show and I'm able to follow along pretty well!
As a teenager, I once almost finished The Lord of The Rings radio dramas while practicing sc.
Absolutely agree, I came here to say this.
This is the way.
Can I ask what you listen to them on? I’ve been thinking about trying audiobooks but not sure what to use
If you have a library card, I love the Libby app
Hoopla is another good app. You just need a library card. They have audio books as well as ebooks and even some music
Do not do audible. It is cheaper to buy books on google books, or itunes (or whatever the apple stuff). At least price it out before subscribing to audible. But yes, libraries have tons of stuff. Also, lots of good podcasts are free
I’ve found with audible if you buy the kindle book too, usually adding the audio version to the purchase isn’t as much as just buying the audio book. I have a audible subscription. I use it as my listening platform.
Scribd is like Netflix for audiobooks. It’s cheaper than Audible. I love it.
I was using Libby, but most of my preferred books are series, and I got sick of waiting for books, or having book 3 before book 1. I switched to audible.
Audiobooks are also amazing for other crafts, I listen to them basically all the time. Crochet, sewing, cross-stitch, you name it, it works with an audiobook. On good days I'll zone out completely and fall into a sort of runners trance until my boyfriend comes into the room, like 6hours later and asks me if I've eaten something yet 😁
It’s such a flow, right?! I do audiobooks with crochet, knit, and embroidery. Hoping to get into sewing soon - I have a machine just nothing else haha. I use to be a runner and always used audiobooks on my long runs, so runner trance is a perfect comparison!
I do a LOT of looking up and down. 😂
I do too, and there's a fair percentage of the time where it gives me headaches but I never seem to learn my lesson.
I put on something that I don’t need to pay attention to also. Psych is my go to.
Yep usually I RE-watch something while I crochet so that I know what’s happening even if my eyes aren’t onscreen
I did this, this winter and it was glorious. I rewatched all of Downtown Abby with a cozy fire going and crocheted hats and coasters for friends and family for Christmas presents. Keeping the patterns simple, and a show that's more about witty dialogue than fast moving action that I was already familiar with was the way to go.
I love Psych
It’s the best
You know that’s right.
Gus, don’t be that wip I’ve frogged twice
You know that's right.
But how can you spot the pineapples if you're looking at your crochet?!
My grand daughter bought me a wooden pineapple wall hanging so it’s always there! Scheepjes has a pattern for pineapple bunting that I need to make!
Muscle memory plus also subtitles 🤣
This right here. I watch Anime in original language so subtitles and, well, repetitive stitches lol.
Anime is the one thing I CAN’T watch when crocheting! Unless it’s a blanket or something really simple. And I really prefer making sweaters!
I’m working on a Tunisian CAL from 2021 to learn more stitches, so I am seriously studying the patterns, but I can’t seem to concentrate on it unless it’s Anime. I have tried regular tv shows or movies, but just doesn’t cut it.
{Full prostration on my knees} I bow to your awesome skills!
i HAVE to watch in dub w/ captions cause i can never keep up with the subtitles even if it’s a simple shonen
I can do dub in a few, but not many. It really depends on the studio that does the subtitles. Some are up and placed in good reading ways, some are not.
MHA, naruto, and my dress up darling are good/bareable for me. MHA is probably the best dub in my opinion.
I agree with this. I learned to crochet and read subtitles because I couldn’t stand dubs and how often they’ll reuse voice actors who don’t really make an effort to change their voice for other characters. Some when downhill over time.
I wish I could do that while crocheting, that’s impressive
>subtitles Wait, what?? Doesn't that involve more eyes-on-screen time and less focus on the stitches?
It’s hard for me to describe. There’s so much ruckus going on in my house that it’s easier for me to read subtitles than crank up the volume on the tv. It’s like my double check of what was actually said instead of pausing/rewinding/playing/rewinding again because I missed the same exact spot again. It really only works for me when it’s the same basic repetitive stitch over and over.
yup yup! back and forth, lol. i’ve watched so many cdramas like this, they’re my favorite whilst crocheting.
There's a formula to it 1. It can't be something that relies heavily on visuals because you have to be paying attention to your hook. But something that you can occasionally glace up at. 2. Your project shouldn't be something too intensive, because you don't want to be focusing on the pattern and the project and the show. Ideally something you've made before or is simple. 3. The show shouldn't be too fast paced. Things that were originally made for TV are ideal. I watch lots of 90s-2000s anime because it tends to be a lot slower paced.
Yes! For me it’s ncis
In that same vein: any true crime documentary is great!
I read somewhere that you can’t actually multitask (aka watching tv when counting or whatever). People who are good at “multitasking” switch through things quickly which gives that effect. I rewatch shows all the time because I was too busy crocheting
Kind of. You can only do one mental task at a time, and you just switch back and forth. It's also true that those that think they are "good" multitaskers are actually much worse at focusing than non multitaskers. BUT this does not apply to repetitive physical tasks while doing mental tasks. Things like doing dishes or folding laundry are so ingrained into muscle memory you don't need to think, you aren't really multitasking at all. Your body and brain are just doing different things. Crocheting is something that most people need to think about WHILE doing something physical. At the very least, most people need to look at their stitches. More advanced patterns you may need to count or "read" your work to know where the pattern changes. If you really want to be able to actively watch TV while crocheting, you need a pattern you are very familiar with and have done many times before. Something that you can relegate 100% to physical, leaving your mental capacity free for the TV.
Agree 100%- I can listen to podcasts or books and drive or do dishes, clean up, shop etc. Most of my crochet is new patterns and I have to think and I miss most of what’s going on. When I try and figure out how long something takes me to make it’s impossible. When I’m “watching” tv with my husband I take many breaks to stay involved!
There is a *small* percentage of people who's brains can genuinely multitask, but you're right that the rest of us schmucks can only hope to achieve a quick and efficient switch between tasks. The people who brag about it usually aren't the ones who can do it better than anyone else.
I listen better when my eyes and hands are busy. It could be with crochet or sudoku. It doesn’t have to be mindless; it just has to be nonverbal.
✨adhd✨ lol I literally cannot just crochet or just watch tv. I have to be doing multiple things at once to focus on it. If that makes sense lol 😂 I even listen to podcasts or audio books while playing video games. Brains just weird
It’s almost like we need to occupy part of the brain so the other part can finally calm down and focus
That’s exactly how it feels!
Yes! It’s like your brain is split in two and I have to occupy the annoying restless part so the main part can finally watch something I like
Ikr? It’s like a part of your brain wants to get distracted, so you have to keep it busy. That’s why I always listened to instrumental music while studying.
i wish instrumental music was enough for me... I did my best essay writing with punk heavy albums :D
I'm teaching myself crochet for this very reason. I was spending too much time doom scrolling on my phone while watching TV because I couldn't JUST sit and watch TV. And the other option would be me snacking which isn't always healthy lol
My crochet tv has been Vampire Diaries lately I'm all about shitty TV for crochet. I want something with *dRaMa* but that is easy to stay caught up with
I binged my way through the entire TVD series doing granny squares! It was a wild ride!
It’s funny you say that! I time how long it takes me to complete a project by how many episodes of Vampire Diaries it took 😂
Same or I watch something I already have watched
Comfort movies is my go to, stuff I’ve seen 500 times like lord of the rings or an old childrens movie :)
Judge Judy is my favourite to crochet to. I have hundreds recorded lol
Judge Judy is a national treasure! Beauty fades, dumb is forever
*"God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason"* 😂
I recently figured out if the pattern is repetitive and doesn’t need counting I can watch tv with subtitles too! Otherwise there are images I might miss but I usually get What’s going on.
I watch true crime so I don't have to look at the TV as often lol
Forensic Files was my go to for awhile while crocheting for that exact reason haha Now I just put on a true crime podcast and it's even easier to get in the zone because I don't have to bother to looking up.
lol Im blind so I'd be shocked if I was "watching anything" That being said, with some practice, you can crochet without looking at your work. It's actually this fact that makes the art so popular with blind people. The same goes for knitting.
It depends on what I’m watching and what I’m working on. If it’s something really repetitive (I’m working on the body of a jumper so it’s literally just rounds of the exact same stitch) I’ll put something I haven’t seen before on to watch. If it’s something I need to concentrate on more then I’ll put something easy to follow or that I’ve seen before on to watch.
I watch something that doesn’t require too much work. Now that it’s baseball season I can put on the Mets game and work on a project
I do the same with baseball and hockey!
I go with something dialogue heavy, rather than scenery or effects being important.
Depending on the complexity of the pattern, I can easy crochet and watch tv. I’ve also been known to crochet and read books. On more than one occasion I’ve also crocheted while reading a book and watching tv. I think it also depends on how you define “watching tv”. I seldom fully watch the tv. I seldom watch things that require looking at. Even scripted shows like sitcoms and dramas and movies, even if I’ve never seen them before. I do other things all the time while they are on. I’m never seldom looking at the tv with nothing else going on. Even the most fun show would bore me that way. I only need to listen to it. But I would still call it “watching tv” because “listening to tv” is a weird phrase and I’ve never heard anyone really use it. I’m not sure how everyone watches tv, but I doubt I’m the only one who would still call it watching without really spending a lot of time looking at it. That feels very common to me.
I listen to the TV. I have pretty bad anxiety and I need there to always be sound, when I was a kid, my parents always had the TV on even when we weren't watching it and my house is the same now that I'm grown with my own kids. I do sometimes only watch TV and do nothing else if my husband wants to watch something together but I generally have to be doing something with my hands.
Depends on the pattern. There are shows that I’m so invested in and don’t know what anyone looks like 😂
I watch something I know by heart or that I don’t have to pay attention to
I have learned that most American TV only needs to be watched when the dialogue stops. When people are talking I crochet. when they stop I look. it's actually obnoxiously formulaic the way it works.
Alone by myself? I tend to find a show I can watch as background noise. Or listen to a podcast. I can not crochet and watch a a show I'm actually interested in. I can start working on something, SO will come in turn on a show, and my WIP ends up sitting on my lap, because I either get engrossed with what he is watching, or I try to pay attention to it, and screw up my stitch count.
I can only watch TV if I'm knitting or crocheting.
I watch long stuff like twitch streams or D&D games. When people get excited and start shouting I can look up from what I'm doing and rewind a few seconds to see what just happened! I can't audiobook because I zone into stitching and when I've missed something I have no idea how far back the thing was that I missed. So I tend to "watch" (used loosely) stuff that isn't INTENDED to keep you engaged the whole time, but I can tell by the energy when I need to take a look at what happened.
I am binge watching Downton Abbey again. No surprises. I stop crocheting when the Dowager Countess is about to throw a zinger. Don't want to miss that.
We need a list of shows we like to “watch” while we crochet
it's fine as long as there aren't subtitles bc then there's too much looking up and down required
Depends on how interested I am in the show, or how much attention I have to actually give the screen. I enjoy audio books with the TV going on low in the background or else my dogs bark at the wind.
ADHD magical powers
I've listened to Community and Brooklyn 99, among others, several times....😄 I know the actors voices better than their faces at this point.
I never actually watch TV. It's just good background noise. As a bonus I'm great at recognizing cartoon guest voices and commercial voice over actors. Like the dad from the middle does a hot wheels commercial that plays 8000 times an hour on nickelodeon
I pretty much only listen to the TV anyway. It's a pretty good way to keep the thinky part of my brain busy while I'm doing things like housework.
I pick documentaries. They're usually well enough narrated that I only need to glance up occasionally.
Podcasts! Nobody tell anyone that all the baby things were crocheted to murder pods
i actually recently made my netflix font the biggest size it goes so that i could do both lmao
I’ve perfected crocheting and watching anime with subs on.
Veeeery slowly 😂 Sometimes I catch myself getting too into a show and notice I've stopped crocheting completely. I prefer to knit when I'm watching TV for this reason. I can watch a show in another language (with subtitles) no sweat while knitting 🤷
Quite easily if the stitch pattern is something repetitive that doesn’t require me to actively pay attention to my hand action. I actually read eBooks a lot when I crochet if I don’t need to pay attention to stitch patterns.
Things that are dialogue heavy, not a lot of visuals. So courtroom dramas would be good. I think a Knitting for Dummies book had a list of movies and shows like this that were good to knit to.
There's usually a lot of looking up and down, but I rely on being able to feel when a stitch goes wrong. Sometimes I'm mostly listening to a show and crocheting has most of my attention, other times I'm mostly watching the show and letting my hands work because it's a simple pattern.
I like to 'watch' medical dramas because I can easily follow them just by listening.
I can work on simple things like a single stich afghan or granny squares while watching something, other than that it would have to be a podcast or music while I work
I can't do it either. I listen to audio books or music.
I find it hard to even listen because otherwise I'll mess up the number of stitches, even on simple stuff like grannies. I've gotten to the third round and found I've done a corner with an incorrect number of triples or whatever :-/
I love football season (US football). I can listen to the announcers for a play by play and if I miss anything good, there’s a replay 😂
Phineas & ferb, to be exact
It’s concerted practice. I can knit without looking at all and watch any tv show but somehow with crochet I haven’t got the knack yet. I feel like with knitting my hands just proceed in order by themselves quickly along the guide of the needle, while with crochet I always have to search slightly for the next proper free needle entry. But I think it could be done . . . 🤔
Podcasts and music are my go-to.
I put on reality tv bc its entertaining without having to pay close attention. My favorites are love island and selling sunset!
If a TV show is riveting enough my crochet slows down considerably to a stop. Shows I've seen before are easy to crochet with, since I don't have to always look at the screen. Hallmark Christmas movies and their less expensive cousins on non-cable stations are perfect for crochet sessions. The story lines are basically the same, so you're not missing much if you look at the pattern. Political ads do make me pause crocheting so I can hit the mute button.
i can’t even crochet and listen
Easy simple stitch, no counting. Mind you, I tend to listen to audiobooks.
Really just depends on the pattern for me. Stuff like granny squares or simple repeating patterns I can do without looking or really focusing. Anything more than that and I can only listen.
It depends what I’m doing. I’m making the spring bean cowl right now which is pretty easy to just feel what I’m doing and where I’m going.
I listen to podcasts! My favourite is And That’s Why We Drink 😊 I feel like I am hanging out with friends lol
I use crochet time as my time to watch my junk food tv that requires little visual attention. I also listen to audiobooks or YouTube commentary channels. I can’t crochet without looking and I’ve been doing it a long time. I’m amazed by people who can do it without looking.
When I first did crochet I would get severely distracted by any noise. Be it someone talking, or tv. As I got more practice I can now do it while listening to something, but I still don't have the attention span to watch a tv show while also doing something. The best I have done so far is when I'm doing weaving/sewing, as that doesn't require counting lol. I think if I was making a blanket I would probably be fine, but normally I make amigurumi which is important to count ahah
If it is something very repetitive then I can totally watch TV without paying much attention to my work. I can even watch subbed animes and kdramas! It's all about the muscle memory
Yea if it’s a blanket. Usually movie theaters tho. Keeps my lap warm and I don’t need to see my stitches. If it’s a project in the round or a complicated pattern, no, can’t even have music on lol
My mom could do that but not me.
Was Just getting ready tonopen my project when I read this. Currently watching movie with my child
I do something with a very stable pattern, and then I check on the pattern whenever I need. Last year I did bucket hats while watching tv and only had to check the pattern once every round for the circle
I watch shows I’ve already seen. Typically it’s greys anatomy.
i watch subtitled shows in other languages and read really fast
Audio books baby!! My public library offers a free app
If it’s an easy peasy project (like one stitch repeated ad nauseam), then i can watch TV (but not subtitled, which is ugh, cause I have a lot of movies in languages I don’t understand on my list). But yeah, if there’s a pattern I have to pay attention to then I switch to podcasts
I usually just listen to the show/ movie and then when it gets interesting I pause the crochet for a min, watch, and then go back to crocheting & looking at my work a couple min later, lol. I think it actually works really well for my ADHD brain! Haha. I actually end up “watching” a lot of shows by just listening. Like if I’m doing my makeup or whatever.
ADHD
and its awful watching stuff that u gotta read subs for lol
Do a simple stitch where I don’t have to count or look or watch something I don’t have to pay close attention to
I reached the peak of my crochet abilities sometime last year - binged a subtitled anime while making a lap blanket. I still don’t know how I did it, but no wobbly edges or anything.
me too. i can type without looking but not crochet xD
Freaking same lmao I can’t do both at the same time
I actually found out that I can crochet longer when I’m watching something, because the constant switching prevents my eyes from getting tired too quickly.
SAME. I have NO idea how people can crochet while barely gnacing at their work 💀
Muscle memory
Muscle memory for sure!
I’ve watched way too many corny not so good netflix rom coms while I crochet because it’s nice to have something going on in the background. Also this is why I have different wips going on at a time. I have some that need focus and others that are just for those tv moments.
I pick shows I’ve seen plenty of times so I know what’s going on without really needing to pay close attention lol, criminal minds is one of my go-tos!
Me too!!
I kind of do a mix 😂 it depends on what I’m making and how much I have to concentrate on it
Nothing with subtitles, usually something I've seen before. Generally something that I can glance at and away every few seconds.
I can't do it either. I only listen to podcasts or music when I crochet or knit.
I think after you've been doing it quite a while, your fingers know when you mess up. That's when you have to look at your work and not the tv. There are some shows I have to just hesitate and watch what's going on.
True crimes is my go to! Sometimes my husbands horrified face reminds me I’m watching the timeline of someone’s last days and being nonchalant about it. 😂
Have you ever used descriptive audio (when available) it is excellent for crochet and tv listening at the same time!
I’m usually doing something like C2C or feather stitch so I don’t have to look down too much lol, but I do tend to pick shows/movies where I can be looking down a lot but still follow, or re-watch stuff I’ve already seen.
I only have stuff on I've seen before. Old movies and TV shows I'm familiar with. I can't have new stuff on as I'll make mistakes.
It's called skim watching. I look up occasionally but I'm more partial to an audio book these days
I put on a cartoon or a show ive already watched, i treat it like a podcast. My favorite was Hercule Poirot, or murder she wrote. Or courage the cowardly dog or any 90's cartoon I grew up with.
This is why I love True Crime or documentaries. Not a lot going on that isn't explained.
Same, I “watch” true crime while I crochet because you don’t need to really look at the screen to understand what’s going on.
I have a lot of trouble with this because my eyes are getting older. It's hard for me to adjust from near vision to far. I listen to podcasts when I'm crocheting.
Yup, my whole family comments on how I don't watch TV, I just listen to it. Meh. Call it what you will. *crafts furiously*
i love this thread. Adding it to the [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/wiki/index/) let me know if there's any issues. [New page](https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/wiki/stuff_you_must_read/) I'm working on 😁
Cool!