In need of a good DYI project or want to brush up on you crochet knowledge, well my dears, you have come to the right place.
What's the Difference?
While the finished results can appear similar, the two crafts have some differences, and you may find that you are better suited for the tools and techniques of one craft over the other. Like me, I find that trying to knit is like trying to walk, chew gum, and pat your stomach at the same time LOL! But, here I'll explain the pros and cons of knitting and crocheting along with the differences between the two crafts. I’ll talk about which option is easiest, and fastest as well as the types of patterns each craft creates. By the end you will find all the information you need to make a well-informed choice if you are looking to start a new hobby.
Knitting and crocheting differ mainly in their techniques. In knitting, loops are formed by moving one needle to another using two long needles. A fabric is created by stacking rows on top of each other with stitches that are held onto the needle. The loops in crochet are formed directly onto the fabric using a single hook. Each loop is created one at a time, and it's more like knotting than stitching.
Enter, the pros & cons
Let's talk advantages
1. Knitted Fabric Makes Better Clothing
This is probably the biggest advantage of knitting has over crochet. Knitting creates a soft, stretchy fabric that is tends to be more desirable when creating clothing and is a denser and finer.
2. There Are More Knitting Patterns Available
Knitting offers more variety than crochet. You can find a knitting pattern for almost anything and you can even knit the same things you can crochet. More than just a wid variety, there are several different styles to choose from.
3. There Are Fewer Basic Knitting Stitches
When it comes to knitting, you don't have to master many stitches or techniques like you do with crocheting. There are only two stitches you'll need to learn: knit and purl.
and disadvantages...
1. Knitting Can Be Harder to Learn
Knitting has fewer stitches, but it can be harder to learn for absolute beginners. Working with two needles can feel complicated at first, and it’s much easier for stitches to fall off knitting needles than crochet hooks.
2. Knitting Mistakes Are Difficult to Fix
Even if you've been knitting for years, you'll still make mistakes. You might accidentally drop your stitches, use a the wrong technique at the wrong point in the pattern, or lose track of how many rows you've knitted. These mistakes can be hard to spot, and very frustrating to fix.
3. Knitting Is Slower Than Crochet
Knitting is usually much slower than crocheting because knitting takes more stitches to create the same amount of fabric. You can knit a project with chunky yarn and large needles in a few hours, but finishing an adult-sized sweater using fine or medium-weight yarn can take several weeks.
4. You Can’t Use Knitting Needles for Two Projects Simultaneously
This is more of an inconvenience than a disadvantage, but you can’t use the same pair of knitting needles for two projects simultaneously. Because you carry your loops on your knitting needle, you must finish your current project before using that pair of needles on another. However, but when you crochet you can start and stop as many projects as you want using the same size crochet hook.
Tools Make the Person!
Knitting always uses two needles to create stitches, while crochet always uses a single hook. Both the needles and hooks come in a variety of styles and sizes for convenience and comfort.
Knitting needles come in three types: straight, circular, and double-pointed. Back-and-forth knitting is done with straight knitting needles. With circular and double-pointed needles, you can knit socks or sweaters in a tubular shape.
For crochet hooks the design usually doesn't vary except when you do Tunisian Crochet and then you use a very long hook that looks like a knitting needle, but has the usual curved end. How you choose what hook you use depends on the size of your project and the type of comfort you need while crocheting. Below are examples of several different designs including what a Tunisian hook looks like. At the end of this blog are also a couple links on how to choose your crochet hook and other tools you'll need while crocheting.
Other materials you would use for both crocheting and knitting is a tape measure, stitch markers, yarn, scissors, a pattern, and if you choose, a stitch counter.
Best suited for....
Quick Side Note: Crochet can also create beautiful clothes, especially sweaters, shawls, hats, mittens, slippers, and baby clothes. To make your crochet more flexible like knitting you can either use a thinner yarn or a large hook and that adds a wonderful softness and flexibility to it.
To Sum it Up
Lastly, you'll benefit from dabbling in both crafts, regardless of the one you choose.
As you can see from the differences outlined above, neither of them is objectively superior. You can make anything with either craft, including accessories, clothing, and decorations. So, there's no wrong decision when it comes to choosing between the two.
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