Crochet vs. Knitting
I would like to know how many of you crochet and knit?
I am learning to crochet....again, and I am also trying to teach myself to knit.
I am currently taking lessons for crochet and have started a sweater.
There seems to be so many more knitters than crocheters and I just wonder why?
Thanks!!












I do both, but knit more than crochet. And I collect both kinds of patterns. Currently I'm working on a crocheted summer top, and I like to crochet mesh bags.
I only crochet. My grandmother taught me, and (maybe it's my adversarial nature shining through) I refuse to knit. I like to play for the underdog, I guess.
In truth, there are 3 crocheters to every 1 knitter. There are just so many more patterns out there for knitters. So many more GOOD patterns out there for knitters, I should say. That's why I was so happy to find Crochet Me. Cool stuff to crochet! No orange and green granny square afghans bulky enough to choke an elephant! Yay!
Stubborn crocheter,
RedTartan
I was origionally a knitter before discovering crochet. I love both. There do tend to be more knit patterns than crochet I find, but crochet has the advantage of being quicker to make up and see results.
Kath
I love to do both, but after giving it some thought crocheting is my favourite - because usually I'm faster at it.
I love both, but my crochet has usually been with thread, my knitting with woolly yarn. Recently I decided to stick exclusively with crochet to learn more about crocheting with yarn and to see if it's really faster. So far the verdict is 'no' because I end up using finer yarn so it takes more stitches! Well, and because I keep buying fingering weight yarn. Slap wrists.
I can only crochet. My Nan tried to teach me to knit as well as a child, but I just couldn't do it! My sister is the opposite. She can't crochet, but has recently taken up knitting again (although she is sticking strictly to scarves at the moment!) She was fascinated to watch me crocheting as she couldn't work it out!
I think I definitely prefer crochet. At the moment there seems to be loads of crochet items in the shops (in the UK, anyway). The problem is, I look at them and think 'Oooh - I could make that', and then I can't bring myself to buy anything!!!
http://treblecrochet.blujay.com
http://yarngirlscreativecrochet.blogspot.com
I crochet, mostly! It is faster and easier to correct mistakes on. I love to make up my own simple patterns, but there are plenty of free ones on the web.
I can knit, but I much prefer crochet. My family are knitters, but nobody would teach me properly because I'm lefthanded - I don't even know how to purl. So last year, I taught myself to crochet and now I can't stop! I like it because it tests me. I like to amend patterns to my own taste and to work out how patterns are formed.
Jo
I both knit and crochet too....I have arthritis in my hands and now find that if I alternate projects (k & c) it helps keep them supple and avoids the stress of continually doing one medium!
I do find crochet faster to do...love them both!
"Seven days without crochet makes one weak"
http://yoursandi.blogspot.com
I knitted for 15 years before I switched to crochet. Now its been almost 18 years since I knitted and I want to do both.
Is picking the needles back up as easy as remembering how to ride a bike? I sure hope so.
I noticed no one answered you about it being as easy (or not) as riding a bike. I was taught to do basic crochet and knitting when I was nine--but crochet was so much faster that I put down the knitting needles as fast as my mom would let me (right after learning cast on and knit stitch) and haven't picked them up since until last year. (I'm 45 now) Then I got out one of the (many) knitting needles that Mom has sent me, and started casting on and knitting. I still like crochet better, but I've made a stole, a good sock cap for my son, a sweater for my daughter, and a few other little things just with the knit stitch. (I know it's called gardner stitch or something like that) I know how to purl, but it's too hard for me to do at this point. But yes, it is pretty easy to pick back up--and since I have, I've taught myself from books how to bind off, and how to follow a simple pattern. So give it a try! never stop learning! Sincerely, Sharon :D
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!
I've been crochet-ing for almost two years now. I tried to learn knitting but I could not manage 2 needles. Crochet only needs one tool and that's fine with me !
I do both, I knit more though. I find crochet easier to make up as you go along (I want shape -> make shape, rather than I want shape -> plan -> make shape).
But knitting will always be my first love.
I knit and crochet, though I've only recently re-discovered crochet! Mainly because crochet patterns were few and far between and tended to look like items even my granny would refuse to wear/use! Now that its becoming more popular and I can find lots of stuff I want to make I'm getting hooked again! I'm currently doing a fairly open patterned summer jumper.
I like both crafts but find crochet is much more portable as it is easier to carry one hook rather than two needles and you don't have to worry about all the stitches falling off a needle mid journey!!! So when I'm travelling I crochet but at home in front of the tv I knit!
I knit and crochet but I prefer crochet. It seems much faster and I just enjoy the feeling of doing it more. I only started knitting in the 80s to add something to a crochet item but then took it up more because there were lots of nice patterns around.
I then gave up both for many years and recently started crocheting again. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it and now that there are some really good patterns and books around I feel inspired and just can't stop.
I would like to learn how to design in crochet. For some reason I could design in knitting but not crochet. There are so many techniques and amazing ways to do things in crochet that I can't quite get an idea of how to get to a shape I want. Every new pattern I try has a new and clever way to do something and I find myself thinking wow! I would never have thought of doing that.
I can do both but prefer knitting because to me the fabric drapes better, and more important, I can do it without looking at every stitch (on the bus or in the car, for instance), which I have never mastered with crochet.
2Miggins: Being left-handed should not prevent you from knitting! I am left-handed and to me, knitting is easier than crochet because I don't have to reverse the words "right" and "left" in patterns for knitting. Just pull up any how-to-knit website and do exactly what they do, not even a mirror image. Knitting requires dexterity for both hands, so left-handed knitters don't have to do anything different from right-handers. You can if you want to, I suppose, but why complicate things? Purling is almost the same as knitting; you just put the yarn in front before the stitch and take it back after. Not a hard skill or concept - go to it!!
hi i do both learned to crochet while at school when i made my first project and was taught by a friend, learned to knit as an adult when i took up spinning, and totally amazed myself when i crocheted a rug/blanket for my 3y/o grandaughter that was supposed to be a throw rug afghan to all in the USA and overseas in three days recently, it was a rush job as she wanted to take it away with her, when she comes home i am putting crocheted flower motifs on it, i have three rugs on the go at the moment, a granny ripple for my 14yo, a throw rug for my teenage son in his favourite football colours and a baby rug for one of my cousins. i love crochet because i dont have to think while i do it, its quick, easy and a great de-stressor, but do what ever suits you and nooo guilt trips! caroline
I only crochet. My mom first taught me how to crochet when I was around 8 or 9 but I didn't have the ability to sit still for very long so never could make it past a couple rows on a pot holder : ) In 2003 I was in a car accident and injured my right shoulder and caused nerve damage in my right hand. I heard from a friend two years ago that her mom who is elderly started to knit and crochet because she has arthrisit and it is suppose to be therapeutic. So I decided I would teach myself to crochet again since it had been so long since I had learned. I picked it up really quick and I LOVE it. It has helped with healing of my hand greatly, the nerve damage is still there but now I have the abiliy to do many things I couldn't before like working with/grabbing etc. of small items which was so hard before. My friend who gave me the great advice tried teaching me to knit. For the life of me I can't cast on!!!! I can knit and purl and everything but someone has to cast on for me : ) so I have set knitting aside and focus on crocheting. I commute on the bus 20 minutes to downtown Seattle for work and I am now the "girl who crochets on the bus" to the regulars who ride the bus at the same time as me. I wish I could figure out knitting but even if I could crocheting would still be my number one choice. My friends lovingly call me the old granny in a 25 year old body because of my addiction to crochet, and they sure love all the pretty scarves I make them so they don't have to spend a fortune in the stores!!!!
i do both :D
I knit for scarfs and crochet for amigurumi dolls or accessories.
What are amigurumi dolls? Sounds intriguing. I do think knitted scarfs are nicer than crochet ones. Also easier to do.
What about us not 25yr olds. My son hates me crocheting, says it makes me look old. I am that 'certain' age. When I was young I felt all trendy knitting. But now it makes me feel old and retired. Am I past it cause I crochet??
crocheting doesn't make you old!! It makes you creative!! The people who say only grannys crochet/knit are just jealous because they don't know how : ) The amigurumi dolls are great because they are sooooo easy!!! I made a bunny for my neice for easter and she loved it. I made it out of sensations angel hair yarns so it was really soft and I used cute decorative buttons (bows on the ears and a carrot on his hand) and ribbon to decorate it. I am going to make a turtle and a frog next for my step-daughters.
I love this topic. I learned to crochet at about 8 years old. Did a little in my early 20's and stopped because of the lack of good patterns and designs. Just picked it up again about 2 months ago and can't believe all of the great patterns I'm finding. I just made my first wearable item. A long summer dress. I'm really into making purses and bags now because I love them anyway, so why not make my own. I tried to knit a couple of years ago. Made a couple dish cloths, and a bag and then gave up. I found crocheting faster. I still get frustrated with the abundance of knit patterns compared to crochet ones. But I'm really glad that I found the Crochet Me book at my local library and then found out it was a web site. I love it!!
I do both, and learned them from the Klutz books (which are *amazing*). My mother tried to teach me to knit, but I couldn't learn without the diagrams.
I love both!
http://lazzzzyfish.blogspot.com/
Was introduced to both when young, but didn't take up either one until I started with Crochet 3 years ago. The new knitting trend was happening with some women where I was working, but crochet was what I thought would be easier for me ... easier to focus on 1 hook rather than managing 2 needles.
Decided to learn knitting a year ago and haven't crocheted much since. Knitting seems so confining and the stitches are confusing, but I'm determined to stick with it and get better at it because I like the light-weight stretchy wool fabric that knitting makes.
Between the 2, crochet is definitely tops. So much more flexible. Time to start a new project (Chloe's Stash Buster Vest, I think) to add something fun to my current yarn projects agenda!
I've been crocheting for years and just began teaching myself to knit. As I am still in the infancy stages of learning to knit, I can't really answer this question fairly. Maybe I'll write more about it as I get more proficient at knitting!! :)
I started about five years ago teaching myself to knit. Around the same time, I tried crochet, and it was really uncomfortable, so I continued knitting, but I never really bothered to learn more than knit and purl stitches, and I got bored with it and stopped. (I guess I'm more of an instant gratification type of crafter.) A couple years ago, I started learning to crochet, and for the life of me I can't remember why I picked it up again! At any rate, someone loaned me The Happy Hooker, and it just worked this time. I don't know why it was so easy to pick up the second time around - probably because I hadn't been knitting for awhile. But in crochet, it is so much easier to fix mistakes, which was a big plus fo me! I ecently tried knitting again, and it took awhile to get back in the hang of it, but it wasn't too bad. I want to pursue the knitting more, but there are so many crochet projects to finish first!
I do both. My mom taught me to knit and I learned to crochet on my own.
Knit happy,
Vanessa