Knitting and crocheting are both great hobbies. But which one is easier? And which one are you more likely to prefer? Let’s have a closer look to help you decide – but remember you don’t just have to try one of them! Many knitters, like me, also like to crochet.
Learning the Basics
Knitting: Learning to knit can be a bit tricky at first. You need to learn how to hold the needles and yarn. The basic stitches are knit and purl. Once you get the hang of these, you can start making simple projects. But it can take a bit of time to feel comfortable and get used to working at the right gauge or tension.
Crocheting: Crocheting might be a bit easier to start with. You only need one hook and one yarn to hold. The basic stitches are chain, single crochet, and double crochet. Many people find it quicker to learn these basics compared to knitting. However, many people (me included!) find it’s harder to ‘turn’ at the end of a row. In my experience, it takes a bit of practice to learn where to put your hook to make the first stitch of a subsequent row.
Following a Pattern
Knitting: Patterns for knitting can be complex. You need to read charts and follow rows. It takes practice to get used to them – but once you do, it’s straightforward.
Crocheting: Crochet patterns can be different depending on where you live. In the US, a “single crochet” is called a “double crochet” in the UK. This can be confusing at first. Once you learn the differences, it becomes easier to follow patterns – but you’ll always need to check where the pattern was written to make sure you make the right stitches in the right place!
Speed
Knitting: Knitting can be slower, especially for larger projects. Some people find it relaxing to knit slowly, but it can take weeks to finish big items like sweaters.
Crocheting: Crocheting is usually faster. Because the stitches are bigger, projects grow more quickly. This is great if you like to see quick progress and finishing something quickly is important to you.
Availability of Patterns
Knitting: There are many knitting patterns available online and in books. You can find free and paid patterns for pretty much anything you want to make. This is both a blessing and a curse. Because there’s so much choice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Crocheting: Crochet patterns are also widely available, even if there aren’t quite so many.
Diversity of Patterns
Knitting: Knitting is great for making clothes. Sweaters, socks, and scarves are popular items. There are also patterns for toys and household items, but they are less common.
Crocheting: Crocheting shines in its variety. You can toys, blankets (not only ones made from ‘Granny squares’ but others, too), bags, many household items – and even jewellery. However, there are fewer patterns around for crochet clothing – and I’ve yet to see a crochet pattern for socks. And I’m not quite sure that a pattern like that would work! However, there are plenty of patterns around for shawls, if that’s your thing.
Relaxability
Knitting: Many people find knitting to be very relaxing. The repetitive motion can be soothing. So, it’s a great way to unwind after a long day.
Crocheting: Crocheting is also relaxing. Because it’s usually faster, you might find it less frustrating if you like quick results. But both crafts are actually great for stress relief.
Fixing Mistakes
Knitting: In knitting, you have multiple active stitches on your needles at once. So dropping a needle can result in lots of stitches unraveling, which can be challenging to fix. In fact, sorting out knitting mistakes can be tricky even for experience knitters. And things like dropped stitches can ruin your project if you don’t fix them right away. With knitting, it takes some skill to repair errors without starting over. This is a common complaint among new knitters. But it’s important to remember that we’ve all been there – and don’t expect perfection straight away.
Crocheting: In crochet, there is only one active stitch being worked at a time. This means it is less likely than knitting to unravel if you drop your work by mistake – or put it down abruptly. As well as being a bit less likely to happen, most people find crochet mistakes easier to fix than knitting ones. If things go wrong, you can just pull out the stitches and redo them – so long as you spot them in time!
Quality of Finished Items
Knitting: Knitted items often have a more refined and smooth texture. Clothes made with knitting can be stretchy and fit well – which isn’t always the case for crocheted clothes. Knitted garments also usually drape better.
Crocheting: Crocheted items are sturdy and versatile. While they might not be as smooth as knitted ones, they have their own charm. They are perfect for items that need structure, like bags and toys. But most people find it’s less versatile when it comes to making items like sweaters and socks. When I think of crochet patterns, I most often think of 70s-style bikinis and long, colourful waistcoats – not without their fans but definitely less mainstream than your average knitting pattern.
Adaptability for Left-Handed People
Knitting: Learning to knit can be challenging for left-handed people, but there are resources and techniques available. Also, some left-handed knitters actually find it easier to mirror right-handed techniques.
Crocheting: Crochet is often considered easier for left-handed people since it uses one hand predominantly. In addition, there are many left-handed tutorials and patterns are available.
The verdict
Both knitting and crocheting have their pros and cons.
Knitting might be for you if you love detailed work, enjoy making clothes, and don’t mind taking a bit longer to finish a project.
Crocheting could be your pick if you prefer a quicker pace, enjoy a wide variety of projects, and like easy-to-fix mistakes.
Try both and see which one you enjoy more – and let me know how you get on. Although I’m a knitting pattern writer, I can crochet, too – though I learned how to do it much later in life.