Knitting vs Crochet

These are all my own personal opinions!

I think it's much easier to fix mistakes with crochet.
I personally am not a huge fan of the way the garter stitch looks (knitting) unless I'm using a very thick yarn.
I think crochet is a "girlier" stitch...If I was making something for my boyfriend I would definitely knit.

I heard that people who knit smell and they have cooties. Anything you make with knitting will unravel and choke your favorite pet. Knitting needles were invented by Satan.


The aforementioned ideas have everything to do with the fact that I only crochet and I don't knit.

knitting is stretchy. This is very very handy for collars and cuffs and some kinds of hats. And knitted cables are just beautiful.

Crochet is easier when traveling because you don't have to worry about dropped stitches. And it works up faster.

Other than that I just go with what I'm in the mood for. I don't have to pick a favorite do I?

I like both but my heart is with Crochetting. It's what I learned first and I can whip out a killer scarf in an afternoon with crochet, while knit would take me a week.
But, that said, i prefer the drape of knit fabric for things like sweaters and I like the elasticity of ribbing produced in knit. I think the crochet equivilant is a cheap knock-off at best (crochet in front loop only of every row). Oh, and I think multi-color work is nicer in knit.

Crochet makes beautiful lace and is much easier to rip out with no droped stitches ever. I also think chochet offers a wider variety of stitch patterns and options.
Both have their place and I'm enjoying expanding my knitting skills right now, but I always have to treat myself to some crochet along the way.

knitting has some cool patterns. I have a great book of patterns for shawls and wraps, but I can't seam to get my hands to work well enough to get the needles to and yarn to make sense. So I have to agree that knitting might be a form of torture. I like to make crochet lace, and now I've gotten into tatting. I'm down to a size 80 thread.

J

knitting, contrary to what most folks seem to believe, is NOT hard. i have been crocheting for 8 years and was completely averse to the idea of knitting. but once a patient woman sat with me and talked me through it, i had knitting and purling down pat in less than 30 minutes. i've only been knitting for a few months and ilove it.

for me crocheting is indeed faster than knitting, and can also have some pretty neat designs. i find crochet a bit easier for the most part, but perhaps that's only because i've been doing it much longer than knitting. but i love them both...whenever i have yarn and hook or needles in my hands i'm happy as can be!

I can't knit (and I've tried, oh I've tried) so my vote is for crochet! :^)

I learned how to crochet first from my grandma. Once I had that down, I discovered some knitting needles in her old fabric scraps. So he sat me down again and taught me how to knit. I recently discovered that because I learned how to crochet first, I hold the yarn when I knit almost the same way I do for crochet and it allows me to do 2-3 stiches for every 1 that my friend does. Apparently my Grandma taught me the "European" way (she is German), vs the american way.

I think it all depends on how fast you see results.

Girl, I just got to GET MY HOOK ON!!!!

designs evolve faster
as I foam at da hook!

Hookaholic, hi
GinaRenay
http://gina_renay.blogs.com

Hi Everyone, I just joined this tribe after reading some of these preferences. Thought I would add my 2 cents. First off I have been knitting and crocheting since I was a child and for me I have found that some things I prefer to knit such as sweaters. I feel I can do more with knitting with a sweater than crocheting. My favorite thing to crochet is afgans. I can whipp one up twice as fast crochetting. I am fast at both and enjoy doing both.

Personally I believe both are easy everything that you do in knitting you do with only 2 stitches. I have found that most people make it alot harder than it is. but you are either knitting or purling. Learn those 2 stitches and get a nice even tention on your needles and you are good to go.

Crocheting also easy and I think most beautiful done in lace with fine thread;

***Note: the following is opinion only.

i learned how to knit first and actually preferred it for a very long time. i found crochet to be very hard when i first learned, pulling up loops was a huge challenge (but then i was 6).

now i prefer to crochet because it's easier to make freeform, spontaneous designs and if i mess up, it's easier to fix. not to mention, crochet travels more easily than knitting. and yes it's faster, but i find that crochet has some more intricate designs and patterns. you can't make lace with knitting needles! nor can you make knit look like crochet, but you can make crochet look like knit (i do this all the time for edging on hats, scarves, and sweaters)

to the woman who said that crochet stitches are girly.... i know LOADS of guys who wear crochet beanies and gloves and sweaters. hell, i even know guys who crochet. crochet could be considered more girly because it is airier than knit. but needlework is not just for women anymore.

but to each their own.

I guess it depends on what I'm doing and how long I have to do it. I've only been knitting for about 2 years, but I've been crocheting for 30. (Ask my mom - she'll tell you!)

Socks - definitely knitting. I NEED the stretch at the heel. I have strange feet.
Hats - crochet - working with double pointed needles makes me crazy.

I learned to Knit first in when I was around 7. About 3 years ago I taught my self how to crochet and I love it. It seems a lot faster to me than knitting.

For me, it is all about the project. I like knitting and crochet equally. It just depends on the project I'm doing and what technique is more suitable to the look or design I'm going for.

Salihah

I agree, crocheting is faster, but knitting can have some great patterns. I love them both, but am glad when crocheting works up so quick1
katie

I love that this topic has been on the board since February 20 (my birthday btw), 2004. I just joined the group recently and it's been nice to read all the ways we experience the knitting vs. crochet thing.

Both knitting and crochet are sensual (as all textile art and craft is for me). Creativity, color, texture, utility, touch and the in and out movement itself :). I love how both look. I think some things look better knitted than crocheted and visa versa. I wish I could do both equally well. Unfortunately, I have teflon brain when it comes to knitting. I can't seem to really learn how to do it. I've learned and relearned at least 6 times in my life and it doesn't stick. I have also not been able to sustain interest in knitting anything. It seems the knitting muse does not reside in my body. :( I have a friend who is a knitter and I love watching her. I love the clicking of the needles. One of the most beautiful shawls I've ever seen was made from her magical knitting gift (and I have it!).

Anyway, I crochet. It comes naturally to me. I love that you can do so much with one hook. I learned when I was little. My mom crocheted every potholder and tablecloth in the house when I was growing up. She always used those tiny silver hooks with thin cotton thread. I don't enjoy working so small, but she was a maniac with those little hooks. She's got a good brain for numbers and patterns, and can follow any kind of instruction. I'm more intuitive and tactile, and find patterns difficult. So, I just make it up as I go along. I'm not a complicated crocheter. I stick to scarves, shawls, bowls, bags and simple dolls (nothing fitted). For me, it's really about the color and texture of the yarn and stitch, and making something decorative or odd. Scarves are like more jewelry.

Pictures of one of my crocheted dolls is on 360.yahoo.com/profile-_fX...FSFv3ojuGys- in the Photos section under "Doll Fetishes and Art Dolls". It's one continuous skein of yarn with no breaks from beginning to end. It was a miracle that it worked out this way. Will upload pictures of a couple scarves soon.

I've crocheted for 35 years and knitted for 7 years

crochet is easier to "frog" (rip out back to an error, to fix the error, and move on) than knitting.

knitters are offered better patterns and better yarns (high end)

in my opinion (at least to my personal tastes) crocheters are given simpler patterns, to me (less attractive) than what knitters are offered

despite all the books, URLs, etc. out there telling you that you can make crochet look like knitting, I don't truly believe they can honestly be converted back and forth. The stitches/rows of each are too dissimilar in size to really do a true conversion process, plus, everyone's crochet (and knitting) gauge or tension differs, so the same "fix" for conversion will not work for every knitter and every crocheter. No one seems to want to convert knitting patterns to crochet, just the other way around.

I think yarn companies and yarn shops discriminate in favor of knitters, because they think crocheters are cheap and somehow less intelligent than crocheters, which is truly stupid.

Ok this:

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I heard that people who knit smell and they have cooties. Anything you make with knitting will unravel and choke your favorite pet. Knitting needles were invented by Satan.
__________________

literally made me lol. :)

I think crochet is faster, and easier to travel with (If the hook falls out, you might lose a couple of stitches, but no biggie)

Overall, I prefer knitting though. I think its GENERALLY more adaptable. But its slower (usually) and can be trickier to travel with.

Plus, it just seems its much easier for me to find patterns I like in knit. I know they're out there for crochet, just harder to come by, and usually limited to the same things over and over.

I love crochet for blankets though! I just made one for my son and the idea of knitting a blanket that size makes me want to hide :)

Knitting stresses me out. I just can't deal with two needles and if I drop a stitch, yikes! I can't just unravel and fix it like with crochet. I have seen some beautiful knit lace which makes me some what motivated to got back to it, but I definitely prefer crochet.

Well, I prefer knitting. But I do both, because I'm a craft-addict and I'm not anal about who does what :)

That crochet is "faster" is no big deal to me.

I like that crochet generally makes a thicker fabric than knitting, so if I crochet up a "washcloth" it will actually work better as a light-duty hot pad, while if I wanted to make a light duty knitted hotpad, I'd best use more than one strand of yarn. But a knitted washcloth will have a nicer, softer feel to it, and it feels nicer on my skin.

But I like the way knitting can fit really tailored (check out Dominitrix if you don't believe me!), I like how it drapes, how it looks... anything that has that "crocheted" look tends to look rather dumpy to me (not ALL crochet things!). I saw a fat bottom purse crocheted and just couldn't believe it was crocheted, it looked -so- nice.

Oh, something else I like about crochet is that you can make much nicer stuffies/amigurumis with it! I've only seen a couple decent knitted stuffies.

That's all i can think of at the moment, but I know there's more.