I get asked this regularly.
My response?
Crochet and knitting are peers, not mortal enemies.
One is not better than the other any more than water color paintings are better than oil paintings.
What do I mean by that? Here’s a quick run-down.
Crochet and knitting do different things; they are not interchangeable.
Crochet:
I’m going to start first by stating that crochet cannot be made by a machine, where knitting can. I’m not going to provide a history lesson on that here, but I think it is one of crochet’s most valuable qualities!
Crochet generally has more structure than knitting. It’s not generally as stretchy as something knitted, though there are some stitches that have a surprising amount of give! This general structure makes crochet great for tote and shopping bags, hats, slippers, shawls, scarves, afghans (from baby to adult!), lace, pillow covers, home decor, rugs, washcloths, hand towels, skirts, dresses, edgings; and all sorts of other things that you want to hold their shape.
Crochet can be wonderful for tops and sweaters, but you do need to be aware of the construction, style, and sizing to accommodate for the general lack of stretch in the fabric. Since crochet is less stretchy than knitting, I personally don’t like it as much for socks, sweater sleeves, and other wearables that are closefitting on high movement body parts, but as noted above, there are some stitch techniques that do create more movement!
Because of the dense structure of crochet, the fabric is generally thicker than a knit fabric with a comparable sized tools. This can lead to needing more yarn for a crochet project than a knit project (but, this is NOT an absolute though!). BUT! This also means that choosing a smaller gauge yarn can be more accommodating with a larger hook that you might expect.
Crochet is fabulous in that you are only working with one stitch at a time, using one hook! You can take your hook out, and you are not going to have your entire project fall apart. When (not if!) you have to frog part of your project out, you have far more control over the unraveling process, and don’t have to worry that the whole thing is simply going to come undone. Crochet is easy to free-form, a technique where stitches are added at random, changing directions and techniques at whim.
Knitting:
Knitting is very stretchy. It’s great for items that are going to fit closely and encase the body, such as socks, sweaters, dresses and hats. It’s also wonderful for shawls, scarves, lace and any sort of garment.
Knitting is often the first thing people think of when it comes to yarn crafting. It’s a great yarn craft because it can be faster for many people than crochet. All of your active stitches are live on your needles, which for some people makes it easier to see where they are in the stitching process.
Since knitting is so stretchy, I don’t find it as suitable for bags in general. Additionally, when you mess up a stitch, or drop one, it can ravel down quickly, and trying to recover it can make things more of a mess, so starting over happens more often.
Final Thoughts
These are just some observations I have about the difference between crochet and knitting. There are lots more for sure! It’s important to remember that one is NOT better than the other. They are different. Crochet and knitting do different things in the items they create, and in the ways a stitcher interacts with the yarn.
I encourage you to do both so you can have choices about the overall effect you want in your final product, but choosing one is just fine!
Either way, I’m here to help you choose the right yarn to go with your pattern, OR the right pattern to go with your yarn!
Want to learn more? Check out the library of crochet and knitting tutorials as well as general yarn information over on the YouTube channel!
Now.
Go make beautiful things! And when you’re done, share about it on the Brag Board page so others can be inspired by your creativity!
Love, SuziQue