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Difference Between Crocheting and Knitting

Shruti Bhat
'Crochet vs. knitting' - this battle of needles has been going on for centuries and has been left open-ended till date.

Did You Know?

Crochet used to be a hobby only for the rich, while the poor would knit to mend their torn clothes.
Knitting and crochet have been a productive hobby of many women for centuries.
They have woven yarn and made everything from a simple doilies to table cloths, runners to dresses, curtains, and baby clothes, mats, rugs, scarves, afghans, baby blankets, throws, pillows, mittens, dishcloths... you name it and they have knit or crocheted it.
But ever since this art form came into being, there have been arguments and endless hours of discussions about the differences between crocheting and knitting, which is simpler, which one is faster, which knot and what knot, and so on and so forth.
The die-hard crochet fanatics have obviously said that crocheting is the best, while the knitters have disagreed. Thus, the age-long debate between crochet vs. knitting has gone on till date.

Crochet Vs. Knitting
➤ Crochet stitches are simpler and faster.
➤ Knitting is an acquired art, which takes more patience.
➤ Crochet uses 30% more yarn than knitting.
➤ Knitting requires relatively lesser yarn.
➤ Crochet lend a lot of freedom for creativity.
➤ In knitting, work is slightly more restricted as compared to crochet.
➤ You can crochet earrings, hairbands, scarfs, afghans, blankets, shoes, socks, etc.
➤ Knitting is ideal for sweaters, scarfs, blankets, etc.
➤ Traditionally, a crochet tool is a needle with a hook at one end of the needle.
➤ Knitting tools are a pair of large needles.
➤ In crochet, you use one hook with one loop of yarn on it.
➤ In knitting, you have perfectly aligned loops on one needle which need to be transferred onto another and back.
➤ Crochet hooks are interchangeable.
➤ Knitting needles are not interchangeable.
➤ One crochet hook can be used for different projects and sizes.
➤ Different knitting projects require different needles.
➤ 1 crochet hook is required to make a circular pattern.
➤ Several knitting needles are needed to make a circular design.
➤ Crochet piece is independent of the hook.
➤ Knit work hangs off the needles.
➤ You can pause your crochet half way into the line/row.
➤ Leaving your knitting half way thorough can leave stitches on both the needles which can become a problem.
➤ In crochet, there is no stitch transfer. It is a simple loop onto another loop.
➤ In knitting, you work one row of stitches onto one needle, then transfer it onto the other with the help of another row of stitches.
➤ Mistake correction is easier in crochet as you simply have to pull out the hook and undo the yarn to the point of your mistake.
➤ In knitting, you will need to undo your stitch by transferring them back to the previous needle, which can be tricky.
➤ Crochet is ideal for accessories as well as big projects.
➤ Knitting is best for large projects.
➤ There are fewer crochet patterns.
➤ There are more knitting patterns as compared to crochet.
➤ Crochet pieces are heavier and weave into more elastic/ stretchier fabrics.
➤ Knitting creates more of a non-stretchy fabric.
➤ Crochet is quicker, grows fast, and can easily be attached to one another.
➤ Knitting is slower and a little tricky to join two pieces. However, speed increases with practice.

Crochet Vs. Knitting: Differences in Technique

Crocheting

You begin your crochet with a slip stitch followed by a number of chain stitches of the said length required. Or if you wish to make a circular pattern, you begin with making a magic circle and then chain onto it.
Once the foundation line is done, you remove your hook and turn it inward and work your way back, this is usually done with the help of a single or double stitch. It does curl a bit, but only till you are done with the second or third row.
You will also need to keep a count of how many chain stitches you've chroched, and every line thereafter has to be of the same number of stitches. For example, if your foundation chain is of 26, then your second row and the rest that follow will need to have the same number of stitches. Unless you are working on an increase or decrease.
Most of the crochet patterns use the 'posts' to create the fabric. Posts are vertical stitches made on the lower row. Depending on the pattern, the crochet hook is inserted in the slots before the post, yarned over and pulled through. In certain patterns, the hook is directly inserted into the slots between two stitches.
You can find an array of crochet hooks depending on what you wish to make. Steel hook is a thin hook which is often paired with threads to make lace and doilies. Aluminum hooks come in a range of sizes and are ideal for wool.
Plastic ones are usually hollow and are light weight. Bamboo are lightweight and these too come in an array of sizes. Some Tunisian hooks have hooks on both ends and are called cro hook. Ergonomic ones are regular hooks with soft handles.

Knitting

Knitting needles vary in size and pattern.
Single point needles have a stopper at one end and a point at the other. Double-pointed needles have points at both ends.Cable needles are double-pointed needles which have a U-shaped bend. Circular needles have short pointed ends joined with lengths of cords.
The crochet-knitting wars are endless and it is more of an apple vs. oranges kind of a debate. Try your hand at both and choose one which suits you the best. You could also use both these techniques in your projects to give it a distinct and finished look.