Crocheting vs. Knitting

[socduncan]

I know the questions been asked a million times....

 

I bought some knitting needles the other day thinking I'd give it a try so I could make some socks. I've watched many video's and surfed the web for all kinds of info, even attended a knitting get together in my neighborhood last night. Had a wonderful time so today I finally picked up the needles to give it a go...

 

OMG the whole thing got on my nerves. LOL!!!

 

Are there just some people who are NOT suppose to knit???

 

I'm still learning to crochet and can't do anything hard like clothing. Even though I'm starting simple with afghans it just seems easier and I don't have issues with yarn tension, or dropping the hook or whatever else.

 

I think I'll just stick around here a little longer...

[annmcc1976]

I hear ya.,,,, I wanted to learn to knit causei love the look,

but put 2 hooks in my hand and I turn into Annie Fumblefingers, I can't manupilate 2 hooks... i feel all "drunk hands" and cant cordinate everything,

 

I pick up my crochet hooks and I turn out things left and rite.... so for rite now my Knitting needles are glorified back scratchers.. Untile i can find someone to Personaly teach me how.

 

but I too have thought I was not meant to learn to knit.. that crochet it my thing

[tmpinsnty]

i know people that can't get the hang of crochet...

[DesertCrocheter]

It took me 30 years to learn to knit. My mom taught me to crochet as a young girl, but I was all thumbs with it, frustrated us both, and we dropped it. I was about 40 before I took it back up, determined to learn.

 

No need to learn, unless you want to. You can perfect crochet and your tension and how different yarns work for which projects crocheted before you move on to knitting. Or you could decide to kill 2 birds with one stone and learn both at the same time. Why not?

 

It's your hobby and pleasure, do with it what you want!

 

Patty

[pinkroses]

I love both and do both on regularly ; why should one pick over the other when one loves both.:cheer:manyheart

[Monique39]

I love them both too..

[Granny Square]

I learned to knit as a kid 40 years ago, made a simple scarf, then learned to crochet soon after, and set the needles down to rust ever since. I don't recall disliking knitting, or having problems learning, but I think I decided crochet was more 'hip'

 

I just picked them up again this February and after some fumbling (and lots of practice fixing mistake LOL) I think I've got the hang of it and am actually enjoying it. It is slow, but I think a lot of us have 'stockinette envy'....

 

What worked for me...I put the old 14" needles back into their rusty place and got some circular needles--much easier to handle. Since I know I learned some variation of continental style, I started there. The biggest problem I had was holding the left hand, especially for purl, for conventional continental. I found 2 ways worked with minimal change in the way I held the left hand in crochet: (1) continental combined, or (2)continental knit with Norwegian purl. (2) mounts the stitches conventionally, but (1) is faster, easier, less hand movement, and no problem once I 'got' the whole stitch mount thing.

 

YMMV, just letting you know which knitting path I found the easiest. Knittinghelp.com is excellent, as is http://techknitting.blogspot.com/.

[vonnie]

I can do both but much prefer crochet....I think it is totally personal...

[Becky Morgan]

The whole idea is to have fun, isn't it? If knitting isn't fun, why bother? OTOH, if you want knitted stuff, you'll learn. There are only about a bazillion ways to knit, so don't get stuck on one style if it doesn't work for you. Everyone around here seems to knit in a particular, wrist-wrenching, veryveryverytight English style, and I can't do that. Make mine Continental-combined purl, or whatever it's called this week (I got yelled at for calling it that a couple of times, but hey, it's good enough for Annie Modesitt.) I don't wind the yarn around my fingers, either. That hurts and is way too slow and tight. It's actually faster for me to knit most things than it is to crochet them. YMMV.

 

If you can do Tunisian crochet, you can knit. You just keep picking up a loop in each loop with a second hook instead of "casting off". Think of it that way and it isn't scary.

[MouseCLP]

I refer to myself as 'a crocheter who knows how to knit.' Crochet relaxes me, knitting can tense me up. I can do most anything with crocheting. I can do most anything with knitting, too, as long as I don't make any mistakes. The only big knit project I was ever able to complete was a sweater using mitered squares, because they worked to a single stitch at the point, so if I boo-booed I could rip out back to that one stitch and move on. To me, it's so much easier to frog, stick my hook back in one loop and get back to my project in crochet.

 

However, there are many yarns and/or patterns that just look better when knitted. I don't like the Fun Fur when it's crocheted; the stitches keep the fuzzies pinned down. Knitting plain garter stitch is mindless and doesn't make me so tense any more. I prefer circular needles to straight ones, and I can't knit worth anything using aluminum needles -- they slide out of my projects way too easily! (See above paragraph about not making mistakes.)

 

Sometimes it helps to just put the knitting down for a bit and come back to it later. Practice every once in a while, and when the time is right, you'll find you're improving and enjoying it more and more. And if not.... well, that's why we have Crochetville!

[Mellrb702]

I wanted to learn to crochet for years, finally learned and loved it. Then wanted to learn to knit just for the heck of it even though I had no interest at all. I tried it, it was hard for me with a needle in each hand, and decided, it's not for me. I'm not even interested, but thought I would be "cool" if I knew how, hehe. I'll stick with crochet, which makes me happy.

[magiccrochetfan]

to me, it seems it would be easier to learn crocheting pretty thoroughly and then learn to knit ---but maybe that's just because my brain is not a young as it used to be:lol:lol

 

I bet you could crochet at the knitting get-together if you want:hook

 

I agree that circular needles are easier to manage, especially once I got Addi brand needles, which have a very limp cable that doesn't curl or kink up. I started with bamboo which helped keep the needles from sliding out.

 

And i also knit combination style, like Granny Square and Becky Morgan. it does make some things a little harder to figure out, as increases and decreases are reversed. But for me it is faster and more even than regular continental or English style. haven't tried Norwegian purl...just watching video of it turns my brain to a pretzel.

 

Kim Guzman has taught an online beginner knitting class here on the Ville. it is a very good class.

[eyrthmother1]

I just learned to knit last year and the teacher did the "throw method" and i could do it but felt odd. she suggested i look at youtube vids and try continental since i crochet. works much better (learning to purl was a bit hard at first though). I had wanted to learn for over 30+yrs so was fun for me.

 

Like many others, i prefer circular needles. i also learned to knit socks and used the bamboo needles LOVE THEM!!

 

my teacher also started us off real slow (looking back, that was part of my issues w/ learning. I tried to learn all at once/going too fast so my brain couldnt adjust ). she started us out w/ a size 13 needle and ww yarn. we cast on 13 stitches and ONLY used knit stitches to do a skinny scarf. i can't remember know what we made to learn the purl stitch. but to increase/decrease we used cotton ww and made an idiot cloth dishcloth.

 

if you wish to learn, go slow, persevere, and don't be afraid to ask for help

 

sandy

[phlower_girl]

i love knitting and crocheting about the same but repetition bores me so i switch back and forth between the two and am liking tunisian crochet it seems like im doing both hahaha

 

i love kniting but it is soooo slow sometimes and i like crochet cause it gives me fast results

[Flia]

Personally I know crocheting much better, but if I want to make something that calls for knitting I'll give it a try.

If I want the item bad enough I'll learn the stitches, even if it takes time.

 

It's all about making beautiful things to me, no matter the tecnique.

[Aluajala]

I love both too. Knitting for wearables and crocheting for toys and decorative stuff

[Tampa Doll]

I learned to knit as a kid, and did not pick up crocheting till about 18 years ago.

Truthfully, you should of started out with something easier then socks. Once you learn and have practiced, then tackle something like socks.

It is like learning to crochet. You wouldn't start with filet or something that requires size 30 thread.

Ease into it and you will find it is just as much fun and relazing as crocheting.

[socduncan]

Love all the responses...thanks! Just to clear up a bit, I didn't start with socks, just wanted to eventually make socks. Haven't done anything yet except the first row of knit. I felt like a fish out of water. I think I'll just work on crocheting for now. Learn as much as I can and enjoy it while I go. Something about crocheting feels more natural, that's all.

 

o.k. off to finish the second "best ever booties".

[Threecats]

I love, love, love crochet but I have always wanted to learn to knit. I started learning in January of this year with the help of books, youtube videos, and Ravelry. I currently have a practice sock on some dpns and an easy cable scarf on another pair of needles. Knitting is slower than crochet but the fabric is so different. I have also heard folks say that knitting uses less yarn which makes sense because you are not making all those loops in one stitch.

 

I think you should keep trying to learn to knit. Go slow and keep practicing. It should get easier. Good luck.

[photojenic]

You can make real knit stitches (REAL! not knit-look-alike) with your crochet hook. Check out my Knooking blog! http://knooking.wordpress.com/

 

We even have a big group of about 400 Knookers at Ravelry, having a ball making and combining both crafts with our hook. Come by and check us out.

[Sylviaf]

I love the look of knitting and admire my daughter's work, but I am one of those destined not to knit. I have decided that my life is too short to knit or to hand quilt (another craft I quickly gave up).

[sjs1216]

I have been crocheting for a long time, I never learned to knit, but a couple of years ago,I learned loom knitting. Crochet is my first love,yet loom knitting is fun, and I have created many nice items.

[Miss Crochet]

but put 2 hooks in my hand and I turn into Annie Fumblefingers, I can't manupilate 2 hooks... i feel all "drunk hands" and cant cordinate everything,

 

Hi Annie! It's me, your sister, Missy Fumblefingers!

 

Seriously, all those pointy sticks ... and knitting is so slooooooooooowwww. Even when knitting pretty fast, it takes a couple of hours to do an inch of knitting - I'd have a whole hat done in that time if I crocheted it! I think my life's too precious and short to knit.

[Miss Crochet]

I have decided that my life is too short to knit or to hand quilt (another craft I quickly gave up).

 

Snap! I hadn't read your post before posting mine - glad I'm not the only one who thinks like this

[cshell]

I understand exactly where you're coming from. The cute socks will get you every time.

 

I am TRYING to knit socks toe up on circular needles (so we're talking what, 16 stitches to start?) and within minutes my shoulders are up around my ears from being so tense. I have started over several times but guess what? I have half a sock already.

 

You can do it. Just take breaks if (when ) you get frustrated.