Help! Coming from knitting...

[Whiskey Figs]

Why are there holes in my single crochet swatch if I’m using a size 5mm hook with worsted weight? I’m new to this coming from knitting. Is that just how it is? 

[Tampa Doll]

I don't understand what you mean about holes. 

When you crochet, you put the hook under the 2 loops on the top.  That is your stitch.  Under the loops is a hole for your hook.  I came from knitting also, but the nice thing is you can't drop a stitch off your hook and have to try and find it.

I hope this helps.

[Granny Square]

Hi and welcome to the 'ville!

I also learned to knit first as a kid, but then learned crochet and dropped knitting for 40 years.  Crochet was just more...versatile, and was easier to 'teach myself' (way before the internet) when I encountered a new stitch or technique.  And I was 'teaching myself' with a pile of vintage crochet doily books, so not simple stuff.  I never would have managed with vintage knitted doily books on my own I'm sure.

I think it is the nature of the stitch.  If you hold a swatch of stockinette up to the light, there are little holes shining thru, too, but will be a little more with SC.  SC is a thicker stitch, it's more 3-D than a knit stitch.

Are you just swatching to get the hang of it, or are you trying to swatch to match project gauge?  For me, I consider my gauge 'slightly tight' for both crafts, in comparing my gauge to patterns I either hit gauge or have to go up a needle/hook size, rarely the other way.  Maybe your gauge is just looser with crochet than knitting?

I'll make a little swatch of stockinette and sc with 5mm hook and needle and post it here for comparison, back in a bit.....or I wonder if I use a 'too big' hook for both, that might illustrate it better?  Hmm...

[Granny Square]

This was challenging to get the 'gaps' to show, I resorted to taping my swatch to a window.  Both the stockinette at the top and the sc at the bottom are done with a 10.5 hook & needle.  Both have gaps, yes the sc gaps are bigger but that is the nature of the stitch.

This also shows a trait of crochet that knit doesn't have, see the sc stitches slanting 1 way in 1 row, the other way in alternating rows?  This is normal.  It can cause issues when working in the round depending on what you are doing, and there are ways to mitigate that if you need to.  (sorry the pic is so huge.  The horizontal line happened due to the way I picked up and knit from the crochet row.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Granny Square