We all love crochet but how about knitting?

[megan]

I've crocheted for five years, and always said that I would never be able to knit, because how can you take two needles and yarn and make anything with it? I finally ended up getting a learn to knit DVD because I saw a great sweater pattern I wanted to make, and it made much more sense after actually watching knitting happen. I taught myself to knit last August, and while I have done some crocheting since then, I really like knit fabric, so I've been spending most of my crafty time practicing that.

 

I also have a lot of friends who knit, but very few who crochet. It's interesting to listen to the knitters say how difficult crochet must be, and that they just don't get it, because I honestly think that crocheting is much easier (and certainly more intuitive... put the hook where you want it, pull up loops, and voila!).

 

Whichever one you prefer, I think it's an advantage to be proficient at both. At least that way, you never run out of great patterns!

[dudleyspinner]

I love knitting and crochet both. I do what is called contental or german knitting. You hold the yarn in your left hand and pick up the stitches. It is as fast as crochet for me but I have been doing it for 40 some years. Both crochet and knitting have advantages and look better for some things. Knitting has drape and stretch, crochet has texture that just wont stop. Knitting felts better. Each has its advantages.

Deb

[Cordelia]

I am desperate to learn to knit....I dont get the whole "feud" thing between crocheters and knitters...Like Deb said each has it advantages...

 

My goal for the next year is to learn to knit! The garmets made from knit are fabulous! I even ordered a knit pattern book....and I am frugal, so I am determined!

[brenmichelle20]

Have trouble learning to knit...Think it being that i am left handed...I can get the loops on the first hook but can't get to the next needle... I belong to a local SNB group and they being knitters mostly want to convert me...lol...

 

But is it harder when you are so used to one thing or the other?

[HopeK]

I just learned to knit this year at the Louisville Knit and Crochet Out. I caught on fairly quick. I taught myself how to bind off with the help of the web. I have a book regarding the different knitting stitches and have a whole set of bamboo knitting needles I won off of E-bay, as well as three sets of circular bamboo knitting needles.

 

 

Since the holidays will be over soon, I plan to work on knitting. I would like to knit in between crochet items to avoid a burn out.

 

Hope

Shelbyville, KY

[craftimama]

I wanted to learn how to knit for several years, but I couldn't figure out how to do it right from those "learn to knit'' books. The diagrams were totally confusing and I ended up with a very ugly mess. Then I tried a video to learn, but the lady went too fast and I kept having to pause it to see what she was doing. I gave up.

 

But this year I took a class at the local community college, and then it clicked. All I needed was someone to show me what I was doing wrong. Coming from a crochet background, my idea of inserting a needle from front to back of a stitch was completely different than knitting.....and I had been making my knit stitches totally backwards and just plain wrong, and forget about purling. I could never even figure that out before.

 

But by the end of the first class I was knitting and purling along with no problem. Very slowly at first -- but once my hands got the hang of it, I can knit like Speedy Gonzales now. It just took practice. I don't knit continental (holding the yarn with my left hand) -- I'm a thrower. I hold the yarn with my right hand and throw it up and over the needle and pull it through. That's comparable to the way I taught myself to crochet. Not that it wasn't awkward at first. My first dishcloth was incredibly ugly and had major boo-boos, but now I knit with few mistakes. And the first few times I had to tink back to fix mistakes, i thought I had died and gone to hell. But now I can pull my stitches off the needle, and slip them back on without too much trouble.

 

One thing I notice about being a long-time crocheter who learned to knit is that I'm better able to keep even tension on my yarn because I'm used to weaving it through my fingers when I crochet. My stockinette stitch comes out so nice and even.

 

I do notice that I use a crochet hook a lot in knitting, and sometimes patterns call for edging in crochet. Plus dropped stitches are so much easier to find and put back on the needle with a crochet hook. So.....it's great to know how to do both!! And I notice that most of the time, knitting patterns are easier to read than crochet. It's knit and purl and variants of the two. I've done intricate PK doily patterns in thread -- a sweater pattern is no big thing to me after that. LOL.

Hugs! Juli

[Hounddog]

I took lessons at a Sears store to learn how to knit in the 70's. It was very frustrating for me. But when I taught myself to crochet I felt so proud and have kept it up. Crocheting is so much easier and requires a lot less equipment to get started a beginner can start a granny square afghan in no time or makes that first hat with only a skein of yarn. I have recently begun to thread crochet it can be frustrating after using yarn and a larger hook but it is a challenge to me and I won't give it up. I really admire someone who can knit those complicated patterns like for some sweaters but give me the simple lifeLOL. :hook

[crochetingmom]

I guess you can say I swing both ways. I knit and crochet. I learned to crochet by watching Grandma and Granny and Granny was a lefty. I was about 6 when Grandma gave me a hook. I was 12 when I really wanted to knit a sweater for myself so I bought a book and needles with my allowance and taught myself. I have been doing both with a good amout of ease depending on the stitch I only glance down once in a while. I hold the yarn for knitting the same as for crochet, and when it is quite I like the sound of the clicking of the needles. My 10 year old daughter has also learned to do both as well, the 14 year old won't try either.

[Crochet Queen]

I work for the school ,and the last time we had snow days I thougth I would learn to knit..... Well I can do it but I dont like it so much. Way to slow. My hands hurt more my elbow hurts. I just prefer crochet. I can whip out anything fast with crochet:knit

[mimi_mia]

I have been knitting as long as I've been crocheting, I prefer the quickness of crochet........even though I love the smoothness of knit......I'm happy that I can do either depending on the project

[kagome4]

I am pretty good at knitting; I can knit, purl, knit 2 together, purl 2 together, ect. It's easy enough, although I don't do it much.