Which came first?

[pinkroses]

My dear deceased grandmother taught me to crochet at around 8.

I can knit too. I love both. I learned to knit on my own.

In my resherase Kinting is thought to have come first.

but, I am not really sure of this . I believe crochet to be very old.

But who cares.? Both are here for us to enjoy and to share of love of the crafts and art with others. pinkroses

[Rena Tyrantina]

I started to crochet earlier this year. Then a couple months ago I started trying to teach myself to knit. I can't knit nearly as well as I crochet. And knitting is soooo slow. And now I need to learn how to fix dropped stitches. The horror! Not to mention, how the heck do you frog a knit row without losing the whole thing?!? None of those problems in crochet!

 

Sorry, I'm rambling.

[LadyyOftheOak]

But all with solutions

[Mom w/a Motif]

I learned to crochet when I was 19. I had an aunt help me (she taught me to do the ripple stitch.) Then four years later I taught myself to knit.

 

I still crochet more than knit.

 

Tina

[Kelle]

My best friend taught me to crochet in the 4th grade (so I was 10?) and I've been crocheting ever since (I'm 30 now). Just recently, I've become more passionate about it with all the yarn choices and pattern accessibility on the internet.

 

I tried to teach myself to knit about 6 years ago and just couldn't get the hang of it, couldn't figure out why I was so slow and thought I would never learn. Decided to ask for a "learn-to-knit" kit for Christmas last year and suddenly, something clicked (that, and I realized that even thought purl is the back of a knit, it didn't mean that I had to knit backwards! I thought once I got to the end of the row, I then had to use my left hand and do it backwards instead of just exchanging the needles in my hands.... oy vey Kel! LOL!) Anyways, with lots of help from online tuts (and learning continental style), I can now knit fairly well and so far have knit slippers, dishcloths, hats, and scarves. One of these days I'll advance to more intricate stuff.

 

Funny thing is, I hold my yarn when I knit, fairly similar to the way I hold it when I crochet (I don't "throw" the yarn over)... and I noticed my girlfriend, who learned to knit first, throws her yarn over the hook when she crochets!

 

Anyways, thanks for letting me share. I really love crochet, but am also loving all the design possibilities that have opened up with knowing how to knit.

 

~k

[Nutsaboutcrochet13]

I taught myself to crochet, but was never interested in knitting

 

[Ellie 13]

When my sister and I were sick at the same time (30+ yrs ago), my mom tried to teach us to knit. Sis picked it up quickly. I just couldn't get it. When I was 9 (10?), another sister (I have 3) showed me how to crochet granny squares. I was hooked (LOL). After that, a got books that showed you how to crochet. My mom gave me a set of 10 crochet hooks (still have tham) and I've been crocheting ever since. I showed my younger sister and a niece how to make granny squares. They really didn't get into, but who knows?

Ellie 13

[sakurasaku]

And now I need to learn how to fix dropped stitches. The horror!

 

You use your trusty...you guessed it...crochet hook!

 

I still knit faster than I crochet...

[Tracey4610]

My mom taught me to crochet when I was 9 (some 20 years ago). She also knows how to knit, but she refused to teach me simply because she didn't like it. Both of my grandmothers crochet, and my maternal grandmother knits, and does cross-stitch. When I got to high school, my friends all called me "grandma" because crocheting wasn't "in" (this was in the early '90s). I went to college, and picked it up again because I needed something to slow me down. I was so busy and stressed out, that something needed to give. After surviving burnout, I had my mom find my old hook and some yarn and I began making myself a sampler stitch afghan. I taught myself to read patterns when I was 20, and made about 4 afghans that year, and even taught my ex-boyfriend-then-friend how to crochet. I had no desire to learn to knit until about 3 years ago, when I had the urge to learn. My maternal grandmother had moved to FL about 4 years ago, so she couldn't really help me. So, I went out and bought a kit from Wal-Mart, and went to it. It wasn't hard to learn the knit stitch, but it took me at least 3 weeks to figure out the purl due to the fact that pics in the book were vague, and I'm left-handed and knit with the feeder yarn in my left hand, like you would when you crochet. It wasn't until about 5 months ago that I figured out how to k2tog (I had to watch an online tutorial).

 

I still don't knit very well, but I am an advanced crocheter. I'm getting into the world of designing, and I plan to pass on our craft to my children (it will be part of their homework, since we're going to homeschool! ).

[darski]

I am so loving these stories of learning to knit and crochet.

 

There is something in this string that binds our hearts.

 

[hiptobeme]

Okay, who voted for "I still can't crochet" !? They should really stick around a bit and benefit from the wonderful expertise and kindness of the people at the 'Ville. I'm sure they will be crocheting in no time!

That was me. I learned to crochet about 20 years ago and I still dont think I do it right. I can read a pattern but it never comes out right:( I want to I really do I cant even count how many crochet pattern books I have but the only thing I have ever made in crochet that looks alright were the espradilles (sp?) that were in the Interweave knits crochet magazine. Other than that nothing I make looks anything as nice as the original.

[darski]

well, back at the basics... have you made a simple granny square?

 

Most of what you need to know is found in doing the simple Granny. What doesn't seem quite right about your work - can you tell where it seems to go awry.

 

is it possible that you are just being really hard on yourself? I think we all know that one

[hiptobeme]

Ive never made a granny square but did want to try to so I can make an afghan for my son.

What doesnt seem right is that it often is misshappen what I make,it looks nothing like the original, the count is often off and the stitches are often loose.

Ive bought dozens of amigurumi books so the stitches arent complicated just single crochet. But I cant seem to keep track of the stitches as easy as I can when I knit Im often adding or dropping stitches so I have to count every single stitch which means NO ONE may talk to Mommy when she is crocheting lol. And Ive tried going down a size in needles but then its too tight and rather than achieving a sphere I get an egg.

I really want to know how to crochet , I even asked my grandma to teach me but she just couldnt do it:blush

I found this simple granny square pattern http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/01granny/grannysquare.shtml I thought I might give it a try later.

[darski]

One of the hardest parts of getting good at crochet for me was knowing what counted as a stitch and where the first or last stitch would or should go. There are still times when I am not sure so it would be nice if there were sketches that showed what to put where...sigh.

 

When you are making something "in the round" like a granny square, it is usually easier to keep things as they should be.

It is harder for newbies to work in the round for items such as the amigurumi and that sort of crochet or when working across a long run.

 

I would encourage you to make that granny square and see how it goes. Learning this technique will also likely help you with other projects.

 

Once you have made the usual granny, I would move on to trying some different squares that are just variations on the granny. Check Crochet Pattern Central for 6 or 7 inch squares.

 

Here is the index page from which you can look at possible squares.

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory.php

[Happy_Hooker]

I learned both around the same time too... but I have to say that for me, crocheting made knitting easier... not the other way around...

 

Personally I think it is easier to learn crochet first because you only have one needle to worry about... you are already flustered with how/where to hold everything at first... no need to add fuel to the fire And you also have what seems like instant results... boost your confidence... AND there is no need to worry about stitches being dropped and not being able to fix it.

[Starr]

I learned both around the same time too... but I have to say that for me, crocheting made knitting easier... not the other way around...

 

I agree, because I learned crochet first, it was easier to learn knitting.

 

I have talked to many knitters that have a hard time learning crochet.

I wonder if it is because the majority of knitters "throw" the yarn with their right hand?

 

When I knit, I knit continental, holdng the yarn the same way as I do for crochet, just lholding the knitting needle with it.

 

Do any other crochers who knit do the same?

[darski]

I have just learned to knit in continental style and I do believe that crochet made it easier to learn this after 40 years of English style.

 

i do like it now but it was a slow process to get good at knit and purl not to mention k4tog.

[Craftymomma]

I learned how to crochet when I was 8. I have tried to knit a couple times and so far I'm not liking it. A little old lady from church has been trying, but I'm not having much success. I don't like that it seems to take forever to get very far. My girlfriend is making the cutest felted knit purses. I think I may have to try out different instructors and keep trying to see different methods. I think I just need to relax. I love crocheting because I don't really have to think about what I'm doing a lot of the time or worry about my stiches slipping off the hook.

[mustang lady]

I learned to crochet when I was about 13. I have never learned to knit and I don't know if I could learn. I think I will stick to crocheting.

[darski]

This page keeps showing as having new replies but there is no new post when I get here... toooooo weird.

[hiptobeme]

Could it be just because someone has voted that it says there are new replies ?

[darski]

I don't know, does that count?

It could explain it. thanks, I needed that.

[momofgmd]

I learned crochet as a child, and it was only recently that I decided I wanted to learn to knit. I have managed to knit some dishcloths, but that is about it. I hope to improve, but for now, crochet is still my primary creative outlet.

[hooked2]

I learned to crochet over 30 years ago when my son was a few months old. My Mom (who crocheted) sent me a "Learn To" book (a small green paperback that I still have) that included a "Crochet" section. I made my son a little vest and that started my journey with crocheting.

 

I did take a knitting class once. I was struggling () and not having fun. Then the instructor announced (she didn't ask - ) that I must crochet because I held my knitting needles like a crochet hook! Well, that was that for knitting ()!

 

So, after a dry spell of not crocheting (working on a PC 9 hours a day for years took its toll on my hands), I'm retired and getting back "in harness." (I would say "getting back in hook" but that doesn't make any sense ().

[ErinLindsey]

You wont believe this, but I just learned how to purl tonight. Been trying that ever since I figured out how to do the knit stitch in august. I finally managed it.

 

I still cant purl very fast. I have to purl with the English method, but I knit continental. I think my brain is stuck in Crochet Mode when I try to purl and my fingers and brain get confused by the two pointy sticks and trying to figure out just which direction to wrap the yarn around the needle. I tried for an hour to purl continental before I gave up and tried it the English method and finally was successful.

 

I also managed to learn how to knit in the round on double pointed needles tonight too.

 

So, I guess now I can finally knit, purl and knit in the round. I can do stockinette stitch now too. It's about time, since my sister attempted to teach me these things when I was 7. Only took me 30yrs to finally figure it out.

 

Now what do I do? (put the knitting needles down and get back to crocheting something probably)