Have you ever wondered? Test Results!

[Crocus58]

I've often heard that crochet takes 1/3 more yarn than knitting and always wondered if it was true. This weekend I decided to test it. Using RedHeart Super Saver and the crochet hook and knitting needle sizes suggested on the lable to achieve gauge, I knitted 3 4x4" squares and crochet 3 4x4" squares. I then unraveled and measured the yarn required for each. Following are my findings:

 

Crochet:

 

DC - 12 st x 6 rows = 364"

HDC - 13 st x 10 rows = 432"

SC - 13 st x 15 rows = 484"

 

Knit:

 

Garter Stitch - 16 st x 32 rows = 512"

Stockinette Stitch - 16 st x 23 rows = 392"

Seed Stitch = 15 sts x 24 rows = 436"

 

The crochet used an average of 426" - the knitting an average of 446". Here are my squares:

 

 

They are a bit wonky, I didn't shape them before taking the picture (but I did cut off the tails before frogging and measuring).

 

Yes - I got bored this weekend . . . .

[Gran]

Hmmmmm, looks like you've put that myth to rest.

 

Wonder if there are other things to test?

 

You're a dear to go to all the trouble. I've wondered if that adage were really true.

 

Thank you very much for your efforts!

[craziebunny]

Great job!! I think you should enter them in the method buster show!

[Ldyjarhead]

What an interesting test!

 

I've always thought that crochet used more too, but maybe it just seems that way because it goes faster.

[morehotcoffee]

How cool is that! We have a myth buster right here at the ville. I thought for sure that the myth was true since crochet seems to be thicker than knitting.

[sorefingers]

Hey that is very cool! I would have never guessed that it is actually knitting that uses up more!

 

Sore

[mardar]

Thanks for testing that. I had always heard that crochet took more yarn

[Sugarcoatedlies]

i always thought knitting used more

yay i was right!

[Adreeyen]

Woot! That is awesome. Now we know why the yarn shops don't like crochet, because it takes LESS yarn

[magiccrochetfan]

Very interesting! thanks for doing this and posting the results.

[RusticOkie]

How interesting. Thanks for testing that and letting us know.

[AutumnWindsong]

Just for curiosities sake, what size needles did you use for each? That will have a lot to do with the results...as well as the stitch. Because in the 3 samples you have, 2 of them proved that crochet used more...and one didn't. Just curious.

 

Blessed Be.

[Crocus58]

My intention was not to prove that one craft used more yarn than the other, but rather to see if crochet really did use 1/3 more.

 

Because of the density and drape of the fabric created, in my own mind I've always compared the stockinette stitch to DC, the seed stitch to HDC and garter to SC and while those are very close, the knitting used more. I could see where the 1/3 more for crochet would come from if you compared stockinette to SC, but the fabric created from these two stitches simply do not compare -

 

DC - 12 st x 6 rows = 364" - Stockinette Stitch - 16 st x 23 rows = 392"

HDC - 13 st x 10 rows = 432" - Seed Stitch = 15 sts x 24 rows = 436"

SC - 13 st x 15 rows = 484" - Garter Stitch - 16 st x 32 rows = 512"

 

I used a 5.5 (I) hook and 5.0 (8) needles, as suggested on the wrapper.

[Pyroteca]

That is very interesting especially since this weekend I was politely informed that while crocheting might be faster, it uses so much more yarn. Good to know that that is not necessarily the case, especially since I crochet a whole lot faster than I knit.

 

How very cool of you to test the theory. Thanks!

[Nila]

I can definitely see how garter stitch would use the most yarn, it takes two whole rows to equal one row in stockinette stitch. Otherwise, they seem overall close though, which is cool. Nice to know I don't waste much more yarn either way. (Though you know, my head has always compared stst to sc, even though, like you said, they're way different in terms of fabric created.)