Is knitting or crocheting easier? A closer look at the facts, the pros, and the cons of each craft.
So, you want to create your own sweaters, scarves, socks, toys, or blankets? Or are you just looking for an accessible and reasonably inexpensive hobby that some say has very calming, even meditative, aspects? And now you are wondering about the differences between knitting vs crochet?
Let me take you by the hand and guide you through the pros and cons of each respective craft. You are probably wondering which of the two is easier for beginners and possibly even which hobby might be better for you. And this post will answer all of these questions and address a couple of facts you might not even be aware of yet.
I particularly want to look at the commonalities of knitting and crochet because I personally believe that there’s more that unites these two crafts than there is that divides them.
Anyway, let’s dive right into it.
Reading tip: Learn how to knit – complete free course for beginners (+videos)
Note: I earn a small commission for purchases made through links in this article.
The differences between knitting and crocheting at a glance
Ravelry and Etsy are by far the most popular places when it comes to researching patterns and even a quick glance will easily show you that there is not a single garment, toy, or household item (like blankets, sweaters, etc.) that you cannot produce with either craft.
So, when it comes to choosing between the two, I feel it’s very important to understand that neither will limit your creativity or the number of choices. What will be different, however, is the fabric you create and the ease (or difficulty) of certain constructions. Let’s take a closer look:
The techniques & tools
Knitting is done with two needles using both hands. Essentially you are using one needle to store loops and the other to scoop out a fresh row of loops from this fundament. Initially, this requires quite a lot of muscle memory and dexterity, especially as all stitches can unravel at any time or fall off your very pointy and slippery needles.
It also means that knitting patterns often require various means and additional tools to shape fabric, put stitches on hold, or for picking up stitches. 3-Dimensional objects can be particularly difficult to create and may require a full set of five double-pointed knitting needles.
Crocheting only uses one hook and one main hand to create the fabric. While both crafts require you to pull yarn through loops, the hook facilitates this process tremendously. On top of that, the resulting stitches are stable (essentially a chain of knots) and only the currently active stitch could possibly unravel.
This also makes fixing mistakes as easy as pulling on the yarn to unravel a few stitches, while in knitting fixing mistakes requires a lot more skill (and actually a crochet hook). On top of that, for crocheting, you typically do not need any other tools for even the most complex patterns.
The fabric
These days, most commercially available garments in retail stores are knitted – even those that may not look like they were. T-shirts, sweaters, socks, or undergarments are typically made out of jersey – a particular fine machine-knit fabric.
Most people will associate knitting with garments and there’s a sheer unimaginable amount of patterns available to hand-knitters. If that’s what you are looking for, crocheting might be more likely to disappoint you (e.g. Ravelry lists knitted 150.000 sweater patterns but only 16.000 crochet sweaters).
As the fabric is constructed solely using the loops (stitches) on the needles, knitting patterns typically follow a very logical form. This makes it very easy to create uniform smooth fabric (like a rectangle or a tube) but considerably difficult to knit more elaborate structures. Intricate colorwork can be a lot easier, though.
In crochet, stitches are mostly formed by piercing through previous rows. The result will typically be a thicker and bumpier fabric with quite a lot more texture or one with lots of decorative holes in it. It typically also uses more yarn compared to knitting and is quite a bit less stretchy as adjacent stitches are not connected in a direct way.
Especially when it comes to garments, most people will associate crochet fabric with old-fashioned doilies or hippie kinds of bralettes – a bit more whimsical one could say. Since the fabric is typically a lot denser, it can be used to support 3-dimensional forms (like toys or home decor) a lot easier.
Note: The true reason for the popularity of knitting fabric is, however, that there are no true crochet machines making large-scale crochet fabric uneconomical. If it is on sale, it typically comes from a sweatshop. This also means, your hand-crocheted items will be a lot more unique by default.
Is knitting or crocheting easier?
Crocheting requires a bit less dexterity and multi-tasking and can thus be said to be easier. Handling the many live stitches and correcting mistakes can be a lot harder for knitting beginners. On top of that, crochet stitches are typically larger than their knitting counterparts, so it is quite a bit faster to create the same surface area (but uses more yarn).
On top of that, knitting typically differentiates between the right and wrong side while this kind of question is less of a concern in crocheting. So, for very young children (below 8 years), basic crocheting is probably easier. The same applies to adults who lack delicate fine control in their hands. Pulling a simple loop through another loop using a hook is, initially, a lot easier and often less frustrating. Knitting needles don’t have a hook. So, at first, stitches will frequently slip off the needles.
It’s very important to note, however, that advanced crochet projects or knitting projects will be very similar in difficulty. So, it’s only the initial learning curve. This basically means, if you are just looking for a little distraction for an hour or two, knitting might be a bit too hard. Later on, the differences in difficulty are negligible and it’s not as if the knitting basics are truly hard to learn. Millions of people did it before you.
One very important topic that needs to be addressed is the tools you need. Crocheting, as I said, basically just needs a couple of hooks and yarn. For as little as 50 USD you can basically access almost all beginner and intermediate patterns.
When it comes to knitting, costs can quickly add up. A single set of quality interchangeable knitting needles, arguably the most cost-efficient investment of them all, can be 100 USD or even more. And that does not include all the other knitting tools you might need.
Of course, you don’t need all these supplies as you start and a knitting beginner kit will roughly cost as much as the crocheting equivalent. Later on, the differences can be noticeable if you want to knit a wide range of projects that require different types of needles and special tools. Then again, knitting is a lot more yarn efficient (uses around 30% less) and often yarn is the most important cost factor.
Pros and cons of knitting vs crocheting
Now let’s wrap things up and put it all together in one table. I do, however, want to be clear that the decision will ultimately largely depend on your personal preferences. There’s no one clear winner here:
| Things to consider | Knitting | Crocheting |
|---|---|---|
| Will (by common acclaim) look best for these projects: | Sweaters, socks, hats, shawls, and anything square | Toys, home decor (blankets, doilies, baskets), shawls, and anything circular |
| Kind of fabric it can create with ease | drapey, soft, lacy, smooth, delicate, stretchy | lacy, sturdy, rigid, textured, whimsical/intricate |
| Projects that are more difficult for beginners | toys and tubular/spherical shapes | intricate colorwork, drapey, smooth rectangular projects |
| Amount of patterns available | Very large libraries of (free) patterns, books, journals, and magazines available | Fewer patterns but you probably never run out of ideas either |
| Speed to finish a project | Knitting can be slower initially, even if you use big needles and chunky yarn | Initially a bit faster as basic crochet stitches are quite big |
| Fixing mistakes | A bit more complicated but possible to fix mistakes multiple rows below | Super simple to fix basic mistakes and very difficult to fix mistakes farther down |
| Starting costs | around 30-50 USD for a decent starter kit | 25-40 USD for a decent starter kit |
| Advanced costs | Knitting requires much more tools but also uses up around 30% less yarn | Crocheting doesn’t need many supplies but uses more yarn and yarn can be very expensive |
| Seaming | A lot of intermediate projects require extensive seaming. On the plus side, this will allow a very precise fitting. | Most crochet projects are seamless as you can basically continue anywhere in your fabric with a new ball of yarn. |
Again, I absolutely want to stress that both crafts will be able to produce the exact same projects. You absolutely can crochet a sweater but the majority of people will favor the smooth and drapey look of a knitted sweater.
You can totally knit amigurumi and home decor. In fact, these creations will have a much more delicate look – but they will also be ten times harder to create. In crochet, toys actually count among the simple beginner projects while in knitting you might need years of experience.
Which one is faster?
Now, I have read quite a lot of times that crochet would be faster than knitting. And I’d like to contest that view – or rather put that into perspective. As I said, forming a crochet stitch is a bit easier due to the hook. So, as a bloody beginner, you will probably knit the same area much slower than you would crochet it.
On top of that, you can easily stack multiple stitches (e.g. treble crochet) on top of each other in crochet (stacked increases are possible in knitting too but that’s a very advanced technique), and that makes it even faster. However, it’s very important to note that these kinds of techniques create a different, much lacier fabric with holes.
Later on, it will be much slower to create the SAME kind of fabric with crochet. Special speed knitting techniques will allow you to move on at a tremendous speed – forming 2 stitches per second. A speed that will be virtually unattainable in crochet (fastest knitter creates 118 stitches in 1 minute) – except you do trebles and count them as three stitches.
Either way, each of them can be fast but they will excel in different areas.
Crochet vs knit blanket
One heavily debated topic is the difference between knitting versus crochet when it comes to blankets. Both crafts will be able to produce stunning blankets. Crocheting is, obviously, famous for multicolored granny squares and it’s very difficult to create something similar with knitting (mitered squares are similar but don’t even remotely have a similar range of options).
Cables are, on the other side, much easier to create in knitting. While it’s possible to crochet them, they won’t look as crisp, and more advanced cables will be quite difficult. The same applies to intricate colorwork. While not exactly easy, intarsia and Fair Isle basically allow you to transfer any picture or design into knitting.
Another thing to consider is the creative process itself: Blankets can be huge and in knitting all stitches, so the full width, need to be on your needles. This can mean 400 stitches or more. A single row can take as much as 30 minutes and it’s often very difficult (or ill-advised) to interrupt this process. In crochet, you can basically stop wherever you are and you typically construct a blanket out of smaller units.
You can, of course, construct an afghan out of many little squares in knitting as well, but this means a lot of seaming and sewing later on. While not difficult a lot of knitters feel it’s very annoying. Most granny square blanket patterns typically crochet the squares together and that only leaves weaving in ends.
Things BOth crafts have in common
Up until now I mostly talked about the differences between crochet and knitting but there are also many things that unite them. First of all, a lot of knitting techniques require a crochet hook (like a provisional cast-on or some ways of picking up stitches) and vice versa. So, no matter which of the two you pick, you will benefit a lot from dabbling a bit in the other craft as well.
On top of that, both hobbies are incredibly relaxing, some say even a bit like meditation. Only recently I read a lovely quote:
“One of the most powerful things about knitting is that it makes you feel very happy to be in your own company”.
Kaffee Fassett
And the same can be said about crocheting. The hours working on a project can be very restorative and relaxing.
Naturally, you will end up working with fabulous yarn and you will be able to express your personal style, preferences, and personality with each of your projects no matter if you learn knitting or crocheting. Both crafts can also help you to build up a sustainable, slow-fashion wardrobe or decorate your home.
Knitting: my personal story and why I picked it
I learned how to crochet when I was around 4-5 years old and knit a couple of months later. At first, I was obsessed with crocheting little bags and toys and all these sorts of things. The relative ease and speed of even complex-looking patterns were what had me hooked (please excuse the pun, haha).
In the years to come, both were part of our school curriculum but as I grew older, I noticed that the kind of fabric crochet creates isn’t what I was really looking for. And even today, I personally feel it looks strangely outdated and old-fashioned or not delicate and smooth enough.
I love knitting socks and complex home decor (like my flowers and mushrooms) and, despite being a proficient crocheter, I never was able to create something that even remotely satisfied me. Most crochet amigurumi look very clumsy and cartoony to me. Obviously, this is what a lot of people like about them, but it’s not for me.
I’m not saying this to tell you, you have to start knitting. Quite to the contrary, even though this is a knitting blog and I only show you how to knit here. That’s precisely the reason why I put this section about my personal choices here at the end and not at the beginning.
So, here’s what I would recommend: First, think about the projects you want to create. Sweaters, toys, blankets, you name it. And then use Google or Pinterest and search for the respective crochet and knitting patterns. I guarantee you that one craft will probably speak more to you.
Besides, it’s not like you cannot learn the other craft later on. In fact, I personally believe that the synergies between crocheting and knitting should be explored in greater depth. Knitting a blanket and adding a delicate, lacy crochet border can look as stunning as adding a beautiful little crochet cuff to knitted socks.
Anyway, that was my post about knitting vs crochet. Comment below in case you have questions or doubts.
Another great article Norman, thank you. I am learning both knitting and crochet. I am finding some aspects of both of them tricky to pick up and others easy. Everyone can decide what they are most comfortable doing and enjoy the most but I am finding that by being able to do both I can choose from so many patterns and can make almost anything. I will carry on doing both.
PS I wouldn’t complain if the odd crochet article appeared on this blog 🙂
ha…well, let’s see what the future holds! i actually wish I had a bit more time for crocheting.
Thank you Norman for your detailed explanations. Although I knew a bit about both crafts years ago, it is only since the pandemic that I have picked them up again. Last winter it was crochet madness for me lol. But this fall I decided to try my hand at knitting. At first it was very frustrating especially when losing stitches mid row and I almost threw it in a couple of times. Now I’m working on a sweater and happy that I’m making less mistakes ( I also learned about lifelines which keeps me sane). Anyway I’m just picking my way through your website and tutorials and learning lots. Your calming approach makes me want to learn to knit well. Thank you for taking the time to put this website together.
Happy to hear you enjoy my website and knitting, Sharen thank you for sharing your experience & feedback!
Totally agree Norman, I find crochet a bit heavy on my projects, love knitting but don’t mind using crochet in it when needed. Thank you for your article 🙂
Oddly enough, I read this article at the end of an evening which I had spent teaching myself Tunisian crochet! I completely agree that whilst both crafts have their plus points, for me the denser fabric of crochet is not as pleasant as the lovely drape and comforting feel of a knitted fabric. I completely get why my friends enjoy their crochet, but personally I don’t find the process as meditative or balanced as knitting. This was a lovely balanced article and I can hear your voice reading it!
thank you jo! And glad I was able to transport my voice into the article. Not always an easy feat.
Norman, love your site and tutorials. Thank-you for all the knowledge you provide. I agree that people should dabble with both knitting and crocheting. Like you, I prefer the drape and softness of knitted fabric and tend to mostly knit, but I love finishing my beautiful shawls with a lovely crochet edging or even crocheting the neckline of a garment. It is wonderful to be able to reach for both in the creative process.
The blanket in the photo opposite the granny square blanket looks a lot like the shawl you mentioned in your tutorial about interchangeable needles. It was knitted with two different size needles. Is that pattern available somewhere? Thanks in advance.
well..that’s because i am still undecided whether it is a blanket or a shawl. It’s like 2 x 1.5 meters.
I don’t have a pattern for it. But if you google “landlust tuch” it might help you a bit.
Thank you so very much. I found Ursula’s website and registered. She even lives in my former neck of the woods.
All the best.
I tried both and found it almost impossible to keep the tension even on my knitting, as a beginner. Crocheting seems to be easier to keep the rows the same size a opposed to knitting. I gave up and stuck with crocheting which is more fun when making chunky throw blankets.
I learned to knit and crochet around the tender age of 7. For years I preferred to crochet, successfully producing fine shawls to chunky sweaters, but always felt something was lacking, something more like knitting was wanted, then I discovered Tunisian crochet. My needlecraft saviour. Now, personally I’ll never consider the need for 2 needles.
This article sounds like it was written by someone who has very little actual experience with crochet and just wants to promote knitting as the clear superior. You’re doing a massive disservice to people who actually want to learn about the differences in the crafts by making broad, inaccurate statements and framing crochet in such a negative light under the guise of “comparison”. Allow me to illuminate just a few of the many issues. (And before you make assumptions, yes, I do know how to do both)
Crocheted lace and garments made using fine thread or fingering weight yarn are extremely delicate, drapey, and lightweight. Not everything needs to be made out of heavy worsted or bulky weight wool and acrylic. The assertion that crocheting is just for “chunky”, thick projects is ridiculous
Crocheted blankets are NOT generally made out of multiple small pieces. Some are, and granny squares are definitely a thing, but the vast majority are made as a solid piece and can feature very complex and gorgeous patterns, including elaborate images and words, and, yes, crisp lovely cabling.
Crocheting at 2 stitches a second (using single crochet, not triples and counting them as three, which is a completely ridiculous concept, by the way. No one does that) is not in any way impossible.
You seem to think there is some lack of crochet patterns, which baffles me. There are hundreds of thousands of crochet patterns just on Ravelry alone, and, yes, that includes garments such as sweaters, hats (I find it absolutely astonishing that you seem to think knitting is the only way to make a decent hat), scarves, gloves, dresses, shawls, shorts, socks, slippers, and the list goes on.
You truly should be careful before making conclusive statements such as that the vast majority of people would prefer a knitted sweater over a crocheted one. Perhaps you should first recognize that there are many different types of sweaters, and then realize you are talking for a whole lot of people who don’t necessarily share your views. I, for one, greatly prefer crocheted sweaters over knitted ones, and would never bother to attempt to knit a sweater knowing the look, feel, structure, and appeal of one I crochet is far better.
I suggest you try to write a genuinely balanced and properly informed article about the topic, or just remove commentary on crochet entirely because this is wholly offensive and absurd.
Vanessa,
thank you for your comment. I always invite people of all skill-levels and backgrounds to comment on my article and start a discussion.
That being said, I have the impression that you fell victim to the exact same thing you accuse me of: Having a bias.
1. I never said that crochet is chunky. I said that a crochet project using the same yarn will always be chunkier than knitting. Of course you can crochet wonderfully drapey lace.
2. I never said that crochet blankets were just granny squares. I just said those blankets are quite famous and used it as an example of something that is much more difficult in knitting and involves a looot of seaming.
3. As for crochet speed. Please do your research. That’s exactly how the world record for crochet is counted. on June 25 2005 Lisa Gentry created 5113 stitches in 30 Minutes. Those were 284 shells connected with a treble. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-crocheter
4. There are much more knitting patterns on Ravelry than crochet (currently 250.000 more). And a quick google search would give the same results. Still, I literally said “you’d never run out of ideas regardless”
So next time, wouldn’t you think it’s better to formulate your critique (and critique is always welcome) in a way other people don’t instantly feel offended. There’s a vital difference between saying “this article is biased as hell” and “Don’t you think you should formulate some of the things you said about crochet a little bit less harshly. To me, it comes across a bit as being biased”. And even if you believe that’s precisely what I did in the first place, wouldn’t you think it’s better to claim the moral high ground?
I close by quoting the article: “there is not a single garment, toy, or household item (like blankets, sweaters, etc.) that you cannot produce with either craft.”
Well said Norman.
I think Vanessa is a die-hard crochet fan so is maybe offended that anyone may prefer knitting. A shame for her to be so closed minded really, as there’s so much merit (and overlap) to both crafts.
I’m a long-time knitter who has recently got more into crochet (trying to make amigurumi that don’t look like odd mutants!) I love both, but I find knitting easier as that’s what I’m more familiar with.
A work colleague is having her first baby in October (2022) and she prefers crochet as she suffers with arthritis in her hands and so finds the hook easier to hold/use than the needles. She’s making some beautiful crochet blankets for her new arrival with a multitude of colours so I think baby will be lovely and cosy.
I don’t want to aggravate Vanessa so you don’t have to publish this comment but I just wanted to let you know I appreciate your article which is a well written and unbiased look at both crafts.
Hey Emily,
I don’t believe in deleting comments and I want this to be an open discussion for big parts of our modern society largely lost the ability to discuss and skips to blaming all too soon.
So, thank you for confirming my view. At first, I was quite puzzled when I read that comment because I felt it didn’t reflect at all what I had written.
You are so harsh and judgmental and separating and your identity must really be at stake here! Norman is smart, he is a sweetheart and a pro at both what he does and how it is expressed and taught. I so appreciate his contribution. And I appreciate you too because you brought a lot of things to light. People myself included tend to think of old day crochet, these monstrous bedspreads and tablecloths that were fabulous and daunting level of crochet. But everyday crochet in my mind until recently was associating with those dolls that were made to cover toilet paper rolls and potholders and tacky things like that. The items were so limited to most of us and not inspiring and associated with the elderly who needed something to do with their hands. Today fiber works are heralded as the fine art they are, and all the hacks on you tube to elevate both knitting and crochet styles and technique are such a blessing. I think you took all this personally because of the old idea of crocheting dresses for toilet paper dolls and doilies etc. wherein the art and beauty did not get the recognition it deserves. Thanx for your comment, I hope my comment lightens your heart and offers some grace to both you and Norman. He really is a love and very talented in so many ways! Blessings!
I think it depends on what you’re looking for. Crochet is great for adding texture and detail to your projects, while knitting is more forgiving and can be faster to complete.
You put needle instead of need in the cost of knitting
thx for catching that, Samuel!
Great article. I have tried to learn how to knit several times but it is so difficult for me. It just never stuck. I absolutely love crocheting; my grandma taught me when I was about 7. I love making sweaters, cardigans and sweater vests in the fall. However, knitting just comes out looking fantastic and so professional. Like it was made by a machine! I am blown away by the examples you provided, the knitted mushrooms, super detailed socks, gorgeous throw. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. Your work is fantastic!
Thank you so much for this article! I have been trying to decide whether to begin learning to knit or crochet, and have settled on learning tunisian crochet. Well, I think… Some would say I have trouble making up my mind. My questions are these:
1. Is beginning with tunisian crochet too big of a reach for someone with zero needle experience?
2. If it doesn’t sound like an idiotic idea, what beginner/startup kit might you suggest?
3. If I am delusional, and need to begin with standard knitting or crochet, is there a beginner/startup kit you would recommend for each/either?
I do hope to hear back from you before I make an impulse purchase. I appreciate your time, and your obvious love of the craft.
I cannot help you with Tunisian crochet. As for beginner tips, you will find tons here on my blog https://nimble-needles.com/learn-to-knit-for-beginners/
Honestly as a crocheter I agree with Vanessa, and I don’t think your response to her was that appropriate. You seemed very defensive instead of taking the criticism which you claim to appreciate. I do understand if you felt Vanessa’s comment was a bit attacking, but she had points worth listening to.
Even though your intention may not have been to claim there aren’t many crochet patterns (among other claims) it came off that way.
”there’s a sheer unimaginable amount of patterns available to hand-knitters. If that’s what you are looking for, crocheting will probably disappoint you.”
”More or less anyone can pull a loop of yarn through another loop using a hook” kind of sounds like you’re implying that crocheting is just a simple kids’ hobby, even though you probably didn’t mean that.
I’m not saying you didn’t have some good points, but it was very obvious that this was written by a knitter (even though you do crochet as well).
Of course I get defensive if someone accuses me of things I have not written and let their own prejudices and biases seep through every pore of their comment.
Your comment on the other hand, seems entirely valid and I do feel you have a point, and I think I’ll rephrase those sections.
That being said, it is my honest conviction and personal experience from many many hours teaching people both crafts that starting with crochet is vastly easier than knitting. Initially, it just requires less dexterity and muscle memory.
And as for patterns, there are half as many crochet patterns on ravelry and other platforms than knitting patterns. And when it comes to new advanced patterns being published the ratio is sadly even worse. There are 150.000 knitted sweaters on raverly and 16.000 crochet sweaters. This is definitely not about my bias.
But anyway, I’ll try to reword things a bit if you feel this is a bit offputting.
I appreciate you listening to my opinions and rephrasing things. I feel that Vanessa’s points about crochet blankets and more intricate crochet projects are also worth taking into consideration. 🙂
You are correct another reason I choose knitting was the amazing amount of patterns available. I think if you want to stick to blankets crochet is for you.
I do not believe that people would attack you on your site for an subject matter opinion you give for free and not expect a retort in kind. People are weird and take things way too personally unnecessarily.
Well said I was going to reply but your comment was professional and succinct. Great job ☺️
As a new knitter/crocheter I agree with you. The crocheted clothes look clunky and hippyish but I do like how the toys look. I decided to primarily work on knitting because I like the end result of the clothes. I am currently creating toys with crochet because I believe they look better. I think that knitting creates a cleaner look especially if talking about intarsia. Thank you for your work and time ☺️
As an intermediate crocheter – mostly making blankets and scarves – i have always thought of learning to knit. I am happy to have stumbled upon your blog – its beautifully written and the pictures/videos are great. As a self-learner I have asked numerous friends – who knit and crochet – what they like better. I love your explanations. I am going to try your tutorial on how to knit mainly because I do like the drape of knitted items and more than that I like that it uses 30% less yarn. I am trying to to be more conscience of the environment and I know that any kind of textile art/crafts are hard on our earth. I’ll write back after trying your tutorial and let you know how it went!
please do!
I think it depends on what you’re looking for. Crochet is great for adding texture and detail to your projects, while knitting is more forgiving and can be faster to complete.
Hi ! I just discovered your site by way of a YouTube search for decreasing. I’m completely impressed in the most positive way. Then, in reading your response to Vanessa’s post I became an outright admirer. You certainly handled that elegantly!
I’m a dabbler/beginner in both knitting and crochet (newer to crochet). The craft IS a multi-leveled delight to those of us so inclined. Thank you for your super-clear instructions and examples!!! I look forward to seeing many more of your posts.