Crochet or Knit? The Preference is Mostly Personal

I am coming pretty late to the needlework craze. For most of my life, my evenings have usually been spent reading or writing. And for the last few years, most evenings that I am not spending trying to keep hyperactive children in their beds has been sprawled in front of the television, grateful just to do nothing.

Crochet or knit? On one hand, knitting seemed to be the latest thing. Maybe crochet was too easy, or too old fashioned. The differences lie in who you ask, and what their personal preference is. And then again, many people choose to learn and enjoy both forms of needlework.

Knitting is generally a favorite for wearable clothing. The knitting stitching creates fabrics that range from gauzy, to dense, stretchy or stiff, all with as much detail and color patterns as the maker desires. Knitting has been done since the end of the first millennium AD, as an example of a finely knitted pair of socks from ancient Egypt suggests. With the advent of commercial knitting machines, though, knitting has become more of a social activity that has gone in and out of favor in the centuries since.

It's obvious even to a person not interested in needlework that knitting is enjoying a resurgence of popularity. I lost track of how many books on the how and why and when of knitting are on the popular shelves of bookstores. Project ideas, patterns, even conversation forums abound on the art of knitting, including Learn to Knit.com, where I learned the following information.

Knitting basically has two stitches.....knit and purl that form the basis of most designs and stitches. Knitting is done by using two needles and a continuous strand of yarn. You make a slip knot onto one needle, and cast on the number of stitches that you need for the project. Then both needles are used, drawing the wrapped yarn through the loops on the other needle. Circular needles, ones that have a point on each end, are very popular because there is no need to turn the knitting project at the end of every row, and no need for seams.

Crocheting can create a variety of home décor and wearable fashions as well, using the versatile and easy techniques. The art of crocheting might not be as ancient as the art of knitting, as no definitive proof of its use exists before the early 1800's. During this period, crochet began to be used in place of more expensive types of lace, which may lead to the low-brow status this form of needlework has always seemed to hold.

Unlike knitting, crochet uses only one needle. Some people appreciate the simplicity of this method which requires only one continuous strand of yarn and a single hook. To begin to crochet, you start with a slip stitch and continue to make a chain to make a foundation row.

From there, you can crochet in flat rows, or creating a ring by joining the stitches and working in the round. One of the more popular patterns created by working in the round is called Granny Squares, which was widely used in the 1960's and 1970's and is still one of the most recognizable crochet patterns today.

By using lighter, softer yarn, a more delicate fabric is created; a heavier yarn will result in a thicker fabric. Patterns involving texture and raised stitches are particularly easy to create in crochet.

Some people think that crochet is easier to learn, and a person should begin there. Some people, obviously, remain crocheters throughout their lifetime. Others move on to knitting, or move back and forth between the two forms of needlework.

Some reasons that crochet is preferred are:

It takes less practice.

Finishing a pattern is faster.

You can use more stitches.

Using one hook is easier than two needles.

And some reasons that people prefer knitting include:

The texture of the created fabric is softer with fewer holes.

There are only two basic stitches to learn in knitting.

More books, patterns, and classes exist for knitters today than for crocheters.

So, it boils down to personal preference and probably who taught you. Knitters agree that a patient teacher is crucial to learning this skill; while most crocheters insist that the skill can be self-taught, or they learned at a young age from a grandmother or aunt.

Either way, the industry isn't going anywhere soon. Millions of women are joining the ranks of needleworkers, finding everything from creative expression to lowered blood pressure in the process.