Many beginner crafters struggle to decide which craft to try because they want to set themselves up for success. You may find yourself wondering: is knitting harder than crocheting? Is crochet harder than knitting? Which one should I try first?
These are great questions to consider when you’re starting out because taking on a new craft is a big commitment! Learning any new skills requires patience, consistency, and tons of practice. If you’re curious where to start, look no further.
In full transparency, I will NOT be recommending one craft over the other. I think this question requires consideration for the individual, so instead I will focus on things to consider when you’re choosing either craft.
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Is Knitting harder than crocheting?
Below, I’m sharing my thoughts on what a crafter should think about when they’re weighing their options. Here are a few things to consider to answer the age old question:
1. Knitting requires two needles
This might be obvious, but logistically, knitting involves using two needles at once, while crochet uses a single hook. When you are first starting to learn a new craft, it can be just like learning to play a guitar. Things will feel fiddly and awkward in the beginning.
Holding one hook rather than two needles might be easier for some, but it might be the same amount of difficulty for others. Either way, you will need both hands to either hold a hook and yarn OR needles and yarn.
2. Crochet utilizes one stitch at a time
With the exception of tunisian crochet, most crochet stitch patterns involve inserting your needle into one stitch at a time. This is something to consider when you’re working on a project, because it is easier to manage one stitch rather than multiples.
With knitting, all of your stitches in a single row will be “live” and on the needles. This can make it easier to drop stitches if you’re not paying attention. In crochet, it’s much harder to drop a stitch.
3. Which hand to hold the yarn?
Both knitting and crochet require you to hold yarn in one of your hands to control the tension of the stitches. In crochet, the yarn is typically held in the left hand while the hook is held in the right. Conversely, the yarn can be held in either the right or left hand when knitting.
This difference can be a consideration for anyone who prefers to hold the yarn in their dominant hand. Knitting offers slightly more flexibility to choose which hand to hold the yarn.
4. Types of Stitches
Knitting and crochet use completely distinct “languages” in their patterns. In crochet, a pattern might indicate the number of times to “yarn over” the hook to create a variety of shapes and height within the stitches. In knitting, different wrapping techniques are used to purl or knit stitches.
Both knitting and crochet uses patterns of repeating stitches to create a larger motif. No matter which craft you decide to choose, you will have to navigate how to create different types of stitches within a single project.
5. Creating Shapes
In my opinion, crocheting creates a more modular fabric than knitting. For example, crocheting has a wide variety of shapes that can be done fairly easily with increasing/decreasing stitches: granny squares, amigurumi, and other projects are all made my going in a circle/square. You only need one type of crochet hook to be able to make different shapes.
Knitting, on the other hand, is made by going in one direction. Yes, you can easily add stitches just as you can in crochet, but you will need circular or double pointed needles in order to go into a circle versus knitting flat. This can be a consideration if you want to make something that has a rounded shape.
6. What projects to make as a beginner?
This is certainly subjective, but I believe that beginning crochet patterns offer slightly more variety than beginning knitting patterns. For example, there are a variety of crochet amigurumi kits that are geared towards a beginning crocheter.
As a new knitter, it’s easier to tackle something like a scarf so that you have time to get used to the repetitive motion of stitching.
7. Time frame for projects
This might not be true for everyone, but crochet projects tend to be slightly faster to complete. Knitting stitches are small, so working stitch by stitch can be tedious and time consuming.
Alternatively, using bulkier yarn creates larger stitches for BOTH knitting and crochet, so you can always try that if you really want to speed through a project.
8. What motivates you?
I would recommend choosing your first project based on what you think you will actually stick to and complete. If you see a crocheted granny square bag that you can’t stop thinking about, then you should most certainly pick up a crochet hook and try it for yourself.
If instead, you’re eyeing a knitted hat with cat ears, don’t be afraid to try knitting. Just because knitting requires two needles doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily more difficult. Whichever craft you choose to try first may seem harder than the other just because your hands need to get used to the dexterity needed.
9. Where do you learn best?
Are there any classes that are accessible in your area? Do you prefer to watch a video or read a book? If you prefer to have someone help you step by step, I would encourage you to look up a local yarn store and see what kinds of classes are offered in your area.
The advantage of attending a class is that you also have a community of like-minded crafters to accompany you on your new journey. It’s great to have support when you’re trying anything new!
10. How much yarn to buy?
I rarely hear people discuss this, but crocheting actually requires about 25-30% more yarn than knitting (of a project the same size). This is because a crochet stitch is typically more dense than your average knit stitch.
Many projects require multiple skeins of yarn, so taking your craft into consideration is important. Most of the time, this will not make a huge difference, but if you are on a budget it might be slightly more affordable to take on a knitting project instead of crochet.
12. Types of Projects
Traditional crochet creates a more dense, less stretchy fabric. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions, but I personally enjoy crochet for projects that require more structured fabric. Knitting is perfect for projects that feature ribbing like socks, sweaters, and mittens.
Can you substitute one for the other? In most cases, you can, but there are always exceptions. For example, if your heart is set on creating a fairisle sweater, it might be hard to find a crochet pattern that gives you the same appearance. This is why it’s important to peruse a variety of projects before you choose just one to focus on.
My Two Cents
I learned to knit over 15 years ago by watching a simple YouTube video. Learning to knit first actually made it much easier for me to learn to crochet because I was able to easily manage the tension of my yarn. I was also able to try a variety of projects that I really loved and enjoyed making.
Do I think that knitting is harder than crocheting? Not necessarily. I think that the hardest part of either craft is actually learning how to manage the tension of the yarn. If you master your tension, you can easily translate that into either craft. If you’re great at following a pattern, you’ll excel at either craft.
Many people who choose one over the other will have their own reasons and preferences, but you really don’t know what you like until you try. I would encourage any newbie crafter to try out both and see what feels the most comfortable. As for me, I plan to continue enjoying both crafts and adding more knowledge to my repertoire. I don’t believe that either craft is better than the other.
Resources for Beginners
Here are a few great sites for any newbie crocheter or knitter:
- Ravelry.com – Ravelry is an excellent place to start. It features a massive library of knitting/crochet patterns and it also has interactive community forums that can assist on pretty much any topic.
- Youtube.com – Type in any skill that you want to learn and there it is!
- Udemy.com – Udemy has a class for everything. Their courses are affordable, fun, and easy to follow.
- Knittinghelp.com – This is an OG knitting site that has resources on all different types of knitting stitches and techniques. A great resource for any beginning knitter.
Looking for a new project?
I have a variety of free knitting and crochet projects that you can try:
