Knitting vs crochet

The quick comparison

How each is made

In knitting, a whole row of open loops sits on one needle. The other needle pulls a new loop through each of them in turn, and the row moves across from needle to needle.

In crochet there is one hook and, most of the time, one loop on it. Each stitch is finished before the next one is started. A crochet stitch is also generally taller than a knit stitch, so a row of crochet adds more height than a row of knitting.

When a loop slips

In knitting, the loops of the top row are open and held only by the needle. One that slips off can unravel. A crochet stitch is closed off as it is made, so the stitches around a slip stay put and there is only ever one open loop to look after.

That has two everyday results. When you put crochet down, there is a single loop to keep safe. And a mistake is undone by pulling the yarn back to it and working on from there.

The fabric

Plain knitting is thinner, smoother and stretchier. Plain crochet is thicker and firmer, with more texture and less stretch.

Neither is fixed. Crochet worked with a larger hook or a finer yarn is softer and drapes more, and tightly worked crochet is stiff enough to hold a shape.

Which uses more yarn

Crochet usually takes more yarn than knitting for a piece of the same size. How much more depends on the stitch pattern.

The figures in print differ, and each is an estimate. One guide puts it at 25 to 30 percent more yarn. Others give a third more as the general rule. The stitch matters as well: single crochet (called double crochet in the United Kingdom) takes more yarn than a taller stitch such as double crochet (UK treble crochet) for the same area.

Rounds and shapes

Crochet is worked in the round with the same hook used for rows. Knitting in the round needs a circular needle or a set of double-pointed needles.

A crochet stitch can be placed almost anywhere on the piece, and crochet builds three-dimensional shapes readily. Stuffed toys are a common use.

By hand or by machine

Knitting is done by hand and by machine. Crochet is, in practice, still made by hand.

Which is easier to learn

There is no agreed answer. It depends on the person, and each craft has something in its favor.

• For crochet: there is one tool to hold and one loop to mind, and a mistake is simple to undo.
• For knitting: the stitches wait in a line on the needle, so it is always plain where the next one goes. In crochet you have to learn to see which stitch the hook goes into, and to count.

What each is used for

Either craft can make most things: scarves, hats, blankets and sweaters are all knitted and all crocheted. Where a thin, stretchy fabric matters most, as in socks and sweaters, knitting is the more usual choice. Crochet is the more usual choice for stuffed toys, and it has long been used for things for the home.

A scarf shows the difference well, because both crafts make one. Knitted in a plain stitch, a scarf is smoother and stretchier. Crocheted in a plain stitch, it is thicker and firmer and usually takes more yarn, and a larger hook makes it softer.

What they share

Any yarn can be knitted or crocheted, with needles or a hook of a size to suit it. Both crafts are worked from patterns, and in both a pattern states a gauge: the number of stitches and rows to a set measure, checked on a small swatch before you begin. More in gauge.

Where to start with crochet

How to crochet goes from the first loop to a finished row, and single crochet, which United Kingdom patterns call double crochet, is the first stitch to learn.