Learning new hobbies is essential. It helps us develop specific skills, understand ourselves, and truly be happier, more productive people.
Creating anything via knitting or crocheting is a great way to make your day more exciting. It provides you with a sense of purpose and encourages those creative juices to flow. But what are the main differences between knitting and crocheting? Many people hear these terms without a clue as to what they entail. If you’re interested in learning either hobby, let’s dive into their differences.
Knitting
Knitting consists of looping yarn together with long needles to create fabric or textiles. The trick is to secure the yarn to the needles to actively loop them to each other. The type of needles you use are essential, and which type you use depends on what you’re making. Some types of knitting needles include:
- Straight
- Circular
- Double-pointed
Each type enables you to create different patterns and sizes of projects. For example, if you want to knit hats or beanies, you might use circular needles. You can create many other items through the knitting technique, including:
- Pillow covers
- Scarves
- Knitted coasters
Crocheting
Crocheting uses a different tool altogether: to develop different loop patterns, you must use hooks instead of needles. First, you create an initial loop and follow a specific technique to build the “chain,” or a pattern of small knots. You can also use different types of hooks for your projects, including:
- Plastic
- Bamboo
- Knook
Each type of crochet hook pairs better with specific materials and projects, so you should choose carefully.
You can make various items with crocheting, such as:
- Knotted headbands
- Cup cozies
- Chunky yarn blankets
Which Is Better for Beginners?
Knitting and crocheting require specific skills and techniques that anyone interested in arts and crafts can learn. Both knitting and crocheting involve simply stitching yarn together in different styles, but you might benefit from learning crochet as a beginner. This style is known to be easier to pick up, as you don’t have to move the stitches back and forth as you do with knitting. Just be sure you know what to do before you start crocheting to ensure you’re ready to take on a new hobby!
When you’re contemplating the main differences between knitting and crocheting, be sure to know which hobby you’d like to get into! You can certainly do either or both, but learning might take some time. Just be patient with yourself and focus on the end goal!
