Knitting vs. Crochet: Which Yarn Craft is Right for You?

If you are a yarn lover, knitting and crochet are common crafts to express your creativity and love. You may enjoy knitting or prefer crocheting or have expertise and interest in both. But oftentimes you will face a question- knitting or crochet: which craft is right for you? The simplest answer is your preference, comfort and the project you want to make. However, there are a few factors that will help you decide. In this blog, we’ll explore knitting and crochet, their similarities, differences, and how they work with yarn. Just gather your favorite yarn and let’s get started.

Let’s learn about:

  1. Knitting and Crochet
  2. Techniques: How Stitches are Made
  3. Tools: Knitting Needles and Crochet Hooks
  4. Fabric characteristics: Soft or Sturdy
  5. Learning Curve & Ease of Fixing Mistakes
  6. Knitting and Crochet Patterns
  7. What Suits you better?

Knitting and Crochet

Knitting and crocheting are yarn crafts. Both work with all types and weights of yarn to create beautiful garments, accessories, home decor and projects. The beauty of knitting and crocheting is transforming yarn into a truly personalized labor of love such as scarves, hats, sweaters, mittens, blankets, or granny squares. Dive into details of knitting vs crochet: the complete guide for yarn lovers. Both have a relaxing effect and are great stress busters. The similarities between both knitting and crochet are far too many however each with its own techniques, tools, and unique fabric results.

Technique: How the Stitches are Made

Knitting uses two or more needles making multiple loops (stitches) that are held on the needles at the same time. Stitches are transferred from one needle to the other as the fabric grows. At any given time, there are several active stitches on the needles.

In crochet, you hold a crochet hook in one hand and yarn in the other creating a series of loops directly onto the item you’re crocheting. The loops are created one at a time, and they are more like knots than stitches. Each loop is closed as you progress in your project ensuring that you are left with no loops hanging.

Tools: Needles vs. Hooks

Knitting requires two or more knitting needles, which come in various sizes and types (straight, circular, or double-pointed). With a pair of single-pointed needles, you can knit back-and-forth, projects such as scarves and dishcloths. With fixed and interchangeable circular needles you can make projects flat (back and forth) as well as in the round.

Crocheting uses a single crochet hook, available in different sizes and materials. Crochet typically requires fewer additional tools, making it more portable.

KnitPro? Dreamz Knitting Needles and  Crochet Hooks

KnitPro’s Dreamz Knitting Needles and Crochet Hooks

Both yarn crafts have tools in standard sizes and lengths to work with standard yarn weights. Refer to our complete guide to yarn weight and sizes for details. Accessories like wool needles, stitch markers, cable needles, measuring tapes and row counters are common.

Fabric: Soft vs. Sturdy

Knitted fabric is soft, stretchy, and flexible, making it ideal for clothing like sweaters, socks, scarves, and baby garments. However, it can also be used to make accessories and home decor.

Crocheted fabric is more structured and denser, which is great for sturdy projects like blankets, bags, amigurumi toys, and decorative home accessories. While crochet can be used to make garments, it’s often better suited for projects that benefit from a firmer structure.

However, both can create fabric ranging from lace (aesthetically planned holes) to tight and dense weaves. The difference in how stitches are made also creates another factor to question- knitting or crochet: which crafting style uses more yarn.

Learning Curve & Ease of Fixing Mistakes

Knitting requires coordination to handle two needles and keep track of multiple loops, making it slightly more challenging for beginners. Mistakes like dropped stitches can be difficult to fix.
Since you work with just one active stitch at a time in crochet, it’s easier to learn and fix mistakes, making it a more beginner-friendly option.

Learn Knitting and Crocheting

Pattern Complexity

Knitting primarily uses two basic stitches (knit and purl), but combining them creates intricate patterns like cables, lace, and ribbing.

Crochet offers a wider variety of basic stitches (chain, single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet), allowing for more textured designs and motifs.

Crochet is often used to create decorative lacework, granny squares, and 3D projects, while knitting is ideal for achieving elegant drape and smooth textures.

Which Craft Should You Choose?

Choose knitting if you love soft, drapey fabrics and want to create garments with a refined look. Choose crochet if you prefer fast, textured projects and enjoy making home decor or structured accessories.

Try both! Many crafters find that learning both skills enhances their creativity and project possibilities. Before making your choice explore the health benefits of knitting and crocheting.

Knitting vs Crochet: Which Yarn Craft is Right for You at a glance

Feature

Knitting

Crochet

Tools Required

Two needles for straight and circular knitting needles or four or five double-pointed)

One crochet hook, whether it’s single-ended, double-ended and interchangeable Tunisian

Stitch Formation

Loops remain on the needle; stitches resemble a "V"

Each stitch is closed before moving to the next; stitches look like small knots

Ease for Beginners

Can be challenging due to managing multiple loops

Easier to start with as each stitch is worked separately

Fabric Texture

Soft, stretchy, and drapey

Dense, sturdy, and structured

Best for Projects

Sweaters, socks, scarves, baby clothes, gloves

Blankets, toys (amigurumi), bags, home d?r, lacework

Portability

Can be bulky due to multiple active stitches

Easier to carry, as only one stitch is active at a time

Fixing Mistakes

More challenging as dropped stitches unravel easily

Easier to fix mistakes as each stitch is independent

Stitch Variety

Two main stitches (knit & purl) that can be combined for patterns

Many stitch variations, allowing for intricate designs

Speed

Slower than crochet; larger projects take more time

Faster for many projects, especially blankets and motifs

Skill Progression

Requires patience to master advanced techniques

Easier to learn new stitches and techniques

Whether you choose knitting or crochet, work with premium Symfonie Yarns. The hand-dyed yarns in semisolid and variegated shades will elevate your projects, providing luxurious textures and vibrant colors. Choose from fingering weight Terra in a merinos-polyamide blend or DK weight Viva, a merino wool yarn, merino-silk Luna yarn in DK weight or worsted-weight Bella with its cozy extrafine merino wool.