Obviously we have a preference for knitting here at The Yarnist, but we still love us some crochet.
One of our missions here at The Yarnist is to explore the culture of yarncraft.
We focus our educational efforts on knitting mostly because it offers some complex challenges that crochet usually doesn’t.
That doesn’t mean we think crochet is a lesser craft.
In fact there are many ways in which crochet is superior to knitting.
So let’s explore the differences between knitting and crochet to see where each excels best.
What makes knitting different
The primary difference between knitting and crochet is the way stitches are formed. While crochet creates a fabric through a series of knots, knitted fabric is made of loops.
These loops interlock, but are all essentially live until the fabric is bound off. This is why your stitches can unravel if you drop one or a hole is cut in the fabric. A hole breaks the continuity of the yarn in the fabric and the whole thing can come undone.
This *weakness* in knitting is also it’s strength, because these interlocking loops give knitted fabric incredible drape. Its also why knitting can be performed with machines, but crochet cannot.
Why does drape matter?
The way fabric hangs and it’s flexibility are characteristics of its drape. Fabric that drapes well looks nicer and is more comfortable to wear.
Knitted fabric is extremely flexible, but it’s also stretchy whereas crocheted fabric is not.
And knitted fabric can easily be made more stretchy with ribbing. This is something that can be *simulated* in crochet fabric but it will not have the natural elasticity of knitting.
This combination of ribbing and drape are what make knitting so good for certain items.
Where Knitting Excels
The qualities of knitted fabric give it an advantage over crochet in a few areas, like:
Garments
There’s a reason why you’re probably wearing at least 3 knitted items right now. Knitted fabric is really comfortable. Your socks, underwear, and t-shirts are almost always knit. And if you’re wearing sweatpants or a sweatshirt, same thing.
Ribbed fabric helps items trap heat in by holding them close to the body. That’s why the cuffs of your socks, gloves (or mittens), sleeves, and hem of sweaters and hats are all ribbed.
Texture
Sure, crochet can do texture, but cables in crochet don’t have the same kind of elegance they do in knitted designs.
The relative smoothness of knitted fabric allows texture to stand out much more than in crochet.
Crochet CAN do texture well, but that’s more with 3D textures that pop off the fabric.
Stranded Colorwork
Fair Isle and other stranded styles of colorwork are ideal for knitting because knitted fabric is already relatively thin. While you could technically do something similar in crochet, the fabric would be significantly thicker with less drape. And the construction of knitted fabric allows the color changes to look more integrated.
So if knitting is better for garments, what is crochet good for?
What Makes Crochet Different
Crocheted fabric is comprised of a series of knots. Each stitch is essentially *bound off* as you go. While you can unravel crochet by pulling the yarn from the finished end, the fabric is much more robust and secure than knitting.
The bulkiness of the stitches means solid crocheted fabric doesn’t have a lot of drape. However, crochet has a superpower that knitting can’t compete with.
Stitch height.
You see almost all knitting stitches are the same height. You can stretch stitches in knitting by slipping and knitting them later, but it won’t change the shape of the fabric much.
But with crochet you can easily make one stitch basically flat and another stitch 4 stitches tall. You can also easily skip stitches within a row, allowing for some truly creative designs knitting can’t do.
Where Crochet Excels
Crochet can do quite a few things better than knitting, which make it a valuable skill to learn.
Here are a few of them:
Lace
Yes, knitting is known for it’s beautiful and delicate lace. However, crochet lace is just as beautiful and far easier to create. That’s in part due to it’s other advantage…
Round *Things*
As you can see in the image above, there are a lot of circular lace motifs embedded within the lace. There’s a mathematical component to why crochet is so good at this which I don’t fully understand. But crochet has been used to demonstrate math equations in 3D that only computers could generate otherwise.
Blankets (or Afghans)
Who doesn’t love a granny square? Sure, you can knit very nice blankets that are warm and cozy. They just take forever to knit. Crochet blankets are faster to make, can have a ton of 3D elements, and are easier to make modular.
The Verdict
So which is better? Knitting or crochet?
It doesn’t matter. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. And each can simulate the other with enough effort.
If you want to make crochet socks you can do that, and if you want to knit a granny square you can do that.
Knitting and crochet are just different methods of making yarn into fabric, and however you choose to use them is up to you!
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The Tunisian Crochet Simple Stitch
Ok if you’re tired of knitters saying they can do anything better than crocheters, this craft is a happy medium.
Tunisian crochet uses a long crochet hook to create fabric that’s very similar to knitting.
It’s really good for making blankets but it’s also possible to make all new textures you won’t find in knitting OR crochet.