Crocheting vs. Knitting

We’ve all seen those countless balls of yarn in arts and craft stores when looking for materials for a project. Those balls of yarn are most commonly used for two of the most stereotypical, elderly activities (other than Bingo), knitting and crocheting. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millennials and Generation Z alike are picking up this Baby Boomer favorite. Some craft-table newcomers wonder, what’s the difference?

Knitting is the more common activity and slightly easier. It requires two knitting needles that come in different shapes and sizes. Knitting uses a looping technique, which is continuous throughout most of the projects you are doing. Knitting uses significantly less yarn than crocheting does, so it is a money saver in the long run. A new trend has sprung on TikTok from the knitting community. “Hand-knitting” has come into the spotlight, as users trickily create a knitted blanket only using their hands and arms. This typically uses a soft, thick yarn that will be intertwined between your fingers that loops over your arms, as though they are the needles themselves.

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Crochet is from the French word meaning “little hook.” The little hook is precisely what you need to start your crochet endeavor. Crochet uses a small hook to create intricate patterns using yarn. This is why it is more expensive than knitting, as you are using more material. The art of this practice is lesser-known and a bit more complicated. However, it is easy to redo a stitch with this project. A few volunteer projects have popped up from this art, such as creating blankets and sleeping mats for the homeless from plastic bags, as this material is known to stay warm for long periods of time. 

Understanding the difference between the projects is a good start to finding out what you want to get into. With practice and some helpful Youtube tutorials, you too can become a quarantine art-and-crafts expert.

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