Which is an easier hobby to pick up? Crochet or Knitting?

I found the answer to this question 6 years ago.

I had worked as a teacher for several years and I was still living with my parents.  I would say life got a little straightforward.  At this point, most people pick up new hobbies.

I am into art & craft, however, I was not good at painting and most art crafts require equipment or the use of expensive materials.  So as I wandered in Daiso, all these hooks and yarn balls that only cost $2 each really pique my interest.  

So after 6 years into it, I will stand by crocheting. I had tried knitting once or twice and really envied people who knit so well but alas it is still not for me.  

What is the difference between crochet and knitting?

The crochet and knitting community really hate it when people mix this up.  Maybe cos it is so easy for us to tell them apart while the clothing brands constantly get their labels wrong. Argh~

Both techniques using a ball of yarn to make stitches which can form pieces of garment or small items.  Knitting makes use of a pair of long needles (I am showing here a pair of circular knitting needles) while crochet makes use of a hook to loop the yarn over itself.  There are many stitches and a lot of levels of customization once you learn the technique.

Why is crochet easier?

1) In knitting, you need to control 2 slippery sticks to loop the yarn.  In crochet, you will hold on to the yarn on one hand (this is called tension) and the other hand on the hook, I personally find it less slippery. 

2) Knitting produce soft fabric because you are weaving the yarn to form a thin row of stitch each time however it is one row each time! Crochet stitches come in many different heights so your item forms up faster. Yeah!

3) Crochet mistakes are easier to fix, we just pull the yarn and the loops unravel. Knitting mistakes call for a crochet hook (Surprised!) to pick up the dropped stitches.

Which hobby cost less?

Both are relatively cheap since you can just use one hook or one pair of knitting needles repeatedly.

However, if you are making a large piece of garment like a scarf as compared to coasters then knitting definitely is more yarn efficient which means you will use less yarn = less money spent on yarn = cheaper. 

Why you should pick up crochet or knitting?

1) It is a meditative hobby. You need to count the stitch and it gives you a reason to ignore anybody.

2) You can make your own wearables. If there is nothing you like in the store, make your own.  How unique is that!

3) It will ensure your survival in an apocalypse.  People will befriend you and keep you safe because they need your skill to make clothes or bags. 

What do you need to start out?

I made some mistakes as a beginner so here are some tips on your supplies. 

1) Buying one hook is enough. I will go with 4mm or 5mm. Honestly, I am still using Daiso ones.  They are ok. 

2) Work with light colours.  Dark colours seem cool as a choice for wearable but it makes the stitch very hard to see so it is not advisable at all.

3) Work with natural fibres like sheep wool.  There are many types of yarn.

Acrylic is cheap, versatile and a good choice if you intend to donate your pieces for some cause like Knit-a-square – Join the warmest crafters on earth.  You never know if the receiver is an allergy to natural fibre thus acrylic is a safe choice. 

Sheep wool is cheap and have a natural stretch, making it very easy to practice your tension control  However in Singapore weather, it is too warm for us.  

Merino wool is able to wick off sweat and keep you cool when it is hot while it traps air and keep you warm in cooler temperature.  It is my favorite choice of yarn now but it is really expensive. ><

Cotton has less of a stretch and can be expensive too as they are find in smaller balls of yarn.  

4) Use worsted weight yarn or buy yarn for your 4mm or 5mm hook. This size is easy to work with, not too thin that the item is too small or too thick making your item too chunky.

5) Watch videos on youtube! It is kinda hard to learn from books. 

6) Determination! If you make a mistake, tell yourself that you are practicing your tension and honing the craft.  I like how I can unravel and start over with the same ball of yarn many times.

I hope I had convinced you to pick up crocheting.  I am still learning so let's share our progress here!

Note to self: I still took 2hrs for this post, no doubt this post have photo and is probably a little longer.