Unraveling the popularity of knitting and crocheting is easy – as both top the charts as the most popular yarn crafts. Alongside endless entertainment and a high return on investment, knitting and crocheting are also destressors; according to an article in the New York Times, these activities can actually lower heart rate and blood pressure and reduce harmful blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Practiced around the world, crocheting and knitting have historic roots that link multiple generations.
“My great-grandmother crocheted pineapple doilies for everyone,” says Brittany Dabbs, who teaches both knitting and crocheting courses at Tulsa Technology Center. “She sat for hours crocheting, and she started me when I was seven years old. I took her pineapple pattern and remade it into a backdrop. So, when my students graduate from Tulsa Tech, they take a photo in front of the backdrop.”
While the similarities are apparent, the two crafts differ by tools and techniques. Knitting requires two hands using two needles, which are straight rods with tapered ends. Using one hook, which is a straight rod with a small hook at one end, crocheters use only their dominant hand.
Tiffani Sims, a crocheting expert based in Piedmont, says people usually have a preference between the two activities.
“Knitting loops are all held on one needle, and stitches are made by using the other needle to move a stitch from one needle to the other, while looping in new yarn to form a stitch,” says Sims. “Crochet stitches are formed one at a time. Crochet stitches look more like a twist with a knot.”
Dabbs continues: “Most knitting stitches look like the letter ‘V.’ Knitting tends to be stretchy in texture,” she says. “Crochet stitches look more textured, are a bit stiffer, and usually have more gaps.”
Whether you’re looking for classes, private tutors or just a community with other knitters and crocheters, you can find resources through places like yarn and craft shops, libraries and colleges, coffee shops, or even online on YouTube or Facebook.
Although the two craft mediums intermingle, the techniques are hard to teach simultaneously. Dabbs posts her Tulsa Tech class schedules, plus helpful videos, patterns and other information on her Facebook page, From Hook to Hand. She sells her patterns and fiber products through her Etsy shop by the same name.
Dabbs’ next “Stitch and Sip” event for crocheters and knitters will be Feb. 8 in Tulsa. Sign up through The Yarn Lounge on Facebook. Simms, who owns a fiber arts company Tiffani Creates, sells her wares at The Old Store and Harvest Hub in Piedmont. She teaches crochet classes, including at the Piedmont Public Library. Learn more at tiffanicreates.com.
Knitting Vs. Crochet: Which Is Easier?
The jury’s out on which method is less complicated. For example, Sims says crochet is “easier to stop in the middle of a row – and you are less likely to lose stitches than with knitting, but one is not necessarily harder than the other. They are just different ways of using yarn to create a fabric. When first learning, I think it may be easier to learn crochet, because with knitting you have to worry about dropping stitches, which can cause a project to partially unravel, which can be frustrating when first learning.”
However, Dabbs thinks knitting may be easier because there are only two stitches to learn as compared to crocheting, which involves learning several more. She also thinks it’s hard to learn knitting if a person learns how to crochet first. The verdict? Guess you’ll have to find out for yourself!
