Knitting and Crochet: Keys for Starting Out in Hand Weaving

This small guide will help you discover, finally, the difference between knitting and crochet

For anyone not familiar with weaving, it can be complicated differentiating between knitting (weaving with two needles) and crochet (weaving with a hook): they share many similarities but there are some key differences.

Bárbara Bremer and Carolina Herrera, founders of Binge Knitting (@bingeknitting)–a company specialized in the creation of hand woven collections of contemporary designs–explain how the two crafts are alike and how they differ so you can learn to enjoy them and discover which would be best for your own creations.

What is knitting?

To knit, you need two needles and a thread.

Knitting consists of linking a series of loops (stitches) together until they form a web. You can play with different types of stitches, with the thickness of the needles you use to knit, obtaining a larger or smaller stitch, and even with the tension of the fabric, to obtain different results.

What is crochet?

Crochet is a knitting technique that uses a short needle shaped like a metal hook embedded in a plastic or wooden handle.

You pass a ring of fabric over another linking it until you form a mesh.

How are knitting and crochet similar?

- Both use a thread or yarn, and are used to make jumpers, shawls, coats, blankets, scarves, hats, gloves, socks, etc.

- They use patterns and use abbreviations, sometimes even the same ones.

- They require similar skills: hand-to-eye coordination, color theory, design basics, and an affinity for weaving.

How do knitting and crochet differ?

- Knitting is done with sharp knitting needles and knitting looms, even knitting machines can be used. While crochet is done with a single crochet and is always done by hand. The use of a hook instead of needles or a machine is what makes the biggest difference between the two arts.

- There are many types of threads and all can be used in both knitting and crochet, although the threads are usually reserved for small needles and it is said that crochet can consume significantly more thread than knitting.

- If you are going to work with thick yarn, it is advisable to crochet, as it is easier for the mobility of the hand. To handle thin or fine yarn, it is recommended to use a needle, as you can do more detail with more complex patterns.

- Both crochet and needlepoint weaving involve the manipulation of thread loops. With the needle the loops are built on top of each other and the stitches provide great support; with traditional crochet there usually aren't many loops. Therefore, needle weaving tends to unravel more than crochet.

Learn more about knitting and crocheting with Binge Knitting’s Domestika course, Knitting and Crochet Basic Techniques, where you will learn the basics and possibilities of each, to create contemporary hand woven pieces with both.

You may also like:

- Introduction to Macramé: Creation of a Decorative Tapestry, a course by Belen Senra
- Needle Felting: Creation of Characters with Needle and Thread, a course by Carolina Alles
- Amigurumi: Creation of Characters through Crochet, a course by Ameskeria
- Contemporary Basketwork Techniques Applied to Fashion, a course by Idoia Cuesta
- More Crochet courses