What's your preference - knitting or crocheting? (crafts, collection, watch)

[saralee]

If you know how to do both, do you have a preference? Or why did you choose one over the other?

I am bound and determined to master either knitting or crocheting. Going to sign up for a class at AC Moore in January. Struggling with a decision.

I had a friend who tried to teach me knitting but, I'm left handed and it was just really awkward and I was embarrassed about being a "slow" learner.

The AC Moore instructor teaches Continental knitting, which she said would be great for me.

As a side bar, my mother began teaching me crocheting when I was a little girl. I haven't attempted since puberty but I have no recollection per se of it being difficult.

Oh, and I attempted quilting a year ago and it wasn't right for me.

Any insight appreciated.

Thank you.

[jagary]

Goodmorning Saralee, I thought I would stop in and give you my thought on Crocheting, since I have been doing it for the past forty (40) years.
I also teach it, and have found that I can teach someone who is left handed better than I can teach someone right handed, even though I am right handed.
I am now working on many different Lap Afghans, and have placed a photo of a Queen Afghan Flag on another post.
I have found that Crocheting is very relaxing, and I am a man who has been into this for some time.
Since I am a Disabled Veteran and can not work, I have plenty of time relaxing with my crocheting mostly over the winter months.
You can make things that are quite interesting like afghans, mittens, hats, scarves, doilies, even certain kind of clothing like sweaters, shawls, and many more things.
I prefer crocheting over knitting any day, and there is another form of crocheting that is done with a hook/needle giving you the afghan stitch which is a little like knitting.
The photo I placed is in men knitting, and I don't seem to be able to place it into this one also, or I'm doing something wrong.
If you ever need any advice on crocheting, just give me a holler.

[BagongBuhay]

Saralee - I do both but I am primarily a crocheter. I was taught to crochet, knit, and tat lace since I was 8 by my aunt. As an aside, I also am a major quilter. I prefer crocheting since it is easy for me to retrace my stitches if I make a mistake or when stitches fall off the hook. I seem to have a problem picking up my stitches when they inadvertently fall off the needles. As such, my knitting projects are very simple...mostly scarves, whereas I can, and have, made a lot of different things with crochet, including sweaters, scarves, stuffed animals (which I have turned into lamp bases), doilies and bedspreads. I find that there are many patterns that can be done in both crochet and knit patterns, and many crochet sweater patterns that can be made to look like knitted patterns (like the cable stitches you see in many). A co-worker one time had commented that the reason why she does not like crochet is that it looks too "homemade". The stitches will produce a denser product, heavier if you will than a knitted one. I for one have no problem wearing something that looks homemade, and have received compliments on both. When I get a chance, I'll post some of my crochet projects.

[jagary]

I was taught by my aunt also, when I was sick back in the early 70's, interesting how the aunts teach things, and really not the mother, mostly with crocheting and such. I find it quite interesting that so many have had their aunts teach them.

[PAhippo]

I do a lttle of both but actually prefer needlepoint.

When I was in college amny many yrs ago, a friend (rt handed) tried and tried and tried. Her name should've been patience. Anyway, she finally told me to sit in front of her, pretend I was looking in a mirror, and do what she did. It worked!!!!!!!

[Pitt Chick]

I do both, and prefer crocheting by far.

[Cecilia_Rose]

I used to crochet and other stuff but I havent had much time for it in a while.
I have some really neat teeny little doilies crocheted by my Mom. Theyre from a full size pattern but she used sewing thread.

We both collected old pattern books. Mom is gone now so I have double tons of them.

Mom, Gram ,and Gr Gram did it all. I never did much when I was younger. When I got older I taught myself.
FYI. Hairpin lace is great for learning to crochet.

[Heidi60]

Crochet usually requires more yarn to make a stitch but it really depends on what you want to do. I have learned a little about both and I think you need to know both. You can make the best edges and bags in crochet but get the finest texture with knitting. If you know a little about both, it gives much more flexiblilty to be able to switch to what ever technique will give you the result you like.

[stonecypher5413]

I, too, have been crocheting for over 40 years and teaching this wonderfully versatile skill to select members of the younger generation who don't run screaming out of the room when I try to explain something like "working in the round." (To be fair, it's ME who runs screaming out of the room whenever someone takes out a pair of knitting needles, as I seem to be all thumbs at trying to keep the stitches from dropping and disappearing, no matter what pattern I try. Give me a hook!)

I always have a couple of hats or scarves going with different sized hooks for variety by my recliner while I listen to a TV program and in the car, for those inevitable delays at seeing the doctor or being stuck in traffic. The soothing rhythm of "yarn over, pull through loop" is very Zen.

The nicest compliment I ever received on my work (a complicated queen-sized afghan composed of multi-colored hexagons) was "Are you sure this is crochet? It doesn't look home-made!" (The lady was referring, of course, to how many crocheted items look "home-made" in the worst ways: uneven afghan blocks, ends sticking out, poor color coordination, etc.

Crochet is very forgiving and you can hide lots of mistakes where others won't notice them. But if YOU notice them, then it's time to learn to take pride in your skill and become an expert in FINISHING.

Something as simple as a single-crochet potholder becomes a work of art with a scalloped edging, a hanging loop crocheted around a plastic ring, and a tight stitch with a heavy yarn.

Something as advanced as a lacy thread over-blouse with flowing sleeves (which took me four months to finish in strips of a pineapple design and which I probably would turn down $400 for if someone offered to buy it) becomes a wearable work of art because of the detailed edgings, correct fitting, and steam-blocking to smooth out the crocheted fabric.

So give crochet a try and take advantage of a zillion tutorials and patterns online to help you make items with careful finish work that cause people to say, "Oh, that's so pretty! Where did you buy that?" It's such a kick to reply, "Thanks -- I made it."

Here's my favorite pattern site to give you inspiration:

Crochet Pattern Central - Free, Online Crochet Pattern Directory

[LookinForMayberry]

I'm left handed and do all those things. My cousin babysit for my sister and I from the time I was six, and she was very good with hand crafts. She taught me to knit, first, and then crochet. We also wove hot pads, and sewed yarns through felts.

She was right handed, but she never insisted that I hold the materials or tools a special way; instead, she showed me what was happening at the material level. I watched the needle pierce the fabric up, and then down, or the needle/hook pull a new loop through the existing loop, and then I would make mine do the same.

Now, I am 55, and I am still fascinated to watch my loops grow into something beautiful. I never quite mastered following patterns as closely as I should, but because I know what results I am achieving and why, I can generally design and create my desired outcomes. I go through the books, and select the stitch patterns I like, and make them into something else.

Crocheting is faster for me, and I can detect errors sooner, so it tends to me my most usual technique, but I did make my niece a beautiful pair of fingerless mitts (from a pattern) for last Christmas, and a variation of the Feather and Fan (knit) shawl for my sister's gift this coming Christmas. Right now, I have strips of fabric on my workbench, laid out to sew up into drapery tiebacks to match the bed quilt I made a few years ago.

Making things for my use and for others is a creative outlet for me and gives me a lot of pleasure. If you enjoy it, do it. If you don't, do what you enjoy doing. Life is short and the disposable time you have is precious, use it to give yourself and others pleasure.

God bless you and keep you in whatever you pursue.