knitting vs. crocheting

Hi Pam,

I don't think you could do a knit border on a crocheted afghan as you would have to figure out how to pick up the stitches along the edge. I've never tried to do it, but someone else may say it can be done. I can crochet an afghan using two strands of yarn and an N size hook in three evenings. It's fun and they are about 40x40. Learning to crochet, what size hook are you using? You may be holding it too tight and you do need to relax so your shoulders won't hurt.

Hugs,

Nora

Hi Pam, I've been crocheting a long time. I tried to learn how to knit but I had no luck - maybe it's the coordination. I just couldn't get it going. I honestly believe it's a bit easier to crochet than knit - at least for me :) Good luck, and I'm sure you will be crocheting squares in no time!! Debby (FL)

That's what my sister who crochets does. She looks at my knitting patterns and tries to work out a method of crocheting them. She says she just can't seem to manage two needles.

Ha, you can pick up and knit stitches from anywhere! ;) Just think creatively. As the instructions for my eyelash yarn garter stitch scarf said, "knit anything that looks like a stitch."

I agree that it (knit a border on a crocheted afghan) could be done but why would anyone want to do it?

"Knit anything that looks like a stitch"

LOL!

I think I've done that before when trying to learn something new...

BB

This is such an interesting thread. Maybe the first thing you learn is the easiest. I think I learned to knit in Brownies (organization for girls younger than Girl Scouts) at about age 7, and then when my mother saw my interest, she helped me to get more elaborate. I was probably 9 when I made my first mittens, with a cable back. Then I learned of the existence of the continental style of knitting when I went to college and my roommate (2nd generation Swedish) knitted that much faster way. She tried to teach me, but somehow it just wouldn't "click". My American knitting comes out with even tension, just right... my continental was a mess. And I never did learn how to crochet (other than the single chain stitch). I actually still have the first sweater I knitted, as a college freshman in 1958. It is pretty tight. ha ha I do all my 6 x 6 in knitting. And I do admit that I end up ripping them out about 75% of the time and starting over, to get them at 6 x 6. (But I can tell if they are wrong after about only an inch, so it is not hours wasted.) And then the blocking really perfects it. It is amazing how the different yarns (and even patterns... stitch, and my use of various colors in Fair Isle, which I love to do) will askew the 6 x 6 measurement. I always use size 6 needles, and if I hit on a color combo and pattern I like, I note it in my 6x6 journal. And then if I use different yarns, I still have to make adjustments. I still haven't figured out how to sew together all the wonderful squares I have received from all of you! Cheers, Kira

LOL

Higs, Katherine

I cannot agree that crocheting is for more utilitarian items. I have made both knitted and crocheted suits for my wife. It depends entirerly on the yarn used and the combination of stitches. In the 60's and 70's when crocheted clothes were really in vogue, I crocheted a dress that was so soft that it took the sape of the wearer - kind of a Frerick's look. Conversely, I have knitted sweaters, with multiple yarns that were quite stiff and unbending until wahed a couple of times.

Hi Nora, I'm using a G hook. I don't know much about crochet hooks yet. It's not so much my shoulders that hurt as my fingers and hands. And oh it seems so complicated. I can do sc,dc, and tr but when I tried to make a granny square last night I could barely read the pattern and even when I figured it out I had no idea how to do it. I'm a little frustrated. I feel so good when I knit but so confused trying to crochet. I might have to knit something today just to let myself relax a little! Pam

Lol! Oh my. Sounds fun. Pam

Hi Kira, I'm starting to believe that too! And here I thought it would be easier because I could knit.

I wish I had started that young. It would be great to say I've knitted for 100 years when I'm 109 years old! :)

Someday I'll try to learn that too. I imagine it'll take lots of practice though. Sounds a little tough.

Oooo a 6x6 journal. That's a good idea. I'm going to do that too.

Yes I'm going to need those instructions too once I've collected enough squares! Pam

It can be done, though I haven't done it myself for an afghan. I have used hand knitted ribbing on a crochet hat I made for someone. I didn't want to knit the body in the round, as I'm not too fond of knitting in the round, so I crocheted the hat body in the round. I made sure the last round was a single crochet round. Then, taking my double point needles (I didn't have a circular needle in the right size, but if you do, it will also work), I picked up a single knit stitch in every single crochet by using the crochet hook to reach from front to back of the work to pull up the loop, and then put the loop on the needles, making sure they are all slipped onto the needle the same way, so no loops/stitches looked twisted in relation to the others. After I got all the stitches onto the needles, I took the working end of yarn I was using to pick up loops and just started knitting my rib with it.

Leah

Hey Pam, I also crochet and cheat on knitting. What I mean by cheating on knitting is that, I take a hand knitting comb thing & I wrap the yarn around each tooth and wrap again & put the first wrap over the top wrap of yarn until it make a blanket. I can never make other stuff but blankets with the knitting had comb. But that way I don't have to bother with two things in hand and I won't worry about holding yarn too. LOL there. But I love doing crocheting also b/c it fun. But there is no cheating in the crocheting part. Darn on that right? But after it something is finish whether on the comb or by hand in crochet its fun to see what come out of it. Pam-Doggirl3

Two possibilities: (1) The way I do it is to do a single crochet all around every square in a single, contrasting or coordinating color, to "pull it together" as it were, then I use the same color yarn to whip stitch them all together.

(2) Nora crochets round all the squares, then crochets them together.

If you can do a crochet chain, you CAN do single crochet. Truly. Especially if it is just one row.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Very true! :) Pam