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Knitting and Crocheting

I crochet, but I really want to learn how to knit. The patterns that you can make with knitting just seem more delicate to me. I do love all the cute things you can make with crochet though. I have made tonnes of amigurumi toys for my kiddos - you can find patterns for anything!! I also make scarves and hats - haven't really done more than that, but you can really do a lot with crochet.
 
Check out Revelry.com also! I totally forgot to put that in my first post. Lots and lots of inspiration there!

@AnneofAlamo Those are darling!
@KarenW Love amigurumi! Definitely fun to make!
@lorryfach That little bunny is precious!
 
I don't know how I missed this thread! Lol! You even tagged me. I know how to crochet and knit. I like them both for different reasons. I feel WAY more comfortable with crochet, but I think it's because I learned that as a kid and didn't take up knitting until a few years ago. I think crochet projects go faster and I love that it's only one hook and if you mess up? You just take the hook out and pull the yarn until you've removed your mistake. With knitting it's so easy to accidentally have one little stitch slide off and then if you don't notice it'll unravel that whole spot. Also if you notice a mistake with knitting, you have to undo one stitch at a time and it takes forever. The thing I really love about knitting is the end result. If you want to make clothes or sweaters, they look WAY better with knitting, but take forever. Lots of little stitches. Hat and scarves can be be knit or crochet. The other thing with knitting to consider, especially if you're wanting to make a blanket is that with knitting there is a wrong side. the front looks great, but the back looks, not necessarily wrong, but different. Crochet works up so that both sides look pretty good.

You asked about the blanket I was making. It was a CAL (crochet-a-long) called Sophie's Universe. There's a whole Facebook group of thousands of people that were all making them at the same time. I just loved the colors and had to make one. I'm not quite done. I set it aside when I ran out of yarn and was waiting for my order to come from England (took three months!) and haven't picked it back up yet.



I've finished my whole center and have the squares added and I'm halfway done with the borders.
 
That blanket is simply gorgeous!

sberkan said:
Seriously, I want to learn how to knit just to make what you're making Jan...it's gorgeous! I've tried both as a young'un but never stuck with either. I think I'd love to take up knitting again but I also cross-stitch and have 4 young boys so another hobby that doesn't get done is probably the last thing I need right now (oh, and quilting). Someday, when they get older...I'll never be bored :)
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Sandra, what I love about cross stitch is that it's easy to bring along, easy to pick up and put down at a moments notice. You should try that again!
 
Thank you, Karen! LOL! That was the one that I was thinking about. Still undecided, but good points to know! I don't know where I want to venture in the items I'll make. I think that's what's holding me up.
 
I do both but love crochet more. It's so easy to do in the car while traveling (DH drives) or watching TV. When the arthritis in my hands acts up I switch to larger yarn and a larger hook. We knit and crochet hats and scarves for cancer patients and homeless/less fortunate in our area. It's a great way to start with small projects.
 
I've crocheted for many years but haven't learned to knit YET. It's on my to-do list before I turn 50 so I have 4 months. Both of my daughters can both knit and crochet. One prefers to knit, the other to crochet. I guess it depends on the project. I like to crochet afghans. I'm slow and I only crochet when I'm cold so an afghan can take me a long time. I like to do it while I watch tv or movies or in the car on long trips. I just purchased a yarn winder like Lena of Bella Gypsy recently showed us on Facebook. I was winding yarn the other night and turned around and my silly dog had taken off with several of the newly wound "cakes" and tangled them/unwound them. I just purchased new Rubbermaid containers today for my yarns - I am going to have to keep them in closed containers from now on! My cats don't bother my yarn - my dog does. I buy both crochet hooks and knitting needles whenever they are on sale or I have a coupon. You can't ever have too many! They get lost! I do recommend a zippered pouch to hold your crochet needles if that is what you choose. It makes it easy to find the size you need quickly. I recommend not starting with super-cheap yarn or very small yarn to begin with. The cheaper yarn tends to split and is hard to work with. Buy when it is on sale instead. There is a type of crochet that looks like knitting - I think it is called Tunisian? It requires a special hook/needle and it is fun and easy to do.
 
@~Mary I've seen those ball winding thingies... what is their purpose? Do I need a new gadget? I love to buy crafty gadgets!

I also totally agree that you can never have too many needles. I am very fortunate that my Grandma was a HUGE knitter and had every size under the sun, and after she passed away, I got the whole box. It still has her little index cards in there with her super careful and neat record of which sizes she had. It's also still in the same box that she used in the 70's complete with masking tape on the corners that is old and brittle. I hope I never have to get rid of that box. :) I should totally do a layout about that box of treasure!
 
@Karen I saw Lena use the Boye Yarn Ball Winding machine to reorganize all her yarn and I fell in love. I got mine with a 40% coupon and although it is LOUD, I like it. Yarn from a regular skein almost always gets tangled, especially near the end. This contraption winds it into a smaller, easier to use, flat-bottomed ball. It's electric so it is fast and easy. No more endless winding into balls by hand only to drop them and have to start over for me!
 
Yarn winders are also pretty much required if you ever buy yarn in hanks. I guess you could wind them without one, but it's so much nicer with a winder. If you can't afford an electric one, there are cheap ones with hand-cranks that are still easy to work with!
 
I'd love to get a ball winder, but the physical act of winding the yarn is so calming to me. I do have a yarn swift to hold the hank yarns, so it makes it much easier to wind. Sure beats having to put the yarn on the back of a chair to hold it! My mom used to put us kids to work to hold the yarn while she wound it.
 
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