Knitting vs. Crochet - Which is Easier?

Welcome to Yarn Skills, my spot to discuss all things related to crocheting and knitting.  Who am I?  My name is Jill Brightwell and I am an avid crocheter and intermediate knitter.  I am a published pattern designer and have won many awards at state and county fairs.  Over the years, I have taught countless people stitch techniques, interpreted patterns, fixed errors and recommended yarns and tools.  After much encouragement from my sweet husband, Richard, I am (finally) entering the Internet age!

In the yarn arts world, seems like people are either Team Knit or Team Crochet.  I have met very few who are equally comfortable with both.  I am definitely more skilled with crochet since I have been doing it since I was a child.  When people want me to teach them, most ask, "Which is easier, knitting or crocheting?"  Many assume my answer will be crochet because it only uses one needle.  I have two answers - the easy one and the real one.

The Easy Answer?  Knitting!  Why?  The tension.  In knitting, the stitches are interconnected and the stitch size will adjust with its neighbors and produce a more even fabric.  In crochet, each stitch is much more self-contained and does not adjust very much.  I have had many more people give up on crochet because they became totally frustrated with mastering the yarn tension needed to produce even stitches.

The Real Answer?  It depends!  On what?  Your personal preferences.  Knitting has many different techniques and a very large range of stitch options.  It also uses about 1/3 less yarn than crochet so a scarf made with that uber expensive alpaca becomes much more affordable.  On the other hand, crochet fabric can be very sturdy which perfect for afghans, edgings and heavy use items.  Plus, it is a snap to rip out stitches to fix an error.  Irish crochet produces some of the most beautiful projects I have ever seen. 

Which do I prefer?  I love them both but when I want to do something to help me relax, I always turn to crochet.  With time, practice and patience, I hope to building my knitting skills to a point that I can say I am Team Crochet  and  Team Knit.