Should I learn to knit or crochet?

[rumtumtugger]

I'm a total beginner but have a deep seated desire to hand-make knitted or crocheted toys for my dd to snuggle with. DH has said he'll send me on a knitting or crocheting course for Christmas, yay! So which method is easier to pick up and to stick with (given I'll likely be doing it in front of the telly of an evening)? Which method would make decent-looking toys for this ham-fisted beginner?

[YDdraigGoch]

Deux - I thought that was the French way.

I prefer knitting for clothes, but I am forever crocheting squares for blankets as that's really easy.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

A vote for knitting here - still time to change your mind OP!!

It is a lot more versatile imo and there are more patterns for knitting plus there are a lot less stitches for knitting - knit and purl and everything else is a variation on those 2 stitches. There are more for crochet which makes it harder.

I am biased as I learnt to knit very easily as a child but only learnt to crochet with great difficulty as an adult. Also, much as I love crochet now, it does have a bit of a vintage old fashioned air about it, no matter how modern the pattern tries to be.

[SoupDragon]

[snort] @ old fashioned. You've not been looking at the right patterns :)

[Deux]

Glaikit, I love that word. Such a brilliant descriptor. My DCs think oxter is the funniest word ever.

YD, No idea how the French knit! It is really hard to find long knitting needles though which you really need to get it into said oxter. All my needles are ones belonging to my mum and granny. I've really tried hard to knit using shorter needles and it's a dismal failure.

The lady on the left in this short clip is knitting the way I was taught.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=sftAdfgZ0m8

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Soupy, I have read lots of mags and even got that crochet bit part thing (can't remember what it was called) but I still think it is a teeny bit old fashioned I'm afraid. In a good way, like it has come around again and is sort of fashionable but retro. I don't dislike it at all, just think knitting is where it is all happening. [bsmile] (a knitted or a crocheted bobble hat - take your pick [bwink])

[SoupDragon]

Really old fashioned

[SoupDragon]

Lock up your grannies!

Truly ancient

Tweet!

[SoupDragon]

[PeppermintCreams]

The WI's Denman College runs residential classes for crochet, and I think knitting. They are expensive, but they sound like crochet boot camp so you WILL come home being able to crochet!! My local yarn shop runs them sometimes as well.

I taught myself crochet a couple of weeks ago by watching you tube videos for a few hours. But still tempted by the WI's classes and a weekend away!

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Soupy - I don't know really know how to respond to your to your pics - I don't if you are being ironic or not!

The blanket looks just like one my mum had when I was born 46 yrs ago so to me it is old fashioned. I do like it though - the colours are fab. The toys are toys and probably not something I can ever see myself making but teddies are as old as the hills and even the hat looks like something from the 1960's! I am not saying that in a disparaging way. Don't want to start a ruck on Arts and Crafts!

But knitting is still better.

[SoupDragon]

Pretty much everything that is knitted today looks like something my mother/grandmother knitted for me many years ago so that's not much of an argument is it? Hardly "where it is all happening".

[Caerlaverock]

teva Durham changed my opinion of crochet.

[rumtumtugger]

PurplePidjChick - would LOVE to stuff your face with cake in return for crochet wisdom but am unfortunately too far from you - I'm in East London.

[Snowflakepie]

I love both, but found crochet much quicker and easier to learn. The first things I made were some amigurumi toys for DD, they were very simple as long as you have a stitch marker to keep tabs on things. I love the Amigurumi World books, the author is Ana someone... That and you tube to check things. A lot of patterns and books on crochet toys do seem to use American terms so just make sure what is what and you'll be fine.

My heart really belongs to cross stitch though, not so good for toys

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

It's not too late to change your mind! Knitting all the way!

I simply cannot understand how anyone can say crochet was easier to learn?!

Pidj tried to teach me - epic fail. But it was at the end of quite a long day. Maybe we need to try again Pidj with your baby so I can snuggle and pretend to be paying attention

[jessiegeesusinamanger]

I was all fired up to learn crochet and signed up for a class in Sept. I just could NOT get the hang of it at all. I watched youtube videos for total beginners and still couldn't do it. I totally agree with Chipping in that I have no idea why it's got the reputation for being easier to learn than knitting.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Knitting is definitely easier to learn but I think it is because there are only 2 stitches and crochet has more. The other thing that it took me ages to grasp was that you had to crochet a certain number of stitches which was the pattern but then you had to do one, two or three more stitches depending on the sort of stitch you are doing - made no sense at all for ages.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

Now I have never mastered knitting but I've got to grips with crochet fairly well My mum always had to cast on for me and I've never got past garter stitch!

My mum knits very well and makes it look so easy but I don't think I even have enough hands to learn how to cast on properly....it just looks impossible.

I'm keen enough, I've got the knitting needles and I'd like to learn.....one day maybe I'll get it! My mum's not lived close enough to me to cast on for me for many years so I'll have to learn to do it myself!