Adventures in Knitting; Knitting vs Crochet

   Many people confuse knitting and crochet. Perfectly understandable. They do have some similarities. They both are ways to turn yarn(or maybe thread) into a fabric. They both follow similarly written patterns. But they are different techniques that give different results.

Knitting involves working with two (or more) needles to make a bunch of loops. Knit fabric is usually more stretchy and flexible. Knitting can also be done with machines. This has made it easier to mass produce knitted items and make fabric with smaller threads. Because of that knit fabrics are more familiar to most people. A random observation I've made is that many people will refer to both techniques as knitting and that when one technique is depicted in a movie or show it is almost always knitting.
 Crochet involves using one hook to make a series of knots and loops. The fabric tends to be more firm and durable. So far, there is no machine that can duplicate crochet.


   Because they are so different I have noticed a trend when talking with others. Most strongly prefer one of the other (but it seems they have at least tried both). I've heard many different reasons as to why someone prefers knitting over crochet or vice versa, but is one actually easier or better than the other?
   If someone could be completely unbiased, they would probably say no. But people are usually biased to some degree. Even when it comes to a particular type of project you get many mixed reviews. I have even heard some people claim the same pro and con for one that someone else claims for the other(for example, how fast it is).
I think it would be interesting to take people with no history or experience with crochet or knitting and try to teach them both as simultaneously as possible. Then see what the people end up liking or disliking.
  
  Here is my own experience.
My greatgrandmother crocheted. When I was a tiny tot she taught me how to make a basic chain. It was a while before I learned actual crochet stitches but never really did much with them. When I really started to crochet, I met it like an old acquaintance.

I'll confess that I expected knitting to come as easily to me as crochet. It did not. I didn't grow up around knitting. I met it like a complete stranger. It was very frustrating to learn. I'm not patient but I am tenacious. I'm glad I stuck to it. I have recently completely my first knitting project.

My advise for the evening is to remember that anyone's opinion is just that; an opinion. Don't let another person frighten you away from learning something, or make you feel bad if something came easily to them that doesn't to you.