Sweaters are a crucial part of any wardrobe. But which is better – crochet vs knit sweater?
We look at the pros and cons of the different options. And if you’re trying to decide whether to pick up your hook or your needles, we can help! We’ll set out some factors to consider before you make your choice.
Appearance of crochet vs knit sweaters
The first thing to note is that crochet and knit sweaters can look quite different. Of course, everything will depend on the stitches you use. But as a rule of thumb, crochet produces a more open, lacey look, while knitted sweaters tend to be smoother, with fewer holes.
There’s no right or wrong option here. If you’re trying to decide between the appearance of crochet vs knit, it can help to consider:
1. Are you looking for something casual or formal?
Crochet gives a lovely homespun look that’s great for casual wear. If you want to make a sweater for more formal occasions, a knitted fabric may work better.
2. Are you planning to use different colors?
If so, knitting can produce more crisply defined patterns – Fair Isle, for example, is tough to pull off with crochet. But if you’re looking for a smudgier, watercolor-like effect, crochet can work beautifully. And tapestry crochet is a great choice for flowing, organic motifs.
3. Do you want your sweater to be drapey or structured?
A knitted fabric will tend to have more drape (more on that shortly), while crochet is good for more structured pieces.
Drape and texture of crochet vs knit sweaters
Perhaps the most noticeable difference between crochet and knit sweaters is in the texture and drape of the fabric.
A crocheted sweater will generally be thicker than a knitted sweater, even if they’re both made using the same weight of yarn. That’s because of the different way the stitches are formed.
In knitting, the stitches are made using two needles, with each row looping onto the tops of the stitches below. This means that every stitch is neatly aligned with the one above and below it.
The result is a fabric with plenty of stretch and elasticity. And because of that, a knitted sweater will mold itself more readily to the shape of the wearer.
With crochet, on the other hand, the loops that join stitches run side to side, as well as up and down. That creates a fabric with less “give”.
Many people will prefer a drapier texture for sweaters, giving knitting the edge here. But crochet can also be used to good effect to create boxier shapes.
And if you prefer to crochet, there are steps you can take to create a fabric with more drape…
How to crochet a fabric that drapes well
You can improve the drape of crocheted fabric by selecting certain stitches, yarns and hook sizes.
- Stitch type: choose open crochet stitches like v-stitches, moss stitches, extended crochet stitches, and linked stitches. Avoid tighter stitches like single crochet, waistcoat stitch and slip stitch.
- Yarn weight (i.e. thickness): For a fabric with more drape, it can be helpful to choose a lighter yarn. That said, you can still achieve a smooth drape using chunkier yarn and the right stitch.
- Yarn fiber: Silk fiber yarns will give beautiful drape, as will yarns made from softer fibers like mohair. Wool and acrylic have slightly less drape, but can still work well with the right stitch pattern.
- Hook size: the larger the hook you use, the more open the fabric will be. So if you want to create better drape, going up a hook size or two can work wonders.
Last but not least, blocking your finished sweater will improve its drape too. Blocking simply involves applying moisture to the item, pinning it into shape, and leaving it to dry.
There are a number of different blocking techniques, suitable for different fibers and projects. But they’ll all improve the drape of crocheted fabric.
Warmth of crochet vs knit sweaters
Do you want a sweater to add a light layer on a cool summer evening? Or are you looking for something to snuggle up in on a winter’s day?
All other things being equal, a crochet sweater will be thicker than a knit one – so it should be warmer. But in reality, lots of other factors will affect how warm your sweater is:
1. Yarn fiber
different fibers have very different thermal properties. Cotton and linen yarns are great options if you want to create a cool, lightweight sweater.
If you’re after something warm and cosy, wool is hard to beat. Any of those yarns work well for either knitting or crochet.
Also Read: 4 Best Yarn for Crochet Sweaters (Pros & Cons)
2. Yarn weight
yarn weight refers to the thickness of the yarn. The thicker the yarn you use, the thicker your finished fabric will be – whether it’s knitted or crocheted.
So if you want a lighter weight sweater for layering, choose a thinner yarn. If you want something super-warm, go for heavier options like bulky, super-bulky or jumbo.
3. Stitch type
the tighter the stitch, the denser your fabric will be, and the warmer it will be too. So if you’re crocheting, choose options like waistcoat stitch, slip stitch or single crochet to give you a dense fabric. (Note that it will also have less drape.)
With knitting, look for patterns with higher numbers of stitches per inch. Fair Isle designs are good too, as they create two layers which trap a warm pocket of air between them.
Also Read: 44 Different Types Of Crochet Stitches
4. Crochet hook or knitting needle size
the larger the crocket hook or knitting needles, the looser the stitches will be. So if you want to create a denser fabric, a smaller hook or needles will help.
5. Design
an obvious one this, but different features of the sweater design will also affect how warm it is. A cropped sweater might let the air get to your midriff, and short sleeves or deep necklines could leave you chilly.
But those same attributes can also work well on a colder day when layered with other garments. (And if layering is what you want to do, a lighter yarn can work better too, even on a colder day.)
So while crochet can create thicker, warmer fabrics than knitting, it’s only one part of the picture. It’s perfectly possible to crochet a cool, lightweight sweater, or to knit a warm, cosy one!
Is it easier to knit or crochet a sweater?
Everyone has their own opinion about whether knitting or crocheting is easier. The simple answer is, it depends on what’s easier for you.
Having said that, the different techniques do have some different characteristics:
For most people, it’s faster to work up fabric with crochet. So if you’re on a deadline to complete your sweater, crocheting might be a good choice. It will be faster still if you use a thicker yarn and larger crochet hook.
Of course, this is only the case if you’re equally comfortable with knitting and crochet! If you’re an experienced knitter and are just starting out with crochet, you may find knitting gets you quicker results.
If you have problems with coordination, two knitting needles might be more challenging than a single crochet hook. And people with conditions that cause painful hands, like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, might find crocheting easier than knitting.
It’s easier to correct mistakes with crochet. To do that, you simply rip out the stitches until you get to the error. This process is known as “frogging” (because you “rip it, rip it” – like the sound made by a frog!).
With knitting, you can frog too – but it’s all too easy to go too far and rip out more stitches than you meant to. An alternative is to “tink” – to knit backwards (hence the word), undoing one stitch at a time. That’s a more delicate process, but it’s more time-consuming too.
There’s a wider choice of knitting patterns than crochet patterns. If you prefer the reassurance of following a pattern, there are more knitting patterns out there than crochet ones.
If you’re struggling to choose between crocheting and knitting your sweater, finding a pattern you like could be the deciding factor.
You’ll use more yarn with crochet. Exactly how much you use will depend on the stitch and your own technique. But as a general rule, you can expect to use between 25% and 30% more yarn to crochet a piece of fabric than to knit one of the same size.
So if you want to conserve yarn, knitting your sweater may be the better option.
Crochet vs knit sweater: The verdict
There are lots of different factors that will determine whether a crochet or knit sweater is better for you.
As a general rule, knitting will produce a smoother, drapier fabric. But crochet fabric can drape well too, if you choose the right stitches and yarn. And blocking will help even more.
If you want to follow a pattern, why not search for crochet and knitting patterns and see what you find? The answer may simply be to go with whatever pattern you like most!
Whatever option you choose, we hope you enjoy creating your sweater.
