Is Knitting or Crochet Faster?
People often ask this question as though there’s a clean answer, and there isn’t. But there are some useful things to say about it, particularly if you’re trying to decide which craft to pick up, or wondering whether to switch between the two for a particular project.
The honest version is this: for most people, crochet tends to feel faster. Whether it actually is faster depends on several things, and whether it matters depends on something else entirely – namely, why you’re making.
Why crochet often feels faster
A single hook is simpler to manage than two needles. Crochet stitches, especially taller ones like double crochet (UK treble crochet), cover ground quickly, and because you’re only ever working one live stitch at a time, there’s less risk of losing your place or dropping work mid-row.
I came to crochet properly before I really got into knitting, and it’s still the craft that feels more intuitive to me. I do knit too, and I enjoy it. I like the change in hand motion which I switch between disciplines – it makes a good contrast. However, if I’m trying to finish something in a hurry, crochet is where I always turn.
One of the less-talked-about speed advantages of crochet is how easy it is to fix mistakes. If something has gone wrong, you can simply slide the hook out, pull back to the error, and carry on. Frogging (unravelling your work) in crochet is straightforward in a way that knitting, with its two needles and multiple live stitches, really isn’t. The ability to correct quickly without losing significant time is, I think, somewhat underrated as a factor in overall project speed.
When knitting can be just as fast (or faster)
Experienced knitters who’ve developed muscle memory, particularly those using the continental technique, where the yarn is tensioned over the left hand (for right-handers, or right hand for left-handers), can work at impressive speed. If knitting is your primary craft and you’ve been at it for years, you may well be faster with needles than with a hook, regardless of what the theory says.
The factors that actually affect speed
Whatever the craft, these are the things that make the biggest difference:
Yarn weight – Thicker yarns with larger tools cover ground faster. An aran or chunky blanket or garment will work up much quicker than one in 4-ply, whether you’re knitting or crocheting.
Yarn fibre – Smooth yarns that slip easily over the hook or needle help. Fluffy yarns (mohair blends, particularly) slow everything down, and very dark colours are harder to see in lower light, which does affect pace.
Stitch complexity – Simple, repetitive stitches are naturally quicker. Colourwork, cables, bobbles, and heavily textured techniques take longer in both crafts.
Familiarity – The craft you’ve done longer will almost always feel faster. Muscle memory matters more than theory.
For an overview of which crochet stitches tend to work up quickest, this post on the fastest crochet stitches is worth a look.
Whether speed matters at all
This is the question I find more interesting, and the one that often gets skipped.
Sometimes speed matters a great deal. If you’re making a gift and the birthday is in two weeks, or working on a commission with a deadline, the faster option is genuinely useful. Similarly, if you’re hoping to finish a project in time for a particular season, a cosy throw for the first cold evenings of autumn, say, then how quickly a project will work up is worth thinking about.
Other times, it barely matters. When a project is about process as much as product, working through something enjoyable in the evenings, settling into a rhythm, having something to keep your hands busy, speed isn’t really the point. How much you enjoy the making is.
I think the most useful frame is to ask what you’re making for. If it’s outcome-led – a specific thing needed by a specific time – then yes, choose the faster option (and for most people, that’ll be crochet). If it’s process-led, then speed becomes much less relevant, and you might as well choose whichever craft you’re enjoying most right now.
Crochet and knitting together
Many people do both, and there’s a lot to be said for switching between the two depending on the project – or just on the mood. You can even combine knitting and crochet in a single project, such as by using knitting to add ribbing onto a crocheted top. The different hand motions of the two crafts offer a genuine change of pace, and each craft has things it does that the other doesn’t. Colourwork in both crafts is worth exploring if you haven’t already. If you’re curious about tapestry crochet specifically, the tapestry crochet hub is a good starting point.
If you’re newer to crochet and looking for a starting point for blanket projects, the crochet blanket resource hub has patterns and tutorials organised by technique and skill level.
Join the email list
If you’d like occasional crochet news, pattern releases, and tutorials, you’re welcome to join the email list. You’ll also receive two free tapestry crochet patterns when you sign up – a good introduction to the technique if you haven’t tried it yet.
About Catherine
Catherine is a crochet designer and educator based in Surrey, UK, specialising in blankets, tapestry crochet, and colourwork. Her patterns have been published in crochet magazines, and her design work is featured in the book 100 Crochet Tiles. She has also designed in collaboration with Sirdar and WeCrochet.
You can find her full pattern collection on Etsy and Ravelry, and her step-by-step tutorials on YouTube.
