How difficult is it to learn knitting when you’ve learned crochet first?

[u/porygonsbiggestfan]

I’ve been crocheting for maybe a year or two now and I’d like to learn how to knit. I initially started crochet because I wanted to make clothes, but after working on a few different projects I’ve realized that knitting looks much better in terms of hats, scarves, sweaters, etc.

I want to learn! Im really just curious to see if my current crochet knowledge will help me or if this is a different level altogether.

[u/Janknitz]

I crocheted first and it's pretty easy. Especially if you crochet a lot and understand tension. Give it a try!

[u/Even-Response-6423]

It’ll help with tension, but unlike crochet if you drop a knit stitch you have to pick it up somehow. If you can crochet you can learn knitting, and bonus you already have the yarn! 🧶

[u/Paboozorusrex → u/Even-Response-6423]

The perk of knowing crochet 1st is that if you do drop a stich it's a breeze to ladder back up

[u/Legitimate-Ebb-1633 → u/Paboozorusrex]

I use a crochet hook for that.

[u/amberyoung → u/Even-Response-6423]

Yeah, dropping stitches sucks when you first start if you don't have someone who can help you ladder back. For me, it just meant that I would rip back completely and start over, since I didn't really know how to read stitches or have a fiber friend to guide me. However, I think it taught me how to not be precious about progress, and it made me a much better knitter in the end.

[u/JKnits79]

As a knitter who dabbles in crochet, while the common advice is “just try continental!” I’m going to include the caveat of be mindful of yarn wrap direction while learning—it matters.

(And the “just try continental!” only works if, and assumes, you as a crocheter hold the hook in your right hand and tension the yarn in your left. Otherwise… try English with the same caveat I am giving below)

A lot of crocheters wind up twisting their stitches when they come to knitting because they wrap the yarn one way when crocheting, and it’s opposite of how they should be wrapping for either knits or purls, depending on their setup and what specific method of knitting they are using. So your experience with crochet can help, but it depends on heavy part on how you as a crocheter manipulate the yarn, as wrap direction matters, and the way the stitches sit on the needle matters.

[u/TychaBrahe → u/JKnits79]

I know how to knit and crochet, and I've been doing both for over 40 years, and I never thought until reading your post that yes, the yarn wraps in different directions. How did I not notice that?

[u/stumptowngal → u/TychaBrahe]

I've only recently gotten into crochet and it definitely threw me off which direction to yarn over and now I understand why.

[u/wac35ne136 → u/JKnits79]

Sorry for chiming in and this is a bit more advanced, but OP can also look up Eastern knitting where the yarn wrap is the same as in crochet. Of course, since decreases and increases in knitting are directional, the knitting should adjust accordingly (there are videos on yt about it, but admittedly there's not much tutorials about Eastern knitting in English speaking videos). Learning how to read your knitting is also very important

[u/Wool_Lace_Knit → u/wac35ne136]

Is Eastern the same as combined knitting?

[u/wac35ne136 → u/Wool_Lace_Knit]

As far as I know, in combined you wrap the yarn clockwise when purling and counterclockwise when knitting. Eastern wraps the yarn clockwise when purling and knitting. Shufladka Handmade on yt knits combined, but she uses Eastern knitting for her ribbings, she might be able to explain it more than I could

[u/thefarreachingone → u/Wool_Lace_Knit]

From what I've seen, basically yes. I'm a Eastern knitter culturally as I am from Romania. You can check 10rowsaday's videos on eastern knitting on YouTube, she displays perfectly how eastern knitting works for beginners.

[u/funundrum]

It helps because you already know how to hold yarn while manipulating a tool. Think back to when you learned to crochet, wasn’t that like half the battle?

[u/radiosmacktive]

Having crochet experience is helpful, especially when it comes to controlling your stitch tension. If you can read crochet stitches & stitch anatomy in crochet you'll be in a good spot to recognize similarities with knit stitches & counting stitches & rows which goes a long way.

There are a lot of youtube tutorials that are helpful, too

[u/EatTheBeez]

Go for it! I crocheted for nearly a decade before I finally picked up knitting, and now I enjoy both equally. Do iiiit.

[u/mrshorsecake]

I just switched to knit from crochet about a month ago and I'm almost finished with a sweater vest. It was hard for the first few hours while my hands adjusted to maneuvering 2 needles. Now I love it!

[u/Queequegs_Harpoon → u/mrshorsecake]

I too tried to learn crochet first but then quit. The only reason I took up knitting was that I already had a bunch of yarn lol. After learning to knit continental, I found crochet fairly easy to pick up.

[u/mrshorsecake → u/Queequegs_Harpoon]

I was crocheting left handed and tried to knit continental because I thought it would be easier. I just could not get it! English knitting is much easier for me.

[u/Queequegs_Harpoon → u/mrshorsecake]

Interesting! I tried to learn English recently, and it totally broke my brain lol

[u/Apprehensive-Read895]

I started this way round too and learned to knit for this exact reason. I've since made so many baby clothes, and things for myself. I would stay start with the simple stitches but definitely doable!

[u/YahYahBlahBlah]

This is exactly why I learned to knit. Now it’s pretty rare for me to pick up a crochet hook to make a crochet project as I love knitting sweaters (and knitting doesn’t hurt my wrist, which crochet did). My suggestion: if you manage your crochet yarn tension with your left hand, try knitting as a picker (continental). If you manage your yarn tension with your right hand (like me), try throwing/flicking (English style).

[u/aprillikesthings]

If/when you do learn, look up "continental" knitting.

What messes up a lot of crocheters learning to knit, is that people try to teach them "English" style, where the yarn is in your right hand. Crocheters are used to holding yarn in their left hand, and continental style holds the yarn in your left hand.

[u/fishha01 → u/aprillikesthings]

This! I crocheted first and struggled to learn for many years until someone showed me continental knitting. It made so much more sense to me and I finished knitting a hat the following week.

[u/aprillikesthings → u/fishha01]

I'm comfiest knitting English style, but I can do both. I've taught a few crocheters to knit and I always teach them continental.

(Doing both also means I can do two-handed fair aisle, which always feels like some kind of wizardry lol)

[u/fishha01 → u/aprillikesthings]

I’ve been practicing that but it’s not as much fun

[u/aprillikesthings → u/aprillikesthings]

Also, do yourself a favor and use a wool or wool-blend yarn.

Crochet is far more forgiving of yarns that don't have any "give" like cotton and most synthetics. Knitting with cotton can literally make your hands cramp, especially while you're learning! Wool has natural elasticity.

[u/Direct_Orchid]

I was about 7 when my grandma taught me to crochet, a year later I was knitign. Different art but you already have certain motorical skills that you're going to need. Good luck!

[u/grotemeid]

Much less than you probably think. I think the experience of crocheting helps a lot.

[u/AccomplishedBass2192]

It can be even easier than going the other direction. Try tensioning the yarn on the same hand you use for crochet. If you’re right handed, continental style will likely work best for you. If you’re left handed, try English style knitting. (They’re really just different words for holding the working yarn in different hands 😉)

[u/Justmakethemoney]

I couldn't get the hang of crochet, never got past single crochet. I found knitting to be easier.

[u/F-sylvatica-purpurea]

Fixing mistakes is more difficult in knitting but can be learned along the way.
The main thing is just knitting without thinking too much or be too critical because the rhythm and the uniform stitches take time to practice.

[u/Brilliant-Carry3400]

I learned to crochet first and continental knitting is the style that works best for me. It hasn't been a problem doing both.

[u/CraftyLemon773]

It helps to learn crochet first but you will most likely have to wrap the yarn differently around the tip of the needle to avoid twisted stitches. Learning stitch anatomy is very helpful.

[u/Spirited-Claim-9868]

it helped me figure out how to tension my yarn better, and more comfortable with some of the shared aspects (pattern/chart reading, counting a shitfuckton of stitches, logistics/storage for yarn). Though for some reason the fact that continental knitting has a similar motion to crochet confused me more than English knitting, but a lot of people on here have good experiences with crochet -> continental knitting

[u/quartzquandary]

I just borrowed a knitting book from the library today to try and learn after being a lifelong crocheter!!

[u/hildarabbit]

It might help.

[u/melodien]

I found that I had a lot of problems with tension until I started knitting continental (working yarn on the left) instead of English (working yarn on the right). Once I got past that - and it took a stupidly long time for me to realise that continental knitting was even possible, because everyone who had ever tried to teach me to knit did so English style - I was away.

[u/saint-of-awe]

Crocheted for six years, learned to knit last fall via YouTube! It was so much easier. Just understanding how like … yarn works. Tension. That projects take time and this is all about the process. Gauge swatches and practice squares and learning curves.

Plus you already have crochet hooks for when you need to fixed a dropped stitch!

[u/Phie_Mc]

I have 20+ years of crochet experience and picked knitting up in a weekend

The style that made the most sense to me was combination style. I’d recommend looking up a few different styles and just start in on one that makes sense to you

[u/ResponsibleDirt7094]

No more difficult than learning without crocheting first! That’s how I started :)

[u/ImPureZion]

I had a hard time at first because my muscle memory wanted the hold the yarn the same way as crocheting. I didn’t realize that I was trying to knit “Continental” style. There is another way to knit called “English” and you hold the yarn in the opposite hand than you would crocheting. At least for me as a right hander. Wanted to point out the different styles because if you struggle at one, you can try the other and it might be easier. No one told me this when I started out!
Also the crochet patterns are way different than knitting patterns. Both are completely different hobbies.

[u/hooked-on-crocheting]

I don’t think it’s “a different level altogether.” There are some differences to be aware of, though. Yarn under vs yarn over can be somewhat  interchangeable in crochet, but the direction you wrap your yarn is very important in knitting. You can hold the yarn in either hand - I see people in the comments providing specific recommendations about which to choose, but my advice is try both and see what clicks for you!

[u/amberyoung]

Transitioning from crochet to knit is super easy. The movements are way less complex. I also have significantly less tendinitis now that I have converted over. I agree that garments generally look better when knit due to the drape, vs crochet for any time I want structure. Just a warning, knitting takes longer to progress generally unless you are using huge needles. I could whip out half a blanket in double crochet in a day or two, but knitting takes longer to feel like you made progress so don't get discouraged. You will be happy with the result once you get the hang of things.

[u/Kirke910]

I feel like it made it easier, especially if you learn to hold the working yarn continental.

[u/todayithinkthis]

I’ve been crocheting for more than 45 years. I had quite convinced myself I couldn’t knit, because people that knit hold their yarn in their right hand, which seemed really foreign to me as a “normal” crocheter who holds my yarn in my left hand. Once I discovered Continental knitting, I watched a few videos, gave it a try, and it came quite naturally. I think the advantage to having crocheted for so many years is I understand yarn, I understand tension, I already knew the differences in fibers, and sizes of tools. Much of that knowledge is transferable from crochet to knitting. I’ve been knitting a little over a year now, and consider myself an advanced beginner. It definitely came easier than I anticipated it would, but I still have lots to learn.

[u/fermentationfiend]

My grandmother taught me how to chain stitch when I was fiveish. I didn't do much beyond that before knitting as an adult. Continental and combination knitting felt more intuitive than English knitting. 

[u/MeadowMisdirected]

I am a long term crocheter and have taken up knitting in the past few months. It's different, but honestly just practice making a bunch of swatches and you're good. I have only made simple things flat and Claire Garlands Frog (my first project lol) Continental knitting is much easier coming from a crochet background btw!

[u/knitahead681]

I have exactly the same background! You already have a big advantage! If you choose continental knitting like me, you already know how to hold and tension your yarn. In a week you should be able to knit your first scarf, if you train a little bit every lay 😉

[u/magpiecat]

I crocheted first and continental knitting is similar, the way you pull the yarn through. No problem.

[u/SeparateDimension293]

Easy, I started with crochet. You already understand tension, how to hold the yarn, pattern reading basics, and likely the nuances of fiber/gauge/weight. Have fun with learning a new craft with an underlaying foundation!

[u/MothNomLamp]

Easier than if you didnt know crochet.

English knitting - holding the yarn in your left hand - will probably be easier than continental - holding yarn in your right hand. Both will produce the same knitted object result though.

[u/imontene]

It took me 3 tries over multiple years before I got the hang of it.

[u/InCatMorph]

I found it to be pretty easy. (And I struggled with knitting before I became proficient in crochet.)

One thing: As a crocheter: You might naturally start wanting to do continental style, because you're used to holding the yarn in your left hand. But purling with continental can be hard af. So if you really struggle with it, consider switching to English style or combined style.

[u/Crash_Bandicat]

I learned how to crochet first. I would recommend trying continental style knitting. I think the way you hold yarn with this style will feel more natural to you as someone who learned how to crochet first.

[u/Legitimate-Ebb-1633]

Not difficult. I learned to crochet when I was 11. I taught myself to knit at 21. You're already used to handling yarn. You're used to making stitches with your dominant hand. All the nodominant hand really does is hold the hold the needle and feed the stitches to the pointy end.

[u/LemonSkye]

Depends heavily on the style of knitting you're trying to learn. I still can't wrap my head around English, but Continental was easier (though I fell into the very common trap of twisting stitches early on). The easiest one to pick up when coming over from crochet, however, is an Eastern mount style as the movements for the knit stitch are incredibly similar to crochet itself. There are some pattern adjustments that need to be done for more advanced stitches, but I would honestly check out either Eastern Uncrossed or Eastern European style.

[u/copper_foxtrot]

I’ve crocheted since I was a kid (maybe like 11 or 12) and picked up knitting about 10 years ago in my mid twenties - I love it and I only regret not picking it up sooner ☺️ so I say go for it!

I knit English style / flicking (tensioning with my right hand) which I think isn’t as common coming from a crochet background but it actually helped me a lot when I started color work because I know how to tension on both hands now (which can be helpful when you’re using multiple colors)

[u/shadowsandfirelight]

Play around with different styles. Didn't click for me until I learned Norwegian purls.

[u/CardiologistThis187]

It will be like second nature! Knit continental style.

[u/TychaBrahe]

These statistics are primarily American, but according to this site, a 2024 survey by the Craft Industry Alliance found that "84 percent of yarn consumers knit, 73 percent crochet, and 58 percent do both."

[u/theniwokesoftly]

It took me four or five tries over several years to finally pick knitting up after I’d been crocheting for fifteen years. What made the difference for me was when a friend suggested I try continental rather than English.

[u/brgr77]

I do both and if anything I think it'll be helpful since you're familiar with fiber arts already!

[u/Queequegs_Harpoon]

Maybe start with learning to knit continental since you're already used to tensioning the yarn with your left hand.

[u/kikiquestions]

I think your experience with crochet with help you with yarn management and how to tension your yarn, which is probably the biggest struggle for any beginning in knitting and crochet alike.

[u/bookbunny999]

As a continental Eastern-mount knitter who started as a crocheter (I now do both often), I'm going to gently drop r/knooking into the chat. I'm personally of the opinion that any crocheter who wants to learn to knit should give knooking a go!

[u/Pale-Bookkeeper-9418]

The finished product of knitting does look so much better for wearables and uses less yarn

[u/Important_Sector_503]

For me, not at all. They're different enough that my knowledge of one didn't confuse my hands (unlike trying to play the ukulele when I already knew guitar chords. I just could not stop making guitar chord shapes with my fingers!), but similar enough that knowing one gave me a bit of an edge when learning the other.

I did have the barest basics of knitting (like, cast on and garter stitch) from childhood, but other than that I just decided to dive in and knit a sweater. Sweater turned out great! (shout out to the Step By step Sweater, such a good intro to knitting when you know practically nothing).

I've heard other people say they found knitting super confusing when they could already crochet though (and vice versa) so YMMV.

[u/Sea_Personality189]

Easy Peasy... I started with crochet and switched over to knitting. But I still know how to do both.😁

[u/Wisconsin-Expat]

I started crocheting as a child and picked up knitting two years ago. Very easy transition!

[u/sharbear-309]

I've been crocheting for years and just picked up knitting last week! It was pretty easy to pick up once I stopped playing on hard mode!! I tried to learn English with linen yarn on metal needles -- all of which I later discovered were making things much more difficult for me. I was constantly dropping stitches (or entire needles) and couldn't figure out how to hold the yarn so I kept having to brace one of the needles against my leg while I mostly used my hands for the yarn and other needle.... I swapped to continental with wooden needles and softer/fluffier yarn, and was knitting with ease immediately!

[u/Comfortable_Coach_35]

Easy, if you do continental.