Is it Easier to Knit or Crochet a Blanket?

Both knitted and crocheted blankets can be easy to make. But it’s quicker to crochet a blanket than knit one, especially larger throws.

Knitting and crochet both work well for blankets, but each has their pros and cons. The right choice for you depends on the type of blanket you want to make and your skills, time and budget. Most large blankets will be a major project regardless of whether you knit or crochet them. So it’s worth thinking about these factors before you invest a lot of time and yarn.

Is it Faster to Knit or Crochet a Blanket?

Generally, it’s quicker to crochet a blanket than knit one. The larger the blanket, the bigger the time difference between knitting and crocheting it. Typically a large afghan blanket takes weeks to crochet but months to knit.

How long it takes to knit or crochet a blanket depends on several factors: the pattern complexity, the blanket size, the yarn weight and the maker’s skills and speed.

The quickest blanket to make is a one piece crochet blanket made with bulky or chunky yarn using simple repetitive stitches. 

I crocheted this large chunky yarn blanket in less than 2 weeks despite needing to concentrate on the hexagon pattern. Thick crochet blankets use a lot of yarn though. The finished blanket weights around 2 lbs (1 kg) & I got through a 100g ball most days!

Usually, knitting or crocheting a one piece blanket takes less time than making a blanket out of squares. Arranging and stitching all the squares together for a large blanket takes longer than you think.

However some people find they progress their blanket much quicker by just doing it a square at a time. Knitting or crocheting small squares also means you can work on your blanket anywhere. Your blanket project is portable from start to finish, whereas a one piece blanket grows quite large to work on. It’s also quick and easy to add a square whenever you like, e.g. if you want a break from another project.

Is it Cheaper to Knit or Crochet a Blanket?

If you’re making a lacy blanket, there is not much difference in cost between knitting and crocheting a blanket.

But if you’re making a more solid or thicker blanket, it costs more to crochet a blanket than knit one. That’s because crochet uses around 1/3 more yarn than knitting as it makes a more dense and thick fabric. Crochet is much quicker than knitting too, so you will feel like you are going through balls in no time.

Knitting a blanket uses less yarn and takes longer too, so if you like slow, mindful crafting it’s a cheaper hobby than crochet.

Money Saving Tips for Knitting or Crocheting a Blanket

• Make a scrap blanket to use up your yarn leftovers. Here’s my fave stashbusting blanket knitting and crochet patterns.
• Make lacy baby blankets, as these use much less yarn and look very impressive.
• Look out for yarn sales and closeouts of discontinued shades & lines, where you can stock up on large quantities for less. But try to have a pattern in mind first, or at least a colour palette. It’s WAY too easy to spend a lot of money on yarn sales. Regardless of how cheap it is, you should only buy it if you will actually use it!
• Brand tips: KnitPicks (US & Canada) and Drops (Europe) both sell good quality wool & natural fiber yarns at affordable prices. Plus they’re really cheap when they have big sales at certain times of the year. KnitPicks have monthly deals with a big sale in November. Drops usually have a big wool sale in May, merino sale in September and alpaca sale from October to December.

Is it Better to Knit or Crochet a Baby Blanket?

Knit and crochet baby blankets are both very popular with thousands of patterns to choose from.

Crochet is the better choice for lacy baby blankets as lacework is much easier and faster to crochet than knit.

If you want to make a delicate blanket fit for wrapping a royal baby in, there are gorgeous lace baby blanket knitting patterns. BUT they take a long time and a LOT of concentration e.g. this free lace baby shawl pattern has a 28 row lace pattern repeat!

Good news: while crochet lace baby blankets look just as impressive they are often easy, beginner friendly patterns like this free collection. So unless you’re a lace knitting ninja, I recommend crocheting lace blankets instead.

If you’re short on time, most blankets are quicker to crochet than knit too. But that’s less of an issue with baby blankets that are a smaller size.

If you would like to make a more solid baby blanket without holes though, knitting is a better choice because it creates a solid fabric which drapes well. Crochet fabric either has holes in it or is quite dense and rigid.

Overall both knitting and crochet work well for baby blankets. If you’re making a special gift, stick with the one you feel most confident at so you can relax and enjoy the process.

More Help for Making a Blanket for the First Time

If you decide to knit a blanket, I’ve some beginners blanket knitting tips here.

If you want to make a blanket but don’t know how to crochet or knit, think about what else you would like to make apart from blankets. The best way to decide whether to learn to knit or crochet first is to work out what what you want to make most often – see my knitting vs crochet guide for more info.

Whether you want to knit a small baby shawl, or crochet a large afghan throw, making a blanket is a lovely relaxing project. Knitting or crocheting a large blanket can take a lot of time and yarn, but it’s well worth it. The end result is a special, one of a kind piece to treasure forever.

The key thing is to make the most of your precious crafting time. So whether you prefer to knit or crochet, pick a pattern you love and start your own blanket making journey.