Knitting to Crochet Conversion: A True Step by Step... With Pictures!

I'll start this with the same question everyone else does:
"Ever find a knitting pattern that you love, but you crochet?"

This is the part where they tell you to pretty much just play with it. How irritating, right? Well, I am here to help! I'm going to give you a knitting pattern, convert it to a crochet pattern, and... and tell you why it works. Before we start, a disclaimer:

This will not  be an exact replica. This is simply because these are two VERY different crafts. You can replicate knitting closely, and to the untrained eye, there is no difference. However, to someone familiar with both crafts the difference is very obvious. So let's train your eye.

The first thing I learned to knit was a potholder from my 8th grade teacher. I'm actually one of the founding members of my middle school's Knitting and Crochet Club. It's not much, but I'm proud. Anyway! Ms. Jones taught me this pattern, so any similarities to another pattern are strictly coincidental.

If you're just beginning to knit this is great, easy practice that creates an equally great gift!

Materials:
Size 7/4.5mm knitting needles
Any cotton ww yarn
Scissors
Yarn needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations used, and an explanation of a couple because I am assuming if you're reading this, you're a crocheter, not a knitter. The bold type are links to how-to videos:
K = knit
Yo = yarn over (In knitting, this is how you add a stitch. Never add a stitch at the beginning of the row. I usually add my stitches right after the first stitch unless I am following a pattern that indicates otherwise.)
K2tog = knit two together (It's the same thing as a crochet two together - you're decreasing stitches. Follow the same advice here as for the yo. If you decrease at the beginning or end of a row, your edges get jagged.)

Cast on 2 st
K1, yo, k1
K1, yo, k2
K1, yo, k3
Continue until you reach 45 stitches
K1, k2tog, k42
K1, k2tog, k39
Continue until you have reached one stitch.
In most knitting patterns, here you would bind off. However, since you are down to one stitch you can pull the yarn out for a tail (like you would for crochet), snip the yarn, pull to tighten. Tada!

Now, how do we crochet it?

First, a couple of things:

- Knitting needles and crochet hooks operate on the same gague. 4.5 mm is 4.5 mm is 4.5 mm across the board. Size 7 is size 7 is size 7. So use your size 7/4.5 mm hook for this pattern.

- Knitting takes up less yarn than crochet because knitting stitches are shorter. See? Both of these swatches are 20 stitches across.

That's why we use less stitches to reach our proverbial apex in this pattern.

- The stitch used to convert this pattern is much much much tighter than a knit stitch. This means your faux knit won't have as much spring to it. Also, if you crochet tight, try your best to loosen up, or you'll kill your fingers.

- The reasoning behind the oddly placed stitch increases are to avoid a bulging center and wavy, uneven sides.

- The crochet conversion NEEDS A BORDER. The knit looks nicer with a border, but the ch1 turn at the end of each round of this pattern creates an atrocious jagged edge.

-Finally, initially I started my crochet corner with one stitch. Since that created a rhombus instead of a square, I made changes to the pattern to start the pot holder off with two stitches.

After taking this brief tutorial on The Waistcoat Stitch, dive right in!

Abbreviations used:
Ch - chain
Wcs - waistcoat stitch
Wcs2tog - waistcoat stitch two together (I did this the same way I do any other 2tog stitch, just through the post.)
St - stitch

Notes:
- The materials are the same as the knit pattern, but with a hook
- Never count the ch1 as your firsr stitch
- Numbers in () are the number of stitches you should have
- Ch1 and turn at the end of each round

Ch 3
Rd 1: sc in 2nd ch from the hook, sc in next ch,
Rd 2: wcs in first sc, 2 wcs in 2nd sc
Rd 3: wcs in first st, 2 wcs in 2nd st, wcs in last st
Rd 4: 2 wcs in firs st, wcs across
Rd 5: wcs in 4st, 2 wcs in last st.
Rd 6: continue in this manner, add st in center st, then in first st, then in last st, then center st, then first st, etc. until 20 st are reached.
Rd 7: wcs in 9 st, wcs2tog, wcs across.
Rd 8: wcs in each st across until last 3 st, then wcs2tog, then wcs in last st
Rd 9: wcs in 8 st, wcs2tog, wcs across
Rd 10: wcs in 1st st, wcs2tog, wcs across
Rd 11: continue in this manner, wcs2tog at last 3 st of the first rd of the sequence then wcs in last st, then wcs2tog on the two center st of each rd with an even number of st (16, 14, 12, etc.) then wcs2tog the 2nd two st at the beginning of the last rd of the sequence until you reach one st.
Tie off.

As a final note, I think for potholders, I would prefer the faux knit. It's a tight stitch and produces a thick sturdy fabric with tiny tiny holes you won't burn yourself through. The knitted one has enough spring and maneuverability that I think you risk a burn. The knit lends itself better to a dishcloth. Alternatively, you can knit with two strands of yarn together to create a thicker fabric with the same flexibility.

May muses whisper to you always,
Kat