I was a teenager when I last knitted with needles. I made baby hats and booties that I sold in a thrift store. I liked knitting and wished I could have expanded my skill past a knit stitch. Knitting with needles took alot of coordination and talent to make really pretty stitch patterns and in my teen years I just wasn’t able to master it.
I took up crochet in the years that followed. Crochet was easier for me and I stuck with it. Then a few years ago I started loom knitting and that’s fun. Loom knitting doesn’t require the same amount of physical hand movement coordination. I’ve enjoyed using it to create many things.

There’s a project that I’ve been wanting to do for awhile; making 2 dishcloths, one by loom knitting and one by needle knitting and see how they compare. It took up until a couple weeks ago for me to get up the courage to try my hand at knitting with needles again. My Bff encouraged me and was convinced that I could do it.

I struggled to remember how to knit with needles. Then I went on that famous video site and refreshed my mind on the basics. I worked on my first knitting needle project attempt over and over, at least a dozen times. I’d knit and purl and miss a stitch or the yarn would slide off the rods or I’d drop the rods and then I’d unravel it, recast on and take off again. I did this for a couple of days. Then I finally got a bit better.
During my trial and error, I worked up a pattern for a dishcloth and finally needle knitted the dishcloth without missing a stitch.

I used size 7 knitting needles, they were the smallest size I have. I made up a pattern for a dishcloth for my Boye Sock Loom that is the same finished size as the needle-knitted one.
The stitch pattern I used for both needles and loom knit is what I call a ‘basket-weave’, I’ve heard it called a tile stitch, a cobblestone stitch  and I even heard it called a waffle stitch. I think, regardless of what you call it, as long as you’re enjoying creating with it, then that’s what matters most. 🙂

The dishcloths are not blocked.

I used a knit & purl pattern for the knitting needle basket weave. For the loom knit basket weave I used Ewrap & Purl pattern. (Truth is, I was halfway through the loom knitted dishcloth before it occurred to me that ‘ewrap stitch’ isn’t the ‘knit stitch’. I decided it didn’t make enough difference to matter, so I continued on.)

The dishcloths are not blocked.

The Needle Knitted dishcloth is 6×6 squares. The Loom Knitted dishcloth is 7×7 squares. I had to make the loom knitted one a square more to get the two dishcloths to be close to the same size.
I used a ‘slip-stitch’ for the edges of the loom knitted dishcloth. It finishes off a project smoother and neater.
I’m not skilled enough at needle knitting to know a stitch to make a smooth edge, so I just carried the k,p pattern alternating out the 2 stitches for the edge. It’s not very neat and tidy, but it works-for-me. 😉

The dishcloths are not blocked.

Both of the dishcloths are handy for washing dishes. I know some folks might think them small, but for me they’re the most comfortable size.

The dishcloths are not blocked.

My comparison of needle knit and loom knit dishcloths turned out well. I think that both the needle knit and loom knit fiber-art forms are wonderful outlets for artistic expression for making fun, useful, beautiful or silly creations.

I’m happy that I relearned how to knit with needles. I may attempt to make another project in the future.

Wishing you all fun with whatever craft or project you’re doing or planning.