Crochet and Knitting Vocabulary in Spanish

Tejer or knitting in the Spanish language, and crochet—or croché in Spanish—are crafting hobbies that allow you to complete a variety of useful projects with just some needles, yarns, and patterns! 

There are many crochet and knitting books in Spanish, as well as thousands of amazing patterns. So if you’re setting out to try new projects, and find the instructions are in Spanish, this blog post is for you! 

Knitting in Spanish is also for you if you are interested in getting into a new hobby, beginning your own business, or just learning about new things! 

Today we are going to learn all about crocheting and knitting in Spanish, the most used terms, the needles you need for this craft, and all necessary elements to enjoy these activities. 

Let’s get to it!

Comparing Crochet and Knitting

How to say “knitting” in Spanish?

Knitting translates into tejer in Spanish, but it can also mean tejido en punto, so when you are talking about any kind of knitting it is tejer, and if you are exactly talking about knitting with two needles, it is tejido en punto or tricot. 

We sometimes use the term “knitting” for both knitting and crochet, but keep in mind that they are two different activities on their own.

First, let’s talk about all the elements they have in common: 

• They are both methods to transform yarn into useful final products such as clothes, toys, and accessories.
• Both need good eye-hand coordination.
• Both activities are perfect for people with patience and an eye for detail.

Now, let’s talk about some of their differences: 

The first striking difference between these two techniques is the needles: knitting uses two pointed needles, crochet uses just one and is called un ganchillo, or crochet hook.

Another element they differ on is that you can knit by hand, machine, or in a telar (loom), while crochet you can only do by hand. 

And the last general difference is that knitting pieces can be less durable and unravel easily, while crochet pieces don’t.

There is so much more to learn about crochet and knitting in Spanish! So let’s learn all about them! 

Crochet – (Croché)

El croché, or crochet in Spanish, is a technique to create different types of textiles, and its name comes from the French word “crochet”, which means “small hook”, and has been practiced since the 19th century.

It is also translated as ganchillo and tejer con gancho, in some Spanish-speaking places.

This technique is done by using a ganchillo de croché, or crochet hook, to interlock loops of materials like yarn, threads, and even synthetic materials. 

In crochet, you need to complete a stitch before the next one, something that is not necessary in knitting, where you can keep several stitches open, even at the same time.

Crochet Terms in Spanish

If you are interested in abbreviations to read patterns and more technical words, please check out the following link.

Crochet Needles – (Agujas de crochet)

You can find los ganchillos o agujas de crochet (crochet needles) in different sizes, materials, and even colors! 

The more common ones are those made with steel, which are perfect to use with fine cotton thread and perlé. Meanwhile, the aluminum ones are great for thick threads and yarn, and the plastic ones are better for medium size wool. 

You can even find some incredible handmade crochet needles, made with hand-carved wood and with details in gold, silver, or gemstones.

Crochet Needle Names in Spanish

Crochet Stitches – (Puntos de tejido a crochet)

There are three important criteria to be able to crochet correctly:

• Quantity and combination of loops in the needle
• Where the needle is inserted 
• How many stitches in the needle are necessary to pass the loops

Crochet Points in Spanish

These points can be modified to create more patterns and forms.

In this article, you can find an easy-to-understand Spanish explanation on this topic.

Knitting – (Tejido en punto)

El tejido en punto, which is how you say knitting in Spanish, is a millenary method where you manipulate yarn to fabricate clothes, fabric or accessories. 

Knitting can be done by hand or machine and the idea is to create puntadas (stitches), and to connect consecutive rows of these loops to create a mesh-like pattern. There is also another kind of knitting called tejido en telar, or loom knitting in Spanish, where the knitter uses a loom to help him or herself to do the knitting.

El tricot is amazing because how tight or tense the mesh is depends completely on the ability and preferences of each knitter. 

Knitting can also be known as tricot or tricotaje in Spanish.

Knitting Terms in Spanish Part 1

Knitting Terms in Spanish Part 2

Knitting Needles – (Agujas de tejer)

Just like with crochet, there are several kinds of needles you can use for knitting.

Here is all the information you need about the needles used for knitting in Spanish! 

First, to be able to knit something, you do it with two long needles, which is the tool that helps you to manage the yarn and give form to your piece. 

There are several sizes of needles that help determine the measure of the stitches, how thick the mesh or the fabric is going to be.

There are several kinds of needles and they can be classified by the material they are made from— like wood, steel, or plastic— their length and width, and their use. 

Knitting Needles in Spanish

Knitting Stitches – (Puntos de tejido)

Knitting can be a relaxing activity to do, as long as you know what you are doing. 

Just like crochet, knitting also has stitches that are specially designed to practice this hobby, and you should know them so you understand patterns and guides that people make to socialize their pieces so others can replicate them.

Stitches for Knitting in Spanish

If you want to learn more about knitting stitches, check out this post about it! 

Essential Crochet and Knitting Vocabulary in Spanish

As we learned before, knitting and crochet have several differences, but they also share a lot of elements, especially in materials and what you can create with them. And for those reasons, here are some common words that you can use when you talk about crochet and knitting in Spanish.

Just as there are so many kinds of needles, there are also so many kinds of yarns and threads that you can purchase to practice these hobbies.

Yarn and Thread for Crochet and Knitting in Spanish

Yarn and Thread Weight – (Grosor del hilo)

At the moment of practicing knitting or crochet, you have to take into consideration what kind of thread or yarn is more convenient for you to use depending on the piece you will work in.

Yarn and Thread Weight in Spanish

Yarn and Thread Characteristics in Spanish

What Can You Create With Crochet And Knitting?

There are so many things you can create through crochet and knitting, and here are some ideas and how to talk about them in Spanish! 

Here are some examples of how to use all these new words we learned today!

¡Hoy aprendí cómo se dice “knitting” en español! Se dice “tejer” o “tricot”.
Today I learned how to say “knitting” in Spanish! It is “tejer” or “tricot.”

Me gusta hacer patrones de croché que encuentro en internet.
I like to do crochet patterns that I found on the Internet.

Mi abuelita tejía con gancho. ¡Una vez me hizo un vestido!
My granny used to crochet. She once made me a dress!

Aprendí a hacer tricot cuando me hice un disfraz para una fiesta.
I learned to knit when I knitted a costume for myself for a party. 

Tejer me calma cuando estoy estresado.
Knitting calms me when I am stressed. 

Spanish Can Help You To Knit Your Future! 

Spanish can be a great tool to form your future and define your goals in life! 

Spanish can help you get a cool job in or outside of the United States! Interpreters and translators are among the top five fastest-growing occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with opportunities expected to increase by 46% between 2012 and 2022. 

Also, learning another language, like Spanish, can help you to make some serious money! According to a study conducted by The Economist, a person can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $125,000 extra just by knowing a foreign language alone. 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up today for a free Spanish class with our native Spanish-speaking teachers and let us help you begin to knit a brighter and better future for you! 

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Carmen Rizzo

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I’m a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala with a B.A. in Psychology. I have a passion for teaching Sunday school in my spare time and for learning and sharing valuable information. I'm a cat lover who gets excited over cartoons, anime, and video games. I dabble in digital illustration and animation. I'm inspired by sharing my culture, traditions, food, and beliefs with others, while learning about theirs in return.

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