Ah, another recruit!

FWIW, try to be aware of the tension in your left hand as you crochet. Once you spot it, you can try different ways of holding the fabric, holding the yarn, or forming the stitches so that you can reduce the tension and relax your hand. Do try to find an easy, relaxed style or you may do permanent damage to your hand.

How you hold your hook in your right hand may affect your left hand, so try switching to see if it helps.

The Hand-Eze, spelling?, elastic gloves may help. They're offered lots of places, and Google is forgiving about spelling.

Um, I just ran out of ideas.

Patterns - have you looked in the patterns on this site? Also, there's a goldmine in http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory.php .

Good luck.

Pauline

Hi there! I just started crocheting a week ago as well. :)

I agree with everything Pauline said up there about your left hand. I have a carpal tunnel syndrome and so try to take frequent stops so that I don't end up with sore wrists the next day. I like to crochet in my comfy bed and so will put my hands under the covers for a little while to warm them up when they get cold. Having a warm cup of tea (or coffe, or hot chocolate...) also helps keep my hands warm and gives me a break. I would think that they would help with your fingers getting cramped.

I'm working on Lion Brand's Hooded Baby Blanket which uses the SC and the DC. It's pretty easy, although it seems to take a while! I think I'm averaging about a half hour per row across.

I like your icon -- cute! :)

Thanks Ladies,

I am trying to take more frequent breaks, and hold my coffee cup to keep my hand warm during those breaks. I'm thinking of making some of those fingerless gloves, but I'll definitely try the elastic gloves.

I decided to make my own pattern for the blanket. I'm just doing hdc with a hole in the center for a car seat latch. Then, I'll add a border from another pattern I found on crochet pattern central. In essence, I'm combining three different patterns to get what I want. Unfortunately, I am very picky and know exactly what I don't like. :-) I didn't want anything with big holes in it because my son would always get his toes, fingers, the dog, anything stuck in them. I hope it turns out OK.

Thanks for the advice!! I really appreciate it and will do exactly what you say!

The icon is a pic of my son trying to get into the bathtub when he was about a year old. The boy loves his bath time!

Kelly

Hi Kelly

Don't forget that you don't have to hold the yarn the way someone (or a book) taught you. You can thread it however is comfortable for you, even if you've never seen anyone else doing it.

Have fun!

Hi Kelly,

I also s 27 year old stay at home mom and I live in Suwanee Ga, I also started crocheting. I go to the atlanta crochet and knit meetup and it is great a lot of skilled crafters who offer their help.

Thanks, but I actually live in the suburbs of Chattanooga, TN. So, Atlanta is a couple of hours away. I go to a needlework group at my church on Tuesday nights, so I can get help there, but I am actually doing much better. My hand doesn't hurt anymore, and I've made lots of little things and one big prayer shawl. Just practicing, basically.

Thanks again!!

Kelly