I have always been a righty with everything else in life, except crocheting. I can't control the hook and thread well the other way. I have had a real hard time learning new stitches because almost all instructions are for righties. Any suggestions?
I'm a left handed person. I have been really interested in learning how to crochet. I would love to accomplish some baby blankets as gifts for my friends and family. I started teaching myself with a left-handed book and with another book called, "Stitch N' Bitch". However, stopped when I felt the books were not extremely helpful. Today I've come across, "Teaching Yourself Visually Crocheting", but I'm concerned whether or not I can follow it or if they have instructions for both righties AND lefties. I wish I could find "friends" who share the same learning passion as I do. I introduced my sister to scrapbooking, but now I'm tired of that hobby and find that I much rather keep learning about crocheting. I did teach myself about the chain stitch as well as the single single crochet stitch, but gave up after that and lately I find myself wanted go back to crocheting 101 college and start again. LOL. I will say I have this 33 page book that I found in Michael's Craft Store called, "Learn to Crochet in Just One Day-Left Handed Version". It is helpful, but I much rather learn from book that is full-colored pages and maybe more precise. O.K. so I rambled on and on and realized that I was not helpful either, but I'm with you and maybe we can learn from each other!
Submitted by Jhanamo on 23 February 2008 - 2:07pm.
I am a righty, but I can imagine it can be difficult learning new stitches when you are left handed.
Take a look at the wonderful website of art of crochet. They have videos for lefties:
Off topic - but that shill shell shawl is hard to say but so easy on the eyes. I love it. It's hard to find large, allover, lace patterns in crochet. This is nice.
Submitted by pauline3 on 24 February 2008 - 7:19pm.
Thanks so much for the web site advice! I hadn't found that one! You are right about the shawl it is quite pretty. Good luck with the project. I am going to attempt the tunisian stitch. Found a cute little baby blanket pattern in the Crochet today mag. called pinwheel blankie. I am a bit nervous about starting it but the picture instructions on this site made it look pretty simple. Just have to switch it to the other hand!!! Good luck Jhanamo. I was lucky to find a lefty to teach me personally. If it hadn't been for Cathy I would have neer caught on!
there are a few good lefty youtube crochet demonstrations that might help you too.
I'm a left-handed crocheter myself and used to sit opposite my friend and try to do the mirror image of what they were doing, that helped somewhat, but I find you have to be careful and trial and error helps on certain patterns as you will naturally go into the back of certain stitches instead of the front.
Ooh and there's a readers digest book called "Complete guide to needlework" that has a section on crochet, with diagrams for southpaws like you and me that I found really helpful.
Happy hooking.x
I can remember the first crochet book I had (which was passed down from my Nan!) - it showed the basic instructions for crochet stitches, and suggested that if you were left handed then put the book next to a mirror to view the pictures..
So leading on from this - I am contemplating attempting to teach my two oldest nieces to crochet. One is right handed, and the other left handed. That said, the right handed one uses her cutlery back to front (like her left handed Mum), and the left handed niece uses her cutlery the same way as a right handed person. Should be interesting anyway!
Welcome! I hope some forum lefties will have a good suggestion for you. I'm a righty, so all I can do is sympathize.
Pauline
I'm a left handed person. I have been really interested in learning how to crochet. I would love to accomplish some baby blankets as gifts for my friends and family. I started teaching myself with a left-handed book and with another book called, "Stitch N' Bitch". However, stopped when I felt the books were not extremely helpful. Today I've come across, "Teaching Yourself Visually Crocheting", but I'm concerned whether or not I can follow it or if they have instructions for both righties AND lefties. I wish I could find "friends" who share the same learning passion as I do. I introduced my sister to scrapbooking, but now I'm tired of that hobby and find that I much rather keep learning about crocheting. I did teach myself about the chain stitch as well as the single single crochet stitch, but gave up after that and lately I find myself wanted go back to crocheting 101 college and start again. LOL. I will say I have this 33 page book that I found in Michael's Craft Store called, "Learn to Crochet in Just One Day-Left Handed Version". It is helpful, but I much rather learn from book that is full-colored pages and maybe more precise. O.K. so I rambled on and on and realized that I was not helpful either, but I'm with you and maybe we can learn from each other!
I am a righty, but I can imagine it can be difficult learning new stitches when you are left handed.
Take a look at the wonderful website of art of crochet. They have videos for lefties:
http://www.iamintheloop.com/artofcrochet/guides.php
http://artofcrochet.blip.tv/#293742
By the way, their patterns are great. I am crocheting the
shill shell shawl.
Off topic - but that shill shell shawl is hard to say but so easy on the eyes. I love it. It's hard to find large, allover, lace patterns in crochet. This is nice.
Thanks so much for the web site advice! I hadn't found that one! You are right about the shawl it is quite pretty. Good luck with the project. I am going to attempt the tunisian stitch. Found a cute little baby blanket pattern in the Crochet today mag. called pinwheel blankie. I am a bit nervous about starting it but the picture instructions on this site made it look pretty simple. Just have to switch it to the other hand!!! Good luck Jhanamo. I was lucky to find a lefty to teach me personally. If it hadn't been for Cathy I would have neer caught on!
there are a few good lefty youtube crochet demonstrations that might help you too.
I'm a left-handed crocheter myself and used to sit opposite my friend and try to do the mirror image of what they were doing, that helped somewhat, but I find you have to be careful and trial and error helps on certain patterns as you will naturally go into the back of certain stitches instead of the front.
Ooh and there's a readers digest book called "Complete guide to needlework" that has a section on crochet, with diagrams for southpaws like you and me that I found really helpful.
Happy hooking.x
I can remember the first crochet book I had (which was passed down from my Nan!) - it showed the basic instructions for crochet stitches, and suggested that if you were left handed then put the book next to a mirror to view the pictures..
So leading on from this - I am contemplating attempting to teach my two oldest nieces to crochet. One is right handed, and the other left handed. That said, the right handed one uses her cutlery back to front (like her left handed Mum), and the left handed niece uses her cutlery the same way as a right handed person. Should be interesting anyway!