How I Learned to Crochet With My Left Hand
My mother is a right-y. She taught me by doing a stitch right-handed, then trying the same stitch left handed. She knew HOW to do the stitch, so she just had to figure it out with the other hand. It actually was nice that her "left-y" crocheting wasn't perfect, because mine wasn't either. It made it less stressful for me to not have to try to do it "just right". As I got better, I just copied her in mirror image. I was in grade school when I learned so not being too frustrated was important to me actually staying with it.
How I Hold My Crochet Hook and Yarn / Thread
I hold my crochet hook knife style in my left hand. I find that the knife style makes crocheting go much faster. Those I know who crochet pencil style say that they crochet slowly (because of it?)
The yarn comes from my hook over to my right hand, goes over my index finger, which I use to guide it, then I pinch it tight in my pinkie finger. I know this is not standard, but it works for me. I use my pinkie to control the tension in my piece. I then use my middle and ring finder to grip the work-in-progress. I rarely find the weight of the project to be an issue, except for the few times I have been crocheting while standing.
Advice
- I have never had any issues with following a pattern. Very few things in crocheting are "side-specific"-- by that I mean... if you crochet with your left hand a pattern intended to be done with your right hand, it will come out in mirror-image (or backwards). BE AWARE OF THIS. It could be an issue with letters (like in filet) but most things like sweaters, are not an issue because our bodies are already identical on one side as the other. Note that if you have a design on the right side of the sweater it will be on the left side after a lefty has crocheted it.
Have You Needed Any Special Tools or Equipment?
I have never needed any special equipment. In fact I didn't even know you could get special "lefty" crochet stuff. Made me laugh though, when I thought of marketing crochet hooks specially for lefties... cause it would BE just the same as the regular "right-y". No doubt some one would try it though!
Amy Solovay, Crochet Guide, says:
Sarah, thanks so much for all the insights. I am sure these will be helpful to others.
RE "special lefty crochet stuff" - I haven't seen any "lefty" crochet hooks on the market, but have been wondering if any are available, or necessary.
My husband is a lefty, and he has scissors made specially for left-handed people. I think perhaps a pair of those could be useful to some left-handed crocheters, but are probably not necessary for others. My sister is also left-handed, but as far as I know she uses "righty" scissors without any problems.
Thanks again for all the helpful insights.
