A place for crochet lovers to BE

Top Tips!!!

OK Lefties - here's where you can share the best lefty tip you've experienced!

MIne, I have to say, is to try and FORGET you're doing it the other way. Unless you're making clothing that has buttonholes or something like that, it DOESN'T MATTER. I recently read an article in a magazine about crocheting left handed (I think it was a UK one) and they kept saying how it's harder, you need to turn around the whole pattern - in general, it seemed rather discouraging to me! But I taught myself how to crochet a long time ago and never even realized I was doing it lefty style until years later - I think it was a diagram, when I realized I was going the opposite direction. but crochet is wonderful, in that there's no right or wrong direction. Of course, if you're doing the right side of something (i.e. a sleeve), you need to keep it in the back of your mind that you're doing the LEFT side, but other than that, it's NO different.

What has kept you sane doing crochet as a left-hander in a right handed world???

Tags: crochet, left-handed, tips

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

MemberPermalink Reply by Rachelle Smith on April 19, 2012 at 5:04pm

I agree, there really isn't a right or wrong way! I taught my right-handed niece how to crochet, and when we got to reading patterns, I realized I had been reading them backwards for so long that I forgot I was doing it. I think that magazine article was wrong to say that it's harder. I think that adapting to a right-handed world was probably more than enough to prepare you for reading a crochet pattern differently. And, I've discovered, it gives me an interesting perspective when I teach someone right-handed, because I have them sit across from me and mirror what I'm doing. I can show them a stitch and watch them try it at the same time.

The really nice thing about crochet is that most supplies are ambidextrous, so you don't have to seek out special lefty items. Except sometimes scissors. I would kill for an awesome pair of left-handed scissors.

MemberPermalink Reply by Kim Marcham on July 7, 2012 at 7:24am

Scissors? Who needs scissors? I have a pair of cheap nail clippers in each project bag just for yarn. They do get dull but it saves a fair bit of frustration.

MemberPermalink Reply by Monica Starr on April 19, 2012 at 7:41pm

I have the gift of being able to visualize things in my head in 3D, and also move around those objects (in my mind). So when I have a chart, I'm reversing it in my mind.

When I initially learned to crochet from my grandmother, I sat facing her, so that's how I learned. Tried knitting that way, but it never clicked, so I actually knit right-handed. I'm weird, I know. Craftwich can attest to the wierdness. ;-)

MemberPermalink Reply by Tori McFadden on April 20, 2012 at 5:43am

What has kept me sane? The fact that I have never paid the slightest bit of attention to the right versus left thing. I just count my stitches and make sure they are right. Then I just turn the silly thing over. I have only done one sweater so it hasn't ever been an issue with scarves, hats, gloves, socks, or afghans. Now that I am stretching my wings into garments it may, but that's half the fun, isn't it?

CroProPermalink Reply by Laurinda Reddig on April 23, 2012 at 2:30am

Perhaps this is why I have become a bit obsessed with creating completely reversible patterns in crochet fabric lately, as both you left-handed Monicas know. ;)

MemberPermalink Reply by Heather F on April 23, 2012 at 9:49pm

I can understand diagrams better than written instructions, but for learning a new stitches, I need to photocopy (or scan and print) mirror images. The lovely folks who take the time to flip videos from righty to lefty when they put them on youtube save me much frustration. I probably wouldn't have tried tunisian without those videos!

I am working on a pair of tunisian crochet gloves & once I wrapped my head around the fact that "right hand" in the instructions meant "left hand" in what I was making, things were much easier!

CroProPermalink Reply by Laurinda Reddig on April 23, 2012 at 9:56pm

As I am working on stitch tutorials to go with my designs, I actually have to flip my pics to right (but plan to have them available for both). Trying to figure out the video thing, but of course the originals will all be left handed, so I will be sure to provide both. :)

MemberPermalink Reply by DaisyButton on April 27, 2012 at 2:47am

I don't think it really makes too much difference, I always crochet 'back-to-front' as I call it but my results never look widely different to anyone else's I dont think there's a right or wrong way, follow your own groove and as long as your happy with the results whos cares? it would be nice to see a few more left handed tutorials out there on the web and let the 'righty's' have to figure things out for a change! lol.

CroProPermalink Reply by Nicole Cormier on April 28, 2012 at 8:27pm

I don't bother to think that I am doing it the wrong way or backwards, etc. I just bear in mind that crochet incorporates a lot of symmetry and that so long as both ends of my row match, I have won half the battle already :D I believe that most left handed crafters are already pretty good at visualizing things in detail, because we have to mentally flip things all the time.

CroProPermalink Reply by Craftwich on April 29, 2012 at 9:57am

You're correct; as leftys, we learned at a very young age, how to adapt. More on that later - I want to write up some interesting "lefty" facts for you guys! ;)

CroProPermalink Reply by Irene Lundgaard on July 15, 2012 at 8:58am