How to teach crochet

[terrybb]

Some women in our church have decided to start a Prayer Shawl ministry. Several who want to participate don't know how to knit or crochet & I volunteered to teach them. Now I'm panicked because I haven't a clue how to teach this - HELP Where do I start? What's the process? Please help.

Terrybb

[donnalynn2]

This is my suggestion. It was the way I was taught and it worked for me...

 

First a friend taught me how to Chain... She kept telling me that I had to get chaining down pat before moving on to stitches. (She was right!) I probably worked off and on for weeks on chaining and couldn't get it... Finally when I went up north for Christmas last year my Aunt told me I was holding my yarn wrong and that's why I was having a hard time. Sure enough, once I learned how to hold the yarn in my left hand for tension it came pretty easily.

 

After that she started me on a granny square. I ended up making one huge granny square afghan out of one square (I think joining all those squares and everything is way too daunting for a beginner personally)... Anyway, doing a big afghan with primarily one stitch really helped my speed and accuracy...

 

After I had that done I was ready to take on the world! Good luck and most of all, have lots and lots of patience and praise for them!!!!

[busybee]

Oh you will do fine I know it. Just teach them the basic's frist. Chain, sc, dc. as they progress you can move on to the others as in triples ect.The hardest is if you have a lefty, remember to sit across from them that way from their view you are doing it left handed. Dont know if I was any help. My two cents worth.

[AidanM]

Oh you will do fine I know it. Just teach them the basic's frist. Chain, sc, dc. as they progress you can move on to the others as in triples ect.The hardest is if you have a lefty, remember to sit across from them that way from their view you are doing it left handed. Dont know if I was any help. My two cents worth.

A lefty here,

I learned how to crochet right-handed, and have suffered nothing for it. My suggestion is that you try to teach them right-handed crocheting first, and if they find it too diffiicult to switch to left-handed. Many lefties find that picking up NEW skills with their right hand is much easier than trying to do old things, like writing, with their right. There are some people for whom this isn't true, but I suspect that a lot of lefties have had to learn to do things right-handed and that it isn't a problem for most of us.

[donnalynn2]

I agree about the lefty thing. For years my mom tried to teach me (I'm a lefty) and I couldn't get it. Last year when I learned, I learned right handed! If only she would have tried to teach me right handed I would have learned so long ago!

[Irishkitty]

A lefty here,

I learned how to crochet right-handed, and have suffered nothing for it. My suggestion is that you try to teach them right-handed crocheting first, and if they find it too diffiicult to switch to left-handed. Many lefties find that picking up NEW skills with their right hand is much easier than trying to do old things, like writing, with their right. There are some people for whom this isn't true, but I suspect that a lot of lefties have had to learn to do things right-handed and that it isn't a problem for most of us.

 

 

I've taught a number of kids to crochet and have run across a number of lefties who a) cannot get the hang of it right handed and b) can't follow what you are doing well with the "mirror method". So I took the time to teach myself how to crochet with my left hand, just so I could show them from their perspective. Last spring I had 2 girls who were also learning to knit. The knitting instructor insisted they learn right handed. The look of relief when I told them they could use their left hand was precious--and so are the looks I get from kids and adults when I work one row right handed and the next left handed!

[Hounddog]

I have taught a few people to crochet (1 lefty) and they should have a copy of a chart that show stitches being made in pictures. I believe Lionbrand.com has this on their website. I even refer to it sometimes when I haven't done a certain stitch in awhile. I think tension is the hardest thing to learn and emphasized this to my friends.

[mercy7]

i taught myself from the internet and started off with the granny square getting bigger and bigger until i made a big blanket. it was definitely a good way to start learning and i taught my neighbour as i was learning too. she is a senior citizen and knits but thought she would not be able to crochet but i kept encouraging her to keep trying and now she has made so many beautiful projects. patience is a virtue

[Dejhia]

I'm a lefty, and I was taught by a lefty many years ago.... However, I had forgotten most of it afer years of not doing anything.... I retaught myself by using teh videos on www.stitchguide.com ..Which only has right handed videos... I think it really depends on the person and wiether or not they are good at reversing things to work in thier other hand.

 

I have taught two people to crochet. And from the teaching prospective, I can tell you tha each person was very differnt. The first person I worked with took a long time to learn. I think it was my fault. I was a lefty teaching a rightly.... It took me a while to realize she was missing some minor hook movements that helped the yarn stay on the hook when moving though the yarn. THe second person went faster 'cause I had learned from my mistakes..

 

I do agree with the idea of working one stich at a time and makeing sure they really know what they are doing.... When I have taught, I did chain, sc, than dc....

[Aggie May]

Maybe we should call 2006 "Teach Someone to Knit or Crochet" year and lets get the world back to sitting calmly in groups, chatting and sorting out the worlds problems, while making warm blankets or clothing for the people who need them.

 

My thought is to always teach the lefties to crochet right handed.

Crochet is a two handed sport so it should not be a problem. Because there are more right handed people crocheting, there are more people to help sort out problems.

My daughter is a lefty and when she started her hairdressing, 25yrs ago, her boss, who was also lefthanded, made her learn right handed for the very same reason. There were more people to help right handed.

She is a fabulous hairdresser and over the years has won many award.

I know that it can be hard to start with but imagine how you would have to adapt if something happened to your dominant hand.

My 89yr old mum, who is naturally right handed, had a severe stroke 11 years ago and had to learn how to use her left hand. She did very well, except with crochet where she persevered with her right hand until last year, when she could no longer grip the hook. For everything else she uses her left hand but even that is now, sadly not working too good.

I think it was the crochet which has kept her brain alert though.

Happy teaching.

Colleen.