I crochet English style!

[Wendy79]

I never knew I crocheted English style--didn't even know there were two styles as there are with knitting, though the differences are less dramatic--I thought, since I taught myself with a book, I just wasn't doing it quite "right" (believe me, there used to be several things I wasn't doing "right" while crocheting). But now I now it's English, and I know why: because I learned from a book by Jean Leinhauser, and she learned from an English book!

 

This interview touches on that, on the yarn industry, and on the design industry:

 

http://www.crochetinsider.com/JeanLeinhauser.html

[snugsmontreal]

thats funny i crochet english style too, but i didnt learn that way i learned from an "american" crocheter

[darski]

Thank you for posting the link for that article. I was around and crafting through all that time and I loved reading it from her point of view.

[lizc]

well then, there ya have it.

[crochetbycharlene]

I do not have the yarn in my fingers at all. I came up with my own way of doing it.

[Adreeyen]

I crochet American! Now I know.

[ErinLindsey]

I crochet English style too.

 

I just attempted to crochet American style and I think I pulled a muscle.

[Gretchen]

How funny - I never knew there was more than one way. I've been crocheting American this whole time. I don't know if I could crochet the other way if I tried! Hands...cramping...

[Suebee42]

I crochet American! Now I know.

 

Same here!

[angel]

I was taught the English way but my hands don't cooperate, apparently I crochet like an American

 

-- Michelle

[Ixa]

I crochet American. I can't imagine doing it any other way!

[heart]

Wow. That's neat to know. I also do the english method. But i just started doing it a few years ago, skill seems to come with asking the Lord Jesus and practice, practice, practice, (I call it therapy!) i crochet faster this way. Thanks for the info.

[Yammy]

I crochet american but I tried english on my thread project I had nearby, I can't get the tension with size 30 thread but perhaps I'll try it with some bigger yarn and I may like that better for some things.

[crochetgoddess]

I crochet American style. My grandmother taught me that way and I guess it stuck.

[darski]

I am really not getting this. The difference is so slight as to be un-noticeable; so why is it an issue?

[redhead]

What is English crochet; how is it different?

[Wendy79]

Oh, I just thought it was funny that something I thought I was doing "wrong" isn't really wrong. I already hold a pencil "wrong" and use a fork "wrong", so it tickled me that this time I was fine. It is amazing, though, as it sounds like a few other people have discovered, how uncomfortable such a small change can be when you try it out.

 

(redhead, it's just whether you throw your yarn with your middle or index finger.)

[cat3crazy]

I crochet American. When I was learning to crochet, from a friend, she tried teach me the English method but I just couldn't get the hang of it so I did what worked for me. It’s funny though that I learned to knit a European way and recently I taught myself the continental method. But I prefer crocheting over knitting.

[Crocus58]

I knit European and crochet American - I tried the English method - my hands just don't work that way - funny.

[nightowl]

Well, I crochet English style, but not because I'm English I think it comes from having been a shuttle tatter, where you have a "triangle" of thread around your hand held up by the middle finger. I'm just used to that position and it feels comfortable. It also feels more natural to me to hold onto the work with my thumb and first finger rather than thumb and middle; if I try to do it that way I find I'm cocking my wrist more and it starts to ache.

 

I didn't agree with some of Jean's comments, particularly about the bad influence of online communities like the 'Ville! but it was a very interesting read. Thanks for the link.

 

Smiles,

[Mom w/a Motif]

I guess I crochet American. I didn't know there was a difference, either. (I did with kn*tting, but not crochet.) Hmm. I tried teaching a friend how to kn*t something, and she was casting on SO weird. I said, 'What are you doing? You're doing it wrong...' She was casting on a different way, and she knitted a different way, too (english style). Since then I've also learned there are a lot of different ways to cast on. I tried knitting like her and it threw me for a loop. I could not do it.

 

Tina

[V-Hooked]

American method: Left hand holds fabric with thumb and middle finger, directs yarn with index finger. English method: Left hand holds fabric with thumb and index finger, directs yarn with middle finger.

For some weird reason I direct the yarn with my thumb and index finger and I actually hold the yarn with the rest of my fingers against my palm (I know! It's sounds complicated). So which style do I crochet??

[mizduck]

I do not have the yarn in my fingers at all. I came up with my own way of doing it.

That's interesting, I'd love to see that.

 

ErinLindsey...

 

Ooh, y'all have to check out that website the article mentioned, www.stitchymcyarnpants.com. It's too funny!

[Sarah Jane]

For some weird reason I direct the yarn with my thumb and index finger and I actually hold the yarn with the rest of my fingers against my palm (I know! It's sounds complicated). So which style do I crochet??

 

:hookI am exactly the same!!!!! Which style is it?????

[Sahahne]

How funny! I had no idea there were different ways to crochet like that! It seems I crochet American style. It explains a lot now why my grandmother told me I hold my crochet work "cack-handed"! She was taught by her mother who was English and presumably crocheted English style!

 

Interesting article, thanks for posting about it