I crochet English style!

[wendyRN]

ok, am I weird? I hold the yarn between my index and middle finger and dont use my thumb at all:think

[ChainOFools]

It's neat to hear all the different styles...if you learn from a book or someone teaches you, you don't realize there are 'different' ways of doing it...

 

My friend taught me how to crochet...I had been taught how to knit by my grandma at age 7 but was never really any good at it and when I grew up, wanted to learn crochet so I tried a book....couldn't figure it out to save my life ...luckily I had a friend who knew how and she taught me, but because I had previously knit, the only way I could work my brain around it was if I held both the yarn and hook in my right hand...I know this sounds really weird...I held the fabric in my left hand and hook and yarn in my right, and would kind of 'flick' the yarn over the hook for the stitches (similar to how a knitter does) and I also held the fabric kind of perpendicular instead of horizontal...I did this for a long time and managed okay, but then one day a co-worker saw how I was crocheting and told me I was 'doing it wrong' and insisted I let her show me the 'right' way (which to her was the 'American' style)...being the kind of person who likes to learn I tried it...it took a bit of time and I had to practise a bit to get my tension back but I mastered it, all with the exception of when I begin a project...for the first row I still need to keep the yarn in my right hand with my hook, at least for a few stitches, then I'm okay.

 

I thought I was really weird but then one day I noticed my brother in law's g/f doing the exact same thing! I explained to her my story and offered to show her the 'usual' (I won't say one way is more 'right' than any other) method of crocheting, but she wasn't interested in learning...her loss...I think if you close your mind to new things you miss out on a lot!

[darski]

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I think if you close your mind to new things you miss out on a lot!

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You know, I don't think this is necessarily true about crochet. The test of the pudding is in the taste - the test of the hook is in the FO.

 

If how I crochet gets the job done and effectively & efficiently, why confuse things with actions that will not lead to anything more accomplished?

 

I too have taught crochet and I used to fuss over how people held/did things but I finally decided that whatever gets the job done is fine. No one thanks you for teaching the "correct" way (Pharisees rule) and if the task is done - have at it.

[Aggie May]

I dont know that there is an ENGLISH & an AMERICAN way to crochet.

Since I have been coming to this Forum, I have been amazed at how many different ways people crochet, even one lady who does the most beautiful crochet, but she does it all backwards and flips the yarn onto the hook with her finger.

I was absolutely amazed that she was able to do it this way but because it was how she had always done it, she does not have a problem.

I hold my work between the thumb and index finger but my mum used to hold between thumb and middle finger. I doubt that she had ever met an American back in the 1920s let alone learned to crochet from them.

Because I learned from my Grandma, (Dads mother) one school holidays in about 1949, I suppose I just held it the same as her.

I think using the thumb and index finger together is slightly more relaxed and it gives you a bit more control but, as others have said, the main thing is to do what is the most comfortable for you.

I never get tired hands, even after a full day of sitting with my 90yr old mum and crocheting, and I think that is because of the way I hold the yarn and hook.

The main difference between the US & British/European is that the US changed the names of stitches.

If you go back to the really OLD patterns, they are all using the British/European names but when the US patterns started turning up in our stores, people had a bit of a problem working out why the patterns were not working, then the penny dropped.

Now most people seem to have worked out that there is a difference and can go from one to another.

Great discussion which makes very interesting reading.

Have fun.

Colleen.

PS, If you are just learning, it is not too late to try a different grip, you may be surprised.

Here is my funny little Video, weedy garden pots and all. I have sacked the Camera man. The garden pots do look different now, they have new weeds in them.

[JennyCrochets]

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,

 

 

I agree. There were quite a few things she said that I thought indicated she's a bit out of touch with us crocheters, but still a good article. I also thought while reading this, that it's plain her loyalties lie with knitting and that may be the reason for some of her answers about crochet. More evidence, IMO, that the walls between knit and crochet will never come down. Crochet will always be considered the inferior craft under knitting.

[Miss USA]

I crochet American, WOOHOO!!! (pride)

At home, I run the yarn thru my toes as well. :/

[Ixa]

Wow, I went back and read the interview and Jean sounds extremely close-minded and er, witchy to say the least. I don't like her attitude at all. She seems to only think in stereotypes and generalizations. Yuck. I'll be sure to stay away from her books in the future.

[Ixa]

There were quite a few things she said that I thought indicated she's a bit out of touch with us crocheters

 

Absolutely! She doesn't seem to get it at all.

[dewbaby00]

I think I crochet american style I taught myself and that was the most comfertable way to hold my yarn

[cat3crazy]

I didn't agree with some of Jean's comments, particularly about the bad influence of online communities like the 'Ville!

I think that 'Crochet Partners' (she owns it) may be the only online crochet community she is familiar with. I joined that group and quit it after only a couple of months. I felt that most of the posts were negative. Fortunately I found Crochetville shortly afterwards. I think that the crocheters here are friendlier and more open minded.

[Momcrochets]

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??

 

I hold mine the same way, kinda, I think...I "throw" with my index, use my pinkie for tension, and kinda pinch the fabric with the base of my index and thumb, and the rest of my fingers. wierd! So what style is that? :scratch head

 

Btw, when I learned to knit, I learned continental...I simply could not wrap my mind or hands around European...letting go of the needle to wrap the yarn seemed too much to me...But I keep that for the diagonal dishcloths...I learned for the sake of knowing it. and now that I know...I guess I should make a dishcloth again before I forget how to cast on!! lol

or not...there's too much crochet to do!!!

[Carolina]

I taught myself to crochet, but could not hold my thread the way the book showed. I learned a way suitable for me and its the English way.

[Momcrochets]

I agree some with darski...IMHO there's really no right/wrong way...it's a matter of preference...but it's neat to know that someone bothered to classify two common styles. I tell my students when I teach, to go with whatever works for them....even as I show them what "works for a lot of people"...I say, if something else works better, go for it...there's no "rule" really, that says how you have to hold your yarn/hook/fabric/etc. They really relax then, and aren't so uptight about doing it "right" (though some seem to prefer to try exactly what I show...afraid to do it wrong maybe?)

[SeaShelly]

I crochet American style!

[Sylviaf]

I had to check and apparently I'm American style, too.

[Michelle1210]

I hold the needle in my hand as a toddler would hold a spoon...in over hand...I'am amazed at how people hold there hooks as if it is a pencil, I have been laught at the way I crochet.....but if i do english or american I am going to see how I do it tonight when I finish my project....my mom is left handed and taught me so I think I may have learned it upside down.......when I knit I cast on from my left hand where as my left handed frind who learned from her mom who is right handed knits cast on with her right.....go figure

[crochetluvknot]

i do it the English way never knew there were two ways to go about it but what ever gets your projects done. I hold my hook like you michelle1210 i could never get used to holding it like a pencil it just doesnt work for me that way.

[darski]

I learned the pencil way but it just didn't stick. My aunt continues to do hers that way and she does incredible work. I htink it is neater but not enough to make me switch back after 50 years

[Pamdelion]

I didn't know there was a difference with crochet. I'm not either. This is how I do it. Left hand holds fabric with thumb and ring finger, directs yarn by holding it between the index and middle finger.

 

:ladybug Pam

[silkymist]

I crochet American (just checked)..didn't know there was a difference. I taught myself from Coats and Clark book Learn to Crochet, about 34 years ago.

[Sylviaf]

I can't hold a hook encil style, either. My daughter says I hold it like a sewing needle, which makes sense, since I've been sewing most of my life, it seems.

[Sarah Jane]

Okay. I don't know if what I said before was right. I went home and hada look at how i crochet and I hold the hook in my right hand, the work with my left with my index finger and thumb and hold the yarn with my middle finger. What style is that again??

 

>> I worked it out-I crochet English!!! Probably cause my family comes from England originally however many hundred years ago that was. English it is!!

[Aggie May]

Sennight,

That is the RIGHT style, because that is what I do so it MUST be right.

"I am not always right, but I am NEVER wrong.":cheer

I dont mind which way is English or American, the main thing is that we are all busy, enjoying the same end product.

I just find that the method I use, makes it easier to hook the yarn but I guess it depends on how we learn and who teaches us.

My Grandma taught me to hold the yarn and work with my thumb and index finger, but if my mum had, I would have held the yarn with the thumb and middle finger.

Great discussion.

Have fun.

Colleen.

[Starr]

I didn't realize that there was an English method to actually crochet in!

 

I just though that the only differance in American vs English was in the name of the stitches (ie: American SC = English DC)

 

So I guess that I crochet in the American method because that is how my Grandmother taught me, but I also Tat, so I will have to try out the English method.

 

Very cool!

 

Thanks for the article!!!

[Selune]

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??

 

I'm exactly the same way. I just can't crochet with yarn wound around my fingers. It seems to "stick" to me, and I just can't work with it. Also, trying to crochet the "proper" way makes it hard for me to get the hook around the yarn and my tension is either way loose or completely stuck. I don't know how you guys do it.