I wanna teach

[precious]

I'm a lefty crocheter. My kids want me to teach them how to crochet. I'd really like to teach them especially my son because I think it will help him learn to focus. Any ideas on how a lefty can teach 2 righties??

[brianna]

Let them sit in front of you so that they can mirror you. If they're directly in front of your hands they can mimic your movements. While you're working with your left hand, it will appear to them on their right.

[precious]

That sounds reasonable. I know I need to start with the chain. But how do I teach reading patterns??

[brianna]

I would start with the most basic of stitches and teach them a new one once they've all mastered it.

 

You can make a display board if you want where you can all keep track of your progress, what stitches you're learning, with the abbreviation next to it.

 

For instance, when you're teaching them how to master the chain stitch, you can put up a poster board that says something like:

 

"1st Week's Stitch: the Chain Stitch (CH).

2nd Week's Stitch: the Single Crochet Stitch (SC)."

 

And so on. Cross them off as you go. Maybe print out diagrams or write out instructions on how to complete the stitch and glue it or tack it up on the board.

 

Turn one project into the next. Tell them to practice their chain stitches until they're even, then save the stitches for later. Then they can learn and practive the SC stitch into those chain stitches. Let them keep working them, teaching them to chain 1 before turning.

 

If you do this, you can write up the pattern as you go...

 

The first week's pattern can look like...

 

"1st Week's Stitch: the Chain Stitch (CH)

1st Week's Pattern:

CH 21."

 

"2nd Week's Stitch: the Single Crochet Stitch (SC)

2nd Week's Pattern:

CH 21.

SC in 2nd CH from hook.

SC once in remaining CHs.

CH 1 and turn."

 

If you keep building on this, they'll learn the stitches and the abbreviations in patterns before you know it.

 

Of course, as a reminder, you don't have to follow all of this, but I hope they're good suggestions for you and your kids.

[precious]

I'll see how it all pans out. They've seen me crochet all their lives. They are 7 and 9. I want to keep it as simple as possible. I don't want to overwhelm them

[beatacrochets]

I've been working with my 5 yo dd and she picks off her stitches with her fingers. Let me see if I can explain it. She holds the hook and carefully wraps the yarn over the hook then, instead of using the hook to pull the yarn through, she picks up the loop and lifts it over the end of the hook. She doesn't hold tension yet, but she pulls the yarn to make her stitches the size she wants them to be. She made little chain bookmarks for all the grandparents for Christmas last year