Teaching left-handed....

[Mandys76]

I'm feeling really good at the moment! My Mum asked me to teach her to crochet yesterday, and she's left handed. I'm right handed.

 

Rather than trying to teach her right handed, I sat myself down last night and attempted to teach myself to crochet left handed. I surprised myself actually. Within 10 mintues I had a chain, a row of single crochet and then a row of double crochet.

 

I went to my Mum's this morning...I only had an hour, and she picked it up quite well, but I know she'll forget (she has a mental illness), so, I taught my Dad as well, so he can reshow her when she forgets...Poor Dad just couldn't get the left handed instructions, so I drew pictures for Mum, and taught Dad right handed, in case he can figure it out later.

 

I'm on a bit of a high now though...I feel really good for being able to firstly teach myself to crochet left handed, and then being able to show Mum and Dad how to chain and do a row of single crochet in an hour.

 

I would however like to get some more written instruction for Mum for more complicated stiches, and how to crochet in the round etc....Anyone know any good books or sites?

[Midds]

I don't know of any particular books for lefties but when I teach classes if someone is left handed I usually will sit across the table from them and teach them so they can watch my hands and it is like a mirror image to them. Good luck and I hope you can find some written materials.

[alibra]

I am left handed and learned at the age of nine from a dear Aunt who was right handed. I have to agree with Midds, when my Aunt taught me she would sit across from me. Here I am 50 something and still crocheting away, it was the best gift I have ever received.

[eebrs]

Try this website. It has pictures (drawings) of all the stitches done left-handed. There are also step by step instructions to go with it.

 

http://crochet.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.crochet.com/lessons/lessonl/lessonl.html

[Tracey4610]

If she doesn't do the 'net, try the book, "Crocheting School". I highly recommend this for beginners who are very much visual learners. It has all the extra complicated stitches, crocheting-in-the-round, bead crochet, Irish Crochet, Hairpin, Broomstick, motifs, grannies, etc. Also, each thing it teaches has highly detailed photos that were taken with each step along the way (i.e., for dc, it show the yo, insert hook, yo, pull through, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through last two loops on hook. Each step has a photo of what it should look like). The directions are very beginner-friendly, and several of my students have actually gone out and purchased the book or borrowed it from their local library. With you being in Australia, I'm sure you can order it from Amazon.com. I bought mine at JoAnn's, using my 40% off coupon (it ended up being only $16 instead of $21.95US). HTH!

[beyondallmeasure]

Wow! you are so sweet! How special it must be for your folks! I tell you what though, I am a lefty and I am not sure I could crochet right handed. Not after 20 years of doing it one way. But you know I think I am going to try! It would be much easier to teach others if I could crochet left or right! Thanks for the inspiration!

[smokeyp81]

Good for you! I'm soooo glad you taught your mother how to crochet left handed instead of teaching her right handed. As a very dominant left hander, it makes me so mad when righties say....just teach them with their right hand...you use both so it shouldn't make a difference. That is just so wrong.

 

As I said before...I am a very dominant left hander (I can't do anything with my right hand!). I can't beleive you taught yourself to crochet with your left hand....that is amazing!

[Addey]

I agree with Smokey. The older I get the more left-handed I become. I've tried a couple of times, including just this past week, to teach myself to crochet right handed. Nope, yarn everywhere, not a single chain. I think my problem is that I keep trying to move my left hand when it should stay still.

It was very sweet of you to teach your mom. Now whenever you go over you can re-teach or reinforce what she does remember and have some bonding time. I'm sure it must be hard with her having mental problems, too heartbreaking at times. This can be some 'neutral' ground.

[besteshorn]

I'm left handed too, but I learned crochet as a child from a right handed. Some time ago I tried it left handed and it worked.

Has anyone tried to crochet one row right handed and then a row left handed? (without turning) It looks pretty good!

[Cotton Candee]

I am so happy for you! You have passed on a wonderful gift for you and your Mother to share. Maybe your Dad will pick it up and be able to make some items while watching TV or something!

 

 

I'm left handed too, but I learned crochet as a child from a right handed. Some time ago I tried it left handed and it worked.

Has anyone tried to crochet one row right handed and then a row left handed? (without turning) It looks pretty good!

 

I actually thought about doing this! I shoot pool and iron left handed (yeah, I don't know why either) but I am unable to crochet left-handed! It really bothers me not to be able to but I will try again later. Would you have a pic you can share? I would like to see the outcome of even a few rows of any stich. Thank you!

[jlyarnworks]

I could never crochet left handed. I can't do much of anything with my left hand!

 

I teach lefties mirror-image as well. Instead of across a table though, I get up close....knee to knee....and I tip my crocheting down so they can see "my" side of the crochet so they know what it's supposed to look like. Otherwise, they're looking at the back of my work and it's more difficult. So far I've had really good luck using this method. I'm teaching another leftie on Tuesday though. I'm always nervous that this will be the person I can't teach! (Never happens, but I always get anxious!)

[passionsgirl22]

i am lefthanded too and i was taught by my art teacher in high school and she was right handed

[Wool Flower]

As a right hander I've always found it interesting to teach lefties. Everyone is quite different, some people can watch a right hander and easily mirror image, guess that comes from years of practise. Some lefties like to hold the hook in their right hand and do it "knitting" style with yarn over the hook instead of under. I usually just get them to hold it the way they feel most comfortable.

Biggest challenge I've had was teaching a right hander who didn't have a right thumb, it was pretty tough for her to hold and move the hook.

[adagio]

Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet has stitch illustrations for left handed as well as right handed crocheters. I've also seen several 'how to crochet' books in Michaels that had left handed instruction, as well as right handed.

A couple of months ago I had the challenge of teaching a left-handed young woman how to crochet. Somehow, it worked, and she's crocheting away for her new baby.

I've considered trying to teach myself how to do it left handed, and am encouraged to see that others have succeeded.

[athena]

i tried teaching a fren of mine crocheting yesterday, i'm a rightie, she's a leftie....so although we sat opposite of each other, i found myself having to crochet using my left so that she gets the idea how the yarn should wrap around the needle!!

 

 

i've got a silly question. When you do granny square as a leftie...does your pattern goes ani-clockwise like how a rightie does it or does it goes clockwise?

[Katchkan]

i tried teaching a fren of mine crocheting yesterday, i'm a rightie, she's a leftie....so although we sat opposite of each other, i found myself having to crochet using my left so that she gets the idea how the yarn should wrap around the needle!!

 

 

i've got a silly question. When you do granny square as a leftie...does your pattern goes ani-clockwise like how a rightie does it or does it goes clockwise?

A left handed person will have their work go in the opposite direction as a right handed person. So yes their granny squares will be worked clockwise. I know I am a leftie and have done my fair share of them over the years.

[athena]

ok....then....everything must be a mirror image for her!

[Katchkan]

ok....then....everything must be a mirror image for her!

You got it.

[passionsgirl22]

i am a lefty too. when my grandmother wanted to teach me to crochet i couldnt do it because i am left handed