trouble seeing where to insert hook

[soozun]

I'm trying to teach a very smart 9 year old kid to crochet. She had the most terrible time being able to see her stitches and to see where to insert her hook to make her next stitch. Two times, like on totally different days, I tried to teach her to crochet and she got so frustrated about it that we just gave up and worked on knitting instead. But teaching her to knit was a breeze because all the stitches are on the needles in plain sight.

 

I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how to teach someone to crochet and make it easier for them to see where to insert the hook. Should I just get a bunch of stitch markers and put them in all the stitches across the row? Should I show her a diagram? Use bulky yarn? I'd like to get her going on crochet because the girl is clearly mature enough and has natural talent.

 

I recently started doing tunisian crochet just to expand my skills, and I realized that perhaps this could be something for her to use as a springboard in to crochet. Because you keep all the stitches on the hook...yet it still might not teach her what she needs to start working those single and double crochet rows later on...

[Aggie May]

She is possibly working too tight or the yarn may be too thick.

The other possibility is that she need to get her eyes checked, she may need glasses.

Have fun.

Colleen.

[Hookmaster]

What color yarn are you using, dark colors are harder to see and if your light in the room isn't good that may be a factor. I use the Ott light and it helps 100% to be able to see where I am going and I have been doing crochet for a very long time. Also, learning with thread is harder for some than learning with 4 ply yarns. and a G or H hook is sometimes easier for a beginner.

[Lorrie]

Try using cotton yarn in a lighter shade. I had this problem when I was teaching a coworker and I bought pink cotton yarn and it worked like a charm.

[DreamsOfYarn]

Use a light color of yarn and a bigger hook.

[RoseRed]

but not too big of a hook or there's too much travel in the st and it's equally hard to see. I usually give kids anywhere an H to start.

[DreamsOfYarn]

RoseRed, thanks for clarifying that for me. I forgot to put which size hook to use. Senior moment there

[soozun]

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies! I'm going to try again soon, and hopefully she'll get it this time. I think with your suggestions here, I will be able to help her. Thanks thanks!

[faedragon]

Try teaching her tunisan crochet first. That's what i had to do when teaching my best friend how to crochet. She had avery hard time until in an inspired moment, I took away the regular crochet hook, got out one of my afghan (tunisian) hooks, and taught her that first. She picked it up right away. Within afew days she had enough confidence to give regular crochet another try..and met with great success.

[Marilynn07]

Thanks for the tips about afghan stitches. I am teaching an older lady from my church, and she really doesn't get it at all. She struggles so much just to figure out which way to go and where to put the hook.

[crochet.sandie]

I would ask her if the stitches seem blurry to her to determine if it's an eye problem or a "how to" problem.

 

The suggestion of using a light yarn is excellent. I always use a light worsted weight yarn to teach.

 

I learned using a J hook. Different students require different hooks. If she is having trouble, and all else is equal, I'd try changing the hook. Try having her make a swatch with say an H, a J, an N. Whichever works best, continue with that one. Some folks also hold the hook differently depending on how large the hook is. Make sure she knows it is okay to change your hold.

 

You should be able to tell if she is crocheting tight. Try working into her stitches yourself.

 

Does she make her own foundation chain? When teaching children, I usually start off the swatch and have them work the stitches into my swatch. Then after they know the stitches, I work on the foundation chain.

[soozun]

I would ask her if the stitches seem blurry to her to determine if it's an eye problem or a "how to" problem.

 

The suggestion of using a light yarn is excellent. I always use a light worsted weight yarn to teach.

 

I learned using a J hook. Different students require different hooks. If she is having trouble, and all else is equal, I'd try changing the hook. Try having her make a swatch with say an H, a J, an N. Whichever works best, continue with that one. Some folks also hold the hook differently depending on how large the hook is. Make sure she knows it is okay to change your hold.

 

You should be able to tell if she is crocheting tight. Try working into her stitches yourself.

 

Does she make her own foundation chain? When teaching children, I usually start off the swatch and have them work the stitches into my swatch. Then after they know the stitches, I work on the foundation chain.

 

Thanks for the help on this. I like your Web site, by the way. I recommend it a lot when people want to learn to crochet.

[ArielManx]

Another thing that might help is showing her how to feel for where to insert the hook. Teach her that while she's working with the light-colored yarn so she learns how to see and feel where the hook goes at the same time. When she moves on to darker and more bulky yarns, when it gets hard to see the stitches, she'll still have a way to know where to insert the hook.

[sherryzzz]

I remember when I was first learning how to crochet and it was quite a mystery to me where to put the stitches - it took a lot of trial and error and practice, to be able to just spot where the hook was supposed to go. But after I got the hang of it, I could just see it. Maybe you could try taking a very small hook and picking up some of the loops as you are explaining the construction of the stitch (top two loops, post, front loop, back loop, etc.)?

[alibra]

Just a thought..yarn should be a different color than the hook..and the yarn should be a bright color to help her..better see the stitch..good luck to you both..

[trin]

...and make sure her vision has been checked within the past year or so....

I've been wearing coke bottles since 2nd grade and no one realized I needed them earlier.

 

So make sure the vision is OK, and then follow everyonelse's advice.

 

I still tend to do crochet by "feel"