Newbie question

[NickyR]

Hi everyone!

 

This is my first post on this forum so I thought I'd start with a quick hello!

 

I'm just learning to crochet as a fun project while I'm studying in Beijing. However, I am teaching myself from a book and have a little question. I'm really sorry if this has been dealt with somewhere else on the forum... I did do a little search but I wasn't quite sure what to search under...

 

Anyway, my question is this: I am a knitter in a previous life. I seem to be progressing faster than I thought with my crochet - my first project is a cafetiere cover and I've just finished the first side, only 2 stitches short - yeah!

 

However, I have just noticed that I am holding my wool like a knitter. I knit European style and so I am holding the yarn in my right hand (the same hand as my crochet hook) then I am looping it around the hook almost exactly like I would loop it round the needle when I knit.

 

I just re-read the first section of my book and it suggests that I should hold my hook in my right hand and my yarn in my left hand. It then says I should pull it back through the loop by taking advantage of the tension in the yarn as a result of the hand position.

 

I have tried this a few times and I found it quite clumsy. However, I am wondering whether this is just because I am a newbie (I found knitting clumsy to start with too!). I am now wondering whether, if I don't push myself through a pain barrier with the left hand yarn thing, I will always be slow at crochet - or my technique will be bad - or something like that.

 

So, after this really long explanation (!) I want to ask: is it very odd that I hold wool and hook in my right hand and/or do you think I should try to change the way I hold my yarn??

 

I'm really sorry if this makes no sense - I don't know anyone who does crochet and my Chinese is still pretty poor so I struggled to ask this question in the wool shop! They did tell me lots of things but I wasn't wuite sure what they were!

 

Thanks for any replies in advance

 

Nicky

 

PS I am right handed.

[crochetsal]

Nicky, I am sure I read somewhere of someone else who held the yarn in the same hand they hold their hook, wish I could remember who...

I say, if it works for you, and you get your tension right (and therefore your gauge right), don't worry.

Sally

[Aggie May]

Welcome.

I personally think it would be a good idea to learn to hold your yarn in your left hand.

Even though your hold the yarn in the right hand to knit, it is much easier to crochet the other way.

Here is a little video I made ages ago, to show how I grip the hook and hold the yarn.

Not the best video you ever saw because my husband did not realise he was filming a grotty planter at the start.

 

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b208/Aggie2may/?action=view&current=Swimmingsocceretc.flv

 

Try to hold your work between the thumb and index finger and use your middle finger as a tension spring to keep the yarn flowing.

Remember, I have had 50 squillion years of experience and you are just starting out so relax and keep practicing.

Just make chain after chain until you are comfortable.

Unravel and start again and keep going until you get the chain nice and even, then you can start working along the chain.

Hope this helps.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

[Julexia]

My MIL holds her crochet just like you do and she crochets faster than I can, lol. She has no problem with tension at all. I don't think it's a problem if it works for you.

[darski]

Actually, if you were using the "European" method of knitting you would be keeping the yarn in your left hand. You are using the English Throw method.

 

If you were to teach yourself the European/continental style knitting you might find it easier to pick up crochet. I am saying this because I used my crochet (left hand yarn) skill to learn the Continental method of knitting.

 

So this would do two things for you. Increase your knitting speed and teach you a good method of crochet.

 

I would also encourage you to learn the correct method simply because there are some things that could be quite tricky to manage as you grow in your crochet skills. More intricate stitches and techniques work better with a left hand approach to the yarn. it is early days yet and you are not completely set in your ways.

 

Well, ... I taught myself to use European knitting after 40 years of using the English Throw so I guess we can teach old dogs new tricks. Yeah, give it 40 years and then learn the left hand way

[tygger428]

Hi Nicky. As with knitting (I knit too) there is no "right" way to hold a crochet hook (or hold knitting needles) and yarn. It is whatever way is most comfortable for you. I manuever the hook (and knitting needle) with my right hand, and manuever the yarn with my left hand. With a crochet hook, I use my whole hand more "vigorously"; I don't have to "womanhandle" (AKA manhandle, but I'm not a man LOL) the knitting needle so hard. I find crochet is harder on my hands, I can knit for longer periods of time without numbness. Crochet is more "aerobic" for me for some reason.

[Mermaiden]

Yeah, what Darski said!

 

I felt really clumsy with the yarn when learning knitting (I'm still new at it but at least it's not clumsy now). I found that I just had to keep a repetative process in what I was "supposed" to be doing and finally it began to feel right, lol. Maybe this could be true of the crochet situation here too.

[Cherri]

I crochet and knit and have for many many years. I don't hold crochet hooks or knitting needles the way I see others hold them (I'm also left handed and was taught by righties). I think you should hold your hook any way you want as long as it doesn't prevent you from progressing with the craft. If you find that you have trouble doing certain stitches, then you should learn the "correct" method.

[NickyR]

Thanks for all your responses - very helpful! I feel much less alone now!

 

There seem to be different opinions on this one, which has made me realise that I am not mad at least! I think I am going to have a crack at the "proper" method for a bit. I think the pain barriers are important when learning new tricks, and so far I haven't had to go through any with crochet. Reckon I'd rather face it now than when I'm doing complicated stitches later in the process! Although I dread to think how many stitches I might be short this time!

 

Very excited about all the new projects so I'll let you all know how I'm getting on....

 

Thanks again - you're all lovely people!

 

Nicky

 

PS - Sorry about the English/European thing too - I was thinking as I was writing it that I should learn the European method, and apparently wrote it instead.... Just goes to show that I can't do 2 things at once.

[ThreadBear:0)]

Hi

As a newbie myself, I've also been knitting for years using the method that you explained. It made total sense to me!!!

I've not had any major problems, and can crochet pretty quick as well. Although my stitches do seem to be quite tight, but since I many make little stuffed toys, it's not really been an issue. Also my work tends to turn inside out, so if I want to be able to see the wool spiral in rounds, then I have to flip it back the other way. My most recent project was a baby snow dragon, only in varigated wool and it turned out fine... even better cos, it look liked scales.

So in the end, stick to what your happy with, being creative lets us all be different in our own way.

Hope this helps.