Can anyone help clarify crab stitch (rsc)?

[Kiirs]

I know this topic has been discussed in the past, but it's still frustrating me. I cannot figure it out despite pictures and directions--all the ones I've found are for right-handed people, and I'm left-handed.

 

What I am doing for the crab stitch, or reverse single crochet, is just to go the opposite direction from what I normally do and it looks exactly the same--like a right-handed person is doing it instead of me, but just the same as my regular single crochet. For instance, if the direction (for right-handers) says "single crochet to the right instead of left," I go left instead of right, putting the hook under the top two loops like normal, yarning over from back to front like normal, etc.

 

Is this what it's supposed to be like, or is there something different I'm supposed to be doing? I hear everyone say it's such a nice edging but to me it doesn't look any different from regular single crochet.

 

Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

[MadCityCrochet]

I am a righty, but when I do the rsc it comes out looking "rolled". It is thicker and more rounded than the regular sc. I do it exactly like an sc, but insert it in the stitch to the right of the current stitch instead of the left. (yours would be the opposite way) Then I yo and pull through and complete like normal. The yarn ends up crossing back on itself instead of laying flat and you can't see the "stitch" anymore.

 

I don't know how to help other than that. Did you try any of the videos or online stitch guides? Good luck! It really is a neat stitch when you get it figured out!

 

Sara

[Kiirs]

I figured from what I was hearing that it's supposed to look like you describe, but for me it just looks like a right-handed person was crocheting on my stuff and looks like a normal stitch. I've tried doing searches for videos and stuff in the past but haven't found much. I need to look again.

 

Do you put your hook in backward, like from the back of your work to the front, or yarn over from the front instead of the back, or something? That's the only thing I can think of to make it turn out differently. Thanks so much for the help, by the way.

[MsSuzKelly]

I feel your frustration - I truly do!!! I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around that stitch. I was making much harder than it actually is. I found a vid on youtube that helped me...let me see if I can find it.

[darski]

When I do my crab stitch, I am always very careful to keep the first 'pull through loop' under the loop on my hook and to be very sure that I do not pull through the loop on the hook. I find this the biggest challenge- it just wants to come right through that loop.

 

Once you get that pull through loop on your hook with your original loop then you complete your sc and you should get the roll that you want.

I tried to do a pic (that I would have flipped) but with my camera light colours wash out this late at night and dark colours don't show stitches

[MsSuzKelly]

 

there ya go - it's a leftie doing it!! Good luck and I hope you get it!! it is a neat stitch!!!

[stronak]

I love searching the internet for stitches! It's actually the way I learned to crochet, knit, bead and quilt. I found 2 sites for you.

 

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa112997.htm

 

http://www.crochetcabana.com/stitches/stitches-reverse_sc.htm

 

http://www.woolywonder.com/classpages/crabby/crabstitchlesson.htm

 

The last one sounds like she went through the same thing that you did, with it looking the same as a regular stitch. I guess there is some kind of twist you need to do.

 

Hope these help.

[Kiirs]

Thank you all so, so, so much for the instant responses! I knew I could count on Ville-ers. I think I finally have it now. That video was especially helpful, MsSuzKelly, thank you! I think I was keeping the working yarn on the left of my hook when it's supposed to stay on the right side of it. That probably doesn't make sense but you were all so immensely helpful, thank you and bless you!

[Amy]

I did a picture and video tutorial of the crab stitch in the second episode of Crochet Unraveled. Check the Show Notes thread for episode 2 for the pictures and a link to watch the video.

[JCB]

I'm a lefty also and even though I 'know' how to do the crab stitch, I could never really get it to work. A while ago someone posted a 'faux' crab stitch. You make it going in the regular direction like a plain SC. Put the hook through the stitch, YO and bring up a loop. Now... here's the cool part... Take your crochet hook and rotate it 360 degrees, sort of like a helicopter blade would go. Then, YO, and go through both loops on hook. Repeat. To me, it looks exactly like the crab stitch but is much easier!

 

Joan

[Kiirs]

Thank you, Amy! I'll check that out. I really appreciate everyone's helpfulness!!

[Wendy79]

OH MY GOODNESS! I'VE GOT IT!

 

I've been practically crying over the crab stitch. There's never been anything in crochet that I haven't "gotten" right away before and I couldn't understand why this was so hard... first, like the OP, all my stitches came out looking exactly like regular SC. I looked in SO many books, on all the websites I could find, and they kept saying "it's just like regular SC, only backward." Let me tell you, it's NOT--that's pretty misleading! I was able to do the "fake" crab stitch with the 365 degree hook turn, but that was time-consuming and awkward and... well, I didn't want to be foiled by a little crochet stitch...

 

I didn't think the Crochet Unraveled Podcast video would work for me because I'm right-handed, and even right-handed videos hadn't helped me before. But I tried it as a last resort before asking for more help here--and I got it!

 

OK, I just tried to do it again and I lost it, but I know if I watch the video again I'll get it again.

 

There's a different way you hold and insert your hook--at least, it's different from how I do a normal SC. Maybe the reason so many people say "just like a normal SC but backward" but then it doesn't work for so many people, is because we hold our hooks differently to start with.

 

Good luck to anyone else who's still struggling... I'm off to watch the video again.

[MsSuzKelly]

LOL Wendy! You know I was so frustrated when I could not do it.

 

But when I finally "got it"...I couldn't believe HOW easy it is. I was making it a whole lot harder than it is. The first stitch feels SO WRONG. And looks so wrong. but it's right and after that first stitch it's smooth sailing!