Right or left?...opinions wanted

[Braxxi]

I have a 5-year-old daughter that wants to learn to crochet. I would love to teach her, but there are some complications...

 

My daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 6 weeks old and went on to have surgery at 15 months old. She is fine now except the VERY limited use of her right hand.

 

My question is this...since she is left-handed because of the limited use of her right hand, should she be taught left-handed -OR- should she be taught right-handed, since the main use of the hook hand is only holding and pulling? She has a hard time manipulating the fingers on her right hand, so I don't see how she would be able to hold the yarn with her right hand...

 

Any thoughts on this situation would be appreciated.

[cdschlea]

Does your daughter receive any physical therapy for her right side? Maybe you could ask her therapist to get their opinion. Maybe it can be part of her rehab!

 

SO glad to hear she'sinterested!

 

Colleen

[Braxxi]

We don't have her in therapy anymore. They did the same things with her that we do, so we couldn't justify the cost. I am friends with her last therapist though, so I think I will ask her opinion. thanks for the suggestion!

[Braxxi]

Anyone else have an opinion on how I should teach my daughter to crochet? The therapist she used to see suggested both ways, but I would like opinions for others too.

 

I guess the thing I'm really wondering is if people think there is more hand/finger manipulation of the "hook" hand or "yarn" hand during crocheting...

[happy stitcher]

Well, I think I use more finger manipulation with my left hand. My right hand moves more, though. Does that make sense?

 

I would definitely try her both ways and see which one she's more comfortable with.

Good luck!

[cdschlea]

Well, let's see. I use the pencil style grip with my right hand and as such, I think I use my right hand more finely in manipulating the hook. I tend to roll it between my fingers. Maybe if she used a whole fist grip she could hold it better, but that might require more wrist turning. How's her wrist action?

 

My left had maintains the tension, mostly by just looping the yarn around my fingers, but the index finger does move up and down to control the feed for the stitch, but I know not everyone does that.

 

 

I even heard of a girl once who crocheted but used her foot to control the tension. She looped it over her big toe and used that for tension. I'm not nearly so talented! Anyone have a youtube of that?

 

 

Which would be less frustrating for her? At 5 I would think the fun quotient would definitely count. If she's leaning towards left hand dominant then I'd have her hold the hook there. Plus she gets to sit across from you to learn and you get that precious view of her face as she concentrates! I would think with practice, even if her right hand is severely compromised, she might be able to learn what configuration of looping around the fingers of her right hand would give her the right tension.

 

I used to play in a band with a lady who only had one hand (she played trumpet, but that's neither here nor there.) She crocheted and looped the yarn around her whole arm and used her elbow for tension. She also did thread crochet. Such talent!

 

Anyone else know of any differently-abled crocheters? Maybe they'd have some great tips too.

 

 

Have fun and thanks for being such a good mommy!

 

Colleen

[contrary.crocheter]

You could try both ways and see which feels most comfortable for her. I am right handed and hold the hook with my right hand, but I have carpal tunnel in my left hand because I grip my work tightly, but that left is also the hand that is constantly wrapping the yarn around to keep the tension tight and it seem like it ends up doing most of the work. If you do go with her right hand, I recently tried an idea I saw here on the 'ville. I bought some fimo clay and molded a big lump of it around my handle and made it as smooth as I could. then I gripped it with my crochet hand so that all the little dents fit exactly to my hand and it is so comfortable to work with and I wonder if that might help her and it is also a fun thing to make. there are so many bright colors of clay and it could be her special hook. Sorry to ramble...just thinking out loud. It is wonderful that you are going to teach her to crochet...go mom:cheerLet us know what you decide and how it goes!

 

[Braxxi]

Thank you very much for the ideas. I told her we could try it out tomorrow and see how it goes. She said she wants to make an afghan first...lol.

[bresnanna]

I would give her the hook and let her decide. She will naturally hold it in the hand she's most comfortable with. Good luck to her and you. I wish my DD would learn. But she hates it.

[parisjem]

Hi. It is great that your daughter wants to learn to crochet. Most children with full use of their hands are not ready to learn until about eight years old. (Of course there are always exceptions.) Starting with Finger knitting or crocheting is fun. I like the idea of the clay handle on the hook. The knife hold will probably be easier. Keep the lessons short - 5 minutes. Use heaps of positive comments and make it FUN. She should decide what works for her with her hands. This crochet aid would be very useful.

http://www.dynamic-living.com/product/crochet-aid/

 

Hugs,

 

Parisjem

[ldyer1]

You could always make an adaptive device to hold the yarn for her, or the hook. One way I have seen is to tape the hook pointy side up off a table and then manipulate around that. That was difficult for me to do. The other way is to take a coffee can and make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put the yarn in the lid and thread the yarn out through the top. This creates tension. But for encouraging two handed use I suggest trying both ways. Remember it wont look like yours but it is about her finding a way that works for her. I recommend beginning with a larger hook.

 

I have taught many people throughout the years and I have to say that not a single one of them does it like me!!! They all do it slightly different. But that is fine, and its made me a better teacher because when things don't go so well for someone I can say "so and so does it this way instead try that" etc.

 

Good Luck!

[Lydia48021]

I would let your daughter try both and let her decide which is better. I will be teaching my 10 year old daughter how to crochet this year. She is ambidextrious with her sport's playing and mostly right handed, even though she likes to "pretend" to write with her left every once in awhile with her left handed friend and father.

 

Lydia