RH-to-LH crochet

[IHeartMontana]

I'm planning on teaching a friend of mine to crochet this August. The problem is... I'm right handed and she's left handed. What's the best way for me to teach her? should I just show her how to hold the hook, show her the process, and expect her to just do the same thing with her left hand? or, should I sit in front of her and have her mirror what I do? I'm so confused, I don't know what will work! Help!!!

[crochet smartcat]

Alot depends on the person, some lefties, actually find it easier to learn right handed. I would go and show her how you do it and let her play with holding the yarn/hook in her left and right hands until she finds a grip that feels semi-comfortable and then work on teaching her. Show her how to do the chain stitch and have her "play" with that with the different methods until she finds something that works. She also might find that the knife grip or pencil grip is more comfortable for her (whichever is opposite of what you use). The most important thing is that she plays with it and knows that there isn't a right way to do it, the only important thing is that she finds a way that feels comfortable.

Then once she is comfortable, then SLOWLY show her the other stitches and help her play with whatever grip she has to get it to work for her. It may work for you to sit across from her, but I have found that usually leads to them putting the yarn in the wrong position. I usually find it easier to learn just sitting side by side and showing them over and over as necessary to do the stitch.

[JoAnn]

I read a tip somewhere to have the person sit opposite you (mirror) so her working hand is on the same side as yours. (sounds good anyway!)

[AmyS]

I crochet left-handed, but I don't really remember much of the specifics of how I learned. I do know I just watched my right-handed 3rd grade teacher and figured out how to switch things around on my own. But HOW I did that, I don't know. I've just always been good at figuring things out spatially.

Leisure Arts has a pretty good booklet called 10 * 20 * 30 Miutes to Learn to Crochet. I found a copy at my Hobby Lobby for just over $8. It's booklet #3164 and you can also probably find it at www.leisurearts.com.

This booklet has graphics for both right-handed and left-handed crocheters, and it makes it very easy for lefties to see how things should look for them.

The projects in the booklet aren't that exciting, but it's worth it for the pictures for lefties.

[IHeartMontana]

Thanks, yarnaholic! I didn't know that booklet has pictures for both right-and-left-handers. I think I'll just take all suggestions and see what works best. She's a new grandmother, so she's really excited and willing to work hard to learn how to crochet. Thanks everyone!

[Ithinkican]

My Grandmother taught me, she right handed me left...
Just let the person you are teaching find the way they are comfortable with. I ended up crocheting right handed, but I hold the hook VERY differently than other people. Just let them find what works for them.
:yes

[bookermom]

I work with a group home of teenage boys (with emotional or drug problems), teaching crochet. I have problems teaching some lefties (I am right) and some guys who have good motor skills. I have one who seems to want to learn but just can't make the transition of what I mirror or try myself to crochet left (that is more of a challenge than I can take right now). His stitches are incredibly tight and he drops stitches. I am wondering if he is using his crocheting problems as a way to get more attention. Any experts have any ideas? Would a super large hook and perhaps cotton yarn help the tightness? This frustrates me, he seems like he wants to learn, and I can't him to that aha moment where the needle weaves through and makes crochet seem so magical.

Any ideas would be great!

[Ithinkican]

I'm a lefty (and I have a daughter with BD)...I'm not sure if it's a newbie thing, or a lefty thing..but I have to really concentrate to make loose stitches. I have a tendency to make them tight too.

[JCB]

I am left handed and I have taught others to crochet, and also other craft skills. I have the student(s) sit opposite me and mirror what I am doing. This works very well.

Joan

[LavenderBear]

Well, I did post one answer and I got frozen here, so let me give it a whirl again!

I have taught several lefties to crochet! All but two learned quickly sitting across from me and copying what I was doing. The other two, including my middle daughter, learned by sitting behind me!

I have heard of others teaching with a mirror, but I haven't given that a try just yet!;)

[coolhockeymom]

I crocheted left hand most of my life until I tried to show my daughter how to do it (in the loong run my mom had to teach my Daughter) then I found I had to teach myself to do it the oposite hand which is ok I can do it either hand though I found if you stand behind them and crochet over there shoulder so they can see how the stiching work they catch on quicker .
though now that I do work right handed I hold my hook the oddest way no one would understand unless they seen it

[ankey]

I'm a lefty and when I started learning how to crochet, I found it really awkward crocheting the "left-handed" way. I only crochet right-handed but my crochet technique isn't really the proper way. Left-handed people can definitely be taught how to crochet the right-handed way. I think it just comes down to personal preference.

[Aggie May]

:cheer I am all for teaching lefties to work with their right hand if it is at all possible.
My sister, her daughter and my daughter are all lefties but crochet & knit righthanded.
The problem with working lefthanded is, only another leftie can help if you have a problem.
Have fun.
Colleen.:hug

[Lefthook]

There are left-handed instructions (with pictures) here.

http://home.inreach.com/marthac/learn.html

I crochet left handed; I got a book with instructions and pictures for left handers, and taught myself.

[Kiirs]

I'm left-handed. I learned from a book with left-handed instructions. At the time I couldn't reverse right-handed instructions in my mind but now I seem able to do that with stitch tutorials for right-handed crocheters.

I was having a difficult time trying to show my right-handed 7-year-old daughter how to crochet until I realized the other day that she is actually crocheting left-handed! I guess she just copied me and now she says it feels right. I guess if it works for her! I hadn't realized that you could sit opposite a person and teach that way. I like that idea. I'm going to try that if my sister asks me to show her how to crochet.

[MidnightStorms]

I'm left handed and my mom (who is right handed) taught me. I sat on her right and watched what she did and tried to do it the opposite way. It really helped me to watch the way the hook moved (I made her go in extreme slow mo) so that I could copy the movements. Haveing just completed my first afghan (I hope to post pics soon) I'd say it's definately learnable. It just may take some extra time as you'll have to explain it all backwards ;)

[CLLinda]

The left handed-right handed thing can be fairly hard. I was teaching a class of co-workers and out of 8, 4 were lefties! I found some very good instructions and was able to show them how. But It can be difficult! Good luck!

Can she do anything right handed? My mom writes with her left, but bowls (pretty good) with her right. Also did adding machines and calculators at the bank with her right. So Ask. She may be able to crochet righty. You just never know!

:manyheart

[mva5493]

Another lefty here, I tried using books with left handed instructions, but in the end just played with the yarn until it worked for me. I hold my hook a bit different, and have had some problems getting stitches to look the way they are supposed to. I also had the problem of stitching to tight. But I find that as I continue to stitch it loosens up. Only have a problem with the stitches being to tight when trying to learn a new stitch or starting a new project. I also have major problems with large hooks, the stitchs just don't look right to me. Much too loose. Not sure is that is just my inexperience or just not comfortable with a large hook. I like i, h, and j best so far.

[Momcrochets]

I've taught a few lefties...I learned to chain, and sc leftie...and that usually is enough to get them started....boy does it feel wierd when you start though! (I revert back to RH on my own though)

[Adreeyen]

My mom is a lefty and she never could teach me. I couldn't get the "mirror" thing. I had to get my right handed aunt to teach me the chain and single. Once I had those down pat my mom could show me the rest.

[loopyliz]

When I was teaching crochet, I always asked the lefties to start out by holding the hook in their right hand. Many left-handed people are quite ambidextrous and can do a lot with their right hand. I explained that learning to crochet is going to feel weird and awkward to them at first no matter what, and if they can learn to crochet with the hook in their right hand they will be able to crochet from any pattern, since patterns are written for right-handed crocheters (unless it specifically says "left-handed crochet"). I actually had good success in teaching this way. However, some folks are really, really left-handed and need to hold the hook in their dominant hand. Then, like was mentioned before, I always sat across from them and had them watch my hands. Good luck!