How To Crochet Left Handed

How To Crochet Left Handed

This how-to crochet guide with left-handed images was written to give southpaws the basic stitches and their abbreviations often used in standard crochet. You may find that it is helpful to use this information as a reference guide, especially since most guides are for right-handers! The instructions are designed for a beginner or for someone coming back to the art after a long period. I hope you enjoy using the information!

What you need

Crochet Hook and yarn 

Instructions

Let’s start at the very beginning…remember, as always, practice really does make perfect!

How To Crochet: Holding the Crochet Hook

Holding the crochet hook left handed

Hold the hook between your thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand with the hook pointing back towards your thumbnail. This grip should be firm, but comfortable. You will find, as you become more comfortable, that your hook will find its own comfort zone.

How To Crochet: Holding the Yarn
Holding the yarn left handed

Having an even tension on the yarn is crucial to getting even stitches in crocheting. This is especially important if you are doing patterns that are size-specific, such as clothes. This picture shows the working loop being held between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand, looping over the index finger to control tension. Lace the yarn through the other fingers to also help with tension control and tangling. Again, as you work, you will find a comfort zone…nothing says you have to do it EXACTLY like this!

How To Crochet: Beginning Loop
Beginning loop left handed

A slip knot is used as the beginning stitch. I usually insert my hook through the working loop in the opposite direction that I will work, twist, yarn over then pull it through the loop. Some people prefer to tie the knot by hand, then insert the hook to begin working.

How To Crochet: Yarn Over
Crochet Yarn Over Left Handed

Abbreviation: yo

Yarn over means just that; you are twisting the yarn over the hook from front to back so that the hook catches it and can draw it through the loop.

How To Crochet: Chain Stitch
Chain Stitch Left Handed

Abbreviation: ch

The chain stitch is the most basic and is used to form the base row and rings. You simply yarn over and pull through the loop to make on stitch. Practice this until you can get a chain of uniform looking loops; its all about tension control and can be easier said than done!

How To Crochet: Making a Ring
Crochet Making A Ring

Abbreviation: r# (example: r5 is a chain of 5 stitches made into a ring.)

A ring is made of a desired number of chain stitches with one end attached to another. Chain the desired amount, then slip the hook through the beginning stitch. Yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook. Rings are used to start blocks, such as Granny Squares, or can be used as decorations, such as a popcorn stitch.

How To Crochet: Single Crochet
Single Crochet Left Handed

Abbreviation: sc

The term “crochet” involves picking up a loop or loops from a previous stitch. The term “single” tells you that you will yarn over and pull through the loops one time. Entire items can be made using this stitch, although it may not look very interesting. To do a single crochet, pick up the front AND back loops from the desired stitch (usually the next one unless specified), yarn over and pull through the loop.

How To Crochet: Double Crochet
Double Crochet Left Handed

Abbreviation: dc

Here, you will yarn over, THEN pick up the FRONT loop of the desired stitch. Yarn over and pull through the first of the three loops on the hook. Yarn over again and pull through the remaining two loops on the hook. For a tight weave, dc in every stitch; for a looser weave, use every other stitch.

How To Crochet: Half-Double Crochet
Half Double Crochet Left Handed

Abbreviation: hd

This begin just like the dc; you will yarn over, THEN pick up the FRONT loop of the desired stitch. Yarn over again and pull it through all three loops on the hook. For a tight weave, hd in every stitch; for a looser weave, use every other stitch.

How To Crochet: Triple Crochet
Triple Crochet Left Handed

Abbreviation: tc

Begin the triple crochet by yarning over twice, then pick up the front loop of the desired stitch. Yarn over again and draw it through the first two loops on the hook. Repeat this until all the loops are off the chain. For a tight weave, tc in every stitch; for a looser weave, use every other stitch.

How To Crochet: Tying Off
Crochet Tying Off

Work and extra chain stitch, cut the end and pull it completely through the loop. Pull firmly on the end to create a knot.

This How To Crochet project was contributed by Machele Bailey 

This project uses  8 ply, Double Worsted, DK yarn

Comments

  1. I am a leftie and learned by watching the person do it from the back side..The same for knitting..

  2. good and helpful as i ‘m a leftie

  3. cool

  4. hi i’m a leftie and been crochetting since i was 8 years old. all i was told to do was take any pattern I found and follow the directions. I was taught by a rightie. I sat across from her and she showed me what to do. I taught my daughter, shes a righty.

  5. I needed the pictures. It is really hard to do it left handed when I am a right handed crocheter. I have two students who want to learn to crochet and they are left handed so I am going to pratice. It is tuff. Thank you for the directions. Maureen

  6. Thank you, thank you, thank you! My Mom-in-law tried to teach me how to crochet about 13 years ago but she’s a righty and I am a lefty so all I got was super confused. Now it makes sense, I’m gonna give it a try…wish me luck 😉

  7. Great direction but I can not even crochet right handed:(

  8. how do u do this but without the hook?

  9. Thank you for the left handed directions. I am teaching a group of children at our church mini-camp basic crochet and one boy was very intent on learning. He is left handed and I am right so it was a little difficult for me. Your directions will be most helpful for the young boy as well as for any future students. God Bless your work.

  10. I am a right-handed person who knows how to crochet right-handed. My sister-in-law is left-handed and wanted to learn to crochet. I learned how to crochet left-handed from this site and now I am am to teach my sister-in-law. I give a HUGE THANKS to this site.

  11. Thank you for this site! I’ve been trying for years, to learn from books, without success. This is the best ever!

  12. Wow, wish I had something like this when I was learning to crochet . . . I am the only left-handed girl in my family . . . all my aunts, both sets of grandmothers, and my mom were or are right-handed. My granddaughter is left-handed, but hopefully when and if she wants to learn to crochet, I will be around to teach her.

  13. What do you call it after you make the chain?

  14. Thank-you so much for posting this helpful site. I am one who is coming back to the art now that I have retired. The pictures are very good and just what I needed to get going again. Grateful — from the mountains in Northen Calif.

  15. thanks. This is a wonderful help for me.

  16. The drawings are extremely helpful as well as the instructions! Thank you!

  17. Thank you so much for creating this page. I have looked at several instructions on how to crochet and yours is by far the best and most helpful to me. I am a visual person and your pictures are very clear.

  18. I am a left handed crocheter. I have a pattern with the following directios:

    chain 8,
    being careful not to twist chain, slip st in the Top Loop Only to form a ring
    slip st in Top Loop only of the next 7 chains.
    next round:
    increase in each stitch around – to increase slip st in Back Loop Only of the next st then slip st in Front Loop Only of the same st.

    I cannot get this to work
    thanks for any help you can give me.
    Joyce

  19. It was hard to understand how to hold it, but I am working on it. The rest is still helpful!!! Thank You!

  20. Extreamly helpful – I greatly appreciate the drawings
    Sometimes, it’s difficult to be left handed.
    Thank you, so much

  21. I’ve never been fond of the mirror method or the right-handed person sitting across from you teaching method. And ‘just do the opposite of the directions’ is crazy-making! I appreciate your simple drawings and good guidance. The best I’ve ever seen.

    I am comfortable with simple patterns, but I agree with an earlier comment – it would be helpful to see a more involved project, such as a baby jacket. Photos along with instructions would be very helpful.

  22. i left a glowing report for you , but apparently it didn’t go through. Just know that we all appreciate you so very much! – BT, Louisiana

  23. I am teaching moms of premature babies how to crochet for their babies. This will help my left handed moms see what I am trying to show them. I like giving a handout so they can look at it back in the homes. Thank you.

  24. I’m just learning to crochet and while it helps to see the illustrations for a lefty, I’m still not getting it!

  25. this was helpfull

  26. How terrific to find lefty instructions so clearly explained and illustrated. Very helpful, thank you so much.

  27. Very nicely done set of instructions for us southpaws! Thanks!

    I have been crocheting for many years. I have found that the directions work fine for flat pieces (afghans or blankets), but I cannot figure out how to make baby sweaters or hoodies. It seems that my left-handedness causes everything to be inside out or backward. Would you please advise on whether to just follow the directions exactly the same as for right-handers or is there something special I should be doing?
    Thanks very much.

    Mary Claire Salander
    msalander@mac.com

  28. thanks for this! A great help

  29. Thank you alot for all of these different stitches! My mother’s friend taught me, and luckily, both of us are left handed. 🙂

    -Ame

  30. Been searching a while for a web site like this one. Now I personally thank you for the wonderful easy to follows steps here to get me to crocheting like a pro.This is a huge help.
    Thanks again and again.

  31. I use to put a mirror in front of pattern with diagram and look to the mirror to follow

  32. very clear and easy to interpret. thanks for catering to us lefties.

  33. Thank you for the left-handed directions. My granddaughter wanted to learn to crochet and I was unable to teach her (I’m right handed and my sister who is left-handed lives too far away).

  34. My Grandmother is right handed,I am left handed. She taught me to crochet by sitting across from me, making it a mirror image! It was SOOOO Easy to learn to crochet! I hope this helps!

  35. Thanks for your help. Amazing in 2009 how many sites are all right-hand instructions! Frustrating. Linda

  36. do any of you left handed crocheters know how to do the loop stitch?

  37. I have always just crocheted with my right hand, but now that you have posted these directions, I think I’ll try with my left. It’s hard for a lefties living in a rightie world. rofl.

  38. great info, wish there were patterns for us lefties

  39. I’m teaching kids to crochet at my local LYS and tis was very helpful for left handed kids. Thank you so much.

  40. Thanks, I have not crocheted for quite a few years and could not find my old instructions. This will help a lot. Joan

  41. Cool! I’m a lefty and tried to learn how to crochet from my mother (who’s right handed). It was hard, but I did learn how to do various stitches. This is a refresher course for me.

  42. Being a lefty, this was very helpful.
    Why can’t I keep a straight edge?
    Linda

  43. this was so great i couldnt figure out how to use the stick before i found this thanx

  44. Thanks very helpfull for us south paws

  45. Please add how to crotchet the afghan stitch left handed to this page. I can’t find instructions on this stitch anywhere! Thanks!

  46. Very good info. since I’m just learning how t crochet.
    Thank you

  47. I’ve been trying to teach my left-handed sister how to corchet. This was a great help in letting me see how to tell her to hold the thread and needle.

  48. I’ve been trying to teach my left-handed sister how to corchet. This was a great help in letting me see how to tell her to hold the thread and needle.

  49. Thank you! Everyone who has tried to teach me this is right handed. This was a blessing.

  50. thanks ffrom a lefty

  51. this was very helful thank you

  52. thanx for teaching me tricks on crocheting. this site is one of the best sites for crocheting that i’ve been to. now i’m really good at it thanx to this website.
    Thanx!

  53. thank you very much I look at books and can not turn them around in my mind so I can try it. I think this will help.Thank you again Rosemary

  54. this was a good site, but it would have been nice to also have someone to speak to aswell as i found some of it confusing for a beginner:))

  55. Thank you this helped me a lot of right handed people have tried to help me but i couldn’t learn from them.

  56. It helped my grandma learn to crochet. So she could leave me alone while i visit!

  57. Thank you! I needed this because I am left handed! 🙂

  58. it is so cool to see that instructions do exist for us lefties when it comes to crocheting.

  59. This is wonderful

  60. I want to thank you so much. My girlfriend was having a very hard time with crocheting. Becaue, she is left handed. I’m so glad I found your web site for her.

    Thank You Again,
    Tamme

    Unicorndove4710@aol.com

  61. thank you!helps alot.

  62. I’m so glad I found this site. I’ve been looking for book or site that helps lefties for a long time. Thanks!!

  63. an excellent aid; thank you very much!

  64. Thank you, I really hope this helps!!

  65. Very good Thanx

  66. After the chain stitch, it became very confusing. I was able to make the chain, but nothing after that.

  67. It is great to see this as i am left handedmy self it will help other thatare learning,i even help R/H ladies to crochet ..

  68. Its good to find a place that shows us left handed people how to crochet. I got a book and it was for right handed only.

  69. Oh Yerahhh! very good! Im doing cloths for me

  70. Thank you! I can’t find anyone to help me learn how to do this the left-handed way!

  71. Very easy to understand. I was able to re-teach myself how to crochet again. It is great for anyone left-handed.

  72. raspberryjell-o says

    i’m not a lefty, but this is a fantastic lesson for those are! thanks for publishing craft projects and articles for every type of person.

  73. it took so long to find a spot like this. thank you so much. Lefty

  74. MUCH NEEDED. GREAT IN COLOR. THANKS!

  75. thank you for actually submitting pictures of left-handed crochet instead of stating, as other inferior sites do, that it is the same as right-handed crochet only backwards. This is exactly what I needed.
    Bravo! Bravo!

  76. This are the best drawing and instructions I have seen for a left-hander. Thanks.

  77. Very clear and descriptive instructions

  78. Illustration are great!!!!!

  79. This is GREAT… Very helpful. Cheers

  80. Thanks very much! These instructions are going to be very useful for me! I’m a lefty and everyone I know who can crochet is a righty! So these are going to be useful!

  81. thank you for the lefthand instructions. I have been crocheting for years and wanted to teach my daughter( who is lefthanded.) Your instructions help alot.

  82. This has been a tremendous help. Thanks so much!

  83. babecutter says

    I can’t find your left handed crochet patterns
    babe42@earthlink.net

  84. it has been very hard to find lefthanded instructions for my daughter and my self …thank you

  85. good but can you tell me what S1 or SL means plz?!?!

  86. the pictures were very helpful.

  87. Thanks so much for the left hand input. I have crocheted for many years, and needed help to teach our granddaughter. Many thanks for the great directions!!!

  88. The Pictures really help the instructions make sence. Thank you!

  89. Nice clear pictures. It adds to my confidence.
    Thank you !

  90. My granddaughter is a lefty, and wants to learn how to crochet like grandma who is rigt handed. This lesson will be very helpful to her.

  91. I think this is very helpful – I am a very visually oriented person, so instructions without pics = no good for me. I have been crocheting for 20+ years but have 2 left-handed friends who want to learn. I am definately using this lesson!! Thank you.

  92. Would be better if you can provide short video clips to demonstrate the steps. Thanks.

  93. nice,but im a lefty knitter…but i will try these instrouctions..

  94. Please show how to reverse single crochet

  95. I’ve looked for these kinds of instructions for my entire life. Very clear and concise. Thank you.

  96. i already know how to crochet, i’m just not sure if i REALLY know, but this looks like a VERY big help, how nice for us lefties! 😀

  97. I think that this is a great help. Thanx

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