Crochet: For left-handers

I did a basic search on YouTube for "crochet for left handed beginners" and found a bunch of stuff. I thought these were the most helpful.

Click here for a video on how to hold the crochet hook.

Click here for a video on how to hold the yarn.

Click here for a video on how to make a slipknot.

Click here for a video on how to make a chain.

Click here for a video on how to make a single crochet row.

All those videos were made by the same person and I thought she was very thorough. She does regular crochet lessons too. Here is a link to her YouTube Channel. 

Don't sweat the slipknot.... or the small stuff

Don't sweat the slipknot. If you are knitting, you can just tie a knot on the needle as your first stitch. One of the videos I linked to on the cast-on post does this.

But if you are thorough and stubborn and must know everything (that's fine because I am like that too), then here is a video I like.

If you are hooking (crochet), then you need to master the slipknot. I don't know what kind of trickery it would make with an old yuck knot, so its best to listen to the pros on this.

Knit: Casting on (aka getting stiches on the needles)

This is not the only way to cast on, but this is the way I teach people because it is very similar to doing the knit stitch. You will be doing more knit stitches than casting on, so we might as well get started early.

There are other ways to cast on, and if you do a basic search on youtube for knitting for beginners then you will probably learn what is the long tail cast on. That's personally my favorite way, but I think it is overwhelming to start with, partially because there are so many ways to hold your yarn and do it. Once you get a little more comfortable with knitting, then I can show you. There is another cast on method which is basically twisted loops on the needle. That works fine for beginners, but it doesn't feel like much on the needles and doesn't give in the right way for your first normal knitting row, in my opinion.

So yeah, here are some videos for the knit cast on, which is what I teach.

This one is only 2:41.

And this one is over 6 minutes. 

Both are fine.

Be patient!

I have been knitting regularly for 13 years. I have made lots of things, and ripped out lots and lots of things. I have pieces I have made that are freaky shapes, and that's ok. You won't be punished for making something that isn't perfect.

That being said, if I teach you how to knit or crochet in person, don't get too frustrated if your hands don't work like mine. I have been doing this for a long time, and when you have experience you realize what works best for you and you find your rhythm.

The nice thing about this craft is that when you rip something up, you still have yarn and your instrument (hook or needles) and you can just start again. Nobody will know. With probably all other crafts, you have to get new stuff.

And you aren't going to figure it out in one evening. If you do, then you are a mastermind genius and I have some other things in my life that I would like you to come master.

Practice makes perfect with pretty much everything. So be patient and keep trying!