Are you left-handed and want to learn how to crochet? Then you've come to the right place! In this blog post, we will guide you through the most basic crochet techniques – and we're happy to reveal that it's not as difficult as you might think!



Are you interested in learning to crochet but feel a bit daunted by the thought because you are left-handed?

If so, you'll likely be pleased to learn that left-handed crocheting is more or less the same as crocheting right-handed (yes, really)! The most significant difference is that you work in the opposite direction – quite literally.

That said, learning to crochet can be a bit more challenging if you prefer using your left hand over your right. This is because most guides on the internet assume you are working with the crochet hook in your right hand. This means you'll need to mirror the movements – and it's entirely normal for your brain to struggle with this adjustment (for the same reason, it can be hard for a right-handed crocheter to teach you how to crochet)! 🤯

But fear not, there's plenty of help available! In this blog post, we'll show you how to get off to a good start with your new crochet adventure as a left-hander. We'll demonstrate how to hold the crochet hook and how to crochet the most basic stitches. And of course, we've also got a few tips to make life a little easier for you as a left-handed crocheter. 🫶

Grab your crochet hook and yarn – and let's get started!


Understanding Left-Handed Crocheting

When you crochet with the hook in your left hand, you need to mirror the movements you would make if you were crocheting with the hook in your right hand. It's actually as simple as that.

Even though the vast majority of patterns and instructions are designed for right-handed people, you can still follow them as a left-handed crocheter. However, it requires you to be a little extra alert.

If you're crocheting back and forth in rows, as a left-handed person, you should crochet from left to right, whereas a right-handed person would crochet in the opposite direction, from right to left. And when you're crocheting in the round, you work counter clockwise, whereas a right-handed person would work clockwise.

It might sound a bit tricky having to do everything in reverse, but it all becomes very natural once you pick up the crochet hook – after all, left is your preferred hand! 😉

However, knowing a few tips and tricks will make your life a lot easier. We'll delve into those later!


Crochet Tension

Crochet tension describes how tight or loose your stitches are, and it significantly affects the size and shape of the finished product. Therefore, it's always a good idea to make a crochet sample.

Also read: The Gauge Swatch: How to Measure Your Crochet Tension

Most beginners tend to crochet tightly at the beginning. It's a good idea to practice getting a good and more relaxed grip on the yarn and crochet hook.


Ensure a Good Grip on Yarn and Crochet Hook

The very first thing you should practice when learning to crochet is to get a comfortable and secure grip on both the yarn and the crochet hook. Maintaining consistent tension is crucial for your crochet tension. Otherwise, your project may turn out uneven or even the wrong size, and there’s nothing more frustrating than that!

GUIDE: Left-handed? Get a Good Grip on Yarn and Crochet Hook


It’s Time to Learn How to Crochet!

Hooray, the time has come to learn how to crochet! Here, we'll go through 5 basic techniques that you will encounter in many patterns.


1. The Slip Knot and the Chain Stitch

Most crochet projects start with a slip knot, followed by chain stitches. Here is how to:




How to Make a Slip Knot

  1. Fold the short end of the yarn over the long end to make a loop. Hold the yarn in place with your thumb and middle finger.
  2. Stick your thumb and index finger from your other hand through the loop and grab the long end of the yarn.
  3. Pull the yarn back through the loop and tighten it by pulling on the short end of the yarn.

You can now make the slipknot smaller by pulling on the long end of the yarn.


How to Crochet the Chain Stitch (ch)

  1. Start by making a slip knot and insert your crochet hook into the loop.
  2. Work the hook behind the long end of the yarn.
  3. Twist the hook to catch the yarn and pull it back through the loop.
  4. You now have now made your very first chain stitch. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have the required number of stitches.

Tip! Make sure not to crochet your chain stitches too tightly, as it can make it really difficult to crochet into them later on.


2. The Single Crochet Stitch (sc) (US)

The single crochet stitch is one of the simplest and most commonly used crochet techniques. Learn how to make it in the video below.

Good to know: Single Crochet (abbreviated as sc) is the term used in the US for this stitch, while in the UK, it's known as Double Crochet (abbreviated as dc). Confusing, isn't it?




How to Crochet the Single Crochet Stitch

  1. Insert your hook into the second stitch after your hook.
  2. Yarn over your hook and pull the yarn through the loop. You should now have two loops on your hook.
  3. Yarn over your hook again and pull the yarn through both loops on your hook.
  4. You have now done a single crochet!

Repeat the technique to make more single crochets.


3. The Double Crochet Stitch (dc) (US)

Double crochet stitches provide great structure and flexibility to your crochet projects – and it's just an extended version of the single crochet stitch, so you'll master it in no time! In the video, we show you have to do it.

Note! Similar to the Single Crochet Stitch, the Double Crochet Stitch also has different names in the US and the UK. In the US, it is called the Double Crochet Stitch (abbreviated as dc), and in the UK, it is known as Treble Crochet (abbreviated as tr).




How to Crochet the Double Crochet Stitch

  1. Yarn over.
  2. Insert the hook into the first stitch from your hook.
  3. Yarn over and pull the loop through the stitch.
  4. You should now have three loops on your hook.
  5. Yarn over and pull the yarn through two of the loops on your hook. You should now have two loops on your hook.

  6. Yarn over again and pull the yarn through the two last loops on your hook. You should now have one loop on your hook.


4. The Single Crochet Increase (sc inc)

It's time to learn how to make increases with single crochet stitches! An increase means you are adding to the number of stitches, and it's super easy – you simply crochet two stitches into the same stitch. We’ll guide you through:




How to Crochet the Single Crochet Increase

  1. Crochet one single crochet in the next stitch from your hook.
  2. Do another single crochet in the same stitch as before.

You can make increases (and decreases) with different stitches. Try, for example, using double crochet stitches instead of single crochet stitches and see how the texture changes.


5. The Single Crochet Decrease (sc dec)

For decreases, as opposed to increases, you reduce the number of stitches. Easy peasy! Have a look here:




How to Crochet the Single Crochet Decrease

  1. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop. You should now have two loops on your hook.
  2. Insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop. You should now have three loops on your hook.
  3. Yarn over and pull through all three loops on your hook.
  4. You just did your first single crochet decrease!


Tips and Tricks for Left-Handed Crocheting

As promised, here we've compiled our best tips and tricks for those of you crocheting with your left hand.


YouTube Videos for Lefties

Did you know that on Hobbii's YouTube channel, there is a playlist of videos for crocheters who hold the crochet hook in their left hand? Here, we've gathered the most basic techniques that you should know if you want to learn to crochet or have recently started.


Use a Tool to Mirror YouTube Videos

It's likely that not all the techniques you want to learn are available in a left-handed version on YouTube. But here comes a brilliant tip! There are several tools available that you can use to mirror videos on YouTube!

One such tool is the free Chrome extension YT Mirror. With this tool, you can mirror videos directly in the YouTube playback window. It's a real life-saver that you're going to LOVE!


Here is how to install and use it:

Step 1: Add YT-Mirror to Chrome by clicking here.



Step 2: Add extension. 



Step 3: Go to a YouTube video you would like to mirror. Just beneath the video, you will see a new symbol showing two arrows. (Psst! You might have to wait a few minutes until the extension is added to YouTube).



Step 4: Click the symbol with the two arrows. Yay, the video is now mirrored!



Mirror Diagrams and Images

When following a diagram in your crochet pattern, remember it must be mirrored for left-handed crocheting. This might also apply to images in your pattern.

Luckily, you can effortlessly and freely mirror images online using platforms like resizepixel.com and img2go.com. Simply upload your image, apply a vertical flip, and then download the mirrored version. It's incredibly convenient!


Double Check Your Steps

The last piece of advice we want to give you is to think twice. As a left-handed crocheter, you need to be a bit more alert when following a pattern designed for right-handed crocheters. It's a good idea to pay extra attention to directions like “right corner” (which would be your left corner).


We hope you've gotten off to a great start on your new crochet adventure, and that you're excited to dive into left-handed crocheting! ❤️ Enjoy!