Left-Handed Crochet: A Complete Guide

You Don't Need Special Tools

Left-handed crochet uses the same hooks and yarn as right-handed crochet. The only difference is which hand holds the hook and which holds the yarn, essentially a mirror image of the right-handed technique.

Getting Started

Hold your hook in your left hand like a pencil or like a knife, whichever feels natural, and hold the yarn in your right hand to tension it. Every stitch you make will move from right to left across your work, instead of left to right.

Learning from Right-Handed Tutorials

Most tutorials are filmed right-handed. Two tricks help: watch the video in a mirror, or flip it horizontally using your video player's settings if available. Some crocheters find it easier to simply watch normally and reverse every direction in their head.

Reading Patterns

Written patterns work exactly the same for both hands, since they describe stitches, not hand positions. Charts and diagrams may need to be read in reverse, so keep that in mind for lace or colorwork.

Practice Makes It Natural

Give yourself patience during your first few projects. Tension and rhythm take a bit longer to feel automatic, but there's nothing left-handed crocheters can't make.