Excellent points. I am self-taught and have been crocheting for 15 years. I have tried all of the book-proscribed ways of holding yarn/thread (thread is my preferred medium), and I always go back to what works for me. Two years ago I entered a half-dozen pieces in my very small county fair and won blue ribbons. This year I entered only three pieces and was invited to send my work to the state fair with three county blue ribbons (too bad I didn't see the invitation and who to call until the day after I picked up my work at the end of the fair). I think it makes little difference if we hold our work and hook in the book-proscribed manner. Whatever method gives you consistent tension and uniformly consistent stitches is what matters. I have practiced one book proscribed method with yarn and can get relatively good tension, but I cannot (nor do I need to try) achieve similar results in thread crochet. My self-taught method serves me well and I will not be swayed from it.
You want the yarn to stay put yet slide too! It is hard to get the hang of but once you do it’s like a bulb goes on and you go, “ Wow, it’s so simple, why was I making it so complicated?!?” The reward is a lifetime of learning and creating beautiful art.
I taught myself how to crochet. I have never held my hook in either of the ways you show or my yarn. It’s a matter of comfort for everyone. I have carpal tunnel so I have come up with what’s easier for me. I had a lady tell me there is no wrong way or right way. If your work comes out right that’s what matters!
You are right. There is no right or wrong way. I even say that in the video. Consistent tension is the key. However you choose to do it is up to you. What I show is the most common ways and is intended to help those just starting out.
I agree and I have read that in many crochet books that there is no right or wrong way to hold the hook. When I started crocheting again after some years my stitches were tight but as I went on my tension loosened up.
Forever Bliss Crochet I agree-I saw you involving the pinkie and was like whaaaa? I’ve been crocheting for around 45 years and only use my index and middle finger, and it looks funny w my index finger always pointing out! But since I’m older and have messed up hands from the computer. When my hands get sore my way, I will try these!! Thanks.
Exactly I'm trying to self teach myself to knit and I'm struggling my stitches are to tight or get tangled and having trouble figuring out the best way to hold the yarn. Help if you have any tips! Thank you and lvor your video!
What an excellent tutorial, thank you! I am a complete newbie at crochet and am practicing a lot. I did my first "row" a few nights ago and never laughed so hard at myself, I felt so inept LOL! BUT, I do believe practice makes perfect and I'm determined to learn! I like to sew and the tension with crochet reminds me of the tension on my sewing machine - you have to keep it taut but not tight - but with sewing the machine takes care of that LOL! Having fun so far with crochet!
I am returning to crochet after more than 50 years! Your video was the absolute BEST for getting me back into the swing of things .... extremely clear and precise. Well Done, You!
This is the best video for beginners and people like me who are trying to refresh and are self-taught. I found a easier way to hold my yarn in my arthritic hands from this video. It's much easier on my hands to do it the way you do. I'm so happy I found it.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I can definitely tell you teach crochet as you answer the questions of us new to crochet. Holding the yarn is very awkward. The very first stitch is ok, but after that the yarn is loose and that's my stopping place. I'm excited to apply your teaching 😁 Thanks again!
Oh my goodness I’m so glad this popped up on my suggested videos. I have been crocheting or knitting for 35+ years. I know how to do it but to try to show my 11-year-old granddaughter how to hold the hook and yarn has been so hard she wants to learn to crochet. With all the stores close for the virus quarantine I couldn’t even take her into a class. So I’m hoping she can watch this and do it. Thank you so very much
You are so awesome. Last summer (I teach), I tried to teach myself to crochet looking at different tutorials. I could never get my chain stitch to look okay. Well, this summer I found you and I am so happy. I could never figure out the tension but, the way you hold your hook is so comfortable for me! Thank you, thank you! I think I can do this now!
Good instruction! I learned how to knit continental style when I was about 10 yrs old. It made the transition to crochet very easy and is basically the same as this demo. My only exception is that I hold the hook pencil style and it's worked well for me for fifty yrs. P.s. I make tension adjustments for different yarns as well.
You are a wonderful teacher. I've been trying to master crochet forever and I always find the holding of the yarn and hook difficult. I can't tell you have many times I have tried and failed and then I found you. In 10 seconds I had got it held that is comfortable for me and that's the first method. Thank you so much for this informative video and sharing with me the mystery . If not for this video another ball of wool would have been thrown across the room in frustration. Thank you, thank you, thank you :)
Love your method of holding the yarn. I have arthritis in the fingers of my left hand and cannot squeeze the yarn tightly, so the way you actually crochet is wonderful for me! Thank you for the video!
I am so impressed by your tutorial - you are a natural teacher! In the last few months I was learning knitting, and it may be why I now have a shoulder/arm problem! I thought I would return to crochet to alter my posture etc and have just come across your site - and I can see that there are better ways to hold my hook in particular. I was using the hand holding the hook to also hold the fabric being created and it was not comfortable. I am motivated to practice what you have shown. I am very grateful.
My stepmother taught how to crochet over 43 years ago and she was missing her index finger on her left hand. She was a lefty but during her school years, they made her use her right hand because of their stupid superstition. She used her 3 fingers and let the yarn flow this way. I took again crochet a few years back and I cannot change the habit. I have neurological issues and I don't feel the thickness of the yarn and cannot keep my index up as my brain isn't responding. It's true that my left hand gets tired more easily but I can still crochet for a few hours. The downside also is that the tension is often off. I start pretty good then the gauge is off, so to avoid any frustration, I don't bother with it. I use a tape measure once in a while if I crochet a garment and will change my hook. I buy always a skein more since I am a loose crocheter. Even with the challenges, crocheting keeps me away from pain meds, keeps my brain working and sanity, replaces physical therapy. Thank you Claudine for teaching me the craft. RIP Claudine (1949-2008)
I have been crocheting for over 55 years. I hold my yarn and hook differently. I hold my hook like a pencil and I don’t like the feel of the yarn wrapped around my fingers that way. The success of your crocheting is doing what is comfortable for you.
As a teacher myself, I must tell you that you are a superb teacher!!! I don't know much about crochet yet, but I'll certainly become an expert with you guiding my "stitches." LOL
I have looked at multiple videos about how to hold the yarn and hook and your method is much more natural to me than any of the others. Thank you for your detailed explanation.
Nice, 72 yes RS of crouching and now I'm a hot grandma... Watching my granddaughter with amigurumi animals come out perfect... I'm on UA-cam learning, and learning, and practing. Wow, I'm excited. Your video was excellent, simple, helpful and very well done. THANK YOU
Have crochet off and on for years. Became interested again a couple years ago..The tension has been a struggle, so thank you you for this tutorial. Love your method of teaching
That was very helpful, thank you! I am just learning to crochet, and my foundation chain is always uneven and quite tight. I just tried it holding the yarn in the #1 option and it worked beautifully,! The best my chain has ever looked.
Listen!!! I have been STRUGGLING TO HOLD THIS FLIPPING YARN FOR A WEEK NOW! A WEEK! I finally got a hold of it. You also help me explaining the throat of the needle!!!!!!! Thank you saving and subscribing!!!! I haven’t even finished the video. 😂
This was an AWESOME informative video! I thought there was something wrong with me because it feels so uncomfortable! I have tried to learn from many different people and I just gave up because it felt so uncomfortable...not one person told me this was to be expected...now I feel confident with practice I will eventually get it! Thanks to this video!!
I'm glad I found this. I have been struggling as I watched so many other videos. You spoke my language...slower teaching and explaination of why you do what you do! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would recommend this tutorial to beginners. I know people that are self taught and have their own technique but obviously struggle with the tension as they work and have been coping with the issue . I have watched quite a few training videos that mention the importance of steady tension but havent defined what it is,technically. I know theyre assuming that everyone knows what tension means , were not using yarn in our hands and unravelling stress as we work, creating a headache, stressing out our yarn causing it to become tense haha BUT it helped even ME, and Im a know it all! Thank you , I am about to delve into my brand new grandsons bootie project, with less tension btw. :)
I first learned crochet 40 years ago. Never got past making square things! I learned by wrapping the yarn with my left non-dominant hand! Just picked up crocheting a few months ago and went straight back to the way I first learned. I see these pros crocheting really fast and smooth. Super awkward trying it. Your tutorial is amazing and now I am going to try it again. I see now that I was not moving my ring and middle finger up the chain. That is the key I think. Thank you!!!
I’ve watched sooo many tutorials on this... I’ve asked relatives and friends and by far.... this makes the MOST sense. Thank you. This was a game changer
I’ve been crocheting for a couple of months already and you made me realize that I should be holding the chains as I make them 🤦🏻♀️ I usually have a problem with stretching them and then struggling a bit to pass the hook through sometimes. Glad to see this in my recommended videos. Also I still struggle a little with tension consistency. If I wrap the yarn around my index only, it can get too loose, depending on the yarn type, but if also I wrap it around other fingers, it gets too tight. Usually the most comfortable for me is wrapping it around my middle and index finger, but that doesn’t always work haha. Hope I’ll figure the best way soon.
I have been crocheting for 30 years and the way I hold the yarn depends on the yarn and the project that I am working on. BUT I have never used any of the methods you showed. All of them looked awkward to me. So if anyone is struggling trying these methods, just hold it the way you are comfortable with.
20+ years crocheting and i don't use any of these methods either, i also hold the yarn with my dominant hand with hook in non dom hand. its how i'm comfortable and don't get any cramping! :)
I haven't given it another go yet but THANK YOU!! I haven't been able to get past a slip knot and I've been making some of these mistakes. It makes a bit more sense now :D. Edit: I've definitely improved! Thank you very much!
Thanks so much for this video! You did a fantastic job of clearly breaking down the steps and describing what exactly is meant by tension. I have found it so helpful! Very well done!
Thank you for demonstrating in slow motion so that I can actually see and grasp what it is that you're doing, and what I'm supposed to be doing!! I've watched so many videos where they just go at their regular fast pace and I can't even tell what it is I'm supposed to be doing. I love your style of teaching! Thank you again!
My adhd makes it hard for me to follow other videos because they go fast and give vague explanations. But this was very helpful. You explained different ways, and how but also the why. Thank you so much!
I used the pencil method to hold my hook for many years (don't ask how many :-D ). After watching a LOT of UA-cam tutorials, I noticed how many people used the knife method, so I decided to try it. I discovered that it's a lot more comfortable for me so that's how I do it now. Also, I have been using another variation on how to hold the yarn. It's a lot like how you hold it, but I don't wrap the yarn around my pinky finger. The yarn lays over my pinky, under my ring and middle fingers and over my index finger. That is the way the books showed how to hold the yarn back when I was teaching myself how to crochet. I'll try your way and see if it helps me keep my tension even and get blankets that aren't wider at one end than the other.
So interesting! I've seen people hold the yarn like you do, or did. It's all a matter of finding what works for your hands. About the ends not matching, are you adding stitches as you go or is it a tension issue?
This is a fantastic video. I have been looking at all different kinds of tutorials for beginners and yours is by far the best and most user friendly. Thank you so much for posting this. My hand was cramping up something terrible when I first started, and I was like, "How do people do this all the time?!" Now I understand it and my chains immediately got better. You're a life saver.
Thank you for making that so easy to understand and do. I've been having problems with my tension and didn't realise how badly I was holding the yarn and hook. Thanks a million 🙂
Just bought a set of tension rings. 2 different Peacock 🦚 ones and two of the spring looking ones with 2 holes to thread thru. The Norwegian type I think I saw someone say. So far have tried one Peacock one and I love it. I got them because I am using a very fine #3 acrylic yarn and it is hard to grip and work with. The ring helps so much. Love them.
Im a really beginner.. and the way you hav explained things is simply Osm.. Seen alot of videos.. But UR d BEST teacher any1 wud hav.. Thumbsup... Sucscribed.. Will follow all the other videos. Thanks a TON.
I've come back to this video as a relatively experienced crocheter, because the way I was holding my yarn (your final way you showed) was giving me huge hand strain in my pinky, I was finding it getting really painful after a couple of hours of crochet. I've tried your first method, and it's working fantastically. I'm obviously a lot slower for now but I can sit for much longer. Thanks!
Thank you for a tutorial on just how to hold. excellent tips that helped me solve a few issues i was having. i get he idea of how to yarn over but i was missing how to hold and lacking confidence. you helped me so much
I almost gave up on crochet ... but this tutorial was done so well that it helped me get started. Thank you so very very very much for putting the time in meticulously explaining the steps to get started 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
thank you so much!! it really teaches me alot.. I almost gave up because the yarn is behaving like a strange live snake doing a crazy snake dance T_T now im able to do a few chains.. im going to continue practicing!! Thanks!!!!!! your video is very detailed and very slow and full of explanations with different methods. you are a life saver!!
This video is exactly what I have been trying to find!! The hardest thing for me to do is find someone who can explain how to hold my hands, the yarn and the needle. This is the only video that has addressed this dilemma! It all makes sense now and all that I have to do is practice! Thanks so much. You are a very good teacher.
Wow it is so interesting to see the ways that you can hold the yarn I am a self-taught pushchair I've been crocheting for years on and off and I just found a way to hold my yarn that is most comfortable for me I think trying your methods I would feel weird wrapping them around my finger but I since learning myself I just did it away and that's how I do it and it works for me thank you so much for your videos
The nuns taught me to hold the hook like a pen and it means less twisting of wrist and I hold the yarn same as you. The tension stays right too. It is way faster too.
This was SO helpful thank you! There are so many “beginner” videos but they don’t cater to real noobs like myself who have been holding onto the yarn and forcing it through the loop wrong 😂
This is perfect for my DIL who just expressed interest on learning to crochet. I’m not a good trainer so why reinvent the wheel when professionals like yourself have done it superbly. Shared this with her Yay and thank you 🙏🏼
I have watched many videos and am very excited about something I learned from this one that actually had nothing to do with how to hold the yarn. It was the explanation on how to pull the yarn through the stitch, which is something I have been struggling with. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Thanks for the great video!
Thank you! I hold my yarn the same way you do, but the problem I've been having is that I'm not bringing all of my stitches all the way up to the shaft. Now I need to start a new project and practice the correct way. I can't wait. I'm so grateful for this video.
This should have been the first video I watched as I started learning from UA-cam tutorials. I don't have anyone around who can teach me and I'm tight on money. So I am glad I came across this video and decided to watch it. You teach really well! Thank you!!!
@@ForeverBlissCrochet I agree! I've watched SOOOO many videos and just couldn't get it, I just thought I was thick! You explained it so well and now I can do it. The thing about your video that others failed to explain (at least the ones I watched) is about how you have to move the thread up and down the needle. I was just leaving it at the end and the loop was too tight to pull anything through! Thank you so much.
I have tried to teach a lot of people how to crochet. I have found that I am not good at teaching at all! So I have then tried to find a good tutorial on UA-cam to direct people to. I have just discovered your Chanel and I have just subscribed. I like a lot of tutorials, but you have just become my favorite. You cover every single thing that I take forget to tell people, and adjust everything. BEST TUTORIAL EVER!!! So much of crocheting for me is muscle memory, and I forget to convey it to my students. You are going to be my Go to tutorial from now on! Thank you!!!
+Chickmamapalletfarm Wow! I so appreciate that. I'm thrilled that I can help you teach others. If you have ideas for topics you'd like me to cover, be sure to let me know. I love helping people grow in their skills.
Thank you for the best video ever. I have crocheted like you do for over 40 years. Need a new method since my little finger is numb and the yarn keeps falling off. Grrrr so frustrating. I am definitely going to try today some of your other ways. Thank you again for a very helpful video. Just subscribed.
Thank you so much!!! I have a friend teach me but she had a hard time because she was crocheting too fast. I needed her to show me every move very slowly. It didn't help much because I'm a lefty. Your video helps me a lot! Thanks to you I can crochet again with much success!!!
I have been crocheting off and on for 30 years, because I was self taught I never even thought about yarn holding techniques I still hold my yarn , as I did 30 yrs go, and that is what I call "The Cigarette Hold" on my left hand , as I am right handed, I am not totally sure how I can keep even tension but I DO!!! and it's not too loose , some may say its LITTLE too tight but I am happy with it
I self taught and use that method as well. I always have even tension but feel like I'm doing it wrong because I've never seen a video with someone using that technique. Glad I'm not alone lol.
Just starting and I found your video the most helpful for me. Hadn't any idea how to hold the yarn so that it would flow with consistent tension. Now to practice, practice!
It is much easier and eliminates problems if the yarn threads through all of the fingers (held loosely) so that the thread ends up coming across the top of the index finger. This avoids any hanging up by anchoring on the little finger most especially if the hand sweats and wets the yarn. Something I learned as a full-service Beauty Operator from a physiologist, and for the purpose of cosmetic application, is that the pinky finger is much, much stronger than we imagine, or know, it is. The point is, not to dab any eye creams on the delicate eye area with that finger. It's the middle finger, actually, that is the gentlest and most accurate at fine details for any application. The index finger is very strong, a workhorse, if you will, the ring finger is completely subordinate to the middle finger - can't really seem to operate without it, and it's a little too uncoordinated for fine work, compared to the middle finger. So, back to the strength of the pinky finger... Anchoring yarn there, plus the fact that people tend to curl in that pinky finger when they are working with other fingers, makes that a very bad idea. Not to mention the fact of how tight it'll get, wrapped completely around that single-digit. Weaving through all fingers gives proper tension without any effort or accidental gripping. Keep it threaded mostly around the middle joint of the fingers. If you find you need a little more tension, you can tuck it in closer to the hand at the pinky finger. The people that use the single or double wrap on the index finger only comic release yarn by unwrapping the finger and adjust the bend of the wrist to still hold tension in a triangle between that andholding the fabric they're making, and the loop on the hook. I call it the Tension Triangle, however you weave the yarn through your fingers, or around a single digit this is a better method than twisting it around your pinky... but you get irregularity in the size of your stitches.
thanks so much, a lot of the other videos I watched seemed to gloss over little steps I was missing but this was just what I was missing! Thanks for being so informative
Very easy to follow this will help a lot, my grandma tried for years to help me but I had my own way, unfortunately it made cramps in my fingers. Now I need a new way! Thanks
Method number one is the method my mother taught me over 50 years ago and the method that I see used most. It is always interesting to watch UA-cam tutorials where others are trying to maintain decent tension on their yarn using different styles that appear so awkward. Some appear to be rubbing the skin off the knuckles of their index finger with the crochet hook! Ouch! I guess I’m just old-fashioned and find the old way to be the best way.
So funny. I am left handed...but only to write. I learned everything else in life, right handed. Scissors, golfing, hitting a softball, and....crocheting. I am somewhat ambidextrous. I never even knew there was a left va right crochet. Haha. Thank you for the info!
I'm a knitter who sometimes crochets. Since I don't practice crochet that often I haven't developed a lot of the finer points that can make a good crocheter. Also, your filming and editing are excellent. I hate videos with outside noise, pets, sharing personal info. Great videos
Thanks so much. I went to my first workshop the other day and it was too fast for me to pick up. You really do explain the basics, I didn't even notice the different width in the hook I was using. Thank you!!!!!
+Chunn. I personally don't but a good resource would be local yarn stores in your area. The Crochet Guild of America also publishes a list of local guild chapters who are dedicated to teaching crochet. Find them at www.crochet.org/?ChapterList
today was literally the first day i picked up a crochet hook with yarn. ive watched numerous videos and practically wanted to give up. my hands were all over the place, cramped up, the hook kept flying across the room, beads spilled everywhere, the dog barked at the ball of yarn lol etc. anyhow, you my love, made this process simple. not only was your video easy to watch but you explained it so slowly and comprehensive! i am excited to try making a bracelet with beads tonight!...now, can you show me how to make a loop for my button? : )
+russian dressing I'm so glad I could help! As for the button loop, you have 2 options - a hole in the fabric for the button to go through or a loop coming off the fabric that secures around the button. For the first, determine how big the hole needs to be. It's usually the number of stitches that make up half the button circumference but you might want to make some swatches and experiment. Instead of making stitches there, make the same number of chains instead. When you come back to that spot on the next row, make your new stitches in the chains just like you would for a foundation row. Voila! Button hole :) For the second, when you get to the spot where you want the button to attach, make a chain (length will be determined by size of button so experiment with this too). Then slip knot to base of chain to make the loop. Keep stitching as usual. Hope that is clear enough and helps!! :)
For years I croched with my hook in the pen position. Then started having issues with my hand going numb. I switched to the knife position and now I can crochet again.
I've been teaching myself to crochet for nearly two years through videos and magazines and your videos are so informative and user friendly, BUT, I just can't keep my index finger upright to create that space. I do hold my yarn the way you do but no matter how hard I concentrate, that finger just keeps falling back to hold onto the yarn I've just crocheted. So although it works fine for me, it does look a tad wrong. Who would have thought one finger would have a mind of it's own LOL
+Kat M 😂 You are not alone. It is an unusual thing for your hand to have to learn. If it doesn't work, that's okay. As long as you keep consistent tension, whatever you come up with is just fine.
Thank you for sharing this technique ❣️ this is the way I was taught to hold hook and yarn and I have not changed since I started years ago🤩👍🏻💖 excellent video BTW 😍💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
I've been learning how to crochet. And definitely have more issues than vogue magazine learning how to hold my hook and yarn. As I have been getting the patterns down. You are giving me HELP I need for this. I laughed hard when you said I don't need to be motions of crazy with stitching. That's me all the way🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The whole point is to learn how to hold the yarn, 4 different ways in fact. then she picks up the hook to show 2 ways to hold the hook. For beginners this is a great video.
Finally someone who holds it like I do!! So many others hold it like a pencil and that’s just NOT comfortable for me. Thank you.!
Thank you! 65 yo male, retired, looking for a hobby. ;-)
Great!!
Excellent points. I am self-taught and have been crocheting for 15 years. I have tried all of the book-proscribed ways of holding yarn/thread (thread is my preferred medium), and I always go back to what works for me. Two years ago I entered a half-dozen pieces in my very small county fair and won blue ribbons. This year I entered only three pieces and was invited to send my work to the state fair with three county blue ribbons (too bad I didn't see the invitation and who to call until the day after I picked up my work at the end of the fair). I think it makes little difference if we hold our work and hook in the book-proscribed manner. Whatever method gives you consistent tension and uniformly consistent stitches is what matters. I have practiced one book proscribed method with yarn and can get relatively good tension, but I cannot (nor do I need to try) achieve similar results in thread crochet. My self-taught method serves me well and I will not be swayed from it.
I just need the dang the yarn to stay in place on my dang index finger.
And how to do it over and over while making loops
Use your pinky finger to stabilize the yarn :)
Me too! And I do use the pinky. So frustrating at times
You want the yarn to stay put yet slide too! It is hard to get the hang of but once you do it’s like a bulb goes on and you go, “ Wow, it’s so simple, why was I making it so complicated?!?” The reward is a lifetime of learning and creating beautiful art.
Practice makes perfect. Don’t give up
I taught myself how to crochet. I have never held my hook in either of the ways you show or my yarn. It’s a matter of comfort for everyone. I have carpal tunnel so I have come up with what’s easier for me. I had a lady tell me there is no wrong way or right way. If your work comes out right that’s what matters!
You are right. There is no right or wrong way. I even say that in the video. Consistent tension is the key. However you choose to do it is up to you. What I show is the most common ways and is intended to help those just starting out.
I agree and I have read that in many crochet books that there is no right or wrong way to hold the hook. When I started crocheting again after some years my stitches were tight but as I went on my tension loosened up.
Forever Bliss Crochet I agree-I saw you involving the pinkie and was like whaaaa? I’ve been crocheting for around 45 years and only use my index and middle finger, and it looks funny w my index finger always pointing out! But since I’m older and have messed up hands from the computer. When my hands get sore my way, I will try these!! Thanks.
Exactly I'm trying to self teach myself to knit and I'm struggling my stitches are to tight or get tangled and having trouble figuring out the best way to hold the yarn. Help if you have any tips! Thank you and lvor your video!
I taught myself to crochet no troubles at all knitting is a whole other ball game! Thank you !
What an excellent tutorial, thank you! I am a complete newbie at crochet and am practicing a lot. I did my first "row" a few nights ago and never laughed so hard at myself, I felt so inept LOL! BUT, I do believe practice makes perfect and I'm determined to learn! I like to sew and the tension with crochet reminds me of the tension on my sewing machine - you have to keep it taut but not tight - but with sewing the machine takes care of that LOL! Having fun so far with crochet!
I am returning to crochet after more than 50 years! Your video was the absolute BEST for getting me back into the swing of things .... extremely clear and precise. Well Done, You!
Easy to follow. Not as complicated as others for beginners. You don’t assume we know anything which we don’t! Great video! Good teacher.
This is the best video I've seen on how to hold the hook and yarn! I was getting so frustrated but now there is hope! :) thank you!
Yay! Glad I could help 😊
This is the best video for beginners and people like me who are trying to refresh and are self-taught. I found a easier way to hold my yarn in my arthritic hands from this video. It's much easier on my hands to do it the way you do. I'm so happy I found it.
Great! 😊 Glad this was helpful
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I can definitely tell you teach crochet as you answer the questions of us new to crochet.
Holding the yarn is very awkward. The very first stitch is ok, but after that the yarn is loose and that's my stopping place.
I'm excited to apply your teaching 😁
Thanks again!
Thank you so much❤
Oh my goodness I’m so glad this popped up on my suggested videos. I have been crocheting or knitting for 35+ years. I know how to do it but to try to show my 11-year-old granddaughter how to hold the hook and yarn has been so hard she wants to learn to crochet. With all the stores close for the virus quarantine I couldn’t even take her into a class. So I’m hoping she can watch this and do it. Thank you so very much
You are so awesome. Last summer (I teach), I tried to teach myself to crochet looking at different tutorials. I could never get my chain stitch to look okay. Well, this summer I found you and I am so happy. I could never figure out the tension but, the way you hold your hook is so comfortable for me! Thank you, thank you! I think I can do this now!
Good instruction! I learned how to knit continental style when I was about 10 yrs old. It made the transition to crochet very easy and is basically the same as this demo. My only exception is that I hold the hook pencil style and it's worked well for me for fifty yrs. P.s. I make tension adjustments for different yarns as well.
Thank you, you’re a great teacher. I was losing confidence a little lol you saved me
Same here!
You are a wonderful teacher. I've been trying to master crochet forever and I always find the holding of the yarn and hook difficult. I can't tell you have many times I have tried and failed and then I found you. In 10 seconds I had got it held that is comfortable for me and that's the first method. Thank you so much for this informative video and sharing with me the mystery . If not for this video another ball of wool would have been thrown across the room in frustration. Thank you, thank you, thank you :)
Love your method of holding the yarn. I have arthritis in the fingers of my left hand and cannot squeeze the yarn tightly, so the way you actually crochet is wonderful for me! Thank you for the video!
I am so impressed by your tutorial - you are a natural teacher!
In the last few months I was learning knitting, and it may be why I now have a shoulder/arm problem! I thought I would return to crochet to alter my posture etc and have just come across your site - and I can see that there are better ways to hold my hook in particular.
I was using the hand holding the hook to also hold the fabric being created and it was not comfortable. I am motivated to practice what you have shown. I am very grateful.
My stepmother taught how to crochet over 43 years ago and she was missing her index finger on her left hand. She was a lefty but during her school years, they made her use her right hand because of their stupid superstition. She used her 3 fingers and let the yarn flow this way.
I took again crochet a few years back and I cannot change the habit. I have neurological issues and I don't feel the thickness of the yarn and cannot keep my index up as my brain isn't responding. It's true that my left hand gets tired more easily but I can still crochet for a few hours.
The downside also is that the tension is often off. I start pretty good then the gauge is off, so to avoid any frustration, I don't bother with it.
I use a tape measure once in a while if I crochet a garment and will change my hook. I buy always a skein more since I am a loose crocheter.
Even with the challenges, crocheting keeps me away from pain meds, keeps my brain working and sanity, replaces physical therapy.
Thank you Claudine for teaching me the craft. RIP Claudine (1949-2008)
I have been crocheting for over 55 years. I hold my yarn and hook differently. I hold my hook like a pencil and I don’t like the feel of the yarn wrapped around my fingers that way. The success of your crocheting is doing what is comfortable for you.
I don't do any of that winding around my fingers. Way too complicated. Also, like you, I hold the hook like a pencil.
As a teacher myself, I must tell you that you are a superb teacher!!! I don't know much about crochet yet, but I'll certainly become an expert with you guiding my "stitches." LOL
I have looked at multiple videos about how to hold the yarn and hook and your method is much more natural to me than any of the others. Thank you for your detailed explanation.
This video was a HUGE HELP I have watched over 5 different videos and this one helped me!! TYSM
Nice, 72 yes RS of crouching and now I'm a hot grandma... Watching my granddaughter with amigurumi animals come out perfect... I'm on UA-cam learning, and learning, and practing. Wow, I'm excited. Your video was excellent, simple, helpful and very well done. THANK YOU
+Kathleen Prados Oh, how wonderful! You are never too old to learn. You are an inspiration! I'm so glad you found my channel. 😊
Have crochet off and on for years. Became interested again a couple years ago..The tension has been a struggle, so thank you you for this tutorial. Love your method of teaching
That was very helpful, thank you! I am just learning to crochet, and my foundation chain is always uneven and quite tight. I just tried it holding the yarn in the #1 option and it worked beautifully,! The best my chain has ever looked.
You my lady are an excellent instructor. Thank you for such precise video and technique. Bless you always!
Listen!!! I have been STRUGGLING TO HOLD THIS FLIPPING YARN FOR A WEEK NOW! A WEEK! I finally got a hold of it. You also help me explaining the throat of the needle!!!!!!! Thank you saving and subscribing!!!!
I haven’t even finished the video. 😂
This was an AWESOME informative video! I thought there was something wrong with me because it feels so uncomfortable! I have tried to learn from many different people and I just gave up because it felt so uncomfortable...not one person told me this was to be expected...now I feel confident with practice I will eventually get it! Thanks to this video!!
I'm glad I found this. I have been struggling as I watched so many other videos. You spoke my language...slower teaching and explaination of why you do what you do! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This person is always the most informative and easiest to understand. I love this channel.
Thank you so much. I appreciate this comment. 😊
All the vidoes I’ve watched over the week. You really explained things ALOT clearer for me! And it made sense what I was doing wrong! THANK YOU!
I would recommend this tutorial to beginners. I know people that are self taught and have their own technique but obviously struggle with the tension as they work and have been coping with the issue . I have watched quite a few training videos that mention the importance of steady tension but havent defined what it is,technically. I know theyre assuming that everyone knows what tension means , were not using yarn in our hands and unravelling stress as we work, creating a headache, stressing out our yarn causing it to become tense haha BUT it helped even ME, and Im a know it all! Thank you , I am about to delve into my brand new grandsons bootie project, with less tension btw. :)
😊 I’m glad this helped.
I first learned crochet 40 years ago. Never got past making square things! I learned by wrapping the yarn with my left non-dominant hand! Just picked up crocheting a few months ago and went straight back to the way I first learned. I see these pros crocheting really fast and smooth. Super awkward trying it.
Your tutorial is amazing and now I am going to try it again. I see now that I was not moving my ring and middle finger up the chain. That is the key I think.
Thank you!!!
I’ve watched sooo many tutorials on this... I’ve asked relatives and friends and by far.... this makes the MOST sense. Thank you. This was a game changer
I’ve been crocheting for a couple of months already and you made me realize that I should be holding the chains as I make them 🤦🏻♀️ I usually have a problem with stretching them and then struggling a bit to pass the hook through sometimes. Glad to see this in my recommended videos.
Also I still struggle a little with tension consistency. If I wrap the yarn around my index only, it can get too loose, depending on the yarn type, but if also I wrap it around other fingers, it gets too tight. Usually the most comfortable for me is wrapping it around my middle and index finger, but that doesn’t always work haha. Hope I’ll figure the best way soon.
this explained it to me in a way that other videos just couldn't, thank you so much!
I have been crocheting for 30 years and the way I hold the yarn depends on the yarn and the project that I am working on. BUT I have never used any of the methods you showed. All of them looked awkward to me. So if anyone is struggling trying these methods, just hold it the way you are comfortable with.
Please mention or start your crochet youtube channel. 30 YEARS IS A LONG TIME.
20+ years crocheting and i don't use any of these methods either, i also hold the yarn with my dominant hand with hook in non dom hand. its how i'm comfortable and don't get any cramping! :)
Great video. Super helpful and I learned a LOT. You're a great teacher. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Thank you so much, if I could give two thumbs up I would. Finally the tension is just right and my hand doesn’t get tired
I haven't given it another go yet but THANK YOU!! I haven't been able to get past a slip knot and I've been making some of these mistakes. It makes a bit more sense now :D.
Edit: I've definitely improved! Thank you very much!
Thanks so much for this video! You did a fantastic job of clearly breaking down the steps and describing what exactly is meant by tension. I have found it so helpful! Very well done!
Thank you for demonstrating in slow motion so that I can actually see and grasp what it is that you're doing, and what I'm supposed to be doing!! I've watched so many videos where they just go at their regular fast pace and I can't even tell what it is I'm supposed to be doing. I love your style of teaching! Thank you again!
Great! Thank you so much. I'm glad this was helpful.
My adhd makes it hard for me to follow other videos because they go fast and give vague explanations. But this was very helpful. You explained different ways, and how but also the why. Thank you so much!
Click on upper right on screen (touch screen on phone) settings allow u to slow down the speed. Also click on CC for captions
Old video but oooo girl this helped so much, I have been trying to hold the yarn for hours haha. I understand some stitches but I could not hold it!!
I used the pencil method to hold my hook for many years (don't ask how many :-D ). After watching a LOT of UA-cam tutorials, I noticed how many people used the knife method, so I decided to try it. I discovered that it's a lot more comfortable for me so that's how I do it now. Also, I have been using another variation on how to hold the yarn. It's a lot like how you hold it, but I don't wrap the yarn around my pinky finger. The yarn lays over my pinky, under my ring and middle fingers and over my index finger. That is the way the books showed how to hold the yarn back when I was teaching myself how to crochet. I'll try your way and see if it helps me keep my tension even and get blankets that aren't wider at one end than the other.
So interesting! I've seen people hold the yarn like you do, or did. It's all a matter of finding what works for your hands. About the ends not matching, are you adding stitches as you go or is it a tension issue?
Michelle Carmichael I
This is a fantastic video. I have been looking at all different kinds of tutorials for beginners and yours is by far the best and most user friendly. Thank you so much for posting this. My hand was cramping up something terrible when I first started, and I was like, "How do people do this all the time?!" Now I understand it and my chains immediately got better. You're a life saver.
Wonderful! 😊 I’m glad this was so helpful.
Thank you for making that so easy to understand and do. I've been having problems with my tension and didn't realise how badly I was holding the yarn and hook. Thanks a million 🙂
+Helen Fitzgerald Fabulous! I'm so glad this video helped you. 😊
Just bought a set of tension rings. 2 different Peacock 🦚 ones and two of the spring looking ones with 2 holes to thread thru. The Norwegian type I think I saw someone say. So far have tried one Peacock one and I love it. I got them because I am using a very fine #3 acrylic yarn and it is hard to grip and work with. The ring helps so much. Love them.
Im a really beginner.. and the way you hav explained things is simply Osm.. Seen alot of videos.. But UR d BEST teacher any1 wud hav.. Thumbsup... Sucscribed.. Will follow all the other videos.
Thanks a TON.
Best video on holding yarn and hook. So detailed and easy to follow. Thank you!
Very satisfying to watch this. I make a lot of the mistakes you spelt out, and I was happy to see the correct way to do things.
I've come back to this video as a relatively experienced crocheter, because the way I was holding my yarn (your final way you showed) was giving me huge hand strain in my pinky, I was finding it getting really painful after a couple of hours of crochet. I've tried your first method, and it's working fantastically. I'm obviously a lot slower for now but I can sit for much longer. Thanks!
+Cheryl Williamson I'm so glad I could help! How has your crochet been going the last couple of months? Is your speed and consistency better?
Thank you for a tutorial on just how to hold. excellent tips that helped me solve a few issues i was having. i get he idea of how to yarn over but i was missing how to hold and lacking confidence. you helped me so much
This has helped...immensely!!! :) I hated how tight my stitches were and it's amazing how just a couple changes helps!
+Stitcherlady xx I know, right? The smallest things can make such a big difference. I'm so glad I could help!
I almost gave up on crochet ... but this tutorial was done so well that it helped me get started. Thank you so very very very much for putting the time in meticulously explaining the steps to get started 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Glad it was so helpful!
thank you so much!! it really teaches me alot.. I almost gave up because the yarn is behaving like a strange live snake doing a crazy snake dance T_T now im able to do a few chains.. im going to continue practicing!! Thanks!!!!!! your video is very detailed and very slow and full of explanations with different methods. you are a life saver!!
+Pris cilla I'm so glad I could help! How has your crochet been going lately?
This video is exactly what I have been trying to find!! The hardest thing for me to do is find someone who can explain how to hold my hands, the yarn and the needle. This is the only video that has addressed this dilemma! It all makes sense now and all that I have to do is practice! Thanks so much. You are a very good teacher.
+Pam Singletary Thank you so much. I’m glad you found it so helpful 😊
Wow it is so interesting to see the ways that you can hold the yarn I am a self-taught pushchair I've been crocheting for years on and off and I just found a way to hold my yarn that is most comfortable for me I think trying your methods I would feel weird wrapping them around my finger but I since learning myself I just did it away and that's how I do it and it works for me thank you so much for your videos
How to double crochet for beginners
The nuns taught me to hold the hook like a pen and it means less twisting of wrist and I hold the yarn same as you. The tension stays right too. It is way faster too.
This was SO helpful thank you! There are so many “beginner” videos but they don’t cater to real noobs like myself who have been holding onto the yarn and forcing it through the loop wrong 😂
Fellow Noob here. 😆
Same here😅😅
sooooo helpful!! my stitches are sooo tight. thank you for all the tips! 🤍
Trying to learn from the various You Tube videos. This was the most overall helpful for me at my still, very early point of learning. Thank you.
+Diane Spears Thank you so much. I'm glad it was such a big help!
This is perfect for my DIL who just expressed interest on learning to crochet. I’m not a good trainer so why reinvent the wheel when professionals like yourself have done it superbly. Shared this with her Yay and thank you 🙏🏼
I have watched many videos and am very excited about something I learned from this one that actually had nothing to do with how to hold the yarn. It was the explanation on how to pull the yarn through the stitch, which is something I have been struggling with. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Thanks for the great video!
Thank you! I hold my yarn the same way you do, but the problem I've been having is that I'm not bringing all of my stitches all the way up to the shaft. Now I need to start a new project and practice the correct way. I can't wait. I'm so grateful for this video.
This should have been the first video I watched as I started learning from UA-cam tutorials. I don't have anyone around who can teach me and I'm tight on money. So I am glad I came across this video and decided to watch it. You teach really well! Thank you!!!
I'm glad this was so helpful 😊
@@ForeverBlissCrochet I agree! I've watched SOOOO many videos and just couldn't get it, I just thought I was thick! You explained it so well and now I can do it. The thing about your video that others failed to explain (at least the ones I watched) is about how you have to move the thread up and down the needle. I was just leaving it at the end and the loop was too tight to pull anything through! Thank you so much.
I have tried to teach a lot of people how to crochet. I have found that I am not good at teaching at all! So I have then tried to find a good tutorial on UA-cam to direct people to. I have just discovered your Chanel and I have just subscribed. I like a lot of tutorials, but you have just become my favorite. You cover every single thing that I take forget to tell people, and adjust everything. BEST TUTORIAL EVER!!! So much of crocheting for me is muscle memory, and I forget to convey it to my students. You are going to be my Go to tutorial from now on! Thank you!!!
+Chickmamapalletfarm Wow! I so appreciate that. I'm thrilled that I can help you teach others. If you have ideas for topics you'd like me to cover, be sure to let me know. I love helping people grow in their skills.
Thank you for the best video ever. I have crocheted like you do for over 40 years. Need a new method since my little finger is numb and the yarn keeps falling off. Grrrr so frustrating. I am definitely going to try today some of your other ways. Thank you again for a very helpful video. Just subscribed.
Thank you so much!!! I have a friend teach me but she had a hard time because she was crocheting too fast. I needed her to show me every move very slowly. It didn't help much because I'm a lefty.
Your video helps me a lot! Thanks to you I can crochet again with much success!!!
Wonderful!
Thank You. I just started and have trouble holding my yarn . Thanks for showing me a better way .
You're welcome 😊
I have been crocheting off and on for 30 years, because I was self taught I never even thought about yarn holding techniques I still hold my yarn , as I did 30 yrs go, and that is what I call "The Cigarette Hold" on my left hand , as I am right handed, I am not totally sure how I can keep even tension but I DO!!! and it's not too loose , some may say its LITTLE too tight but I am happy with it
It's amazing how we seem to find a way that works for us. No way is wrong as long as you stitches come out beautiful! :)
Angela Bailey I wish I could see that. It sounds so unusual to me.
I self taught and use that method as well. I always have even tension but feel like I'm doing it wrong because I've never seen a video with someone using that technique. Glad I'm not alone lol.
Beginner- thank you for showing how to hold the yarn. I like the 1st hold. 🙌🏻
This is the best instructional beginner crochet video ever! Will rewatch - awesome ! I’ve paid for other video lessons, but this is by far the best.
Thank you! 😊
This video was awesome, just the type of instruction I needed. I'm new to crochet and , I was having difficulty pulling thru in one motion.. Thank you
+dylanyin4 You are so welcome!! I also have a beginning mini course that you would enjoy. Happy crocheting!!
Just starting and I found your video the most helpful for me. Hadn't any idea how to hold the yarn so that it would flow with consistent tension. Now to practice, practice!
You got it! Practice, practice, practice. It will become natural in no time. Enjoy the journey. :)
It is much easier and eliminates problems if the yarn threads through all of the fingers (held loosely) so that the thread ends up coming across the top of the index finger. This avoids any hanging up by anchoring on the little finger most especially if the hand sweats and wets the yarn. Something I learned as a full-service Beauty Operator from a physiologist, and for the purpose of cosmetic application, is that the pinky finger is much, much stronger than we imagine, or know, it is. The point is, not to dab any eye creams on the delicate eye area with that finger. It's the middle finger, actually, that is the gentlest and most accurate at fine details for any application. The index finger is very strong, a workhorse, if you will, the ring finger is completely subordinate to the middle finger - can't really seem to operate without it, and it's a little too uncoordinated for fine work, compared to the middle finger. So, back to the strength of the pinky finger...
Anchoring yarn there, plus the fact that people tend to curl in that pinky finger when they are working with other fingers, makes that a very bad idea. Not to mention the fact of how tight it'll get, wrapped completely around that single-digit. Weaving through all fingers gives proper tension without any effort or accidental gripping. Keep it threaded mostly around the middle joint of the fingers. If you find you need a little more tension, you can tuck it in closer to the hand at the pinky finger.
The people that use the single or double wrap on the index finger only comic release yarn by unwrapping the finger and adjust the bend of the wrist to still hold tension in a triangle between that andholding the fabric they're making, and the loop on the hook. I call it the Tension Triangle, however you weave the yarn through your fingers, or around a single digit this is a better method than twisting it around your pinky... but you get irregularity in the size of your stitches.
Wow just getting into crochet and have watched several and you do you the best job of illustrating! Thank you
+Gina Jackson Thank you so much! I'm enjoy making these videos for people to learn by. Glad they are helping you. :)
thanks so much, a lot of the other videos I watched seemed to gloss over little steps I was missing but this was just what I was missing! Thanks for being so informative
You're welcome! I appreciate detailed instructional videos too. I'm so glad this has helped you! :)
This is hands down (no pun intended) the best video explaining the hows and whys of tension. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
+Debbie DiNoto You are so welcome! Thank you for the compliment. :)
Very easy to follow this will help a lot, my grandma tried for years to help me but I had my own way, unfortunately it made cramps in my fingers. Now I need a new way! Thanks
Method number one is the method my mother taught me over 50 years ago and the method that I see used most. It is always interesting to watch UA-cam tutorials where others are trying to maintain decent tension on their yarn using different styles that appear so awkward. Some appear to be rubbing the skin off the knuckles of their index finger with the crochet hook! Ouch! I guess I’m just old-fashioned and find the old way to be the best way.
Thank you for your tutorial and I found it thorough in regards to tension and a gap needed for a stitch.
Very helpful video! Clear and easy to follow instructions 🧶 Thank you for sharing 🌸🌸
So funny. I am left handed...but only to write. I learned everything else in life, right handed. Scissors, golfing, hitting a softball, and....crocheting. I am somewhat ambidextrous. I never even knew there was a left va right crochet. Haha. Thank you for the info!
Yes there is. I am ambidextrous in everything I do including writing, crocheting etc.
Thank you this is the best beginner hand holding video I have seen. Sending a thanks @Anvisgranny's for sharing your video with me.
I'm a knitter who sometimes crochets. Since I don't practice crochet that often I haven't developed a lot of the finer points that can make a good crocheter.
Also, your filming and editing are excellent. I hate videos with outside noise, pets, sharing personal info. Great videos
Wow This is So Helpful 👏 I started today, & made a mess! Now this is helping so much!!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much. I went to my first workshop the other day and it was too fast for me to pick up. You really do explain the basics, I didn't even notice the different width in the hook I was using. Thank you!!!!!
+Abi Carless I'm so glad I could help!
:)
+Forever Bliss Crochet do you know anyone who teaches in kentucky
+Chunn. I personally don't but a good resource would be local yarn stores in your area. The Crochet Guild of America also publishes a list of local guild chapters who are dedicated to teaching crochet. Find them at www.crochet.org/?ChapterList
This REALLY helps me! I was struggling so bad with the yarn tension and the hook kept slipping on me. Thank you!
😊You’re welcome
today was literally the first day i picked up a crochet hook with yarn. ive watched numerous videos and practically wanted to give up. my hands were all over the place, cramped up, the hook kept flying across the room, beads spilled everywhere, the dog barked at the ball of yarn lol etc.
anyhow, you my love, made this process simple. not only was your video easy to watch but you explained it so slowly and comprehensive!
i am excited to try making a bracelet with beads tonight!...now, can you show me how to make a loop for my button? : )
+russian dressing I'm so glad I could help! As for the button loop, you have 2 options - a hole in the fabric for the button to go through or a loop coming off the fabric that secures around the button. For the first, determine how big the hole needs to be. It's usually the number of stitches that make up half the button circumference but you might want to make some swatches and experiment. Instead of making stitches there, make the same number of chains instead. When you come back to that spot on the next row, make your new stitches in the chains just like you would for a foundation row. Voila! Button hole :) For the second, when you get to the spot where you want the button to attach, make a chain (length will be determined by size of button so experiment with this too). Then slip knot to base of chain to make the loop. Keep stitching as usual. Hope that is clear enough and helps!! :)
For years I croched with my hook in the pen position. Then started having issues with my hand going numb. I switched to the knife position and now I can crochet again.
The knife position is so much easier :) I use an ergo hook and twist it with my pointer and thumb = zero wrist movement.
I've been teaching myself to crochet for nearly two years through videos and magazines and your videos are so informative and user friendly, BUT, I just can't keep my index finger upright to create that space. I do hold my yarn the way you do but no matter how hard I concentrate, that finger just keeps falling back to hold onto the yarn I've just crocheted. So although it works fine for me, it does look a tad wrong. Who would have thought one finger would have a mind of it's own LOL
+Kat M 😂 You are not alone. It is an unusual thing for your hand to have to learn. If it doesn't work, that's okay. As long as you keep consistent tension, whatever you come up with is just fine.
Thank you for sharing this technique ❣️ this is the way I was taught to hold hook and yarn and I have not changed since I started years ago🤩👍🏻💖 excellent video BTW 😍💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
I've been learning how to crochet. And definitely have more issues than vogue magazine learning how to hold my hook and yarn. As I have been getting the patterns down. You are giving me HELP I need for this. I laughed hard when you said I don't need to be motions of crazy with stitching. That's me all the way🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I subscribed
+Denise DeMise That's hilarious. I'm so glad this video helped you. 😊
Thank you SO much for teaching me the right way- for me & explaining everything so well!
You are so welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful. :)
Thank you for this video. It has helped me understand holding yarn better.
Thank you l found second way helps me better as l am a new crocheter greetings from Greece.
Great! Wonderful to meet you 😊
This is a very instructif video. Thank you very much
The whole point is to learn how to hold the yarn, 4 different ways in fact. then she picks up the hook to show 2 ways to hold the hook. For beginners this is a great video.