Am I Holding the Hook Correctly?

[Miss Moosey]

Hi all!

I am a knitter who recently discovered how to crochet through crocheting a border on a knitted project. But I got hooked ! I just bought a book on crochet and I am crocheting my first project. However, I don't hold the hook the way the book says to. I knit English style, holding the yarn in my right hand. I hold my crochet hook and yarn the same way as I hold my knitting needle and the yarn. So far it's been working for me. Is this at all correct? Is there a better way?

Thanks
Rebecca

[catlvr]

I don't think there is a right or wrong way as long as you're comfortable with it. I hold mine like a pencil and don't have any problems with tension, gauge etc. Whatever works for you is fine as far as I'm concerned. Good luck in your new endeavor!!

[katknit]

There's a thread about this on the CrochetMe site. It's about half and half, some who hold like a pencil and some like a knife. I hold mine the same way you do.

[Lisa_H-Town]

I agree with above - what ever is comfortable, but the one thing I do switch is how I hold my yarn... I knit English as well and hold my yarn in my right hand... but I hold my yarn with my left hand when I crochet. But, it's just what works for me....

[sakura-panda]

I agree with everybody else. It's whatever works best for you.

I have been told, "I've never seen anyone hold a needle like that" and "I don't know where you learned that because that isn't how I hold my needle". (That second one is from my mom, who taught me to crochet.)

I hold my yarn in my left hand, I'm not sure how I hold the needle in my right. I can picture it, but what I can't picture is how I hold my knitting needle. (I'm still a new knitter, lol) I'm too embarrassed to grab a couple of pens while I'm sitting here at work.

Let's say I hold them the same way. My knitting instructor did say I took to it pretty quickly and she thought it might have been because I had "previous yarn experience".

[MaleKnitter]

I have never met a crocheter who held the yarn in the same hand as their hook. That must be very slow.
I am a continental knitter, and I hold the yarn the same way when I crochet as when I knit. And I hold my hook like a knife.
This is how it is most comfortable for me.
But I would very strongly suggest you hold your yarn in your left hand when you crochet (I would also suggest it for knitting, but not as strongly)
otherwise, your crocheted fabric will grow very slowly.
Other than that, whatever is most comfortable is the usually the best choice.

[KnittinMitchie]

I am a left handed crocheter and hold my hook like a knife. The yarn is in my right hand. I knit English since I'm used to the yarn in my right hand. I am a fast crocheter and a good knitter.

[Cindicator]

I agree that I don't think there is a "correct" way to hold your hook. I hold mine kind of knife like. However, I hold my knitting needles in a strange manner---it works though, and that's all that really matters.

[tripletmomma]

I'm a lefty so I hold my hook in my left and like a pencil & yarn comes from the right. My MIL learned to crochet from a righty (she's also a lefty) & she holds her hook like a knife but she hooks all funny to me. She uses her right hand to put the yarn onto the hook which is facing up. Actually now that I've started knitting I understand a little better where she got that method from. I have no idea what way I knit, I use my left hand to control the yarn & follow patterns as though my left hand was a right hand (if that makes any sense?) I was afraid to use my right hand to control the yarn since the how to booklet I have says you should use your right hand to hold the yarn & I flip that around

[noratasha]

I teach a basic crochet class where I work....there's no real right or wrong way...it's pure comfort!!!! Have fun!!!