Crochet

Agus - yes, whatever happened to doilies?
I will now have yet another go at crochet. I always seem to be all thumbs when I try. A couple of years ago, my DS and partner gave me 'Crochet for Dummies' for Christmas. It's still on the bookshelf...

That sounds easier than following instructions in a book Galen. Apart from the ubiquitous squares that even GD's dollies are wrapped in I once made doilies from circles of curtain lining and some fine white cotton embroidery thread. Not much call for them now though

I am left handed as was my mother but she always knitted right handed, because I suspect when she was at school it was encouraged. She taught me to knit in the same way and I've never found it awkward but just a new skill like any other. My sister on the other hand was left handed and used to knit left handed until she re-taught herself to knit right handed.

I do crochet left handed though and taught myself from a book with right handed directions. There are good instructions for crocheting left handed on youtube which I have referred to if I get confused with right handed instructions.

Knitting and crochet are skills for life and I'm so glad it's something I can pick up when I like.

There are some cheap, basic books on knitting and crochet. I bought a couple from The Works but I have seen some in Aldi too. My grand daughter has been able to follow the simple pictures in these. I know this does not answer the left handed question but may help other Nans who are teaching their grand children.

AgusMikey* has loads of different stitches and techniques on his videos,

I find it very hard to show anyone else how to do these things. When you have been doing it for years it just comes naturally. Someone once wanted me to show them how I knit so fast (the technique of never taking your fingers off the needles) and I really could not do it - I turned my brain inside out trying to think how I did it. I could not even remember who taught me.

I have tried to interest my only old enough GD in sewing etc and she just does not have the patience. She will do a bit of a child's tapestry for about 5 minutes then she is off - she is 9. I am so envious of those of you who can share these things with your GC.

I taught GD1 to knit when she was seven. Gd2 who is 5 wants to get involved when we are knitting so as she is left handed I will have her sit opposite me and do as you advise Brenda

I will also have a look at the FB link you mention Galen. I might even learn how to do a few more crochet stitches to add to the basic one I have used for years.

The 'crochet crowd' on face book is run by 'Mikey' who does video tutortials including left handed ones.

Sit her opposite you and get her to copy . I'm very left handed and have used this method to teach right handed people. For left handed crochet you hold the yarn in the right hand as you do for knitting.
Right handed people hold the yArn in the left hand for crochet and right hand for knitting. Get that straight and it's easy.

I have a lovely time with my seven year old grand daughter as she wants to learn how to knit and crochet. I belong to a knitting group and she came along with me at half term. I thought that she would get bored but she was the last one to pack her work away. She is right handed but her mother is left handed and when she was little, I used to sit her opposite me and she had to work out for herself the best way for her to do things.