Hello everyone,

The other day surfing through the Internet I came across an interesting piece of information – about 8-15% of the population is left-handed. This means, out of every 100 individuals 8-15 are left-handers! Read more about left-handedness at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-handed.

Exciting statistics about left-handedness are given at http://www.left-at-the-start.com/statistics.html.

Come to think of it, most equipment and systems are made for right-handed people. It surely is not an easy world for left-handers. This made me empathize with left-handed crocheters. Most patterns, stitches and crocheting techniques are for the more common right-handed people. But what about left-handed crocheters? So I dedicate this issue to helping you find crochet resources for left-handers.

Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) has a series of useful lessons for left-handed crocheters. The lessons come with supporting pictures and symbols for different stitches too. These are available at http://www.crochet.org/lessons/lessonl/lessonl.html.

More steps and instructions are given at http://www.wikihow.com/Crochet-or-Knit-Left-Handed.

Learning to crochet with left hand is same as learning a new thing. I am sure the above links will be helpful if you seriously want to take up crochet. Here are some guidelines that will help you master the craft in a few days:

•    Use a thicker yarn to learn the craft. Start using specialty yarn later on.

•    Initially, concentrate on getting comfortable holding and working the crochet hook in your left hand and the yarn in right.

•    Learn simple stitches in the beginning. There is plenty of time to learn the complicated stitches and techniques. Anyway, stitches for advanced crocheters also use the same basic stitches. Also, many crocheted articles can be made with the basic stitches. Some people spend their lives working simple stitches!

•    In the beginning, work on small projects such as dishcloths and granny squares. You can use them as samplers to learn different stitches. Because, these articles can be crocheted quickly, there is also that sense of instant gratification, so crucial when doing something new.

•    Avoid sitting next to the mentor, especially if he/she is right-handed. Sitting in front of the right-handed instructor will give a much better understanding of the technique.

•    Pay attention to your posture and take good care of your hands. You don’t want to go through the pain repetitive stress injuries (RSI) bring with them.

•    Be patient and you’ll be crocheting in no time.

Good luck learning to use the hook!

Beaded and crochet necklaces are lovely articles of jewelry loved by women of all ages. The best thing about these articles is that they can be easily made at home by using some basic tools along with loose beads, crystals, gemstones and gold or silver wires. A crocheted macramé necklace looks beautiful and unique. You can find hundreds of other designs in this category which can be worn on different occasions. These jewelry articles are excellent to be given as gifts. Free crochet patterns are now widely available on the internet for those who want to try making these exquisite jewelry items at home.

You will need an artistic wire or metallic crochet thread for making a crochet choker or bracelet along with a variety of different colorful beads. Sworavski crystals and water crystals can also be utilized to make these chokers even more beautiful and alluring. Finally a toggle clasp is required for tying the choker around the neck. You can use a plastic or sterling silver clasp depending on your requirements. Also, choose an appropriate crochet hook to make this lovely jewelry article. Start by adding some beads to the thread and then make simple chain stitches with the help of your crochet hook.

In between stitches you need to introduce beads, one or several at a time. At the end some more plain stitches are required to complete the look. The finished article may be composed of several strands with different kinds of beads or gemstones in each strand. The strands can be joined at the ends to create a lovely and beautiful choker. If you use three strands you can make a braid by using them so that they are tightly tied together. Any other design can also be chosen according to your requirements.

You can choose any pattern which is easy to make and then try making this simple yet elegant necklace at home. The finished effect does not need to be perfect. Handcrafted items look best if they are composed of uneven stitches and random collection of beads and crystals. However, the size of your crochet stitches should not be too small particularly if you are using a metal wire.

If you don’t want to use metallic wire, you can also use simple crochet thread to make an elegant crochet necklace at home. Choose a length according to your requirements. Recommended length for simple chokers is 18”. Crochet bracelets can also be made in a similar manner by utilizing different thread colors and optional beads. Crochet patterns can be made by using a variety of stitches. A lot of information on these stitches along with step by step instructions is available on the internet for newbies.

A beautiful hand-woven crochet necklace can make an excellent gift for your loved one. Many different design patterns and a range of beautiful and colorful beads can be used to make these unique articles of jewelry. Crochet flower with a button, gold purse, Valentine heart, ice princess and lace patterns are popular and widely-used designs in this category.

Hello crocheters,

Haven’t we all wondered if what we are doing is right or not? Though the question is appropriate to crochet as well as our others areas of our life, right now I’m specifically talking about innumerous items we love to crochet. No matter what the level of our expertise, there’s always that little doubt at the back of our minds. How to best finish a crochet pattern is probably one such query everyone has.

Different people finish their crochet projects differently. Some tie a knot, others weave in, some others weave in and then knot, while few just glue the loose ends in. Some crocheters follow a particular technique out of habit, whereas others experiment and do what is required.

One thing is for sure. Whatever you do, the primary objective is to prevent unraveling of the loose tail ends of the yarn. With this aim to be accomplished, consider the following when finishing a pattern:

•    For worsted chunky rough yarns, it’s okay to just weave in the ends and crochet on them. They rarely unravel. Instead, with regular use and wash they become well adjusted in the surrounding stitches. To be on the safe side however, weave in a longer length of yarn especially when changing colors. I myself have been doing so for quite a long time and haven’t heard any complaints till now about any of my crocheted products.
Use either your crochet hook or yarn needle to weave in ends.

•    For smooth fine yarns especially those made from silk, you may want to knot the ends so they do not slip out of the pattern causing it to completely unravel. Some crocheters first knot, then weave in and then tie the two ends together again. Sticking the tiny ends with waterproof fabric glue further prevents the yarn from fraying and sliding out.
Before making a knot, pay attention to the type of knot you make. A bulky uneven knot is sure to standout in delicate and simple patterns including those of doilies and laces.

•    If you are making a scarf or a blanket, you may want to add a fringe or edging to finish the project, another way of finishing a crochet pattern. Many patterns for fringes and edgings are available online. Most crochet books too have a section on fringes and edgings.

•    Some finishing techniques are described at:
http://www.wrights.com/wrights/class/needlework/finishing/finishing.htm

•    If you want, hone your skills from the book, Interweave’s Compendium of Finishing Techniques: Crochet, Embroidery, Knitting, Knotting, Weaving by Naomi McEneely. The book is available at:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-1079339-0857748?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Crochet+Embroidery+Knitting+Knotting+Weaving+Finishing+Techniques
You can also look for it on eBay to get a good deal.

Finally, try various finishing techniques, see what works for you and do what is required.

Happy finishing your crochet projects!