The Hand That Holds the Hook: Crochet from the Other Side

Statistically 10–12% of the world’s population is left-handed. And some families have more than most. Even though there is no evidence that handedness is a genetically passed trait, my grandfather, myself, and my daughter are all left-handed. What does it mean to be left-handed in a right-hand dominant world? Everything seems backward, or flipped in the other direction—door handles, can openers, ice cream scoops, computer mice, and more.

Similarly, in terms of crochet the direction of the stitches is opposite compared to working crochet with your right hand. In some cases this is very noticeable, as seen in the crab stitch edging shown here. In most cases, however, you must look very closely, as the operation of stitches is the same. As an example, we can look at the “Crochet Edgings with Wavy Braid” from the Summer 2022 issue of PieceWork.

Crochet edgings with wavy braid using the right hand

Special Stitches

Join with single crochet (sc join): With slipknot on hook, insert hook in indicated rickrack point(s), yo, pull up a lp, yo, draw through 2 lps.

Notes

Use lip of the hook to pierce center of indicated rickrack point. Work in full rickrack points only; do not work in points that have been cut in half unless otherwise stated. Work with wrong side facing throughout. Hold indicated points together and work through both points at the same time unless otherwise stated.

Instructions

Edging 1

First Ring

Fold braid in half, being careful not to twist, sc join (see Special Stitches) in points 1 and 11 (see Notes), ch 5, sc in points 2 and 10, ch 5, dc in points 3–9 separately, sl st in 5th ch of 2nd ch-5 to form ring**, ch 7, turn piece (WS still facing).

Next Rings

Note: Unworked point on outer edge of braid between 5th and 6th dc (7th and 8th point) becomes point 1 of next ring. Rep first ring for desired length, ending last rep at **. Fasten off.

Crochet edgings with wavy braid using the left hand

Instructions are worked the same, but the overall flow of the project is worked in the opposite direction.

Written instructions are easy to follow, as they are the same for either hand. Sometimes diagrams can be difficult to follow, especially for shapes like circles and granny squares. My suggestion for those motifs is to create a mirror image of the diagram because mirroring my mother’s work was how I learned the skill.

If you were to line up 10 people in a row you would not be able to tell which hand is their dominant one, even after handing them one of the devices previously mentioned, as left-handed people have adapted to the right-handed world. When they pick up a crochet hook in the opposite hand, they might surprise you. The process of making will always look different, and the product will always have a little leftie twist.

Why is Katrina crocheting with rickrack? Learn about the long history of wavy-braid edgings in PieceWork Summer 2022, see a variety of extant embellishments, and make a couple of your own!

Katrina King is the editorial assistant for Long Thread Media and a continuing student of craft and life.