How to hold a crochet hook and yarn left-handed

As a crochet beginner, one of the first things you’ll need to learn is how to get a grip on your crochet tools. The wonderful thing about crochet is that you only need 2 things – a hook and some yarn. Hold the hook in your left hand, and yarn in the other.

How to hold a crochet hook

There's 2 ways to hold a crochet hook. Do what's comfiest for you! Either way you pick, remember to point the tip of the crochet hook towards you, and maintain a firm but not overly tight grip.

Overhand grip

Hold the hook like how you hold a knife.

Pencil grip

Hold the hook like you hold a pencil.

How to hold yarn

There are lots of ways to hold yarn; the way described below is the way my momma taught me. Whichever way you choose to hold it, the most important thing is to keep constant tension on the working yarn so that your stitches come out even. 

Before we begin, some terminology:

tail - the end of the yarn

working yarn - the yarn that will be used to make more stitches, which is connected to the yarn ball

1. Turn the palm of your right hand to face you. Loop your work or, if you’re just starting your piece, the tail end of the yarn, from the front to the back of your pinky.

2. Loop the yarn around your pinky again so that the working yarn is behind your palm.

3. Bring the yarn up the back of your fingers and down in front of your index finger.

4. Grip your work with your middle finger and thumb. Bring your index finger closer to your piece to make the working yarn looser, or move your finger further from your piece to make the working yarn more taut.

Putting it all together

Once you’ve learned how to hold a crochet hook and yarn at the same time, it should look a little something like this: