Can you crochet with only one hand? Yes, I’ve done it, and so can you!
Many kinds of crochet aids
There are many methods on how to crochet with one hand. In this series, I will be teaching you how to crochet using my method with the help of an adaptive crochet aid. If this method doesn’t fit your needs, that's okay.
Continue searching, and use YouTube as one of your search engines. If you have TikTok, use that as somewhere to find different methods as well.
This will be a 4 Part series, and I will be approaching this as if you are an absolute beginner in crocheting.
If you already have some experience crocheting, I think this series will be easier for you.
No matter what level you are at in crocheting, I will teach you how to crochet (using my way) from the very beginning.
I have a series on YouTube that teaches ‘how to crochet with one hand’. It’s basically this written form but in video format. Though I do give more detail, here in my blog.
There are many ways you can hold the crochet hook. Some people use a longer crochet hook and hold it under their armpits. Others use a DIY device, made from materials found around their home or they buy tools and equimpment to make an aid to hold the hook. There are many methods and aids people can use to clasp the crochet hook in place so that you can crochet with the other hand.
Sometimes you don't need a crochet aid. Some people hold the crochet with other arm, instead of hand, and crochet like that. Whatever works for you, you should definitely do it that way.
This is my adaptive crochet aid.
The creation of my crochet aid
The creation of this adaptive aid is all thanks to this video that literally inspired me so much and made me think that it was possible to crochet with one hand.
I couldn't use my arm as a helper to help me crochet, so I needed an external device or aid to help me instead.
This is basically the video that changed everything. Seriously, check it out right here.
My parents are the ones that helped me build this amazing masterpiece of a device. Actually, I didn’t do any of the physical work, because I couldn’t. I just chipped my thoughts into the plan. And together we made an idea into reality. You can read more about my story in my Medium article about crocheting.
Down below, I will write down all the materials for making my specific crochet aid. Also, I will have equipment used to make the actual crochet aid.
Your crochet aid DOES NOT have to look like mine. The reason why mine was built this way was that we found materials in our home to help us build it.
I have a fully functional left arm and hand. My right arm and hand are paralyzed, meaning I can’t use my right side for crocheting. Some people can use the right arm to hold the crochet hook (like putting crochet hook under their armpits), but I can’t.
In this case, I need something to hold the crochet hook so it's stationary. My crochet aid holds the hook so it doesn’t move. Not even a bit. And I would use my left hand to hold the yarn and feed the yarn into the crochet hook.
People who are able to traditionally crochet, are holding the yarn in one hand and the crochet hook in the other. They would do something called “yarn over”. But in my method, I don’t do that. I pick up the yarn using my left hand and bring off the crochet hook. And essentially how I do the “yarn over”. (This will be further explained in the future blog posts, so don’t worry!)
In theory, my method is the same as traditional crocheting. It is just that there's a different process to get to the final results, but the outcome is the same.
How to build my crochet aid
If you were to DIY this adaptive crochet device, this is what you’ll need:
A piece of wood (a slab of wood you can probably find at a hardware store)
Pair of screw and tee nut
The bottom part of a portable clip-on fan (will talk about this below)
Power tools that you will need:
An electric drill
A saw (a small one would suffice)
Piece of wood
You can find this in hardware stores. A long rectangular prism or a cylinder would work. Here is an image to illustrate what I'm talking about.
Pair of screw and tee nut
They must match, so find the corresponding one if you go to the hardware store.
Portable Fan
My dad has a broken portable clip-on fan from years ago, that he stored away. This is what I mean by finding materials in your home to help you make a crochet aid. We didn’t follow exactly what the YouTube video did, and we made our own version of it.
My mom thought of using the clip-on fan as the base of the crochet aid. For that specific fan, you can take off the top, (take away the fan part), leaving only the clip-on base. Here is an image of what I’m talking about.
The brand name is Geniuses. But you can buy from any other brand that carries a fan with these features. The portable fan could be separated into two parts. The base is a clip. And the fan. My mom thought of attaching a piece of wood to the clip and drilling a hole so I can put a crochet hook through the hole.
I will put my YouTube video of how my parents built this crochet aid. If you don't see the link, it's not uploaded yet. But I will put it here when it's uploaded.
Now we are moving on to the actual crocheting part!
Here are the materials that every crocheter needs and you would need too:
Yarn
Scissors
Crochet hooks
Two types of crochet hooks:
There are two kinds you could buy. Aluminum or wooden crochet hooks. I have the aluminum crochet hooks, and I read a blog about crocheting that aluminium hooks are better for beginners because they slide off easily.
Instead of buying just one crochet hook, buy a whole pack because you don’t know what yarn you are going to purchase.
Yarn
There are hundreds of styles, types, colors, and so on. It might be confusing for a beginner to swift through all these categories of yarn.
I will write a whole blog post about what yarns there are, and which ones you should get as a beginner.
Pro tip: Your crochet hook should match the size of your yarn. Let’s say you found a beautiful aqua-blue yarn in your local craft store. Check the label and see what size of crochet hook you should use. They will also have the knitting needles size as well.
If it says a size 5mm hook, grab the approicate crochet for that project. Unless, if that project requires you to get a bigger hook for your yarn. In that case, follow the tutorial, and do what they do!
Scissors
It is important to not buy dull scissors. And also don’t buy large scissors for cooking. The scissors will help you cut the crochet string when you are finished. That is very important.
I also have a YouTube video accompanying this blog post. Check it out if you’d like to see the adaptive crochet aid in action. I also talk a bit about my disability.
Conclusion
Click here for Part 2 of how to start the crochet piece. I’m doing the slip knot.
Thank you so much for reading. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Medium. My username is "imhelenzhou" across all platforms.
Last thoughts
I want to reach as many people as I can and show them that they can crochet or make any of the fiber arts, without doing it the traditional way. And you can create pretty designs and beautiful artworks too.
I wish, back then, that someone would teach and show me that crocheting and knitting was possible for me. As someone who can only use one of their hands to do intracate activities, I would absolutly love this article and my channel because it's one of the resoucres that I can use to help guide me through the confusing world of yarns and sticks, essentially.
I would've had a lot of reassurance and hope that one day I'll be just like this person, whoever they are. Because they did it, and I can probably do it too.
I'll write a whole Medium article about this and my inner thoughts while I was going through this. So follow me on Medium, and in the meantime, read some of my other articles! I have one on knitting with one hand and another one on crocheting with one hand.
Most things are possible. They really are. Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper. To find the gold that's buried inside. - Helen Zhou
I just wrote my own quote (lol), but it's so true. Of course, not every single thing in the world is possible, we all know that. But most things are, you have to find a way to do it. This could be talking about fiber arts like crocheting, knitting, embroidery, sewing, etc. Or anything else in life.
You know that saying? Reach for the moon, and even if you don't land there, you'll land in the stars!
Yes. Do that.
Believe.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey of crocheting. Virtual hugs, and I'll see you in my next post. <3