Oct 16, 2025

How to Position Your Hands When Crocheting

If you’re new to crochet, learning how to hold your yarn and hook correctly is the first step to smooth, frustration-free stitching. Before you make your first stitch, let’s talk about something that sets the foundation for your entire crochet journey — how to hold your yarn and hook.

Once you get this right, everything else will feel smoother, faster, and more relaxing.

Step 1: Set Up Your Yarn

With your non-dominant hand, drape the yarn over your pointer finger.
This strand will be your working yarn — the one connected to the yarn ball and used to form each stitch.

Use your ring and pinkie fingers to lightly hold the yarn’s tail end. This keeps just enough tension so the yarn doesn’t slip away or tangle while you work.

🪄 Tip: Your pointer finger acts like a tension guide — lift it slightly to loosen, lower it to tighten. The goal is smooth, even motion, not a wrestling match with your yarn!

Step 2: Create Your First Loop

Now, with your dominant hand, grab the crochet hook and pinch the slip knot between your thumb and middle finger.
Slide the hook through the loop — this loop is called your working loop.

Make sure it’s loose enough for the hook to glide smoothly, but not so loose that it falls off. You can adjust it by gently pulling on the working yarn.

💡 Think of it like a handshake with your hook — firm, but friendly.

Step 3: Find Your Balance

Every crocheter develops their own rhythm, but the key is control and comfort.
Your non-dominant hand manages yarn tension, while your dominant hand moves the hook.
Once this feels natural, you’re ready to start chaining and creating your first stitches.

Common Mistakes to Avoid: