How to Hold Your Yarn for Crochet - Tutorial for Beginners

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In this video, I'm going to show you 4 options for how to best hold your yarn while crocheting. Try them all out and then pick the one that is the most comfortable and helps you crochet with nice, even tension.

WATCH THESE VIDEOS NEXT:

How to Hold Your Crochet Hook:

Slip Knot:

Chain:

Slip Stitch:

CHAPTERS:
0:00 INTRO
1:15 WRAP AROUND PINKY OPTION A
2:10 WRAP AROUND PINKY OPTION B
2:50 WRAP AROUND POINTER FINGER
3:30 OVER INDEX FINGER & UNDER THE REST
4:07 OVER RING, UNDER MIDDLE, OVER POINTER
5:03 NEXT STEPS & SUBSCRIBE
5:55 WATCH NEXT

For tutorials, patterns, freebies, & more information about crochet, make sure you head to my website and subscribe to my email list.

MUSIC from Epidemic Sound:

[BlackEyedSusanC]

I started crocheting twenty minutes ago watching another youtube video, and was close to quitting already because I can't control the tension. Luckily I though to look for alternative ways to hold the yarn. Thank you!! I think either the minimalist or your choice will work best for me, even though I'm still having issues with the tension.

[RowynRoberts]

I've just started crotcheting and didn't figure out the best way for me to hold it until now, always had trouble getting the yarn to come out smoothly. Thanks a lot!

[magikyuu]

i learned how to crochet 3 years ago but i taught myself a very inefficient way to do it. it takes me almost double the time it takes a normal person to finish any project. ive been trying to fix it for the last couple of weeks and i finally found a way to crochet that works for me! thank you for the video and hopefully i can crochet faster soon

[kimberlypatton]

I taught myself to crochet as a teen and in the 70's I had only library books to guide me.Now after 40+ years of crocheting I was just curious to try different ways to hold the yarn, since I have developed over the a totally different way that seemed to come naturally for me in a personal way .I find it helps with my annoyance with the "tension" issue, and it may be useful to someone reading this...my "method " is to thread the yarn over the ring finger, then under the pointer finger, then around and over the thumb, followed by going back under the pointer finger then over it to crochet.I sometimes wind a too long length of forward yarn around the pointer finger a few times to tighten for the hook area that you work at.The reason I like it so much is that I can extend my thumb to pull forth more yarn as needed.Its unusual I know, but it works for me! I have an issue with the lack of being able to control the slackness in yarn and this "way" the thumb pulls the yarn like a tension on a sewing machine and as I tend to crochet too tightly it helps with uniformity for my own projects .I also hold my hook underneath as you would a pencil.But your video is great for trying out ways that may be easier for beginners to do and you did great! I was curious to see if anybody else does it the way I do, but you just meet to get comfortable with whatever works for the individual crocheter personally..I'm a new sub!

[Benzo]

I never thought that sometime as simple as this would be my struggle, but here I am. Thanks for sharing 🙏

[dinoboogers]

ive been crocheting for a couple months and had so many problems with tensioning - and then you posted two methods that are perfect tension for me. thank you so much!

[nautic_arts]

Thanks so much! I've been crocheting for 5 years, and I'm a teenager, but my hands get cramps in them a lot because of how I use my fingers, and I really didn't want to end up with artheritis before I'm 20. These are way more comfortable for my hands and will definitely make my continuous journey easier❤

[MouseLovesDance]

I learned to crochet when I was 3 from my great grandmother, MeMe, who used to babysit me a lot. I was pretty good at it and kept it up until I was 10 or so, then got distracted with other crafts and never picked it up again. Now I’m reteaching myself at 42! I was struggling with just holding and basic chains until I found this video. I like the first method, but yours works the best for me! Thank you for sharing! 💜

[KC-umvt]

I liked your way best. It gave the greatest control and best tension. I have been crocheting for many, many years and have never been happy with my tension and this made a huge difference. Thank you!

[cheyennepetro]

Method 3 has been a game changer for me! I naturally crochet tightly and wasn't aware of other ways to hold my yarn, but this method has opened up new possibilities. Method 4 also offers some great techniques, so I find myself alternating between the two to keep my stitches even. ❣️

[marionzavatsky]

I am 68 yrs. Old stopped crochet 1yr due to my finger getting stuck. I found a dr. Who released and fixed it! Filled with Joy to find you, I’m starting over using your ways to hold yarn in that hand. Full of excitement for projects, my granddaughter learned and is making summer tops at 18 🥰 can’t wait to do crochet together for the first time.! Thank you 🙏 MarionZ

[Robin-qcgn]

This is super helpful. I've not seen the wrap around the index finger anywhere and that is what I've been trying to do. I'm glad to have more options! Thank you!

[Sdubgold]

I’ve been crocheting over 20 years and I always used your 3rd method but I would hold the tail with my other fingers and they would cramp for a while. I’ve been trying to figure out a new way to hold comfortably and opt 2 is really comfortable so far. Thanks!

[cynthiacazares]

Cool video. I was taught how to crochet from someone who learned how to crochet from a book back in the 1980's. Over the years I changed many things about how I crochet, but I still rap my yarn around my index finger. It give me the best tension and control when I crochet.

[breebree]

I hold my yarn with the same hand I hold my hook and have terribly tight tension. The third method works like a charm and feels way more natural and comfortable than the weird way I was doing it 😂 thank you!

[creativecompanion]

I love the suggestion to try crocheting a chain with each of the options. Thanks!

[ronakpai]

I was close to quitting because I was having trouble with tension. Tried your preferred choice I GOT IT! Thank you so much for this tutorial

[Nora-jtzy]

Thank you for this video! I have been crocheting on and off for a while, but always struggled with getting tired in my left hand fingers. I think I prefer your method for now, as it seems I don’t have to hold on to the yarn as hard as I used to 😊

[ashleym]

THANK YOU! I'm learning to crochet and hated the yarn being wrapped around my pinky but that seems to be what everyone teaches. I love the last one that you showed!! It feels so much more natural to me and I'm excited to keep practice :)

[dikhsanyasdb]

Glad that I found this video....the 3rd method was the one that suited and felt comfortable for me. 4th method is the second method that I felt comfortable in, will follow these two from now on...