Hey there! I did some little projects of 30-45min and my wrist felt a bit sore at the end. While I understand that me being new to thoses movements and may still be a bit crisp, I was wondering if there is some absolute don’t hold your tool or yarn like that to avoid hurting myself. For now, I use my thumb to slide the yarn on my hook and both my hands (alternate) to hold my project. I see a lot of yarn around index and project holding between thumb and middle finger and it doesn’t feel stable alenough for me. Should I try again or just de what feels comfortable (even if it’s slower)?
Hi! Welcome new hooker 😄
When you first start crocheting you’re learning lots of things at the same time. The actual stitches, how to follow a pattern, how to hold everything, how to keep tension in the yarn…just lots of things that make you feel like you haven’t got anywhere near enough hands. But as FlareHeart says, it’s practise.
Sore wrists could be a case of too-tight tension so loosening that up is definitely something to try, but I wouldn’t worry too much about holding things the “right” way as you’ll sort of naturally adjust over time until you find what works for you. Tension-wise the golden rule I give people I’m teaching is “If it feels loose enough, loosen up more. If it feels TOO loose, that’s probably about right”.
One other thing that can cause wrist issues though is the type of yarn you’re using. Fibres like cotton don’t have the same stretch as an acrylic, for example, so they can be harder on you. Not sure what you’re using exactly but if it’s cotton that could be combining with typical new crocheter tight tension to be the perfect storm of wrist pain!
Thank you! Yes I’m using cotton for amigurumis. I’ll try and keep your tips in mind!
Good luck, we’re always here if you run into more trouble. But yeah sadly the answer to a lot of newbie problems is just “practise” and there’s not really a way around it, haha. Worth it though!
It’s alright, I’m in for more practice!
The biggest thing to practice at first is tension. If you are yanking the yarn tight, it will make the rest of the work on the project far more difficult and require a lot more force from your wrist. Looser tension and a more relaxed posture in general will reduce strain. But it really just comes with practice. You’ll get there if you stick with it and find your own rhythm and way to hold your yarn that works for you.
Thank you!
It’s good that you are thinking about your wrists. You can absolutely hurt yourself crocheting. I ended up with a shoulder injury making an afghan last year, and my right wrist gets inflamed if I don’t pace myself.
There are a lot of repetitive motions involved, so all the warnings and best practices about repetitive stress injuries apply. Some projects and yarns are harder on your hands than others (eg, amigurumi and cotton). Regardless of your technique, I think it helps to focus on being relaxed, take breaks, and stretch while working on projects. Also try to keep good posture because it’s all connected. I have a bad habit of curling up like a craft goblin… don’t do that. :)
I would play around with how you hold the yarn and the hook. Lots of people have opinions on the “right way” to crochet, but it really comes down to what will give you a good result and keep you in the hobby long term. My suggestion is see if you can get more comfortable with the movements and make a conscious effort to keep just enough tension/grip so you aren’t stressing your hands. You’ll have to experiment. Best of luck!
