Today is International Left Handed Day, which caught me completely by surprise. I didn’t know that we got a special day to celebrate our left-handedness! I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do today to celebrate…
I am a left handed stitcher. I am also a left handed embroidery teacher, which is reasonably unusual, I think. Whenever I begin an embroidery class, one of the first questions I ask for the day is “Are there any left handed people here?” There are usually one or two, and they are always so pleased to have a like-handed teacher! I encourage the left handers to sit together so that I can teach them both as left handers rather than them having to learn right handed and then flip it.
When I teach to a general class or in my books, I teach right handed. In a class, that means that I have to visualise doing the stitch the left handed way, and then mentally flip it so that I can teach it the right handed way. I work my way around the room, demonstrating each stitch to groups of two or three people. This means that everyone can see close up what is happening, and that everyone gets nearly one-on-one attention. It also means that I can teach the left handed people specifically with left handed instructions. Its wonderful, because I can just show them the same way that I would normally stitch!
I have wondered whether there is a market for left handed embroidery lessons – lessons for left handed people only. Perhaps there’s not a large enough market? Leftie embroiderers, what do you think?
Six top tips for left handed stitchers
1. Left handed stitchers can stitch as beautifully as right handed stitchers, and sometimes we can do even better!
2. Learn to be adaptable. You probably already are, because left-handed people just have to be!
3. You don’t always have to flip right handed instructions. Sometimes, turning the work 90 degrees is enough. For example, if the right handed stitchers work from right to left, left handers can turn it 90 degrees so that they are instead stitching from bottom to top, or vice versa.
4. If you prefer to flip, and you need a book’s diagrams flipped so that you can follow them, photocopy the diagrams onto photocopy acetate and turn them over to the back. That way, the diagrams will be flipped so that you can use them. Use them in conjunction with the original written instructions, substituting right for left and vice versa.
5. When working with a light, have the light shining over your right shoulder, or from the front at the right. This way, your left hand won’t get in the way of the light as you stitch.
6. If you have to do a lot of cutting with dressmaking scissors, its probably worth investing in some left-handed dressmaking scissors. The finger/thumb holes in regular dressmaking scissors are angled for right handers, and can cause left handers pain if they use them for too long. Fortunately, embroidery scissors are usually designed so that their holes can be used by left or right handed people.
If you have other tips for left handers, please share them!
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Yes, lefties have rights, too.
It’s great that we have this one day especially for us! Happy Left Handers Day.
I am a left hander and I am a teacher too. For me is easy to learn with a right hander because my brain has learned to flip the images I see.
I learned tip many years ago about left handers teaching right handers and vice versa. If the teacher are a left hander the right hander students must stay in front of the teacher and make the movements like a mirror image. The left handers should be by the side of the teacher and make exactly the same movements as she does.
By the way, I am portuguese and I know you were here and found a good inspiration on our local embroidery. I am very glad with it.
Hi Belém,
I did so love all the Portuguese embroidery that I saw. And I was surprised to see so many different regional types. I don’t know many people who have visited Portugal, and before visiting I had no idea that embroidery is such a part of the Portuguese cultural heritage.
I loved the embroidery and the people were also so very friendly, generous and helpful. When we made an effort to speak the little Portuguese that we learned, they were pleased to help us figure out the rest.
As with you, I also can mentally flip things in my head, but many can’t. So it is always helpful for those who can’t to have ways that they can learn.
Lovely to meet you!
A lefty was telling me one time about taking a class. The teacher was right handed and asked who was left handed. When she demonstrated everyone who is right handed stood behind her looking over her shoulder. The left handers in the class stood in front of her so that they saw it oriented to the way they stitched. I have not seen this done however, she claimed this was very helpful. I ambidextrious so I stitch however suites me at the time.
Hi smoose,
Yes, I believe that this is the way that most teachers handle left handed stitchers. Its not something I’ve ever needed to do though, because I can show them the way that they need to see it.
Good on you for being able to stitch ambidextrously. That’s quite a talent!
I too am left handed, but I use both hands especially when I have my project in a frame, left on top and right hand under the project. When I took a class at Elsa Williams School of Needleart many years ago I bought a book for left handed stitchers “A Primer of Left-Handed Embroidery” by Carole Robbins Myers. It is an excellent source for diagrams and directions.
Oo Oo! I’m left-handed too. I’m just getting into needlework again and though I automatically translate directions sometimes I still mess up.
I suppose it’s a bit like being a woman and having to translate universal male pronouns like “he” or “him” into “me.”
I tried and tried with left-handed cutting-out scissors, and smaller scissors, and hated them. They felt all wrong! So I went back to right-handed ones. But then I discovered those black-coated oriental scissors with half-moon shaped handles: oh joy! No more sore place below the knuckle on my thumb!