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-   -   Help.................. I'm left handed in a right handed world trying to quilt (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/help-im-left-handed-right-handed-world-trying-quilt-t112872.html)

Mariposa 04-03-2011 07:20 PM

I am a lefty too! The only one in my family. When I was little, they called me a spitfire, cuz I did things my way, and still do! My writing is better with my left hand, I use rotary cutter in either hand, iron with either. Mostly just do it in which hand is better for the moment!
Love the Elvis mug rug!

glenda5253 04-03-2011 07:35 PM

Lefty here too! Used to drive my mom crazy trying to show me any thing about stitching, etc. Of course I had to do it the opposite way.

lclang 04-03-2011 07:44 PM

I'm an odd mix, cut and sew right handed and write and eat left handed. Can cut fabric with either hand. If I start to do something new it takes a little debate to decide which hand I want to use.

Gramie bj 04-03-2011 11:44 PM

Right! Left! Who cares! the mug rug is great! don't mess with it!

Lobster 04-04-2011 01:54 AM

I've done a couple of things where it's actually an advantage to be left-handed. With fencing, playing a leftie is entirely different. It tends to throw right-handed players, because they don't play lefties often, but the left-handed players play right-handed people all the time so they're used to it and have the advantage. When two lefties play one another, they're equally disadvantaged. I only did fencing for about a year when I was eleven, though, we all dropped out due to a dodgy fencing teacher.

Then I took up percussion, and it's definitely advantageous to be left-handed there as well. Right-handed people have a very dominant right hand because they use it for everything, and when you first learn to use drum sticks you'll find that your right hand is bobbing up about twice as high as your left hand, so that you get a much louder sound when you hit the drum with your right hand, and you have to work very hard to get them even. If you're left-handed, you're used to using your right hand for quite a lot as it's a pretty right-handed world, so the strength of your hands is far more balanced.

Anyway, I'm right-handed myself, but I do have a quilt book which gives clear instructions with photos for lefties. Check out the Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting, which you can find at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/069...cm_rdp_product, but do check the critical reviews (you can spot mine, it's been voted the most helpful critical one) as there are a few serious flaws with this book. Once you know what they are, it's a pretty useful book, it covers a lot, and the leftie stuff is quite unusual, I believe.

quilthappycathy 04-04-2011 05:07 AM

Another lefty signing in...don't forget, lefties have rights too!
Your mug rug looks fine to me. I would leave it as is.

IBQLTN 04-04-2011 10:46 AM


Originally Posted by S D G
I am also a lefty, I don't see that it has caused me any more difficulty than any other person. Both of my parents and my brother are righties, both of my children are lefties. I wouldn't be me if I were anyother way.

I'm a lefty and when I first started quilting I had to use a ruler wrong side up because the numbers were backwards. This made everything slip so then I started counting backwards so that 5 would be 1, 4 would be 2, 3 would be 3, 2 would be 4 and 1 would be 5... see the problem????

And when the 'ergonomic' rotary cutters first came out ... they were all right handed.

And trying to start a blanket stich by looking at a picture in the book ... spazz-attack!

I was blessed to find a crochet dictionary with left handed pictures and instructions in the back so I had no problem with that but never mastered knitting. Yes, I know, you knit both ways but I could never quite get the hang of it.

However, being a left-handed quilt instructor was very handy (pardon the pun) when it came to instructing students. They would stand in front of the table and I would be behind when I taught them to rotary cut. Worked like a charm!

mammab 04-04-2011 12:49 PM

I think it is fine as is. Just tell them it was for symmetry, so the small picture was facing the main picture.
As for being lefty, it has not caused me problems quilting, only when I was trying to teach 2 of my daughters things like hemming, hand stitch and Xstitching. I always start from the opposite direction. Daughter # 3 is also left handed so no problem.

My dear FIL philosophy about being left hand was that everyone is born left handed. You only become right handed when you make a mistake, so left handed people have not made a mistake. Guess which hand he used.

ruck9085 04-04-2011 01:11 PM

Handicapped? Absolutely not! We lefties are very adept at adapting! We have left handed scissors, our rotary cutters have ambedextrous blades and we can count, so who cares if the cutting mat is backward? We still turn out some gorgeous quilts!

3incollege 04-04-2011 01:16 PM

I,m a lefty, sometimes I do things backwards but I don't care. Lefties adapt quit well.

nativetexan 04-04-2011 01:33 PM

my son is a leftie and I wouldn't change him for the world. just learn to use your right hand for the spoon!
being short in this world or very very tall isn't fun either. majority rules.

Diannia 04-04-2011 02:31 PM

So just give it to a lefty and don't worry about it...I'm a lefty too!

Diannia

madamekelly 04-04-2011 03:08 PM


Originally Posted by Janetlmt
I am a lefty...and love it. We are a breed of our own. We think differently, we create..our passions are heartfelt. It doesn't matter what side the pocket is on. The important thing is that you created it.

I am a 'righty' but I am surrounded by 'leftys', DH and DD. The only time it has ever been a problem, is when it comes to buying scissors. I have taught them both to crochet, knit, sew, and everything else, so it really is no problem. It may be that I am 'right minded'? :lol:

Pattycakes 04-04-2011 03:17 PM

3incollege - The picture you have as your avatar, where was it taken? It looks like a castle in Hiedelberg, Germany.

mimistutz 04-05-2011 06:13 AM


Originally Posted by nativetexan
my son is a leftie and I wouldn't change him for the world. just learn to use your right hand for the spoon!
being short in this world or very very tall isn't fun either. majority rules.

I could do this (spoon in right hand), but it probably wouldn't be pretty, dribble, dribble. I'll keep it in my left hand. lol

maryjoan 04-05-2011 07:11 AM

Oh, I am NOT alone!! My left handedness drove my mom crazy when she was teaching me to sew. Well, I had to teach my right hand to do some things and if I could do it, so can you. I cut fabric with the right and pin with the left. LOL Quilting Joan

IBQLTN 04-05-2011 07:17 AM


Originally Posted by maryjoan
Oh, I am NOT alone!! My left handedness drove my mom crazy when she was teaching me to sew. Well, I had to teach my right hand to do some things and if I could do it, so can you. I cut fabric with the right and pin with the left. LOL Quilting Joan

Me too! And, I iron with my right hand. My mom used to get furious if I turned the ironing board around for my left hand and forgot to change it back. It was just simpler to iron with my right than deal with the 'wrath of mom'! LOL

lclang 04-05-2011 11:49 AM

I took knitting lessons and nearly drove the poor teacher to drink. She finally sent me home with a book and said good luck. So I knit with a needle in my left hand, the other needle between my legs, and manipulate the yarn/thread with my right hand. Where there's a will, there's a way!

CajunQuilter2 04-05-2011 11:54 AM


Originally Posted by frauhahn
Ah, the world just doesn't realize how handicapped we lefties are!!! But always remember- we are the only ones in our right minds!

Same here, another lefty. So you can always send them to one of us.... :-D

GrannieAnnie 04-05-2011 12:13 PM

I've got a lefty son (41 going on 13) that I will rent out to anyone needing help with left handed stuff. Years ago, I tried to teach my lefty sister to knit. No go. We both ended up crying and mad. I taught my son to knit, and he taught her to knit. I've done the same with several crafts. I can teach him, but not my sister. Only problem, he only remembers a few days. Refer back to the age thing before calling for his help. LOL

patsyo56721 04-05-2011 07:29 PM


Originally Posted by frauhahn
Ah, the world just doesn't realize how handicapped we lefties are!!! But always remember- we are the only ones in our right minds!

That's what I tell my daughter. She is the only lefty in the family.


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