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| crochet image by Lytse from Fotolia.com |
Super interesting and fun article to write. In my investigation I watched some very insightful videos from Perkins School for the Blind. For example: "Do not grab or move the student´s hands. Just as you would not stick your hands into someone´s eyes to get them to look at something, you should not grab a blind person´s hands. If you want them to feel something you can gently offer what you want them to "see" in front of their hands and invite them to touch it." See also Reflections on Deafblindness: Hands & Touch
Skill: Moderately Easy
Crochet a chain stitch very
slowly inviting the student to freely feel your hands as they move. It
would be best for you to do this while standing or sitting behind the
student with her back to you and your arms around her or while sitting
by her side so that she can experience things from your perspective.
Skill: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Size N, O, P or Q crochet hook (10mm to 15mm circumference)
- Heavy worsted to bulky yarn (12 ply to 20 ply thick)
A person who lives without the
gift of sight may find that crochet is a wonderful and easy activity to
learn, since it is based largely on memory and counting and not
necessarily on visual capacity. Crochet knit creates a raised texture, which helps a blind knitter count stitches. I recommend starting with a large scale
hook and thick fiber. Once the student has learned the basics of
crochet, she may choose on her own to switch to smaller hooks and
lighter weight yarns.
Step 1
Step 2
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Crochet is a pleasant, stimulating activity
that is quite easy to learn.
Ben Bloom/Digital Vision/Getty Images
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Step 3
Once the student has learned the basics, more intricate designs can be taught.
Ask the student if she would
like you to repeat the task and do so as many times as necessary. Hand
her the hook and yarn when she feels ready to try. Once she has created a
chain of 20 to 25 stitches ask her to hand the piece back to you.
Step 4
Show the student how to do
the double-crochet stitch, inserting one into each chain stitch, again
performing the task while the student feels your hands. Repeat as many
times as necessary until the student feels confident enough to try
herself. Answer questions and advise the student as necessary.
Step 5
Continue this manner of
teaching for the third row, then encourage the student to turn the work
and try it on her own for the fourth row. Make sure she knows that for a
straight scarf she must have exactly the same number of stitches in
each row. After several rows, show the student how to close off the
final stitch. The student now knows enough to knit herself a scarf.
Tips
Be patient and sensitive to what the
student is experiencing as a blind person. Things that you take for
granted as a sighted person may not be as evident to a visually impaired
person.
Stitchmarkers are useful accessories for marking one´s spot, especially for more intricate crochet knit designs.
Stitchmarkers are useful accessories for marking one´s spot, especially for more intricate crochet knit designs.
Warnings
Do not grab or move the student´s
hands. Just as you would not stick your hands into someone´s eyes to get
them to look at something, you should not grab a blind person´s hands.
If you want them to feel something you can gently offer what you want
them to "see" in front of their hands and invite them to touch it.
Key Concepts
- blind crochet tutorial
- visually impaired crochet
- teach the blind
References
- Crochetville Forum: Teaching Blind to Crochet? [
- Perkins School for the Blind: Webcast: Reflections on Deafblindness: Hands and Touch [
- PR Leap: A Note From a Blind Customer Inspires Major Changes on the Lion Brand Web site. [
- New York Times: How Best to Teach the Blind: A Growing Battle Over Braille [
- Marjorie´s Braille Knitting & Crochet; Crochet Books in Braille [
- U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Auditory memory in congenitally blind adults. [
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