How to sign “Making” in BSL

Everyday Basics

BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the British sign. See the ASL sign for “Making” instead

Step by step

  1. Pinch the thumb and fingertips of each hand together, as if holding something tiny.
  2. Raise both pinched hands from your waist to the centre of your chest, palms facing each other.
  3. Touch the pinched fingertips of both hands together in the middle.
  4. Give both wrists a small twist against each other, like moulding clay.

Practice tip

“Making” is signed with the base MAKE sign — ASL/BSL marks ongoing action on the sign, not with a separate word.

Fingerspell “Making”

Letter by letter with the two-handed BSL alphabet — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.

BSL two-handed handshape for letter MBSL two-handed handshape for letter ABSL two-handed handshape for letter KBSL two-handed handshape for letter IBSL two-handed handshape for letter NBSL two-handed handshape for letter G

See all BSL handshapes in the alphabet reference

Text-based guide researched from BSL-specific references (BSL SignBank, BDA-adjacent teaching materials and BSL dictionaries) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade. BSL has regional variation — this is the most widely taught form.

Related BSL signs

Browse all 340 BSL signs in the dictionary