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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Pretty Frilly Flower Bookmark |
        Interested in knitting? Visit our sister site: Knitting Pattern Central  | Tips 'n TricksDo you have a helpful hint or handy trick that will make any aspect of crocheting easier? Share it! Post ideas on scrap yarn usages, stitch markers, starching, hook organization, color changing, maintaining your sanity while following a difficult pattern, etc. There is most probably someone out there that will benefit from your help. Need ideas yourself? Read others' comments--we all live and learn! Name: Frances Subject: Afghan made easier. Comment: I have learned when I am making a afghan, that is a lot easier if I place quilting rings around the end I have already made, when it gets to long, and heavy. That way you can just flip it over, when you turn your crocheting for the next row.I have been crocheting for a little over a year now. I taught myself through books that explained step by step. And I learned very quickly, and am still learning, and loving it. Name: chella Subject: travel with yarn Comment: I take my yarn when I travel. It works great as padding for delicate items such as glass bottles and picture frames you might bring for lovedones as gifts just place in suitcsase and stuff yarn around them. I took my laptop on this trip and I put it in my travel bag and stuffed all my yarn around it. It worked out great and I didn't have to carry a laptop bag on top of the carry on bag itself. lol Name: Gail Subject: Inventory Comment: If you tend to have a large supply of yarn (and hooks) and are continuously adding to...and hope to use it all one day, carry with you at all times a sample inventory of your existing yarn (attach a strand to a card, ring or carry in a plastic paper protector with a tag indicating content and quantity or each and you'll always be ready to match your inventory with new stuff you see.) Remember to remove yarns used or update quantity available. Also carry a cheat sheet roughly telling you how much yarn by what type (sock, bulky) is needed for basic projects (sweaters, socks), so you buy adequate quantities of new yarn when you shop. Name: Jo Ann Subject: organization Comment: When someone asks me to make something for them, I write it in a notebook. I write their name, when they will need it by, and the item they want crocheted. I also will write where the pattern can be found (I have lots of pattern books). When I finish the crocheted item I will take a picture of it and keep it in a photo album so when someone asks what I crochet I can show them the pictures of what I crochet. Name: Christopher Subject: On the Go Comment: I found the easiest thing to do is find a bag/purse pattern you like and just repeat the main part of it and eventually you'll have a bag you like and it'll be big enough to carry you projects with you. and they make great gifts for others crocheters in your life. Name: Karan Subject: Hiding loose strings Comment: I have found that threading a large eyed needle with the loose strings after finishing a project and weaving the loose strings into the project are easier than using the hook. Just takes minutes to do a whole blanket with multiple thread changes. Name: Kim Subject: Yarn Organizer Comment: I use 2 liter soda bottles to put my skeins in when I have to change colors in a patter. Cut out the bottom, wash the bottle and dry. Put the skein in with the thread comming out of the opening, tape the bottom with duck tape. It holds a reg. skein of yarn and works well for me. Name: Marilyn M. Subject: keeping place in patterns Comment: I am a beginner and frequently lose my place, so I write the patterns on lined paper, one instruction at a time. Like this: Row 1: A. 2 DC in next 3 sc B. skip 2 sc, 2 DC in next 3 sc Like that. Seems silly, but it helps me bunches. Name: Marilyn Subject: storing hooks Comment: I use an empty plastic coke bottle, and the top keeps the hooks from escaping when traveling or when knocking over! Name: Delma Subject: crocheting Comment: Name is Delma; my comment is on keeping blocks clean as I crochet them before putting them together. KEEP THEM IN A ZIP_LOCK BAG. Also keep a small pad of paper and pen and keep track of how many blocks are made. Have fun!!! Name: Terri Subject: scrap yarn, potholders Comment: Use scrap yarn to make potholders: chain 35 stitches with a G,H or I hook. then single crochet down one side and up the other, Keep crocheting AROUND the chain (up one side, around the other) This will make a square shape if you pull down the top and bottom corners....Finish by sewing up the middle seam.......this seems difficult to describe, but it works. Name: Lenore Subject: easier filet crochet Comment: Following a filet crochet pattern is easier if you first scan the pattern into your computer. That image being saved automatically, then using the flip image function, save that one too. I also enlarge both images so the pattern is easier to see. I use a card type paper, first I print side A, then reinsert the paper and print side B on the back. I highlight opposite rows, e.g., Side A, even number rows are highlighted; Side B odd number rows are highlighted. When I finish a row, all I do is flipped the paper over and can continue following the pattern from right to left: the way we crochet. Doing this has eliminated the confusion of first following the directions from right to left, then from left to right; and the frustration of ripping out mistakes. I now crochet asymetrical patterns with the same ease as the symetrical ones. I don't know why I didn't think of this when I first bought my scanner. I also scan and enlarge other diagram type patterns (like in Magic Crochet)so they are easier to see. You crop a difficult portion of a pattern and enlarge it too. Name: Christina Subject: stitch holders Comment: Hi all! I find that little safety pins are good for holding a stitch when you want to put a project away. Also, I occasionally mess up counting on my foundation chain when I have to go so high so I put a pin in every ten or whatever I want so I can double check my counting. Name: Temmy Subject: young girls Comment: HI, I am 13, and I love crocheting, it's so fun, my friend who is the same age as me taught me how to crochet and knit and in school, during lunch time people see me corcheting or knitting and some people call me grandma, i don't mind though. It's so fun, but i don't know how to do diffrent patterns or to like crochet my name, i saw a girl do it and i thought it was cool. Name: suzanne meola Subject: dogs, babies and yarn Comment: i found that my itsy bitsy papllion puppy and child love to take my balls of yarn and spread the yarn all over the floor and cat loves to take my crochet hooks and hide them.I took other peoples advice and put the balls of yarn in empty diaper wipe dispensers. But then i had the problem of where to put them all so i built a 4 cube wall hanging with a back to use as a color organizer and to keep everything out of tiny hands and mouths.(ps: i gave my daughter her favorite chenille pink yarn ball and made her a blanket with the rest of the balls of pink chenille) Select a Page << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Next >> Share your own hints by filling in the form below... |
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