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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Ruffles Pillow |
        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: Donna Subject: Yarn Control Comment: Use a large plastic container (tub of pretzels, purchased at Sam's/with lid is ideal). The mouth of the tub is large enough to slip a skein of yarn into. Carve out hole in lid, and yarn stays clean, handy, contained, and the bonus is, you can see exactly how much you have on the skein, at all times. Works just great!!! Name: Jana M Subject: leftover yarn Comment: When I finish a project and have yarn leftover, I make a granny square out of it! I keep all the granny squares in a bag and when I have enough I can make any number of things with them. I also store any yarn that I have leftover after my granny square is made in ziploc bags sorted by color. Name: Anna Subject: crocheting Comment: Hey I just want to let all the people who made this site know that I think it's great and keep up the good work!:) My tip is to beginners: never give up. I have been crocheting since i was nine and I love it! But I didn't really start out good I thought I would never get it but here I am a few years later crocheting like crazy and I love it! so happy crocheting everyone !=) Name: maggi morrison Subject: crocheting with the right hand Comment: Although I can do crochet the "correct" way, I tend to hold both the hook and the yarn in my right hand. I flip the yarn over the hook just as if I was knitting, and feed the work towards it with my left hand. I think this is because I was a naturally left handed person made to change hands. I get very confused sometimes! Moral don't make kids change hands! Name: Mary Subject: yarn needle Comment: Keep track of your yarn needle by gluing a magnet in an empty perscription bottle. Drop in your needles and you now know where it is, even if you drop it. Name: Chickie Subject: Place marker Comment: While crocheting one evening I needed to mark my place and didn't have anything around so I just took out snap barrett from my hair and snapped it onto my project. They are made of metal and are about and inch and a half. Won't ruin anything. Name: Mary Romeo Subject: Storing Hooks Comment: I use an empty "Cottenelle Wipes" plastic container to hold my crochet hooks. It is solid, easy to store either in my tools drawer or if I am working on several different projects at a time, it fits in the bottom of my tote. Name: Tdiamond Subject: Place marker Comment: I found that usuing a portion of the twist tie from a bag of purchased bread works well. I just cut the amount I need, thread it through the yarn and give a single twist and it holds well. It also comes out really quickly and easily. Name: Donna Subject: bring-along bag Comment: I travel alot with my family of 7 we always pack lots of bags I like to take my crochet along but its not always quick to find so what I found that works for me is a simple valence bag you know the zip kind that the curtains come in they work great i can see through it, easy to find and an added bonus its waterproof just in case of spills (5 kids) Name: Ann Subject: Blankets for men Comment: It's often tough to find a great present for a man in your life. I like to purchase a masculine print fleece for one side and a plain color for the other. I purchase 2 1/2 yards of each. Lay the out together and pin. Use the pattern on one side to help you find the stitch lines to secure both pieces together. I stitch around with a long zig-zag stitch and then trip the edges. Next, I take a 1/16 to 1/8" hole punch and punch holes around about 1" in and 1" apart. I start to crochet around the blanket. Sometimes I crochet two or three single crochet stitches in each hole, and sometimes I stich one one and then chain. This looks like a blanket stitch. I usually just leave it like this and the men that I have given these to, just adore them. Name: Doris Subject: thread holder Comment: I find that using a CD holder (the kind you get when you buy 100 CD's)works great for holding your thread. The clear plastic CD protector that is on top of the stack allows the thread to turn easily when you pull on the thread. Name: Martha Subject: copy of patterns Comment: I frequently make a copy of the pattern I will be working on (and usually enlarge it some, as the print is sometimes too small). By doing this I can make notes on the copy, ie keeping count of rows/stiches, how many times I have repeated a designated row etc. This has really helped me, especially the enlarging. If you don't have a printer/copier maybe a friend would help you out. Name: Sharon Lucchesi Subject: tension rings for crochet Comment: For those who have difficulty keeping the thread tension the way they need it when crocheting...they might try to find gadgets especially made for this purpose that fits on the finger and helps so that you don't depend on you finger alone. Herrschners has them. They're plastic for about $2.99 or so and while it slips on the index finder I think it could go on the middle finger if that is more comfortable. I have not used them myself but if crocheters are having discomfort it might help. They are referred to as tension rings for crocheting or yarn guides. Just checked and see Herrschners still has them. Go online and type in Herrschners homepage or online catalog. It should take you there, then just type it in or do a search there or send email to CONTACT US or Customer Service. You should have no trouble once you get to Herrschners. Name: Sharon Lucchesi Subject: place marker Comment: Just had a thought...if you have no safety pen to mark your place when crocheting...how about using the Jumbo size paper clip. Carefully spread the clip enough to insert the thread or yarn and carefully remove. Better than nothing...(if you have a paper clip that is) Just as a matter of habit I always keep a clip or two in my pockets and purse. Never know when it comes in handy. Name: Sharon Lucchesi Subject: crochet bag Comment: Not glamorous but really works well is the old humble brown grocery bag. It works for me all the time. You can plunk it down on the floor and it always holds up well and the crochet thread balls or yarn can just flip and flop around all it wants as you pull on your thread plus you can just throw into the roomy space what have you for the moment til you resume again. I always keep a small note pad and pen or pencil to jot reminder notes about what I am doing or need to do next or any changes to be made. Don't trust to memory especially when a pattern is being your own creation as you go along. This works well when working at home and being chic is not important...maybe try taking it when you go out to your crocheting circles and start a trend when function is desired more that beauty of bag. 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 51 52 53 54 55 Next >> Share your own hints by filling in the form below... |
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