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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: Gabrielle Subject: counting stitches Comment: Counting stiches for me was really hard when I first began crocheting. Now, I just use a pencil and make tally marks on a piece of paper. I'm 12 years old and I think people shoukd learn how to crochet when they are young because it is SO FUN! Name: Lynn Subject: Crochet Comment: I find empty (of course) prescription bottles very handy for keeping smaller crochet tools like row counters, beads, and especially yarn needles. Name: di Subject: organization Comment: I'm disabled and in bed most of the time, so it's hard to keep everything close at hand. I recently put one of my decorative flower pots on the nightstand next to the bed. The flower pot has become a great catch-all for crochet hooks, scissors, pencils. Everything is within reach and nothing falls off the table. Name: di Subject: unraveling Comment: I like to look at all my yarn scraps at once. I put them all on the bed to see all the color combinations. This can create a big tangled mess. Patiently, I have learned to take the end of each ball of yarn and draw it back through the surface of the ball with my crochet hook. This keeps the ball from unraveling. I can look at everything as often as I like without untangling each ball of yarn from another. Name: Brenda Subject: tension Comment: For those of you that have a problem with crocheting too tight like I do.. When I wind yarn around my fingers like most crocheters do the yarn gets tight and does not pull through. I have discovered that if I just hold the yarn with my pinkie and ring finger it works much better. I still have the yarn between my first and middle fingers and over the first finger as usual. I just don't wrap it around the pinkie finger. Now I can crochet faster and not have to fight the yarn all the time. The first finger still maintains the proper tension for the stitches. Name: Cynthia Subject: Stitch Marker Comment: I use a bobby pin (hair pin) as a marker for the end of rounds. It slips off and on easily and doesn't fray like scrap yarn markers! I have also used bobby pins to hold the last stitch if I need to take the work off the hook for a bit. Name: Suzanne Subject: Patterns gone wrong Comment: Im 17 years old i started crocheting at the age of 7.Over the years I've noticed that some....well almost all patterns are missing something or dont make sence.Over the years I've perfected the method of sit and ponder then go for it! If you have a pattern and it just doesn't make any sence then just go for it.If it doesn't work out oh well,just take it back down and try something else.(ps i'd take a bit longer to ponder if the pattern includes changing colors.for its a complete waste of time.)HAVE FUN WITH CROCHETING Name: Cheryl Subject: Yarn Comment: I have a good tip for storing yarn I just recently bought a new comforter for my bed and it came in a zippered heavy plastic bag I think that it is a good bag for storing your yarn and stuff Name: Oracle428 Subject: Stitch Counting & Fringe Comment: Paperclips make great stitch counters... (and who doesn't usually have a handful of extra paper clips lying around)... just pop one on the stitch you want to mark. (Safety Pins work great as well and are a little easier to put on and take off, but I never have as many of those lying around). If you don't have one of those handy fringe maker tools, an easy way to make fringe is to wrap your yarn around a ruler length-wise... hold on to one end of the yarn at the top of the ruler and wrap the yarn around as many times as you want for one group of fringe (I usually go 4 times for standard groups of scarf fringe)... end with yarn at the top of the ruler again and cut it even with the top of the ruler. Then slide your scissors under the strings of yarn on the front of the ruler, slide scissors to top and cut straight across... stop here if you want longer fringe (about 12 inches minus the length taken up by the fringe knot)... If you want shorter fringe (about 6 inches minus whatever is taken up by the knot), flip your ruler over and cut the other ends the same way (careful not to let go of your strings)... do this for each group of fringe you will need. If you want more variety of fringe length possibilities, cut pieces of heavy cardboard in the desired lengths (it needs to be a little longer than what you want your finished fringe to be - don't forget the fringe knot takes up length). Name: Dorothy's Daughter Subject: Free stitch markers Comment: I have found that the flat plastic bread-bag "clips" are great (and free) to mark your increase/decrease areas, or to mark the center, etc. Best of all, when they break, you have a new one at hand!! Name: Jo Subject: Keeping everything neat Comment: With cats, dogs, and children, I kept finding yarn all over or projects cut off my skein (aren't 3 year olds HELPFUL?) so I found a cheap pocketbook at a thrift store with 2 large zippered pockets, put my yarn in one (after removing the zipper) and my projects in another (with the zipper left for a bit of protection). So far, I've finally finished an afghan without "help"! Name: Chanel Subject: Tip Comment: 3 liter pastic soft drink bottle. Cut a slit in the side and slip the skein in. Twist off the cap and pull the thread through the opening. It can roll around in the car, on the floor or wherever you are. Keeps the thread clean and the cat can't get to it. Extra Bonus! The first question everyone asks you is "How did you get the thread in the bottle?" Name: Bright Eyes Subject: crochet needle gripper! Comment: I grab an elastic band.. sometimes from broccoli if it's a large hook, and sometimes those braces elastics for the really tiny hooks and wind it around the needle.. move it to where it's going to be your gripping point and VOILA, almost free hook gripper! I really really need it when using needles that are slippery! Name: Jessica van de Kieft Subject: Keeping your yarn clean Comment: I have four dogs and I was always noticing that their fur was getting caught up in my yarn and into my projects, I now keep my yarn in baby wipe containers, just feed the end of the yarn through the dispenser hole (this only works if you have the yarn being fed out from the inside of the ball) Name: Tanya S. Subject: Keeping count Comment: Hi! I am just turning 35 and learning to crochete. What I do is take a twist tie and thread it throgh every 20th stitch to keep count... Otherwise, I am pulling it out, starting the row over, pulling it out, etc., etc., etc. and so on... This making the project take twice as long as it should, lol... I hope someone can use this tip, and thank you for this sight! Happy sewing!:>) 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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