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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: Pia Subject: Of patterns and places. Comment: To keep my place in a complex pattern, I make a photo copy of it. That way I can mark off what I've done as I go, and never get lost, nor ruin the original book/magazine/leaflet. (The paper-clip markers help a lot too). Name: Monica Subject: counting stitches Comment: A lady once told me to ue the little plastic bread bags closers at set increments to count your stitches. This way, if you lose count, you don't have to start counting at the beginning again. Name: Shelby J. Corley Subject: Husband Who Helps Comment: I have a "never do" tip. My husband and I are both retired and share all choers. I wash clothes, he folds. I cook, he does dishes. He vacuums, I dust and clean glass mirrors, TV unit doors, etc. I crochet, he uncrochets. I have a habit of laying whatever I am working on at the moment in my chair when I get up. He loves to vacuum. So now we have a good laugh over how many afghans he has vacuumed undone. Thought everyone could stand a laugh. Thanks. Shelby Name: Angie D Subject: helpful tools Comment: A couple unlikely but helpful tools to keep handy while crocheting I find are adhesive tape (roll a short piece sticky side out and keep beside you to collect stray hairs and fuzzies that may be clinging to your yarn.) Also small pair of pliers helps to make weaving in ends with a tapestry needle easier to pull through (especially with bulkier weight yarn.) Name: Gail Subject: Yarn/Thread Organization Comment: Another way to consider organizing your yarn or thread collection is to use an inexpensive shoe organizer that hangs in the closet from a hanger. The pockets are open-ended and can hold two "shoe sized" skein or numerous small ones. Use one with clear plastic sides, so you can organize by color/type and easily locate yarn/thread you are looking for. It also makes it easy to remember what you have in stock because you can readily see it! Hang the organizer in a closet (out of sight!) next to other supplies you need. Name: Jenna Subject: crochet pattern Marker Comment: I found a way to keep from lossing a place in the crochet intructions. sence they are written in "ROWS" I take a paper clip and clip it to the current ROW # i am on. then slide it down to the next ROW # and continue crocheting. Name: Patricia Subject: Crochet with even Gauge Comment: All you crochers may already know this, but I had a "V8" moment when someone suggested this, and it has been helpful to me: I tend to start each crochet session with a tighter stitch (or smaller gauge) and then loosen up to a larger guage as I get going. So I start out with a larger size hook and when I loosen up I switch ot the smaller hook- voila! guage stays the same. (Works the opposite way too!) Name: Michele Subject: Crochet Basket Comment: I use a floor magazine holder for storing my present project. It looks nice & keeps yarn in one place. If I'm using more than one color the other skeins can be placed beside or under the one I'm using. Name: chad Subject: advanced afghan stich Comment: i always like to find new techniques. i developed this one. when making motifs using the afghan stich, simply finish one row then take all the loops on your afghan hook then transfer the loops to a knitting needle, flip your work over and knit all of the loops back on to the crochet hook. repeat and flip it over. the result should look like a bar or a rib. keep doing the pattern and your finnished work will look really nifty. Name: Lisa Subject: Storage of Patterns Comment: I have about 10-4" ring binders I use for storing my patterns. I have a document in Word which lists every pattern I have & in which binder it is. Within the binder, all patterns are categorized & alphabetized for easy access. For patterns printed off the net, I put them in a sheet protector & cut down a file folder to slip in behind it for extra sturdiness. Patterns taken from magazines on which the pattern appears on both sides of the page, I photocopy one side & still use the file folder. I have many, many pattern booklets and don't want to 3-hole punch them so I came up with a plastic canvas pattern to make 'holders' for 3-ring binders. Name: Jesse Subject: Hints Comment: I keep a three ring binder with all of my patterns in it, labeled "Filet" "Afghans" "Scarves" etc. I also three-hole punch the yarn wrapper so I remember which I used if I do another of the same project. At the back of the binder, I have a section labeled "Tips" where I have copied some of all of your tips onto a Word Document and printed them out. Thank you :) Name: Judy Subject: crocheting with dark colors Comment: I've been crocheting for over 40 years and have found that when crocheting with black or dark yarn, it helps to put a white towel or sheet of piece of light material on your lab. It will help you see where you are on your WIP. Black is really hard to put down and then start on again. Name: Alice Subject: padding hooks Comment: I have arthritis in my hands and fingers and tend to hold my hook too tight. So I pad the small hooks by cutting the tips off knitting needle tip protectors. For large hooks, I bought the pads used for pencils at an office supple store. This is less expensive than purchasing the pads sold for this purpose. Name: Hannah Subject: crochet patterns Comment: I like to keep my patterns in a binder in those clear protector sheets. Name: Christine Subject: crochet ties Comment: Whenever making ties (for drawstrings,booties,etc.)instead of doing just chain stitches at the end of doing them just go over them with a slip stitch in each chain. It looks better and is much sturdier. 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