Tips 'n Tricks

Do 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!

Sunday, October 23, 2011Name: Debra Ottinger

Subject: Coupons

Comment: Did you know that Jo ann's Fabric accepts Michael's and Hobby Lobby coupons for yarn. They will also match their prices if you have the sales ad with you.

Friday, October 21, 2011Name: Robin

Subject: Storing crochet hooks

Comment: I found that the best way to store my steel crochet hooks (the small ones used for crochet thread) is to keep them all in tube type toothbrush holder. You can throw it in your bag or basket and the hooks don't get tangled in your thread. Works great!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011Name: Christine

Subject: budget yarn

Comment: It is true that yarn can get expensive. One thing I have done every time I got the craftbug, I look for coupons. Michaels and AC Moore always have a coupon in their ads or online for up to 40 or 50% off. You don't even have to be a member. It saves oodles.

Saturday, October 08, 2011Name: maddie<3

Subject: hook, yarn, and pattern storage

Comment: i started crocheting about two years ago. i really love doing it, but i kept losing all of my yarn and hooks. (i am pretty disorganized. :P ) so, i put all of my hooks in a camera case that my dad gave me with my camera. it is blue and silky. i also agree with Charly because that is how i store all of my yarn. for pattern storage... if they are not copyrighted and i find them on the internet, i like to send them to my email account in a crochet folder. :)

Saturday, October 01, 2011Name: Meme

Subject: Plastic storage bags

Comment: I save the clear plastic bags that linen come in esp. the ones with a pocket that the manufacturer inserts the product description etc. in. I take this paper out and as I'm working a project I insert my needles, markers and instructions in the pocket and my project inside...its wonderful and I can do multi-projects and easily see each product in the clear bags.

Thursday, September 29, 2011Name: Charly

Subject: Containers

Comment: So when im not using balls of yarn and i need to keep them somewhere i got a plastic box (kinda like a box that holds kids toys or shoes or something) and I keep all the yarn I'm not using in that box and I keep it organized and rolled up so the yarn won't get tangled and ruined.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011Name: Jennifer Ramey

Subject: Storing

Comment: I have been crocheting for about 20 years now. I like to use a variety of ways for storage. I use an old metal lunch box to store and carry all of my crocheting needles as well as any of the notions I use for either crochet or knitting: stitch markers, scissors, cable needle, various other needles, etc. I can even fit small projects in the box instead of using a larger bag.

I have a large collection of canvas tote bags I have collected over the years. I tend to have about 5 or more various knit/crochet projects going at a time, and I'll put everything for a project in a different canvas bag. I have all these bags hanging on a wall-mount coat rack in my craft room, so all I have to do is grab any one of the bags and take it to wherever I want to work on my project.

As for my patterns and pattern books/magazines, I have them all in an old picnic basket. They are right at hand and easy to flip thru that way.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011Name: Sharon

Subject: polymer clay comfort grip for hooks

Comment: I use polymer clay to shape a holder for my small crochet hooks to be able to hold them comfortably. I soften the clay, and put the blunt end of the hook into it as I would hold it for crocheting, making sure to have the hook facing the proper direction. While keeping my hand around the clay in position as if to crochet, I gently twist the hook and remove it from the clay. Following the directions on the package of clay, I bake it. Once it is hardened, I can insert my hook.

Monday, September 26, 2011Name: misty

Subject: storing hooks

Comment: I keep my needles in a pencil keeper that goes in a three ring binder.

Friday, September 23, 2011Name: Z-ster

Subject: Uneven crochet

Comment: Blocking
When crocheting and you notice your crochet is leaning it is ok. Keep going and when you're done stretch the yarn to the shape you want it to be and wet it and let it dry this should work.

Thursday, September 22, 2011Name: Shantel Newberry

Subject: Stitch Saver for Crochet Projects

Comment: Recently, I found an afghan pattern that worked with three colors at once. It never ended one color and started another. The colors continued simultaneously. I did not like the two loose loops that hung down while working one of the colors. I felt insecure that I'd lose stitches and have to do them over. I also did not like putting my project down with three loose loops hanging out. So here's what I did.

I got into my old buttons box where I keep all kinds of old buttons from projects of yesteryear. I found 6 plastic buttons with two holes in each button and a bit of a stud on the back so that the buttons wouldn't be totally flat when put back to back. I'm sure that any of my thousands of flat buttons would work just nicely too. I sewed two buttons back to back and then knotted the thread. Then I slipped one double button into a loop and pulled the loop tight. That's all I did. Now I don't have to contend with loose loops getting in the way or worry about dropping stitches. It make for better control of the yarns when I travel too!

Thursday, September 22, 2011Name: kAY

Subject: storing hooks / yarn

Comment: I started out crocheting young. I'm now 60. When I was in my 30s my mother-in-law gave me a small cigar box. The kind that held 3 cigars I think . Well at first I didn't know what to do with it . Well I ended up using it for my hooks ...if I misplaced it , I panic . On my storing of yarns , I used to use the plastic grocery bags . Then I'd put those in to a larger bag of bags of yarn . Then I realized that I had saved this yarn up for "hard times " and it was full of dust & dust mites. Well, I have used the great "space bags " which do work well. I also have used the left over blanket bags, sheet ,pillow ect. zipperd bags.which also work.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011Name: Olivia

Subject: Yarn for Great Prices

Comment: My Momma's friend said you can get yarn for $1.00 at...wait for it... BIG LOTS!? Yes, you can get great yarn for great prices...ONE DOLLAR FOR A SKEIN OF YARN!

Sunday, September 18, 2011Name: Denise Wilson

Subject: Multiple ideas

Comment: Carrying your project around: use old purses or book bags, and make up kits/bags. I use a different one for each project I am working on. Also an old briefcase is great for storing patterns and needles and notions.
Having trouble keeping up with where you are on a pattern? I use a small post it note to move around on them and I always know where my place is.
I use straight pins every ten or twenty stitches to help me count. Especially when you have a busy household.

Sunday, September 18, 2011Name: Erica

Subject: Yarn Storage

Comment: I bought a 24 pocket over the door shoe holder and store one skein of yarn in each pocket... And for projects that use more than one skein at a time I had my dad build a stand that is made with a 2x4 piece of wood as the base, and two small dowels attached to the top, I took plastic tubing and placed it over the dowels and I stick my yarn onto them... It allows it to spin as you pull to crochet and it keeps it from getting all tangled!

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