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, November 21, 2010Name: Charly

Subject: knitting/crocheting bag and wallet

Comment: ok so I have this huge bag and it says knittin kabooble on it and its this big roomy bag that can hold a couple balls of yarn and a yarn tainer and your knitting needles and/or crochet hooks and it also comes with a matching wallet keeps your needles and hooks all organized and neat and it also has a special place your your scissors and small sewing needles

Tuesday, November 16, 2010Name: Chelsea

Subject: yarn storage

Comment: I have a 12-bottle wine rack that's connected underneath a mini-bar in my house. It makes a great place to store skeins of yarn and looks great too.

Thursday, November 11, 2010Name: Lulu

Subject: Hand Cramps

Comment: I love to crochet but my hands always get sore after making a lot of projects, especially around the holiday season when I'm making gifts for my friends and family. I bought a bunch of those squishy grippers you can get to put on your pencils and put them on my crochet hooks. Sometimes you have to put a little tape around the hook to make it thick enough for the gripper to stay, but they have helped so much! My hands are a lot less sore. The downsides? They tend to cover up the marks on the hook indicating size. If you don't know what size your hooks are by just looking at them, this could be a problem.

Sunday, November 07, 2010Name: Charly

Subject: Baby Hats

Comment: Ok. I have seen a couple things about saving your scraps of yarn. I save my scarps of yarn but instead of adding them to make multi-colored scarves I make them into baby hats and then I donate them to a special house thats connected to my church in a way. BTW most of the baby hats arn't multi-colored. Some of them are just plain solid colors but others are multi-colored

Sunday, November 07, 2010Name: Marguerite

Subject: yarn

Comment: I have a cat that likes to "help" me with my projects, but to preserve my yarn I take a empty 2 liter plastic bottle (like A soda bottle) I cut it in half,i put my yarn in the bottom then thread the end through the opening on the other piece. then i put the 2 pieces back together if you squeeze a little it will go right in. now the yarn is safe, it comes out with out tangles and when im done for the day I just drop my needles in for safe keeping

Friday, November 05, 2010Name: sydney22

Subject: idea and storage

Comment: i am 11 and love crocheting and knitting. i used to have to spend hours of my free time untangling yarn. but i rolled all of my yarn into balls and now it is all better. and to keep from chasing those balls you can get one of those baby wipe containers and pull out the end so your yarn will avoid being tangled.

Sunday, October 31, 2010Name: Wanda Henson

Subject: Crochet Hooks and keeping necessities together.

Comment: I keep my crochet hooks in hard plastic toothbrush holders. I keep the small size metal hooks in one holder and the larger ones in another. I leave all of the hooks at home that I am not using. I don't want to risk losing them all. I keep another holder with my yarn, instructions and other necessities. It doesn't get lost this way.

I use a cosmetic bag with a zipper to keep small foldup scissors, safety pins (in a small plastic pill bottle), my instructions that I have copied and fold into a neat size for my cosmetic bag (that way I have a good copy at home). I use a ziplock bag large enough to hold my yarn with the yarn coming out of a small corner of the bag. I then use a nice tote bag to keep it all in. It also works well at home (or anywhere you take your crochet).

Thursday, October 28, 2010Name: joni

Subject: solution for your ball of yarn

Comment: while crotcheting, place your ball of yarn in a plastic grocery bag. leave string on outside and tie the bag. this way you can work from your ball of yarn without it getting dirty

Wednesday, October 20, 2010Name: Stephanie Hart

Subject: Knitting

Comment: Always try knitting first. Crocheting is like knitting, but way easier.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010Name: Aparna Gadgil

Subject: Threading a needle

Comment: Some times it is difficult to thread a needle becauce the thread end gets frayed. The simple idea is apply coat of nailpolish of another colour on the end of a thread for about 1 inch. Then press the end to make it flat and just put through the needle eye.

Tuesday, October 05, 2010Name: Rose

Subject: attachments to finished works

Comment: I usually adorn my small crocheted items with small flowers or buttons (all made from yarn or thread) I stuck some toothpicks into a slim piece of floral styrofoam. I place the flowers and buttons on the tooth picks for quick access. This method also lets me see what colors I have available to finish my project.

Tuesday, October 05, 2010Name: MadHatter

Subject: Two yarns for color

Comment: Using two strands of different colors gives a unique look to hats and scarves. The colors can be similar (such as light and dark blue) or completely different (such as blue and yellow).

Saturday, September 25, 2010Name: Sarah

Subject: Yarn Storage

Comment: I was so frustrated about all my yarn and all the tangles. I had so much, I used to keep them in garbage bags, and they were always falling out. Until I had a brilliant idea: I bought a Debbie Travis under the bed shoe organizer! It was clear plastic at the top, and had a canvas bottom. It was perfect! It held a lot of yarn, it was durable, easy to see what was inside, and could be hidden right under my bed. Now I have no more yarn frustration!

Thursday, September 23, 2010Name: Barb

Subject: hook holder

Comment: the containers that drink flavors come in (the ones you add to bottled water) work great for holding regular size hooks.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010Name: Pamela Smith

Subject: left over tools

Comment: Hey everyone my nome is Pamela and I'm 13. I have been crocheting since I was in kindergarden, and I have TONS of yarn. I found that when you are making a blanket, hat, scarf and things such as this you can make a really neat muli-colored item by using left over yarn. Also I take those little scraps of yarn and tie them together and roll it into a ball of yarn. This is a great way to save your small scraps and keep them out of the trash. But it also makes awsome multi-colored things.
~Pamela

Notice: If you want to send me (the webmistress) a "thank you" using this form, that is fine (I appreciate it). However, I may not be posting it publicly for all to see, and I have no way of responding without knowing your email address.

Name Provide Your Name Subject Subject of Your Testimonial Comment What is your tip or trick? Type In the Letters/Numbers Submit

Notice: By submitting your content, you are agreeing to have it displayed on this page. I retain the right to edit and/or refuse unsuitable content. (Unsuitable content includes questions and help requests.) All submissions are checked before being published.