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!

Saturday, March 01, 2008Name: Jennifer

Subject: Keeping a stitch

Comment: When I need to stop crocheting, I use a simple trick to keep my stitches from undoing. I simply make the loop larger, and stick my ball of yarn through it.

Thursday, February 28, 2008Name: alipurr

Subject: lost stitches

Comment: When I have to put down my WIP, it is usually quickly, because I am usually stopping to help babies and toddlers. Since I don't have time to put in pins or markers, I make the loop really really big. I also make sure to put my hook away in my zipper case. That way, if babies or kitties get in my yarn basket as they inevitably do, my work yarn can be pulled a little but stitches won't be lost because I made the loop so big.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008Name: Beth

Subject: empty soda bottles

Comment: I haven't been doing this long but i love it! take an empty soda bottle and cut out the bottom. slip your yarn in the thru the bottom and pull the string out the top end.stand it upright and begin your project. no rolling yarn! my granny taught me this tip. enjoy!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008Name: marylee giocondo

Subject: Helpful Tip

Comment: For crocheters who put work down and pick up later only to find that a few stitches have come out, then you have to tear back to where the pattern started... What I do is put a stitch holder thru the loop before I put my work down, come back and its right where I left it, and no pulled out stitches.

Thursday, February 21, 2008Name: Karen

Subject: leftover yarn

Comment: There's an organization called Care Wear that accepts donations of handmade preemie crocheted hats for premature infants in hospitals across our country. Have a half skein of yarn left over from that afghan you made? Make a few preemie hats to donate! They're quick and easy and there's tons of patterns online for them. Goes to a great cause!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008Name: ToniL

Subject: Keeping Hooks

Comment: I found that one of those nice plastic cases that you get a "good" pen or pen/pencil set in is perfect for storing my hooks and my hubby made me a simple flat block with a length of dowel up from the centre. Sanded it all up and lacquered it and it's perfect for holding my ball of yarn without it rolling all around the floor. Rather like a miniature paper towel holder.

Sunday, February 17, 2008Name: Mic Durham

Subject: Crochet Hook Keeper

Comment: We have 4 kids and have spent tons of $$ on school supplies that are not always used to their full extent. I keep my kids pencil keepers (w/ 3 holes 4 binders). This way I keep my hooks w/ my patterns all in one place. If I'm in a super hurry and know I will be sitting around for an appt--I just grab the book and my basic bag of thread or yarn and I'm good to go!

Sunday, February 17, 2008Name: MadHatter

Subject: Keeping Yarn Close

Comment: To keep my yarn balls from rolling, I keep a heavy plant pot next to my crocheting chair. I chose one big enough for a one pound ball of yarn. Plus it is decorative.

Sunday, February 17, 2008Name: MadHatter

Subject: Downloading Patterns

Comment: I save web patterns by copying them into WORD. I save the picture to my Desktop, then insert the picture into the WORD document. That way, when I print the pattern, I have all of the information printed out together.
Just be sure to include the web link and copyright, in case you need to go back to the original web page!

Sunday, February 17, 2008Name: MadHatter

Subject: Charts

Comment: I agree with Zack, color-coded charts are great. The solution: take the picture created in Paint, and insert it into a WORD document. Then resize to the largest that will fit on a page. Print!
Another way: create a grid of rectangles in WORD, and "fill" each with the desired color. Handy for those who don't use Paint.

Thursday, February 14, 2008Name: moosie

Subject: EEK! I lost a stich!

Comment: Hi everyone, I know this has to happen to everyone at some point: You put your WIP (Work in progress) in a bag and the hook falls out of the stitch, and then you end up losing some stitches. Well, what I do is I put a safety pin inside the stitch I'm on (the one that is currently on my hook) and hook it shut and then none of your stitches fall out! Hooray! And you can put the hook you're using in a smaller pocket of the bag, or just in the bottom of the bag.
Hope this helps someone,
Love to all,
Moosie

Sunday, February 10, 2008Name: Molly

Subject: tote bag

Comment: I take an old pair of jeans, lay them out flat, then cut them off a little down from the crotch. Turn inside out and sew across both legs creating a "bag", take one of the legs and cut two strips of fabric to make handles with. Make them as long as you wish, shoulder length or handle length, sew them onto the bag. You now have a heavy duty bag that you can decorate or not, and it has plenty of pockets and loops to make use of.

Sunday, February 10, 2008Name: Molly

Subject: pattern trick

Comment: I take my patterns and place them into top loading plastic sheets then put those onto 3 ring notebooks. Whenever I choose to work on one I take it out of the notebook but leave it in the sheet so that I can write on the sheet using a wipe off pen to mark what row I am on or to make a note in case I made a pattern change.

Sunday, February 10, 2008Name: Katherine

Subject: threading yarn needle

Comment: I opened a paper clip, insert either end into the larger needle's eye, wrapped yarn around open end of paper clip, insert back into the needle, and thread it through. Very easy for me. Try it, it works.

Monday, February 04, 2008Name: VanGoClothing

Subject: non slip crochet hooks

Comment: I'm a guy that crochets and have my own custom workshop and what really helps out is this stuff called plasti dip. its a liquid that dries to a rubbery texture. Construction workers use it to re insulate their tool handles and I have used it for my sons bicycle handlebars when his handgrips get tore up. it gives anything a nice smooth rubbery coat.

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