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!

Friday, June 29, 2007Name: Lisbet

Subject: Keeping my place

Comment: I use a magnet strip to keep my place in patterns. The pattern sits on a music stand and I have a bag that can store the project hooked to the stand

Tuesday, June 26, 2007Name: Momkat

Subject: Project Helper

Comment: I tend to either do several crochet projects at once or leave one I'm frustrated with for awhile. I put the hook in a plastic bag with the project so I never have to guess what hook I used for gauge. You can buy hooks in a multi-pack so cheaply........you can afford to leave a hook with a project and the instruction without trying to guess!

Sunday, June 24, 2007Name: LimaLlama14

Subject: Stain Remover

Comment: I'm 12 and I love to crochet at school but sometimes lunch gets on my projects. So I've found that nail polish remover and some "Surf" easily gets stains out without ruining the yarn.

Thursday, June 21, 2007Name: Carole

Subject: Crochet Hooks

Comment: A simple holder for crochet hooks is a travel toothbrush plastic holder. Since I live a couple places during the week, I can get several toothbrush holders and just take the crochet hooks that I need with me. A small make-up bag carries my scissors, darning needles, etc.

Monday, June 18, 2007Name: micheal

Subject: rolling yarn ball

Comment: When rolling yarn balls with a small pet like a cat or dog put the skien of yarn inside your shirt or jacket instead of in sight of the pet. the cat or dog cant find the yarn and cant play with it.

Thursday, June 14, 2007Name: Princess G

Subject: Storage/bags

Comment: hello im 12 yrs old and i already have a huge collection of yarns, crochet hooks and knitting needles. if your young (like me) and you are rushing all over you house trying to find where you put that yarn you were just going to use..... invest in a scrapbooking/knitting tote. my mum bought me a scrapbooking tote and it holds everything i need! my hundreds of cool patterns (thankx to this site!) and endless amount of yarns and hooks. it really keeps me organised.... well most of the time! i hope this helped some of you knitters and crocheters out there! happy crocheting/knitting!

Monday, June 11, 2007Name: Faye

Subject: patterns

Comment: When I print patterns I put them in a document protector, I have separate notebooks for knitting and crochet, you can use a grease pencil (china marker) to keep track of things on the protector that easily wipes off when you're done, I get standard page dividers and separate the patterns according to type, ie. toys, sweaters, hats etc...

Saturday, June 09, 2007Name: Marita

Subject: Yarn Keepers

Comment: At Wal-Mart you can now buy plastic yarn keepers that allow you to put a whole skein of yarn in and feed it through the top. It is really nice and helps keep your yarn from getting knotted up and this way you don't need to spend time balling your yarn any more!

Friday, June 08, 2007Name: Joyce

Subject: pattern holder

Comment: When crocheting I was having trouble holding my book or instructions and trying to crochet, so while rummaging one day I bought a music rack for 50 cents. I prop my book on it and use clips to hold my page open. When I'm done I fold it up and store it until the next time. Hands free to crochet!

Friday, June 08, 2007Name: Debbie

Subject: Working the ends in

Comment: I've found that when I'm working in the ends, it's easier to do with a hook a size or two smaller than the one I'm using on the main body of the piece. My work runs a little tight and my husband laughs at the faces I make trying to wrestle those little tails in.

Sunday, June 03, 2007Name: AngiS

Subject: Yarn Storage

Comment: To keep my balls of Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn clean, untangled, AND ready for resuming my project - I used an empty blank CD holder. It is round, the width of the CD, and has a neat little post in the middle of the holder. I use a standard drill to drill a hole on the side of the cover (near the top). I place the ball of yarn over the post in the bottom and feed the yard through the hole on the side and then lock the cover in place. This allows me to keep my yarn in reach, ready to use, and clean and safe from my 3-year-old's curious hands. I've also found that if I cut a piece of the non-slip drawer liners (kind of like rubbery lace) and glue it to the bottom of the CD holder (the part with the post), it will stay in place on my table, but still allow the yarn to move freely. When I need a break, I simply put my project and yarn aside, knowing that the yarn will stay clean and untangled.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007Name: Sheryl Harrold

Subject: tips feeding yarn

Comment: When you use a coffee can or pretzle can to hold your yarn always use a straw taped to the middle of top to feed yarn or thread thru. That way top will not be torn. Just cut a small piece from straw and tape to top of can and feed the yarn or thread thru, do project and keeps clean

Monday, May 28, 2007Name: Samantha

Subject: Traveling

Comment: My mother used to carry her hooks and yarn and scissors in a Wal-Mart bag. It irritated me so much when she did that, because it looked so tacky to me. So, for Mother's Day this year, I went out and bought a simple tote bag for about $2 at Wal-Mart, some fabric paint, and a piece of ribbon. I tied the ribbon on the handle and wrote her name in really pretty script on the bag. In the bag, I put a skein of Caron yarn in Orchid (which is what she asked for) and a pencil pouch that I bought at Wal-Mart for 97 cents. I bought one for myself, and I keep scissors and my hooks in there and anything else that I might use. I have a tote bag of my own that I carry everything in, including my pencil pouch. I've also found that binder rings (97 cents for a pack of five in the school supplies section at Wal-Mart) are great for holding your "place." I only have three hooks, so sometimes I stop working on one project to straighten up something on another or just to whip up something, and I don't want my work to unravel. So I just pop the binder ring open and put it through my stitch and then close it. No matter how the yarn gets tugged and pulled, it doesn't pull out my stitches!

Monday, May 14, 2007Name: Amanda

Subject: Hook and notion storage

Comment: I found a pencil case that has a top section that has elastic loops for pencils and the like, and a pocketed section for stuff like a 6" ruler, scissors, row markers, safety pins, Row counters, stitch holders, etc.

It's come in handy when I'm travelling. I don't have to go looking for my scissors or anything else I might need.

Monday, May 14, 2007Name: Eddie

Subject: Cheating

Comment: I have been crocheting for many years, and sometimes my mind likes to wonder when I am working. If I happen to notice that I made a mistake in an afghan, I will rip out my work and fix it...but if I do the same thing again later on (seeing how many afghan patterns call for repeating row), I make it part of the pattern. In other words I just leave it as is and move on. Yeah I know that this is totally cheating and sometimes it doesn't make for a pretty piece, but I really hate having to redo my work.

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.