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!

Monday, May 14, 2007Name: Craig

Subject: Skiens or Balls?

Comment: I used to wonder what the deal was with rolling a skien of yarn into a ball. I never had any trouble with the skiens. Well last week I was working on a project and the yarn became tangled inside the skien. I didn't know what was going on and I pulled a little to hard and the yarn snapped!!!! I had to undo that whole row and pick up with the "new" end of the yarn so that I wouldn't have a tail in the middle of a row. Warning to beginner crocheters...take the time to wrap your skiens into balls because its worth the effort not to have to deal with snapping yarn.

Friday, May 11, 2007Name: Sarah

Subject: Rolling Yarn Balls

Comment: When I first started crocheting I noticed that my friend did something unusual with her yarn balls. She put them in a plastic sandwich bag with a seal (like a ziploc) and then cut off one of the bottom corners. She fed her yarn through the hole and then crocheted with it. This kept kids and cats from being able to mess with her yarn ball and kept it from rolling too!

Friday, May 04, 2007Name: Heather

Subject: keeping balls in one place

Comment: heres another idea for keeping your yarn from rolling across the floor: vases! get one that has a neck that narrows in just a little bit to keep the ball from popping out. put the ball in there, and crochet away!

Friday, April 27, 2007Name: claudette

Subject: carpal tunnel

Comment: This is for Barbara Destephano and any others affected by carpal tunnel. I had it in both wrists. Besides crocheting and cross stitching, I also do a lot of keyboarding at work. I got in touch with a wonderful surgeon who did surgery on both my wrists. It's great to be able to crochet again without pain or my hands going to sleep. Do not wait to long to go to the doctor. The damage can be repaired if it's not left too long. The surgery was done as outpatient. I was on my way home within 2-3 hours. Recovery time is not very long either. God bless.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007Name: Sheri

Subject: Keeping place

Comment: As a hairstylist who likes to crochet, I found that instead of safty pins or paperclips that can snag yarn, Bobby pins work GREAT and their easy to use and move without snagging yarn. Just remember to use the ones with coated ends. Happy Crocheting!

Thursday, April 19, 2007Name: barbara destephano!

Subject: carpal tunnel syndrome

Comment: I would like to suggest that all of you should take precautions against carpal tunnel. I started crocheting in 05' and used to crochet for hours on end without many breaks and now have carpal tunnel syndrome. I didn't know all that time I was damaging my wrists and hands and also have problems up to and including my neck. I didn't realize that there was any problem with flexing your neck downward to crochet for hours at a time either. I didn't know you could even get carpal from crocheting and other needlework. Because I didn't know this and take precautions, like frequent rests and proper posture and positioning, hand warm-ups etc., I am now faced with very possibly never being able to crochet again which really saddens me as I love it so much for many reasons.
I also never realized just how serious carpal tunnel is and that it can cause very serious long-term damage and disability.
This is why I want to warn all of you to research this and take every precaution to prevent this so none of you end up in the same position.
I would love to have any feedback from anyone else who has this and what you do to deal with it in regards to crocheting.
Take care all

Tuesday, April 17, 2007Name: Rebecca

Subject: Patterns

Comment: When I print patterns off the computer, I punch holes in them and store them in a notebook. They stay neat and clean and organized.

Sunday, April 15, 2007Name: Judy

Subject: crocheted hats for cancer patients

Comment: I just wanted to comment that I have a 12 yer old friend who is bald from having a cancerous tumor removed and some ladies made her crocheted hats to wear at night because her head gets cold. The thing is they itch her sooo bad because they were made with that fun fur. So in the future if you are making hats for cancer patients DO NOT use fun fur. She said just regular yarn feels the best. Comfort is first in this situation. Thank you!!

Saturday, April 14, 2007Name: Lisa Spicer

Subject: Smooth Stitching

Comment: When your hook begins to drag or feel "sticky", just slide the hook back and forth at the base of your hairline--it picks up a little natural oil from your scalp and slides smoothly again. Got this trick from The Tightwad Gazette, whick recommends it for baby diaper pins.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007Name: Ellen

Subject: Yarn Storage

Comment: I store my yarn in my various sized baskets in the corner of my living room - it also looks nice because they match my earthtone decor. Prior to the baskets, I had them in plastic bags and covered them with a stylish chinese umbrella.

Sunday, April 08, 2007Name: Kendra

Subject: hook storage

Comment: Some of my hooks didn't come in plastic packages where I could get them in and out easily so I thought of using toothbrush containers (you know,the ones for traveling). They're the perfect size and I can have one for my steel hooks and one for my aluminum hooks.

Friday, April 06, 2007Name: Stephanie

Subject: Yarn needle storage

Comment: I tried to use the magnet to keep my yarn needles together, but they kept falling off. I keep a mechanical pencil in my crochet case and decided to use that for the storage instead.

I took the eraser off the end of the pencil, slid the yarn needles in, and put the eraser back on.

I don't use the pencil often enough to run out of the lead that's already loaded, so I shouldn't run the risk of loading a needle instead of lead :)

Wednesday, April 04, 2007Name: Amy

Subject: Keeping my place in a pattern

Comment: If I have a pattern that I have borrowed off of someone I use a large paper clip to show me what row I am on. I just move the clip down when a row is completed that way I don't have the fuss of copying a pattern or marking the borrowed one.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007Name: Juanita

Subject: crocheting

Comment: When making anything that has a duplicate, such as sleeves, I always make both at the same time. First I do a little on one and then the same amount on the second until both are finished. Booties are especially hard to keep even in size unless done in this fashion.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007Name: Lori

Subject: Storing hooks

Comment: I use an old jewelry roll with a ribbon tie to keep my hooks together. There are clear zippered sections inside so I can see my hooks easily and I can also keep my clippers and tapestry needle inside.

It rolls up into a small size, so it travels easily and keeps everything conveniently together.

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.