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!

Thursday, November 30, 2006Name: AprilA

Subject: Storage

Comment: I use a small pencil box that I got at the dollar store. It is about 3 inches deep, 8inches long and 5 inches deep. It holds all my hooks (and I have over 50 of them! and looking for more!) plus my stitch markers, small gauge ruler, I also use a small bottle that my diabetic test strips come in to hold my yarn needles!. I also keep a pencil in there to mark my pattern so I know what line I'm on and a small pair of scissors. To cut down on noise from the contents rattling around in the box. I lined it with a soft piece of batting. Have fun everyone!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006Name: tina

Subject: big bag

Comment: I carry all of my stuff in a big bag that a comforter came in its really big and I can see through it so I know whats inside. Of course I know whats inside cause I put it there

Monday, November 27, 2006Name: stephanie williams

Subject: Place Markers

Comment: To mark "right side" or as "place markers" I use those tiny little hair clips you can buy at the discount or department store. They are small enough to not get in the way and easy to handle. Plus they don't damage your creations!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006Name: Peg

Subject: Winding Yarn

Comment: I take the wapper of the skein of yarn, tear off a part with the name, color, number, etc. fold it into a small square and wind the yarn on that. If I need to buy more of this color, all the information is there when I use the last of the yarn

Wednesday, November 22, 2006Name: Maria

Subject: carry case for hooks & baby safety pins

Comment: I carry my hooks in a chopsticks case/holder that I bought at an asian market. It holds 3-4 hooks and it doesn't have a hole at the bottom that you usually find in toothbrush cases.

I also use safety pins to hold my place but I found that the yarn got stuck in the top part of the pin (the closure part) so I started using safety pins for babies. The top part is plastic and is kinder to your yarn because it can't get stuck in it.

Saturday, November 18, 2006Name: Jenn H.

Subject: storing hooks and "tools"

Comment: I have found that a small zippered make-up bag works great to hold all my hooks, yarn needles, scissors, safety pins, etc. I used to keep it all in a ziploc baggie, but I lost a few hooks after they poked a hole and fell out. The make-up bag holds all my "tools" in one easy-to-access place and fits right into my crochet tote, (and nothing falls out and gets lost). Thanks to everyone for all the great tips and happy crocheting. :)

Wednesday, November 08, 2006Name: KarenM.

Subject: Place keeper on pattern

Comment: Post it flags are awesome for keeping track of where you are on a pattern, I just put the flag so that the color part underlines the place where I need to start next time I pick up the project. They also make great markers for patterns in books or magazines that you want to try, and you can even use them to notate patterns from the library since you can write on them! Plus they are small enough to easily fit into any crocheters kit :-)

Tuesday, November 07, 2006Name: Donna

Subject: Yarn Control

Comment: Use a large plastic container (tub of pretzels, purchased at Sam's/with lid is ideal). The mouth of the tub is large enough to slip a skein of yarn into. Carve out hole in lid, and yarn stays clean, handy, contained, and the bonus is, you can see exactly how much you have on the skein, at all times. Works just great!!!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006Name: Jana M

Subject: leftover yarn

Comment: When I finish a project and have yarn leftover, I make a granny square out of it! I keep all the granny squares in a bag and when I have enough I can make any number of things with them. I also store any yarn that I have leftover after my granny square is made in ziploc bags sorted by color.

Monday, November 06, 2006Name: Anna

Subject: crocheting

Comment: Hey I just want to let all the people who made this site know that I think it's great and keep up the good work!:)
My tip is to beginners: never give up. I have been crocheting since i was nine and I love it! But I didn't really start out good I thought I would never get it but here I am a few years later crocheting like crazy and I love it! so happy crocheting everyone !=)

Thursday, November 02, 2006Name: maggi morrison

Subject: crocheting with the right hand

Comment: Although I can do crochet the "correct" way, I tend to hold both the hook and the yarn in my right hand. I flip the yarn over the hook just as if I was knitting, and feed the work towards it with my left hand. I think this is because I was a naturally left handed person made to change hands. I get very confused sometimes! Moral don't make kids change hands!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006Name: Mary

Subject: yarn needle

Comment: Keep track of your yarn needle by gluing a magnet in an empty perscription bottle. Drop in your needles and you now know where it is, even if you drop it.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006Name: Chickie

Subject: Place marker

Comment: While crocheting one evening I needed to mark my place and didn't have anything around so I just took out snap barrett from my hair and snapped it onto my project. They are made of metal and are about and inch and a half. Won't ruin anything.

Monday, October 30, 2006Name: Mary Romeo

Subject: Storing Hooks

Comment: I use an empty "Cottenelle Wipes" plastic container to hold my crochet hooks. It is solid, easy to store either in my tools drawer or if I am working on several different projects at a time, it fits in the bottom of my tote.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006Name: Tdiamond

Subject: Place marker

Comment: I found that usuing a portion of the twist tie from a bag of purchased bread works well. I just cut the amount I need, thread it through the yarn and give a single twist and it holds well. It also comes out really quickly and easily.

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