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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Baby Cowboy Hat |
        Interested in knitting? Visit our sister site: Knitting Pattern Central  | Tips 'n TricksDo 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! Name: BabyD Subject: Gift Bags Comment: I love to use gift bags to put my yarn in as I'm working. The skein can roll and tumble around in there without coming out. If I have to leave my WIP, I just pull my working loop out really big and drop my work and the hook in the bag until I can come back to it. And if I'm using several different skeins at once on a project, they each have their own bag so there's no tangling messes.---You can use gift bags you've received or the dollar store is an excellent place to find them. Any size you need too. Name: BabyD Subject: Yarn Storage Comment: I looked for a long time trying to find something that would work for me. I wanted storage like you find in the yarn store but didn't want to pay a small fortune. I found these great shoe storage bins at Target. They're clear plastic so you can see your yarn and they pop together like the wire cubes so they're easy to handle. They have 15 compartments and you can get several of the large skeins in one section and 6-12 of the smaller ones in a section. You can store quite a bit in these. They're wonderful if you have the room for them. I love being able to see all my yarn. Especially when I'm wanting to start a project and trying to see if I have what I need. It beats digging through the tubs I had them in before.----I also took some clear plastic and designed a simple cover to keep over them. It keeps them dust and cat hair free. Name: Peggy Subject: Yarn Holder Comment: I use ice cream buckets to hold my yarn. They are free, have plenty of room and in my house, I have lots of them to use for all of my different projects. Just cut a small slit from the side of the lid, make a small hole in the lid close to the edge and you have a container that you can see the color of the yarn easily. And sometimes you can even fit the pattern in the bucket. Name: Joyful Subject: Storage/Organize Comment: I like to save the clear plastic covers from sheets/curtains/baby onesies/etc that I buy and use them to organize my miscellaneous crafting supplies. I like that I can see everything in the bags at a glance. I also save the tiny ziplock bags that hold the extra button and thread when I buy a new shirt or pair of pants/skirt. I use those to hold my sewing needles or other small, easily lost supplies. Name: Christinne Subject: stitch markers Comment: I have found that when working in rounds (for hats, ponchos, etc.), a traditional stitch marker takes too long to use. I instead use baby hair clips (the ones that bend and "snap" to close). It's faster and easier...and when working in rounds, anything to save time helps. Name: Christinne Subject: tapestry needle holder Comment: I use an empty M&M's minis container for my tapestry needles, needle threader and regular needles needed/used for crochet projects. It's just the right size and portable if you take a WIP with you and you're almost at the end. Name: Sherry Subject: skein holder Comment: I started to crochet about a year ago. up into a few months ago i wanted one of those fancy skein holders you see in jo-ann but I am a penny pincher and thought they were too expensive I remember seeing the same shape jar in walmart in the tupperware aisle for two dollars I got a couple and drilled a half inch hole in the cover works great!! Name: Cindy Subject: hook storage Comment: I store my crochet hooks in a plastic toothbrush holder. It's the perfect size and it only cost a dollar! Name: MAR Subject: Storing Crochet/Knitting/Yarn/Needles Comment: I have been knitting and crocheting for many years. I have accumulated almost every size crochet hook (including the aluminum ones) / knitting needles (straight.circular, double pointed, darning needles with large holes for sewing up projects. I purchased a large fishing tackle box, where when opened there are trays on the side. I store knitting needles in main bed of box, crochet hooks in the trays on top, and darning needles, stitch holders, the round stitch markers, and the rubber point tips, in the top trays as well. in the separate compartment at bottom of box i store all circular needles and long afghan hooks. works great and everything i could possibly want is right there. Name: dorothy Subject: yarn Comment: Need two ply yarn in a hurry? carefully split 4 ply yarn, by pulling two strands at a time. This is time consuming, but works in a pinch. Name: Cindy Subject: Storing Leftover Yarns Comment: Can't let myself throw away even the smallest amount of leftover yarn as I tell myself I will need it for scrap afghans. Leftover yarns get tangled and become a big mess. Save the clear plastic sleeves from your newspaper delivery. They are excellent for storing leftover yarns. Simply put the yarn in the plastic sleeve and secure the opening with a small tie. The yarn stays clean, will not tangle, you can easily see the color and remember to tuck one of the yarn label inside. Helps if you need to buy more of the same yarn or when combining yarn types. Crochet hook holders...those pretty pastel containers from "Baby Wipes" also make great hook and other crochet doo dads holders. Name: Angie Subject: yarn Comment: Try tucking a few scented dryer sheets into your yarn stash to keep it smelling fresh. Name: Linda Subject: yarn keeper Comment: The new plastic coffee jugs that you buy your grounds in, if you punch a clean, smooth hole in the top you can put your yarn in there and you have a handle to carry it. Name: Beverly Crane Subject: Russian Princess Sequined Dress Comment: After several false starts in keeping track of my rows 91)-14 times, I pulled a half full pocket calender out and used the empty months to list the rows and if they had sequins or not and which rows have the decreases and the number of stitches per row. I use a knitting row counter to keep track of which row I am on. Since I have lots of interruptions, this has really helped. Name: barb Subject: hook holder Comment: The containers that the drink mixes (crystal light and such) come in are great for holding hooks. They are the ones that have 4-6 little tubs that make 2 quarts each. Keep the tops to reseal the plastic tube and you are good to go. Select a Page << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Next >> Share your own hints by filling in the form below... |
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