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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: 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. Name: 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 Name: 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! Name: 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. Name: 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. Name: 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. Name: 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! Name: 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! Name: 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. Name: 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! Name: 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 Name: 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. Name: 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!! Name: 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. Name: 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. 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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