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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: Leona Subject: Carrying your hooks Comment: I use the flat containers that baby wipes come in to carry hooks, sewing needles and folding sizzors - the containers snap securely (to add security-put a rubber band around the case) and you can toss them into bag w/out worry! Name: Torrie Subject: Storage Comment: I keep my current project in a handeled, plastic box. It's small enough to carry everywhere, but large enough to hold 6 skeins of yarn plus supplies. I keep 2 snack size zipper sandwich bags inside. One holds all my hooks and needles, the other is for yarn scraps. I save the scraps to use as stitch markers on my next project. I also keep a magnetic board and magnetic strips in the box. I bought them to mark my place on cross stitch patterns, but they work great to keep my place in compicated crochet patterns. All of my crochet patterns are stored in a 3-prong folder, which also fits perfectly in the box. With the handle, the box is also very easy to grab and hide when my sister (who I'm making a blanket for) stops by unexpectedly. Name: Jennifer Subject: Organization Comment: I used to keep my crochet hooks and yarn needles in a little zippered bag I found. I was always having to dig through the bag for my yarn needle that I use for finishing my projects. I finally got tired of it and crocheted myself a little "pin cushion" of sorts and stuffed it with yarn scraps. I use it to store my yarn needle and whatever crochet hook I'm using for my current project. It works great! Name: angie Subject: good ideas Comment: Even if you don't knit i've discovered its well worth it to check out knitting patterns at the knitting version of this site. Its a great place to get new ideas that could be adapted to crochet. Name: Cynthia Subject: Yarn bobbin Comment: I have always had a hard time finding bobbins big enough to wind yarn around. So I finally made my own. Using carboard I cut out a circle with little mouse ears on each side (all one piece) and I find that the little ears really help with the wrapping and its a cheap and easy solution. And the best part is that you can use them over and over. Name: Meg Subject: UFOs (Unfinished Objects) Comment: I know I am not alone when I say I have a ton of UFOs all over the place in my house, as I crochet, cross stitch, and make jewelry among many other things. I never could find my projects or books to go with them just when I wanted to finish them, so I bought some under-the-bed storage boxes just for my UFOs. Now I am slowly finishing them all, and I know where they all are! Don't forget if it is a crochet project and you are using that particular size hook for something to attach a note with the size of the hook you were using with a paper clip to the project book! Name: Pat West Subject: Teaching your kids Comment: In teaching my 11 year old daughter to crochet, I've found that her patience and attention is held to the project very well by listening to "books on tape" while we crochet. It's dynamite quality time! Art & literature rolled into one. Since she is a great reader, her Language teacher allows it into her reading log. Name: Diane Subject: Needles and anything small Comment: I keep a hard glass case (mens works best) you can keep small needles, scissors and all the small things you need for marking rolls. I also keep the smallest sticky note paper (2x1/2) in it with a small pencil, that way I don't mess up my patterns. Name: Karen Subject: pictures Comment: I take pictures of every project I finish. It's nice to look back at my beginning projects to my latest works to see how much I have progressed. Name: Heather Subject: Where's that hook?! Comment: I always lost my crochet hooks, one after another, until I started putting them in a small glass vase. I just keep a small (short) glass vase on the shelf, and all my crochet hooks are right there when I need then, I just pull one out when I need it, no searching through boxes, craft bags, and sofa cushions anymore. Name: Melissa Subject: Crochet every where you go Comment: I know it was mentioned earlier, but I take my crochet projects everywhere. One the bus or train on the way to work. waiting for people gets very boring, but if you have a project to work on, its easy. Even 5 or 10 min adds up. I end up putting in an extra hour in every day just from the train to work. Happy Crocheting!! Name: Christina Subject: age and beginning crochet Comment: I'm glad to see a few younger girls on this site. It's nice to know you're using the computer for something other then instant messaging haha Learn young and do it with a friend. the most rewarding way to learn anything is by teaching. So use each other's mistakes as lessons and don't be afraid to point them out! laugh about it! Most of all, be patient...one of the most important lessons crochet can teach you is patience. Name: Christina Subject: small hooks Comment: I always poke my index finger when I put the hook through a stitch in thread crochet. It's because I always put my finger behind the stitch as a kind of support. Well I find that those little rubber finger tip "thimbles" (craft store) that I use when I'm embroidering, solve this problem nicely. Name: Christina Subject: gift projects Comment: I always find, when making a gift, it is a great idea to make one for yourself first. This way if it doesn't come out perfect ( I'm a BIG perfectinist he he), because you read a line of the pattern wrong or you never did that kind of stitch then it's ok because you made kind of a practice project. Also, the person you give the gift to will think it was really heartfelt instead of something you made and didn't like so decided to give it away or something. And you can do like mother and daughter projects and such. Name: Christina Subject: organization Comment: I've been seriously crocheting for a LOOONG time ( like 13 or 14 years) and I have ALOT of patterns, swatches , scrapyarn, and all kinds of tools and materials; not to mention that I like embroidery and i love to write and draw. When I moved I realized that I finally need to put some organization in this chaos. So I bought a couple of thirty gallon tubs with tupperware lids at Cosco. they only cost seven dollars apeice and they hold all of my varios binders, cases, etc. Also, you can dress them up with wrapping paper, paint, permanant markers, or even crochet a cover. This way they also double as a little work table. You can put dividers in them and I put a little pocket on each of my covers for quick reach of projects in progress, or a description of what's in the tub. That way you don't have to go digging for your project. Happy crafting! 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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