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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Circular Shawl |
        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: amanda Subject: crochet Comment: I have rediscovered crochet,i was taught by my teachers mum. When learning, don't rush, learn an easy step and take it one day at a time...oh and good luck!!! Name: Dorothy Subject: carpal tunnel Comment: I love to crochet, but I have problems holding smaller hooks because of carpal tunnel. I wrap the smaller hooks with rubber bands then place pencil holders over the rubber bands. My eight year old daughter finds wraped hooks easier to hold as well. Name: Camzgirl Subject: Making Yarn Balls Comment: When I have half a skein left over, instead of using a piece of paper to wind the yarn to start, try this: Loosely wind the yarn around 3 or 4 fingers about 15 or 20 times, carefully slide fingers out of yarn, then graps it firmly and wind yarn around the middle loosely (like making a ribbon bow). Then, fold your "bow" in half, and continue winding, changing directions with the yarn every so often, until done. This makes for a very neat, perfectly round ball with no paper lumps sticking out. Then, to secure the end, take a F or G hook, and insert it into the suface 2 or 3 layers, and back out again, draw up the loose end about 4 to 6 inches from the end (depending how deep you put the hook through), and pull it through just enough that the end is still sticking out far enough to grab. My 2 and 5 yr-olds play catch with these without them coming unraveleld, and I can still use them for scrap projects!! Name: Neen Subject: sweaty palms Comment: Got to have something for my hands on those hot sticky days, but I have a reaction to the scent of the baby powder. So instead of powder, I use cornstarch (that I've put in a shaker). It works awsome. No sweaty hands at all. (BUT you may have to wash the darker projects to make sure none of the starch remains). There are many great ideas here, and I am going to use to make crocheting easier. Thanks all. Name: Barb Subject: crochet thread holder Comment: I bought a plastic banana holder at a dollar store, turned it upside down and filled the bottom with plaster-of-paris (for weight), then used a large fishing swivel with a piece of wire clothes hanger crossed over in a o shape (about 2" wide / and drop it inside the hole, hang swivel on banana holder and it revolves wonderfully - much less expensive than the wooden ones for about $30. Name: susan Subject: thread crochet Comment: I have a difficult time keeping my thread free of cat hair. Particularly the Baroque as it's the size of a baby kitten and regardless where I hide my work, she finds it. Now I keep it in a coffee can with the thread coming thru a small hole cut in the lid. When I put my project away for the night, I'll put the whole thing inside the can. Voila', fur-free doilies! Name: Carole Subject: net bags to tame unruly skeins Comment: You know those plastic, stretchy net bags that you get with things like tomatoes, avocados and whatever. The bag shrinks up to a skinny wad of plastic net when it's empty but stretches hugely to hold your skeins, particularly the unruly ones. Name: Daisy Subject: safety Comment: Wool yarn doesn't melt like acrylic yarn and doesn't burn as easily, even after washing, so for safety sake, use only wool for potholders or trivets. Name: Christine Subject: Pattern Tips Comment: I've been crocheting for almost 30 years now, started around age 9...yarn is my passion and therapy! My tip is for following patterns, especially ones with repeated rows (like afghans and clothing, especially baptism gowns). I make a photocopy of the pattern, then when it says repeat from * to *, I go back and mark row numbers next to edge. Using a Post-It, I move it around to the next set of directions, and keep a pencilled count (hash marks) on the Post-It. I've made six baptism gowns, the very long ones, and this has helped tremendously in keeping on track. Happy Stitching and Brightest Blessings! Name: Tildy Subject: Skeins Comment: I cut the bottom of a 2-liter plastic pop bottle off and slip the skein of yarn inside with the tail coming out the top of the bottle. This keeps the skein from getting out of control. I sometimes cut out some pretty contact paper to cover the pop label. Name: pat mc cord Subject: hooks Comment: If you crochet fast or for long periods of time an easy way to glide your hook through the stitches...just rub your needle through your hair...just enough oil to make the hook go faster.I've been doing this for over 40 years and it really works. Name: Theresa Subject: Recomendation Comment: i recomend this for everyone. I am 12 years old and have crocheted for about two years know. i make purses lots of scarfs the whole bit. i love crocheting it is real fun and if you put your mind to it you will get the hang of it! Name: Jamie Subject: Counting Comment: Whenever I sit down to crochet, I make sure I have a little handheld calculator next to me. When making starting chain, I enter the number of chains into the calculator. Then, I will count every five or ten chains and substract it from the calculator. This will help you keep count. Especially if you have a lot of interruptions. Also, if you have a pattern that has several rows repeated (for example: rows 2-15: single crochet around), muliply the amount of stiches by the amount of rows using the calculator. Then you can subtract every so many stitches as you go. Hope this helps! Name: Christy Subject: 1 Comment: ok ok.. this is not of mine own wisdom, i read it in a book. but if for some reason you need to unravel a project and you hate frizzy yarn wind it around a plastic bottle and put it in the bathroom by the tub, run a bit of hot water in the tub so that the place gets steamy, SHUT THE DOOR, and come back in about 10-15 minutes and your yarn should not be so frizzy. if there is too much yarn for a plastic bottle try a big can or anything you can wind it around. hope this helps =) Name: Katy Subject: beginners Comment: My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when i was a young teenager. I didn't have the patience for it then, but when she passed away, i decided to teach myself in her honor. I found it very helpful to print a copy of abbreviations and symbols to look at while working on a pattern. It really helps with all the confusion of learning to read patterns. I keep a folder of printed articles and tutorials just in case i need a little help. 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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