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 17, 2005Name: Kay

Subject: Tanglefree yarn

Comment: Another great way to keep your yarn flowing and tanglefree is place the ball into a round oatmeal box and punch a hole in the lid,works great.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005Name: Mrs. Marion Ridley

Subject: Keeping your yarn and project clean

Comment: I have been doing a lot of white baby cloths this year as everyone in my family seems to be having babies! :) To keep the items clean, and the yarn and projects seperate i went to the local hardware store and bought a 5 gallon bucket and a small canvas apron. I covered the bucket with cloth and then hot glued the apron on to the bucket! This gave me a place to hold the hooks, and other supplies for the project, and then placed the yarn and project in the bucket! It has a handel that I single crocheted around to make it pretty, and now my project stays clean and togeather! Great for balls of yarn too because it keeps it from rolling around! Happy crocheting!

Sunday, November 13, 2005Name: Doris

Subject: Partially used Balls of yarn

Comment: Keep the leftover balls of yarn in individual plastic bags. Tie the bags securely any way you want. This keeps the yarn from unraveling.

Monday, November 07, 2005Name: Bonnie

Subject: weaving in ends

Comment: My mother and I like to make fashion dolls from paradise patterns, you often have to cut the thread and we both hate to weave in all the ends, so when we tie in to a new row we crochet the ends in as we go. Just lay your ends on the last row you worked and crochet over the ends. Works great for us. We only have to weave in the first row and the last row that way. Just make sure to leave enough thread that it is worked in at least an 1 to 2 inches. Hope this helps

Monday, November 07, 2005Name: Cheryl

Subject: Eye glass cases

Comment: I'm new to the site and enjoy reading all the hints and found the one about using the hard eyeglass cases for keeping your needles in. Now, here I am thinking I was so smart all this time. Ha! But I do have one step futher for all of you out there and that is using those little round magnets in those cases. You can buy in multiples of like 25 or so at the craft stores. They work great in the lids to hold the scissors and yarn needle up and out of the way. No more hunting & looking for the yarn needle or for the scissors.

Monday, November 07, 2005Name: Angie

Subject: double duty hooks

Comment: OK, this is maybe just a little off topic but afghan hooks also work perfectly for fishing hair out of clogged drains. Be sure to wash them thoroughly afterwards of course!

Monday, November 07, 2005Name: Rebecca

Subject: Hook storage

Comment: I keep my hooks, yarn needles, and sissors in a plastic pencil container. It's easy to carry around, and keeps everything together.

Sunday, November 06, 2005Name: Alex

Subject: making a circle

Comment: Ok, here is my tip, ever wondered how to make a strong circle? well just do what ever stich you need, but insted of going in the stich on the chain, take string under the chain and then continue on like that for the first level!

Sunday, November 06, 2005Name: Penney

Subject: afghans that need to grow

Comment: My grandaughter was given a baby afghan at birth that her aunt made for her. She didn't want to "outgrow" it. Asked me to make it bigger. I used the log cabin method where you add to one side at a time her baby blanket now fits a twin bed. Will we eventually have to make it fit a larger bed?

Saturday, November 05, 2005Name: loghan

Subject: yarn

Comment: keep the yarn in a ball it is easyer to keep not in tangles

Sunday, October 30, 2005Name: Janice

Subject: Keep yarn from tangling

Comment: Cut the side out of a plastic 2 liter bottle. Put your yarn in there and pull the start from the top. Keeps yarn from tangling and keep yarn clean. You can also cut off the bottom, but I like the bottom to stay on keep yarn in plce better.

GooD LUCK!!

Friday, October 28, 2005Name: Michaela

Subject: Hook Storage

Comment: This tip may already be here and I've overlooked it. I apologize if this is the case. I store all of my hooks in a zipped make-up brush bag. It has a compartment with several slender pockets that hold my hooks perfectly. And they don't fall out when I open the bag. I just keep my little scissors and P & Q hooks loose in the bag. (Perfect for travel)

Tuesday, October 25, 2005Name: margaret

Subject: winding wool

Comment: As a machine knitter I have to pass on this tip to you all using yarn from balls. Purchase a wool winder from a knitting machine shop/supplier. We machine knitters use one, balls are no use to us speed knitters.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005Name: vicki

Subject: yarn balls

Comment: I found a neat trick when your crocheting from a ball of yarn so that it is not rolling everywhere- put it in a cereal bowl.

Monday, October 24, 2005Name: Tikki

Subject: A couple of yarn winding tips.

Comment: I keep most of my crochet hooks in a toothbrush travel case. I also use it as a spool when I wind yarn into center pull-out balls. I tuck the end of the yarn in between the halves and push them closed. I hold it in my left hand, turning it slowly as I wind the yarn diagonally around it with my right. When I'm done, I tuck the other end under a few strands with a crochet hook. When I take the ball off my improvised spool, the inner end pulls freely along with it. I enjoy trying to make the neatest ball possible and pulling the yarn from the center means that the ball isn't going to go a'roaming as I crochet.

When I buy unwound skeins, I use the above method but first I clip two large spring clips, such as you might use to close a potato chip bag, on the top of a dining chair back. Space them about a foot apart and hang your yarn around them, letting it drape down the back of the chair. Now it's easy to pull a few loops off as you wind and rest will neatly stay put.

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