Secrets to Being a Better Crocheter: 8 Everyday Tips & Tricks

When a pattern has several color changes a short distance apart, you can carry the color you’re not using across the previous row and crochet over it, then start using it again when you reach the next area where it belongs.

If you tend to get frustrated with tough projects and burn out, keep an easy, fun project on hand at all times so you can work on it until you’re ready to face the more difficult one again.

Map out your pattern in Excel. This is a great crochet tip for techies! Print your pattern off so you can mark off your rows as you go. This helps you remember where you were when you get interrupted. You can also make the pattern print larger for less eyestrain. And you can color-code the cells by filling each of them in with a color. Don’t have Excel? Google Sheets is 100% free.

Also you can put your pattern down in a plastic sheet protector and use a dry erase marker to mark off rows on the plastic. Use a binder clip to make sure the pattern is secure enough not to move a row up or down from your marks.

Wind the yarn around piece of cardboard about 40-50 times, depending how full you want it to be. The cardboard should be about 3-4″ wide. Slide the wound yard off and tie a piece of yarn around the center of it. Cut both looped ends of the yarn. Holding it by the string of yarn you tied it off with, shake the pom pom out and use scissors to trim it until it’s round.

To make your hooks easier to handle, use Fimo or Sculpey modeling clay. Mold them around the handle, impress your grip on them so it’s customized for your fingers, then bake them according to instructions.

Ironing isn’t always great for crocheted projects. Instead, mix equal amounts of water and starch, spray the project with it liberally, and leave it to dry on a flat surface.

This is quite the unusual crochet hack. There is a great technique of getting rid of the gaps created when we do single crochet decrease stitches (think Amigurumi)! Here are the steps on how to do this magical crochet hack: Insert your hook in the front loop of the first decrease stitch. Insert your hook into the front loop of the next decrease stitch. Yarn over. Pull yarn through 2 loops. Then complete like a normal single crochet by yarning over and pulling through the last two loops on your hook. That's it! Easy, right?
If you’ve got more crochet tips and would like to share, please feel free to put them in the comments below!