General Advice

Feel free to add any general advice for our crafts here!

  • To wash yarn that is still in the skein, tie it up tightly in hose/stockings/tights/nylons to prevent yarn barf.

  • Distilled white vinegar can be used in your laundry to assist with color fasting, stain and odor removal. (DO NOT USE WITH BLEACH.)

  • Rinse out your knitted or crocheted washcloths and hang them to allow them to dry after each use. (Not just in a wet pile next to the sink)

  • Freezing can also kill the bacteria that leads to odor. Simply place the washcloth in a Ziploc bag and toss into the freezer until laundry day.

  • Can’t remember what size hook you’re using on a project? Make your own stitch markers using alphabet beads or create a color code system.

  • Having problems with your starting chain? Go up a hook size on the foundation row if you find your start is too tight. Continue the rest of the project with the correct size hook.

  • If you keep written patterns, place them into sheet protectors in a three-ring binder - many will allow you to use dry erase markers to keep notes. (Or just use Ribblr’s built in function!)

  • Give your hands a break! And make sure you stretch them from time to time as well. Our hands are very important tools that need to be taken care of as well.

  • Small pieces of scrap yarn can be used as stitch markers. (Never leave it out for the birds.)

  • Use hose/stockings/nylons/tights in your amigurumi to keep your stuffing from escaping. Stuff the filing into the hose and then push that into your amigurumi. (This doesn’t work for every shape, unfortunately.) Ensure your stitches are tight in your amigurumi as well to help ensure your stuffing stays internal.

  • A neck lamp or lighted hooks may help when using dark yarn.

  • You can use a hair clip or a barrette to hold down the end piece on a skein of yarn.

  • Need a quick ergonomic handle? Try an Ace/elastic bandage, foam hair curlers, pencil grip, or rubber bands. Polymer clay works too - just not quite as fast as the quick hacks.

Keep more advice coming!

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We put up a clothesline over the sink. put one outside my kitchen window also. I always hang them out there. Love it.

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Using yarn under (instead of yarn over) technique can get your seams straighter (not as effective for hdc(US)/htc(UK) though) as well as a tighter stitch for amigurumi
Yarn under technique is when you insert hook into stitch, yarn under instead of yarn over to pull through the stitch… All other times can be yarn over

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I tried yarn under, but once I get going, my wrist actively hurts, tried a wrist stabilizer, it didn’t help.
My tension is TIGHT, so the yarn under on the next round I’m fighting to get the hook in the stitch.
So I’ll just settle for yarn over in my own tight way. :wink::laughing:

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Well yes, you probably wouldn’t want to use it if you already have tight tension… But I’ll repeat my Mammaw’s advice: you’ll want to relax your tension or you won’t be able to crochet as long
:hugs:

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She said that really?
Well, I’ll want to do that, cuz I’ll go insane otherwise. Go back to chain smoking.
Stress Smoking GIF

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Yes, I used to make my stitches so tight that even she could barely get the hook in… She told me that it’ll cause issues with my hands and over time I won’t be able to crochet as long, plus when I get older I may have to quit altogether… I found that after relaxing my tension, I can crochet for longer periods of time (but I still take a break every hour to stretch my fingers, especially since I have RA)…

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I have tight tension too :worried:

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