Tools of the Trade

With numerous projects on the go, I have a tool kit to make it easier to work on projects on the go.

1. One of the tools I use is a French safety pin and numbered and lettered beads. With the beads I can spell out what size hook I am using (5mm). By putting the beads on the safety pin and attaching the safety pin to the work in progress, whether the hook is still with the project or not, I know what size hook I need to use to finish the project.

2. I also use a project journal. In this journal I include the name of the pattern, the source of the pattern, yarn colours, and hook size, when I started the project and special notes. If I plan to use an eyelash yarn to finish the pattern, this would be marked in special notes. Also, if there is an error in the pattern, it’s important to make note of the error in the notes section for future reference.

3. Stitch markers are an important tool for marking the beginning of the round when working in continuous rounds. They are also used for marking sections of a piece. For example, if I am working on a sweater and the sweater is being done as one piece, I would use stitch markers to mark the start and end of the back section. The can also be used to marked the right side of a piece when a pattern says “mark as the right side”.

4. Yarn bobbins are an excellent tool when working with more than one colour. Particularly when I am working on a Tunisian project, I like to have a box of yarn bobbins handy. Not only does it make it less tangled, the yarn bobbins keep the yarn from unrolling all over and make it easier to carry the whole project.

5. A needle to weave in ends in a definite must. Although it doesn’t have to be done right away, it’s better to weave in the ends sooner than later. Imagine a project with 20 ends per piece. If you wait to weave the ends in until the project is completed, the amount of time it would take to weave in the ends is daunting.

Have fun, try not to get frustrated and let the crochet take away some of your stress. With the holiday season fast approaching, using any technique you can to alleviate stress will make you enjoy the season all the more.

Happy Crocheting!