25+ CROCHET HACKS FOR BEGINNERS [Pro-Tips from a Crocheter with 20 Years Experience]

Hello friends Tony from Teal Yarn Crafts and welcome to my studio. I've been

crochet

ing for over 20

years

and have learned a few things along the way. In this video, I share over 25 of my favorite

tips

, tricks, and pro-level

tips

. tricks I use to make

crochet

fun and make sure my projects are perfect. I'm so excited to partner with my friends at we crochet for this video. We crochet provide most of the yarn and tools used in this video, all of which are linked in the description below and you will also find links to various crochet patterns that I have created in collaboration with me. crochet finally stay tuned until the end for a special announcement.

Now let's get to those tips if you like to use metal tapestry needles. like me, here's a great way to store them. Metal tapestry needles are magnetic, so grab a magnet from your local craft store and hold the tapestry needles in place, so I have plenty of crochet hooks. I mean, this is just half of them, my favorite way to store hooks is on a makeup brush organizer, this one has nine compartments and I label each compartment with the size of the hook and a piece of washi tape so I know exactly where everything is, whether you're out crocheting with friends or just tackling a project. from my study to the couch, which is most days.

I like to have a basic crochet kit nearby. When we crochet, I pack this cute bag with everything I need, including a small notebook, a pair of scissors, the crochet hook for my current project, my favorite tape measure. stitch markers, as well as tapestry needles of different sizes and my favorite pen, if you don't have exactly what you need in your stash for a project, consider doubling up on lighter threads to get the gauge you need, two strands of lace equals touch two strands. of fingering equals worsted, two strands of worsted equals bulky and two strands of Voki equals super bulky, although these combinations are generally accepted, be sure to check the gauge on your project anyway, when it comes time to weave the tips , don't get frustrated with frayed thread. thread the tapestry needle the easy way fold the thread over the needle tuck the thread comfortably between your fingers take out the needle and then move the thread in the eye of the needle works every time for this tip let's make a slip knot the easy way grip the end of the thread in your hand wrap it twice around your index finger bring the second loop over the first loop on and off your finger grab the thread in your palm and lift with your index finger your Slipknot is ready and now it's time To crochet like most crochets, you probably learn to work on the front of your chain to start a project, but let's try something different instead of working your first row of stitches on the back bump of your chain, this makes the edge bottom of your project is much cleaner, especially.

If you plan to see the pieces together, there are many benefits to starting your project with basic stitches instead of a traditional chain. The most obvious advantage is how flexible the basis points are. You can make basic points with any point we make here. basic single crochet, we'll start with a slip knot and then we'll chain two, one and two, we'll pick up a loop in the first chain you made, we'll chain one and then we'll knit and pull through both loops on the hook, we'll pick up a loop in both loops . to the left of the stitch you just made, pick up a loop, chain a yarn over, pull through two and you'll continue doing that, pick up a loop, make sure it goes under both loops at the base of the stitch, chain a thread.

Above both, see the description for a link to a more in-depth look at basic crochet stitches. I'm sure you've seen plenty of gorgeous bowls of yarn floating around, but if you're in a pinch, you can make your own. Take a binder clip and secure it to the side of a heavy bowl like this, then grab the outside edge of your yarn and thread it through. through the loops of the binder clip and you are now ready to start knitting occasionally. You'll see a pattern that starts with a long chain and then tells you to join it together to work in the round without twisting the chain.

It's basically impossible, but I've found an easy way to do it, so start by making your chain and then once. you have some there, release the hook and insert it through the front of the first chain and then return to the working loop. Continue chaining until you have enough for your project, then slip the working loop through the first loop and you're done. You have a perfect chain in the round, now you can start working and there will be no twists in sight. Hello friends, Tony, here and I have many more crochet tips to come. If you are enjoying this video, please like and click it. that subscribe button now let's get back to that if you want to skip the whole chain joining thing in the round try a basic row, just make your row, then take the beginning of the row to find the current stitch and start knitting.

Seriously, it's as easy as that. There are many recommendations on how to avoid holes at the beginning of your crochet rows. I'm here to share mine in this double crochet sampler. The rows starting with a chain of three have holes, but you can see that these top rows don't achieve this. I start my double crochet, single crochet, and half crochet rows with just one chain. When I rotate my work, I place the first stitch at the base of that chain so I don't skip any stitches at the beginning of my rows. Here will go a double crochet and in each stitch of the row, when I get to the end of my row, my last stitch will go to the last stitch of the row, not the chain, so I'm going to go under both loops of the last stitch and I'll leave the chain intact and this is how I make sure the start and end of my rows don't have holes.

This tip is really great if you need to shape it when we're working in the round like you're making crochet toys. Now, when you normally do a single crochet decrease, you pick up a loop in each of the next two stitches, yarn over and go through all three, but we do work a couple more stitches. You'll notice that our decrease is very obvious, it has an extra bar and doesn't look like the points around it. Instead, let's do an invisible decrease. To do this, you will insert the hook into the front loop only. of each of the next two stitches, so here is one in the front loop and we go directly to the second one and then we will knit the yarn over and we will go through those two loops, the yarn over, we will go through the last two loops and if we put a couple of points later you will notice that this decrease looks exactly like a normal low point and you can barely see it now.

I heard somewhere that stitch markers are like the hair ties of the crochet world, they're just never there when you need them, but I bet you have other items around your house that you can use instead of a stitch marker. . A bobby pin works, just open it up, insert it into the stitch and that's definitely not going anywhere. You can also use a clip, just be very careful when reinserting this into delicate stitches because it can split the yarn, you can also use a piece of yarn, cut it to a length that works, insert the hook into the stitch, pull the yarn through and then pass the ends through the loop of the thread.

Tighten it and then when you are ready to knit again, you can take it out. If you're starting a really big project like a sweater or maybe even a blanket, you may have to start with a long row of chains. Just this many chains can be tedious, but stitch markers can help place markers on your chain at even intervals, it can be every 10 or 25 chains, then when you count your chain you can count the markers instead of the individual chains, these split ring markers. from we crochet are my favorites for doing this because they slide into the stitches so easily and you can easily slide them back in when you're ready to start knitting.

This next trick is especially useful if you're putting your project away for a while and don't want little hands or ripping off your work, lift the loop up high and you can leave it like that, but let's secure it with a stitch marker, tighten that loop and no matter how tight Let them shoot, the points are not going anywhere. I've heard thousands of stories about new crochet mistakes that get strange shapes in their work because they are missing stitches or adding stitches to the beginning or end of rows. Here's an easy way to keep your stitch count constant row by row when you get to the end. row complete that row 1 chain turn your work make your first stitch at that marked point and move your stitch marker here.

Did you just complete it? Now that you have marked the beginning of your row, you can work to the end of your row again. once you get to the end of this row do it all over again, work the last stitch, work the first plate of the next row, place your marker and continue moving those markers up as you go, this trick shows the most easy and fluid to change color while working in crochet simply work your stitch until you reach the last step for a double crochet, that's when you have two loops left on the hook, drop the previous color, take the new color making sure to leave a nice long tail strand and pass through them. last two loops with your new color now you can continue working with the new color if you have ever seen a pattern that says to bring the yarn up the side of your work when making stripes this is how you do it so work your color until you reach the last stitch and complete that stitch to the last step you release the previous color you take the yarn over of the new color and pull to make sure you don't pull the new color too tight so that your dots and stripes indicate the correct height now You can continue working on that new color until you return to the other side.

You will have some floats along the side of your work, but keep them uniform and they should not interrupt the pattern. I'm a sucker for a good granny square, but I really hate joining all those squares together, so here I'll show you how to join on the fly with a traditional granny square. When joining granny squares as we go, we want to pay special attention to the chain spaces in the corners and between our sets of three double crochets now I'm going to join this end of this granny square without working with this end of this finished granny square, so I'm going to continue working on my corner, I'm going to place my three double crochets and each of my corners has two chains, so I'm going to complete the first chain and the next chain is where I'm going to join.

I simply place a slip stitch in space two of the corner chain of the full granny square and that takes the place of the second chain. for my incomplete granny square, I'll put three more double crochets in that corner space and then before my next set of three double crochets is a chain, instead of working in that chain, I'll slip the stitch into the next string space of my incomplete granny square. granny square to fill this spot in the chain that is between my three groups of double crochets place a group of three double crochets in the next chain space in the motif I'm working on slip stitch in the next chain space in my granny square three finished group of double crochets in the corner and remember that there is a two chain space between three groups of double crochets in the corner, so I will make one of my chains and then join it with a slip stitch in the corner of the finished motif and I will place three more double stitches. crochet in the corner of the granny square that is unfinished so there is one, two and three and I can finish this granny square as usual and these come together beautifully when finishing the motifs that were worked in the round as a square Grandma's, we usually finish our stitches and slip stitch at the top of chain 3, it's okay, but it leaves a kind of knot, it doesn't look very pretty, we can do it better, what we will do is an invisible join in the round, so I've got my group of three double crochets.

I'll complete my chain one and now I'll lift my loop up high and cut my thread leaving a pretty long tail. I'm going to lift that loop up and take it out of my work and put it on. that end on a tapestry needle, then I'll find the next stitch and then the next stitch that's here, I'll insert from front to back through both loops of that stitch and then I'll insert from front to back right through the back loop of the last . The plate I created pulls this nice and taut and now I have a perfect, beautiful join between those stitches when I work motifs with loops of different colors.

An easy way to add a new color is with a vertical dot. Here's how to do it normally in a pattern. when adding new colors for around, you will insert the hook into the loop of the stitch with the new color and make a series of chains and again, that's fine, but that doesn't look like a double crochet, instead make a double crochet by placing a slip knot on your hook, tighten it and for a double stitch we will begin knitting the loop,hold that loop nice and tight insert the hook into the stitch the yarn over and lift the yarn over the loop pull the yarn over two yarn overs pull the two that you can Now continue with your stitch pattern as usual and that first stitch looks exactly like a high point.

Sometimes in a pattern, after working your regular rows, you may be instructed to work evenly along the sides of your rows. This can be a little complicated if you don't know what to do, but here's an easy guide to figure it out. You will work a stitch at the end of each row of single crochets. You will work three stitches in two rows of half double crochet. You will work two stitches at the end of each double crochet. row and work three stitches at the end of each double crochet row, this should give you a nice even edge.

Be sure to work around the stitch and not into the stitch to make sure the edges stay nice and neat. I have had the unfortunate

experience

of having my ends unweave from my project. I changed the way I weave my ends and will first show you how to do it safely. I'm going to find five stitches to weave my end and I'm going to weave my tapestry needle under both legs of those stitches. the five stitches and then I'm going to pull the thread through, then I like to stretch the fabric a little bit to make sure the end isn't too tight and instead of zigzagging through my project, I'm going to skip the first leg and go to the second leg of that last stitch and knit again the same way I came here, the end is safe and will never come out now that I craft with teal yarn full time, wear a lot of hats and need to do a lot of things in one day.

I like to use the Pomodoro method to increase productivity on those busy days. Simply set an alarm for 25 minutes and work focused. Don't check your phone. Don't take a break, just keep working when the timer goes off, then set it to five minutes and take a short break, take that time to stretch your hands, drink some water or even get up and move when five minutes have passed, set the timer for 25 minutes and Do it all over again, this type of discipline program helps you do more in less time and with fewer distractions, since the new crochet books were one of my favorite resources if you are looking to strengthen your crochet library , here are the 5 best books.

I recommend Crochet Borders Every Way by etyek Minh has one hundred and thirty-nine patterns for custom borders Roche Stitch Dictionary by Sarah Hazel has two hundred essential stitches with step-by-step photos Crochet Stitches Every Way Dictionary by Ornstein Gate te helps you master the shape in more than one hundred and twenty-five crochet stitches also from etyek men is connect the shapes, a book full of unique crochet motifs and how to join them and, last but not least, my most precious book, the Melissa Lehman's collection of must-have stitches for crochet mistakes is packed with stitches. orders and instructions you will need.

Thank you very much for watching this video. You are the real MVP and I can't wait to see how your crochet improves to celebrate reaching one hundred thousand subscribers on my channel. We crochet and I'm giving away a beginner. crochet prize pack, one winner will receive all the prizes you see here plus five beginner patterns from the TL Yarn Craft Library to enter, follow these three steps, first like this video, second subscribe to my channel and third comment below to let me know your favorite tip from this video or give me a helpful tip I didn't mention.

I will choose a winner on Sunday, April 5, 2020 and this giveaway is open only to us residents, good luck.