12 Tips & advice on how to improve your crochet skills to move from on from beginner. Today I am going to share with your my insider advice on how to improve your crochet knowlegde & skills to help you crochet like a pro. Crochet faster and with ease with my simple tips to improve your crochet knowledge plus advice on how to choose the right crochet hook for you & how to use your yarn more effectivily.
Skill
- ‘Practice makes perfect’ We all know this saying & like anything in life if you want to get better you need to practice. Try to crochet everyday, a little 10 mins session a day will help your body get more accustomed to the movement & rhythm of crocheting. A little everyday goes a long way & soon your fingers will be able to crochet like a pro naturally without your eyes.
- Try new crochet stitches – Go beyond what you already know & challenge yourself to try various stitches, the more stitch variations you know the better your crochet skills will be.
- Wrist supports – I know they are not pretty but before using these I found my wrists would quickly start to hurt after 45-60 mins & often the pain would still there the next day. To tackle this problem I applied the same theory as I did for double bass playing when I had a bad back, I would continue playing but with a corset support. I quickly found I could crochet more comfortably, quicker & for much longer. My crochet sessions can easily go 3-4 hours non-stop with my supports. Here is a link to similar ones I use everyday. Amazon
- Ergonomic movement – Do you find when you crochet that you are moving your shoulder or elbow? Is this movement really necessary? As an ex-musician we are trained to try & reduce any unnecessary movement, as it is wasting energy. Playing an instrument is supposed to feel as natural as possible even thou we are not naturally designed to play these instruments. Applying this technique to your crochet you will be able to streamline your movements which will help you crochet both faster but most of all more comfortably. In the yarn world the best example I can find is the difference between English & Continental style knitting. The continental style is clearly much quicker due to the reduced amount of unnecessary movements of the arm, therefore resulting in a quicker & in my opinion much more comfortable style of knitting.
- Sit comfortably – we are all happier when we are comfortable.
- Use Stitch Markers – Do you have endless rows of spirals? or need to count each row? Take the work out & add a stitch marker! Make your own Yarn Stitch Marker in 1 minute with my FREE TUTORIAL.
- Fasten in your ends as you go – If you have a lot of colour changes fasten off & weave in your ends after every change of colour. You will be so much happier when you finish your item that you have done this.
- Try different Crochet Styles – As my God Mother always said to me growing up ‘Don’t stop learning’ & like many things she is right. Try various styles of crochet from amigurumi, granny squares, crochet clothing, tapestry, t-shirt yarn styles. The more you know the better you will be & maybe you will find a different style of crochet you that you love. There are so many free crochet patterns available online such as this gorgeous tapestry crochet boho basket by MeghanMakesDo.
Hook
- Find the right crochet hook for you – Finding the right hook is like finding Harry Potters Wand, I know this may seem silly but there are various ways of holding your hook & how your body connects together with the instrument – pencil hold, knife grip, left handed style. Then also the pressure you use to hold your hook, how you move your arm or wrist, all these details will affect the hook you choose. Try various brands until you find the one for you. I have tried many over the years & for me my perfect hooks are Japanese Etimo Tulip hooks. Once you find your hook you will be able to crochet like a pro in no time.
- Is the hook right for your yarn? Creating the right balanced tension with both your yarn & hook will result in a much better work flow. (Although I know this is not always possible especially with amigarumi, as patterns tend to require a much smaller hook to yarn to create very tight stitches but in general, this rule will result in a better rhythm of work.)
Yarn
- Use the yarn from the centre – Balls of yarn do look beautiful but in all honestly they are very annoying when crocheting as they roll around. When you do have a yarn bowl they still get caught causing you to have to stop your work to untangle them. I always try to use the yarn from the centre of the ball if possible for ease, speed and fluidity.
- Try different yarns – Some yarns work better than others. I personally find natural yarn fibres work much better for me as I have extremely sensitive skin. When I have to use anything from a manmade fibre it is uncomfortable, itchy & makes the whole experience of working with the yarn unpleasent & last longer! Linen yarn works beautifully for me as it rolls off the hook very quickly & smoothly (fnd a list of natural non-lanolin yarns here). The more types of yarns you try the sooner you will find what is best for you & your style af crochet. Now you have a very good excuse to hit the yarn shop this weekend!
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I hope you have enjoyed this post & you have found my crochet like a pro tips & advice helpful. I would love to hear from you if you have any comments or advice to share.
Love, Roseanna.
Thank you, beautiful person!