Crocheting
Tips
Balls of Yarn Vs. Skeins
• If you’re impatient to get your project
started, you might be tempted to rip the
label off your skein of yarn and get to
work. Technically, you can crochet with
skeins of yarn, but it many cases you
can achieve better results if you take the
time to wind the skein into a ball first.
This is especially true for beginners.
Yarn Position
• Position the ball of yarn so that it can
unwind easily as you crochet.
• If you are crocheting at home in a
comfortable chair, you can keep the ball
of yarn in your lap or on the floor at your
feet, whichever you prefer.
• If you are crocheting on an airplane or
in a moving vehicle, tuck the ball of yarn
inside a tote bag to keep it from rolling
around and unwinding.
• Balls of yarn have a couple of advantages
over skeins:
• Avoid Tangles. Center-pull skeins of yarn
can tangle easily towards the end. Balls
of yarn are less likely to tangle.
• Improve Tension. If you have a hard time
achieving even tension, try working from
a ball of yarn rather than a skein.
• Ball winders are available to help you
with this task, but you can also do it by
hand.
Switch Hooks When Necessary
• Novice crocheters tend to work either too
tightly or too loosely.
• If your work is too tight, choose a larger
crochet hook.
• If your work is too loose, choose a
smaller crochet hook.
• Keep in mind that the hook size
indicated on your yarn label is no more
than a suggested starting point.
• Do your experimenting with hooks prior
to starting a project. The ideal time to do
this is when you are making your gauge
swatches.