5 Ingenious Crochet Hacks

Learning is a continuous process. So regardless of whether you’re new to the art of crocheting or have been practicing the art for over 10 years, you can follow these hacks by Crafters Anonymous for easy project making.

Materials:

• Crochet hook, size H/5.00mm
• Crochet hook, size P/11.5mm
• Yarn

Directions: 

#1

This hack is useful when you’re starting your project. A project begins with a chain. Usually, most people skip a stitch and go to their second chain, then work down. This way is pretty standard, but it leaves the bottom with a ribbed edge.

Instead of working on the side of your chain, work on the back nub of the chain stitch. Do this by skipping your first chain as you usually do. Then, look for the nub on the back of your second chain and insert your hook to work your stitch. Do this until the bottom.

#2

Foundation stitches allow us to work our stitches without doing a foundation chain at the start. This works the same way you usually do single crochet; it’s just that you’re inserting your hook through the base of your stitches.

To do this, start with a two-slipknot chain on your hook. Insert your hook through the second chain, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Then, work your way through your usual single crochet. Then, work your second foundationless single crochet, inserting your hook at the base of the stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop twice.

#3

If you have a large hook but don’t have a large, chunky yarn on hand, then do with what you have and use multiple strands of smaller yarn.

Take your strands and make a slip knot. Insert your hook and start crocheting as you usually do. If you use different colored yarns, using multiple threads makes for a colorful outcome to your project.

This hack also works if you purposefully want to blend two colors for a buffalo plaid or gingham texture project. It’s also best when dealing with yarn that makes it difficult to see your stitches, such as homespun yarn. So, grab another yarn, preferably acrylic, and combine it with the homespun yarn.

#4

When you’re doing a project in the round, where you fasten off usually looks very obvious, as it does not blend well with your other stitches.

To do this, fasten off like normal but leave a long yarn tail. Then, use a tapestry needle to pull the thread through.

Find a nice, clean v-stitch. Insert your needle through the underside and up through the two threads of the v-stitch. Skip where the knot is and go to your large v-stitch top. Take your needle and thread underneath both strands of the v-stitch and pull gently.

To finish it off, go down to the side through which you came up. Then, feed your tailpiece through your stitching, hiding it in your project.

#5

This hack is in line with our second hack. In the second hack, we got rid of the foundation chain. With this one, we will get rid of the need for a turning chain.

When working on the second row, most will usually chain three stitches and skip to the next spot to work the double crochet, letting the turning chain count as a stitch. For the alternative turning chain, turn your work and insert your hook into the first stitch of the first row. Yarn over and pull up a loop twice. Then work your double crochet stitch as usual.

It’s almost like you’re working a single crochet stitch since it’s essentially two of these stacked up.

5 Ingenious Crochet Hacks