Tips To Make Crocheting Easier

I am always looking for ways to make crocheting easier, and I love to hear tips from other crocheters. Here are a few that were shared by some of my Facebook friends. They were first published in my newsletter, but I know not every one receives it, so I wanted to share them here as well.

Does your crochet thread have you tied up in knots? Rebbeca Kimmons has a clever solution! She says: 'When working with tiny thread that tends to tangle, I take a fabric softener sheet and just gently run it across the thread. It seems to keep down all the mess. I use the ones that are scented like lavender, so it it makes my crocheting more relaxing.'
When Jewel Fernley is crocheting Irish roses, she finds it easier to make the chain rounds from the wrong side of the work.
Is working with small hooks hard on your hands? Sherry Wade has a great idea you might want to try. Sherry puts shrink tubing (which she buys in the auto department) on the handles of her hooks, and shrinks it to fit. Sherry says, “I use a lighter, and hold the hook with pliers. I run the flame back and forth until it holds to the hook.” Sherry says the tubing makes the hook much easier to grip.
And here is one from me: instead of regular stitch markers, I like to use bobby pins when working with yarn. They slip in and out of the stitches much easier. For thread items, I use a stand of contrasting color thread. This works especially well when working in rounds and marking the first stitch of the round. Just pull the marker strand up and through the first st as you go. The strand should slip out easily after the item is completed.
Do you have a favorite tip you would like to share? I would love to hear it!