5 Simple Tweaks to Crochet Faster

I think all of us want to crochet faster. After all, don't all of us have a crochet queue that goes around the block, like, ten times? Mine certainly does.

Here are 5 simple tweaks that will help you crochet faster and get around to the million projects you want to finish before you kick the bucket.

1. Start With Clean Hands:

This might sound obvious, but it's not. And I am not referring to licking off your chocolate-covered fingers (because, really, who does that?).

I am talking about the natural oils that your skin produces. Contrary to what you may think, oily, sweaty hands not only carries the risk of dirtying or staining your work; it will also slow the yarn flow through your fingers and, in turn, make you crochet slower.

So go ahead and take a few short minutes to get your hands nice and clean. Make sure to dry 'em before you start crocheting. Then wash again later, if your hands get oily or sweaty as you work.

2. Posture, posture, POSTURE!

I know it's tempting to lay back on a hammock and stitch away. Unless you want to crochet fast, that is.

If you are in for speed: sit straight up on a comfortable chair that allows for free elbow movement. I recommend one from the dining room or an office chair. Now relax your shoulders and hold your work comfortably around the height of your chest.

You not only will crochet faster, but can potentially do so for longer.

3. Let That Yarn Flow:

I bet it's no surprise that stopping to pull yarn from the skein, is a waste of precious crochet time. Though we can't avoid it altogether, there are some ways to reduce it's occurrence.

If the yarn flows out of the skein freely, then ignore me on this one. But when the yarn is tight coming out of the skein, pull a few yards a at a time and let them sit on your lap as you crochet.

Opt for pulling the yarn from the center of the skein whenever possible.

Also, place your yarn carefully near you. Don't let it tumble freely on the floor, where it will "find" places to get caught on, and stop you in your progress while you go and rescue it from it's trap.

The trick is: provide for its free flow.

4. It's a Matter of Rhythm

It's better to crochet at about 80-90% of your top speed and do it right, than going at 100% and make a lot of mistakes. Makes sense?

Don't rush it. Go at the highest speed that still feels comfortable. If you are making a lot of mistakes, slow down a little.

5. Don't Yarn Over

No, I didn't go insane. What I mean by "don't yarn over" is to "hook under" instead.

Usually, you hold the hook with your dominant hand, and the yarn with your other hand. With the "yarn over," you wrap the yarn around the hook using your non-dominant hand, which is really unnecessary if you are also, already, moving the hook to get the yarn. Hence, the "hook under," which puts the bulk of the movements with your dominant hand.

It's all in making your movements more efficient. The less amount of movements you use to accomplish a stitch, the less time it will take.

Just ry it and see for yourself ;)

Lastly...

Don't get the joy out of crochet. The beauty of this art comes from the care and the pasion that goes into the pieces that you make. So, please don't sacrifice quality over quantity. Keep an eye on gauge and tension. And, as always, have fun.

Pixel Crochet Blankets WIP - The Charts

So I have been swimming in pixel crochet squares...lots of them. 1650 squares before the end of November is my goal. And that is thanks to two kids who just can't request tiny amigurumi for their christmas presents. The challenge: two full sized blankets.

They have even made more requests of blankets "for when you are finished with those". Sigh.

As whiny as I may sound, I love this cra-ft. Plus, I can't say no to them when they request anything crochet from me.

These are the charts I made to ensure I make the correct amounts of squares for each color. I adapted them from some cute designs I pinned onto my Pinterest board: 8-Bit - Pixel Art - Perler Beads.

I am going to save you the tedious and boring explanation of why there are letters on each square. Just know that they have to be there so that my spreadsheet counts que amounts of squares of each color for me. If you geeks out there still want said tedious and boring explanation, just let me know. I'll gladly obligue.

Day Of The Dead Sugar Skull Free Amigurumi Pattern

Sugar skulls are the most popular symbol of the Day Of The Dead (Dia de los Muertos in Spanish). It is a holiday for honoring those who have passed...and the perfect excuse to get hook and yarn in hand. Plus, my posting of patterns for Halloween is way overdue anyway.

I present to you, Martina, the Amigurumi Sugar Skull.

Regardless if you celebrate this holiday or not, I hope you agree with me that Martina is seriously cute. And now you can make one too. Just don't call her Martina, 'coz this is THE Martina.

Day Of The Dead Sugar Skull Amigurumi

You will need:

• Yarn in off white and black (or colors of your choice, I used soft worsted weight)
• Crochet hook (I used size 4.0 mm or "F" for everything)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Stuffing
• Embroidery thread
• Optional: buttons, other embellishments

Note: This pattern is worked in a spiral. Do not join rounds. Use a stitch marker to identify the beginning of the round and move it from round to round as you progress. Standard US abbreviations apply.

Skull (make 1)

With the off-white yarn:

Round 1: 6 sc into a magic ring. [6 sts]

Round 2: 2 sc in each st [12 sts]

Round 3: 1 sc, inc in next st. Repeat around. [18 sts]

Round 4: 2 sc, inc in next st. Repeat around. [24 sts]

Round 5: 3 sc, inc in next st. Repeat around. [30 sts]

Round 6: 4 sc, inc in next st. Repeat around. [36 sts]

Rounds 7-12: Sc around [36 sts]

Now begin shaping the head:

Round 13: 9 sc, dec over next 2 sts. *3 sc, dec over next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to * to the end of the round. [30 sts]

Round 14: 9 sc, dec over next 2 sts. *2 sc, dec over next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to * once more. 5 sc, dec over next 2 sts. Repeat from * to * once. [25 sts]

Round 15: 9 sc, dec over next 2 sts. *1 sc, dec over next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to * once more. Dec over next 2 sts. Repeat from * to * twice. [19 sts]

Stuff firmly.

Round 16: 9 sc, *dec over the next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to * to the end of the round. [14 sts]

Round 17-18: Sc around [14 sts]

Round 19: Dec around using only the back loops. [7 sts]

Cut yarn, leaving a tail about 6 inches long, and pull through. Add more stuffing if you like (difficult but doable). Thread a tapestry needle. Stitch through the front loop of every one of the 7 remaining sts. Pull the yarn to close the hole. Weave in ends.

Eyes (make 2) and Face

With the black yarn: 10 dc into magic ring. Finish off, leaving a tail to sew onto the head. Alternatively, you could weave in the ends and sew them onto the head using embroidery thread, which is what I did. You could also glue them on, your choice.

For a more colorful touch, sew on (or glue) buttons on the eyes before attaching them to the head.

Use embroidery thread to make the mouth and the nose.

Now pick a gender, or go genderless, and decorate your newly Crocheted Sugar Skull Amigurumi. Go crazy embroidering with colorful thread as you want, like I did on Martina's cheeks with yellow and orange swirls and a purple "something" on her forehead. Then I made the following flower for her.

Flower (optional, I made 1)

I followed the following pattern from user Creative Crochet on YouTube. Very well explained and easy to follow. It is for a head band with a flower. I just followed her instructions for the flower, using my 4.0 mm ("F") hook, and made it with 6-petals, then added the leaves and a button for extra color.

This is the video for the Left-Handed version (flower instructions start at 7:26):



This is the video for the Right-Handed version (flower instructions start at 7:26):

Leaf (optional, I made 2)

Ch 7. Sc on second ch from hook. Hdc on next ch. Dc on next two ch. Hdc on next ch. Sc on last ch, then sl st on same st. Finish off, leaving a tail for sewing it onto the bottom of the flower.

Now attach the flower to the head using yarn, thread, or glue, your choice.

AND you are done ;)

Don't forget to show me your creations!

XOXO

Solid Granny Square Pattern for Pixel Crochet (Right-Handed Version)

This is the Red-Handed version of my Solid Granny Square Pattern for Pixel Crochet (Left-Handed Version here). I can't crochet right-handed, so I just flipped all my pictures, and here you have it.

In Pixel Crochet each pixel is represented by a crocheted square. Then you join all your squares together to create your, simply put, pixel awesomeness, which can take the form of a blanket, a rug, or whatever you want.

This Solid Granny Square pattern comes pretty darn close to a hole-less cutie with sharp corners. I call it "The Pixel Crochet Square," a mouthful...but, whatever. Call it "pixel," for short.

The Pixel Crochet Square (Right-Handed Version)

You will need:

• Yarn (I used worsted weight)
• Crochet hook (I used size 6.00 mm or "J")
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

I use Red Heart Super Saver yarn on my Pixel Crochet projects (lynch me if you want to). I find that size "J" (6.0 mm) gives me the best results with this yarn, with just the right tension. However, the "J" hook tends to be too thick for my taste when I use it with other softer worsted weight yarns. So, try this pattern with different combinations of hook sizes and types of worsted weight yarn to find the one that works best for your pixelation journey.

Round 1

Step 1:
Make magic ring and lock it with a stitch.

Step 2:
Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), work 2 dc into ring, ch 1.

Step 3:
Work 3 dc into ring, ch 1. Repeat twice.

Step 4:
Pull tail to close the magic ring. Join to top of beg ch-2 with a sl st.

Each side has a cluster with 3 dc each, separated by ch-1 spaces.

Round 2

Step 5:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc on same st as join.

Step 6:
Work 1 dc in the middle st of the cluster, then 2 dc in last st of the cluster.

Step 7:
Into the ch-1 space: work 1 tr, ch 1, 1tr.

Step 8:
Work 2 dc in first st of the next cluster, then 1 dc in the middle st of the cluster, then 2 dc in last st of the cluster.

Step 9:
Repeat step 7, step 8, and finish the round with a last repeat of step 7.

If this is your last round, DO NOT JOIN just yet. Go to the "Finishing Off" section. Else, join to top of beg ch-3 with a sl st.

Up to this point, each side has a cluster that begins with 1 tr, followed by 5 dc, and ends with 1 tr. The clusters are separated by ch-1 spaces.

The square size with two rounds is about 3 in (before blocking).

Additional Rounds:

Step 10:
First cluster of all subsequent rounds: start with a ch-3, work 1 dc in the same st as join, then work 1 dc in all sts before the last st of the cluster, then work 2 dc in the last st of the cluster.

Step 11:
Into the ch-1 space: work 1 tr, ch 1, 1tr. (Same as Step 7).

Step 12:
Remaining clusters of all subsequent rounds: work 2 dc in first st of the cluster, then work 1 dc in all sts before the last st of the cluster, then work 2 dc in the last st of the cluster.

Step 13:
Repeat step 11, step 12, and finish the round with a last repeat of step 11.

When you finish your last round, DO NOT JOIN just yet.

Finishing Off:

Cut the yarn, leaving a tail about 3 in long.

Pull the tail up through the stitch.

Thread a tapestry needle with the tail. Skip the top of beg ch-3 and create a joining stitch on the next st as follows:

Insert the tapestry needle under both loops of the st and draw the yarn through.

Next, insert the tapestry needle in between the loops, from front to back, of the last stitch worked (which is a ch-1, btw) and draw the yarn through.

Weave in the tails and cut.

Now make as many "pixels" as you need :) I'll soon post projects I've made using this pattern.

Don't forget to show me your creations!

XOXO

Solid Granny Square Pattern for Pixel Crochet (Left-Handed Version)

In Pixel Crochet each pixel is represented by a crocheted square. Then you join all your squares together to create your, simply put, pixel awesomeness, which can take the form of a blanket, a rug, or whatever you want.

This Solid Granny Square pattern comes pretty darn close to a hole-less cutie with sharp corners. I call it "The Pixel Crochet Square", a mouthful...but, whatever. Call it "pixel," for short.

Oh, and since I'm a leftie, the left-handed version is the one I publish first :P Go see the right-handed version here.

The Pixel Crochet Square (Left-Handed Version)

You will need:

• Yarn (I used worsted weight)
• Crochet hook (I used size 6.00 mm or "J")
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

I use Red Heart Super Saver yarn on my Pixel Crochet projects (lynch me if you want to). I find that size "J" (6.0 mm) gives me the best results with this yarn, with just the right tension. However, the "J" hook tends to be too thick for my taste when I use it with other softer worsted weight yarns. So, try this pattern with different combinations of hook sizes and types of worsted weight yarn to find the one that works best for your pixelation journey.

Round 1

Step 1:
Make magic ring and lock it with a stitch.

Step 2:
Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), work 2 dc into ring, ch 1.

Step 3:
Work 3 dc into ring, ch 1. Repeat twice.

Step 4:
Pull tail to close the magic ring. Join to top of beg ch-2 with a sl st.

Each side has a cluster with 3 dc each, separated by ch-1 spaces.

Round 2

Step 5:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc on same st as join.

Step 6:
Work 1 dc in the middle st of the cluster, then 2 dc in last st of the cluster.

Step 7:
Into the ch-1 space: work 1 tr, ch 1, 1tr.

Step 8:
Work 2 dc in first st of the next cluster, then 1 dc in the middle st of the cluster, then 2 dc in last st of the cluster.

Step 9:
Repeat step 7, step 8, and finish the round with a last repeat of step 7.

If this is your last round, DO NOT JOIN just yet. Go to the "Finishing Off" section. Else, join to top of beg ch-3 with a sl st.

Up to this point, each side has a cluster that begins with 1 tr, followed by 5 dc, and ends with 1 tr. The clusters are separated by ch-1 spaces.

The square size with two rounds is about 3 in (before blocking).

Additional Rounds:

Step 10:
First cluster of all subsequent rounds: start with a ch-3, work 1 dc in the same st as join, then work 1 dc in all sts before the last st of the cluster, then work 2 dc in the last st of the cluster.

Step 11:
Into the ch-1 space: work 1 tr, ch 1, 1tr. (Same as Step 7).

Step 12:
Remaining clusters of all subsequent rounds: work 2 dc in first st of the cluster, then work 1 dc in all sts before the last st of the cluster, then work 2 dc in the last st of the cluster.

Step 13:
Repeat step 11, step 12, and finish the round with a last repeat of step 11.

When you finish your last round, DO NOT JOIN just yet.

Finishing Off:

Cut the yarn, leaving a tail about 3 in long.

Pull the tail up through the stitch.

Thread a tapestry needle with the tail. Skip the top of beg ch-3 and create a joining stitch on the next st as follows:

Insert the tapestry needle under both loops of the st and draw the yarn through.

Next, insert the tapestry needle in between the loops, from front to back, of the last stitch worked (which is a ch-1, btw) and draw the yarn through.

Weave in the tails and cut.

Now make as many "pixels" as you need :) I'll soon post projects I've made using this pattern.

Don't forget to show me your creations!

XOXO

Why I Decided to Start This Blog?

Short answer: Because I wanted to ;)

This qualifies as my millionth attempt at blogging. ADD doesn't help, you know? Like I read the other day somewhere: "My brain has too many tabs open." I am way too easy to distr... Oh, where did I leave my J hook? I wish I were at the beach right now.

Anyway! I'm kinda geeky and all sorts of awkward around people. I have a passion for crochet, which I have practiced for the past 10 years. I'm left-handed, with a knack for over planning stuff, and have a fixation on my aforementioned "J" hook. It is just the perfect size for everything.

I hate, hate, haaaaate it when people beat around the bush with crochet patterns, especially on videos. Makes my heart rate go Tasmanian devil. I don't need the history of the magic ring and a bulleted list of all it's advantages, you know? Short attention span, remember? So most of what I write will go straight to the point.

And since this post has taken me more than 30 minutes to write, I'll leave it here, not without sharing my fave Yoda-ish quote. As if that wasn't geeky enough ;P