tip for protecting your yarn! you can use those cheap drawstring backpacks that get handed out at conventions and stuff. you can pull the drawstring and your yarn ball will stay inside
Extra saving for girls: I use bobbi pins as stitch markers... never falls off, basically locks with how tight is clamps... the yarn usually rests in the opening of the fold over! Change everything for me! 😅😅
i just started amigurumi, realized i had no stitch markers obviously, and just used a safety pin since i have dozens already. guaranteed to be thin and not leave a hole
For anybody just getting into crocheting or lost/don't have stitch markers, safety pins are literally the same. I'm in the middle of nowhere, so when I started learning and needed stitch markers I went to the dollar store and found a pack of colored safety pins for not even $2 and honestly now that I have stitch markers I kinda prefer the pins. Sure you gotta be a bit careful, but to me they're easier to use and spot!
Exactly!! I immediately went to Amazon after the video was over and ordered the kit!! I'm a Clover gal and now I can be a Tulip gal too. Thanks Elise!! 👸💜🐈
I am so sorry that you were disappointed in the lighted crochet hooks. I am legally blind, and I bought a set of lighted crochet hooks, and I absolutely am in love with them. They help me out so much in being able to see the stitches they just wonderful, and worked so well for me.
Hi, I have the crochet light set that enables the crochet hooks in the set to light up and they are a fabulous aid and I wouldn't want to be without them now even though I'm not legally blind I do have cataracts so I struggle to see, I have found that putting something white on my lap such as a white pillow case or a small white tablecloth under my work help in seeing the stitches clearer.
Thank you for commenting this, Im so severely nearsighted Im at a higher risk of going blind. If that happens now I know I can try out light up hooks and hopefully keep crocheting!
I have a set of inividual acrylic light up hooks and they are excellent. They aren't my day to day hooks, but I use them in the evenings and if I'm using a dark yarn
My daughter got me a set of lighted hooks for Christmas. I love being able to see between the dark yarns. Only down fall is when I stitch too tight & have already put a crack in my favorite hook because they are plastic. Gee now I wonder if they make glass ones.
Thank you for letting us know about AI writing patterns. I didn't know it was so prevalent! I will definitely do my homework before any pattern purchases.
it sometimes gives you wrong patterns. well, I once asked AI for a heart-shaped pillow pattern and when I was finishing it I realized that it is a circular-shaped pillow pattern.
Using Ravelry is good for avoiding this, as the members can comment on patterns. So if something is off, it will quickly be known. Great place to browse and search for new projects, too.😊
For stitch markers, i like either safety pins, or contrasting yarn. I put my yarn in Ziploc bags, and snip a tiny hole in one of the bottom corners, then i can keep yarn clean, and have it zipped so it doesn't end up out if the bags. I will also put the label in the bag for washing instructions and lot numbers, etc. Love your content! Keep it up!❤❤
all you need to crochet: a few different size needles, yarn needles and yarn anything else can make your process easier but is honestly optional stitch markers? put a small piece of scrap yarn into your stitch (different colour to find it easier) that yarn spinny thing? i wrap my loose yarn arround random bottles and position them in a way that it slips right off the top when I'm working
This, abd here's another little tip for the yarn: if you pull the string from the middle (can be a bit difficult to get that end out, but it works) you won't have to pull much to get mire yarn. Since I use this trick I can literally just put it next to me and the yarn comes out just from the tension you use to crochet alone and the ball almost doesn't move at all.
I use old altoids tins with a magnet strip stuck inside the lid inside my notions pouch and as a mini sewing kit. It's the right size to hold a surprising amount of small things and putting a magnet strip inside the lid means if I have any metal pins or needles I can stick them there are I wont get hurt or lose them. I also will just count my stitches or rows (whatever I need to track) and tally it on a piece of scrap paper that I then secure through my stitch marker.
I will not be buying more beginner crochet kits. :) I bought one to learn how to crochet and it's fun. Now that I've done a few and made a blanket, I'm finding that amigurumi isn't my favorite thing to make. Realizing that and looking at my stash, I have so many still to do! No matter how cute they are, I do not need more. Great video as always Elise! I'm extra thrilled that you kept the bloopers in.
I’ve never used plastic stitch markers - they’ve always gotten in the way of my being able to hold my work! The yarn tail (or a scrap piece, if the tail isn’t long enough) has always worked super well for me. And it’s free!
I bought a beginner crochet kit from The Woobles, literally perfect. 50/10! The quality was everything I hoped it would be and started my obsession with crochet and loved it so muchhh!
I love the Woobles but once you learn how to make amigurumi it’s more cost efficient to by supplies separately. I have a similar list but now I NEED those crochet hooks and makeup case! I usually use the free cosmetic pouches I get with “gift with purchase” at the mall.
I also learned with the Woobles & I agree that they’re great kits for someone who’s never crocheted before. I do wish they’d make exclusive videos for each kit, though. If you don’t start with Pierre the Penguin they tend to “recycle” videos so it can be confusing to a true beginner.
One of the weirdest purchases ive made for crochet this year was going to an antique shop and buying a thimble! I make microcrochet dolls and my poor middle finger took a lot of hits before i decided to give a thimble a try. So far, it's been great! Also, I bought an antique abacus to use as my stitch counter and I love it. I just take a picture of the abacus if I relocate my crochet projects.
I crocheted with my grandmother when I was a child. Very happy memories there. I am revisiting that craft after a 50-yr break as physical limitations are now causing me to rethink my hobbies. So I've been studying up on modern crochet (mostly via RUclips) and want you to know that your channel has THE MOST PRACTICAL information to date. I consider myself a beginning crocheter with a limited budget who is needing to purchase basic crocheting tools and items. Thank you for your candid product reviews, tips and suggestions. Keep up the good work!
You need to go to... Bag O Day Crochet. Crystal is great ! She has around 1200 projects and puts out 1 or 2 a week. She goes through the whole project, and makes it fun. You can learn so much.
My Mom done macrame when I was little. I use her 10mm hook now for larger projects. However, I did have to upgrade it with a polymer clay handle as it hurt my hand and wrist. She likes the upgrade on her old hook, lol.
My grandma taught me how to crochet the basics and I kinda went from there. Though, she was really into doing the micro thread doilly crocheting turning the overall doillys into bigger projects like blankets and table runners. I never figured out how the heck she managed to see let alone do those kind of projects. They were always awesome looking after she completed each one.
1) any hook that’s not Clover Amour. I’d love to try the Tulips, but I’ll put it on my birthday and Christmas lists only. I, hoping not to buy ANY hooks, but if I lose a Clover size I need, I’m allowed to buy it. 2) any stitch markers at all. I have a huge collection of little ones that look like safety pins without the loop, and they’ve served me well for everything from sock yarn to bulky chenille. 3) any yarn WITHOUT having a purpose for it. This will be extremely hard, but I also need to reduce my stash and finish the projects I have. What WILL I be buying? Well, we’re doing our first ever Europe trip, and I’m allowing myself a purchase from each place we go to as a memory.
I was actually a little shocked that yarn bowls are on this list! After wanting one for so long, I finally bought one for myself last month, and I've used it nearly every day since! I will admit I make a lot of small items, so I usually don't have the same project attached to the bowl for more than a day or so. I can see why the yarn bowl would get a little annoying with larger projects or something that requires alot of color changes. A little secret though, my yarn bowl isn't even a real yarn bowl. I couldn't see spending so much money on a bowl, especially since I was worried the wood might be rough around the cutouts and could potentially snag my yarn. So I actually bought a ramen bowl instead. It was only $5 instead of near $30, plus I like that it's ceramic and has a nice weight to it. Also the hole for the -chopsticks- yarn is nice and smooth, so no worrying about snags 😊 But yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want to buy another one if you already have multiple and don't find yourself using them often 😅
I leave yarn ends and clippings in my hook box to use as stitch markers. I jgrab something high contrast to the project I'm working on when I need one and don't have to get stressed about keeping up with them. Also instead of a yarn bowl I use a huge binderclip on the side of my hinged yarn box. When I'm done for the moment, I can throw my hook (pencil) box in the box unclip the binder clip, and put the worked project on top of the yarn and hook box and close the cats out of the whole setup.
omg, i love the idea of using a makeup box to hold supplies! i have that exact same makeup box back from my dancing days and don’t use it anymore as it only held my stage makeup. i’ll have to take it out of storage!!
Great video! You really pointed out a lot of ways we overspend and clutter up our crafting spaces when we don't need to. I keep thinking I need stitch and row counters but then i remember there’s no way I’ll remember to use them. My “yarn bowl” is a 50 cent plastic bowl I got at Walmart. No it doesn’t have a cutout to hold the yarn, but i manage without it. My friend was talking about getting one of those kits and I told her there is no way the materials are worth that much money. I told her I’ll give her some hooks and go to dollar tree and get a few skeins and RUclips tutorials are free.
I love using tackle boxes for storing my crochet supplies. It's exactly the same as the craft storage boxes but for half the price. Plus I get to decorate them to make them look pretty
I just decided to try crochet and so happy with this list to guide me as I start forward…1. Great hook 2. Locking markers 3. Reputable pattern creators ❤ You have undoubtedly saved me hundreds of $$🎉and loads of frustration😊
I don't buy the full set of crochet hooks in case they're duds. I only buy one from a set to test it out to get a feel for it in my hand and against the yarn. I agree with you on those stitch markers. I usually just toss the open ones away and keep the closed stitch markers. And I don't buy the row or stitch counters because I know I'm the type that'll forget to keep pushing those buttons when I'm deep in thought.
I had a small inexpensive row counter ring that I liked, but the battery died quickly because there was no off switch, so if it got bumped it would stay on for awhile and drain battery. But I saw someone write numbers on a large popper toy and push in the rows you’ve finished. That seems like a great idea! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Your suggestion to get a neck light has saved my husband endless frustration in the late evening when he wants the overhead lights off. Thank you so much for the suggestion
I’m with you on all of those things, especially the yarn bowls and yarn butlers. I’ve always used a piece of scrap yarn as a row marker. Doesn’t work for everyone but it does for me☺️ I’ve amassed quite a few accessories, so I really don’t need anything, except arm power 😵💫😉have a great weekend ☺️👍🏼❤️🧶
I started crocheting 6 months ago with the woobles kit and right now I am crocheting a granny square blanket and I watch you as I crochet its really fun❤❤😊
What a refreshing take and useful warning. I have two modifications for your list. 1) I use metal bulb locking stitch markers that are very thin, so don't cause a gap. 2) I like my ring digital stitch counter (as you show on the thumbnail). Because it's always right in front of me, I'm more consistent at counting rows. I also like my mini kacha kacha counter, especially because I can lock it between uses (no extra rows tallied).
Love the ring digital stitch counters! I buy them in bulk because I give them to people who have a problem keeping count of either stitches or rows or beginners.
super new to crocheting and I've come accross a few videos on your channel and they helped me out a lot. I don't know how to explain it but I love your vibe, something about it is so comforting and you've made such a lovely community here like all the comments are so nice and helpful, very lovely to see
I use my orange prescription bottles for yarn needles, stitch markers, eyes, noses, (I do a lot of amigurumi), beads, all the little notions that go with crochet. They work great. I use zip lock bags to hold small crochet parts when working on a project. I have a "book" with elastic slots that is actually for colored pencils that I have all my Cover crochet hooks in.
I love using yarn bags. I use them to organize my projects. Each bag has all the yarn colors I need for that project, as well as a pair of folding scissors, yarn needles, stitch markers, the size hook(s) I need, and any other materials I need for that project. They also have holes for the yarn to feed through, so it's a better version of yarn bowls, in my opinion.
I totally understand the beginner crochet kit one! If one of my friends got into crochet, I'd personally take them to the craft/yarn/hobby store and let them feel the different hooks and yarns and everything so they can see what they might like, then grab some of the other things they might need, like yarn needles and stitch markers. Assemble their beginner's kit with them and it won't be such a waste of money if they don't like something in there and they'll know where to go to change something out for something else. I'm definitely not buying a carrier/organizer for my hooks this year. I have so many little bags and containers for things already that it'd just be another thing set aside without getting used. I have a Nintendo Switch carrying case that I joke is my "Grandma's cookie tin sewing kit" because instead of a gaming device, it holds the hooks I'm not using at the moment. And I got a little "pen case" in a blind bag toy thing a while back that's the right size to hold my yarn needles, knitting needle stoppers, and some stitch markers. That goes into the travel toiletries bag I have that I use as my crochet bag. No need to buy fancy things when other things might work just as well.
Hello sweet Elise! ❤️ I wanted to ask you if you would think about doing a video on different fibers (cotton, wool, acrylic, etc.) and the pros & cons of each as well as what you would recommend making with the fibers. Any advice would be much appreciated! 🧶🧶🧶 I have been crocheting for about 3 yrs and only ever used acrylic. I bought some Premier Just Cotton and wanted to make some socks or a headband with it but noticed that its has almost no give or stretch. I cannot express how quickly you became my "go to" in most all things crochet! 🧶. You are so positive and always makes me happy 😁. Thank you for telling me I can do it! Thank you so much and sending you and your family love & hugs! 🥰❤️
Another idea I like to use, are old prescription meds bottles for things like needles and safety pins, perfect size, easy access, childproof, and no extra cost 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I agree about the “beginner” crochet kits -except for the Woobles kits. They are expensive compared to the “imports”, but the quality of the yarn and tools is fantastic! I learned to crochet using those kits.
I’ve been crocheting for a year now, and I the only thing I’ll be buying is yarn. I’d really like to try the eyes, but for now I’m good with sewing my own eyes 👀 I’m 53 and have chronic back pain. I don’t work and I lied in bed for a long time and got bored. So, I picked up crocheting, and I mainly make blankets for pets for our local shelter. I found Comfort for Critters online and it’s a volunteer group that makes blankets for shelters. I love crocheting, and during the holidays I put the blankets on hold and started with other crochet items. I love watching your videos!! Thank you for sharing everything with us! I do have one question…have you tried the glow-in-the-dark yarn yet?
I love my cheap ergonomic hooks. Had them for at least ten years now and my main handles are getting a bit worn on in my main set but I have a set in the car and another in my bedside cabinet. You never know when you might get an idea! For row counting I use a clicker. The type they use for counting people at venues etc. Again have three I've used for years. One of my best purchases. xxJane 🐑🌼
Good morning, Elise. I love your videos and look forward to watching them every morning before I start my work day. I’m 68 and my mother taught me how to crochet when I was 5. She gave me a skein of red Red Heart yarn, a hook, showed me how to make a chain and told me to come back when I’d made a chain of the entire skein! Then she showed me how to do a single crochet and I took it from there. My grandmother made doilies, pillow case edging, table cloths all with the smallest hooks and string. I learned to knit about 20 years ago from a book and an old friend. I’ve never acquired any fancy stuff: just hooks, needles, yarn. For 2024 I will try locking stitch holders. I gave a lot of my hook stash to my daughter in law and I’m now looking for more crochet hooks. I prefer the ones with the flat heads which I’ve discovered are called “in line”. Been searching on Amazon to no avail and in the shops. Most of what is out there are the rounded heads. Let me know if you have any recommendations. I look forward to your next video. Thank you for all that you do.
I only use the locking stitch holders but they are a pain and slow me down. You have to use both hands and fumble to close those tiny little things as they are the same as safety pins. Good luck😀
The only crochet hooks I will buy would be if I needed a size that I don't have, but then only Clover Amour. Thank you for your warning about AI crochet patterns. I wasn't aware such a thing existed. Thank you for your tip on how to identify a possible AI pattern...so helpful. Don't worry about bent tip needles not working for you. They do the same thing to me.
Thank you!! And AI really is a big deal in the crochet community. I wanted to show everyone how easy it is to whip up an AI generated pattern and image. It only takes a couple of minutes. And the patterns are pure garbage. 🧶🧶🧶
I am a beginner in crocheting and I just ever bought yarn and hook . I don't use stitch marker instead I use small peace of a yarn of different color it easy to pull out after the work is done and it never leaves any tracking mark and very efficient .
Hi Elise and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and granny squares blanket and butterfly mosaic blanket and my somebunny and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and granny squares blanket and butterfly mosaic blanket and I love your channel and your videos and if you keep making videos I will keep watching them and what is your favorite crochet project to work on right now and favorite types of yarn to used when crocheting and keep up the great work on your RUclips channel and keep up the great work on your crochet projects
I never work with stitch markers. I use a piece of contrasting thread and weave it in and out under every first loop of a round. Its free, it also marks the round and its satisfying to pull out at the end.
Just for the record...on my 74th birthday the beginning of April 2024...I watched youtube videos to learn how to crochet to surprise my oldest daughter, and I did. Tonight I just watched what you won't be buying in 2024 and a few others as well. Since I'm just getting started with 'crochet' I have the majority of items you won't be buying for when I was knitting! So, I think other than getting a set of hooks, I'm good to go. Oh, and yarn, will definitely be surveying that item! Thank you for the great information and thank you for being so upfront honest!
I understand the frustration with thick markers. I use plain leverback earrrings or mini hair elastics. The elastics can be just cut out if you forget it in your crocheted item.
I use a yarn scrap of a different colored yarn as my stitch marker when working in the round and I love how it stays in place and it is easy to remove just tug it tight round your hook at the beginning of a new row and crochet it into your stitches and it holds in place beautifully
I’m with you Elise. I’ll even venture to say I won’t be purchasing ANY crochet accessories (except yarn) in 2024. The reason being that my beautiful daughter found a crochet advent calendar (24 days). Each day had a notion of some kind, including several miniature skeins of yarn. I have everything one could think of and more! Including a darling holder for everything. Some of the things are quite handy- like the retractable measuring tape. I really wanted one of those but the tension ring…eh… I can control my tension but it’s really cute. 😊
@@EliseRoseCrochet it was quite a surprise coming from her. She doesn’t crochet- was never interested in it. She’s 40 now…who knows, maybe one day. She knows how to chain. 😆
I buy lunch bags for projects. The latest one I got was only A$19. It's wider than most and has small handles and detachable shoulder strap. I can get 2 balls of yarn and a project in easily. And because it's a lunch bag it's waterproof. It also has zip compartment on the outside I use for tools like needles and scissors.
I crocheted my own yarn bowl. Yarn inside yarn. It's not heavy so not effective at doing it's job at all but it has kept me from buying one so I count it as a win!
Try placing a plastic bowl inside it. Like a butter bowl or cool whip bowl. It will make it sturdy and stand up, its free, and green. You can also add some hot glue dots to the outside bottom of your bowl to keep it from sliding and moving.
For the yarn holders, I recycle thin plastic bags. I put one ball only in a thin bag, tie the handles together with the yarn coming out of the bag through the small gap below the knot. That way as you travel with them you can gather any amount of bags and fasten with a large knitting pin, and through your work so things don’t get pulled out of shape or tangled when moving. (Also great for not picking up the ever present dog hair that she sheds everywhere all year round, if you happen to drop your wool onto the floor as I do)
I've a house full of beautiful gorgeous yarn. I could crotchet all-day every day for a year n still have lots stashed..Dread other half wanting a break..suitcases are full, including my haul of handbags..full of awesome wool. Not perishable thou, haaaaa😂😊❤
Have been reading the blogs re crochet hooks and not excited by most of what I've seen. I have the old Susan Bates and similar hooks. I actually found some of those really expensive hooks and thought they look clumsy.more interested in the utility.the fanciest hooks I own are hand made wooden ones but they are ones I got from my club for Christmas I think working with the large handles is like crocheting with a knife or fork
@@dianestiebelI am so with you on that! I like simple aluminum Boye crochet hooks and I don't put anything "ergonomic" on them. Those fancy expensive hooks feel really awkward to me.
Hi Elise, I enjoy your channel. Thank you for being real and functional. Your gifts for your daughter’s nuptials gave me goosebumps. You inspire me. YOU ROCK.
We it snow/iced in and I did not want to brave the roads so I ordered a cheap “ergonomic” hook from Amazon to tide me over until I could get into town! OMG, it was heavy, especially after using the Pym hook, and the hook end was too short for the plush yarn stitches! Snow melted and I was able to replace it! Love your blog, a pleasure to watch them.
I have a few different stitch markers, the good news is I have lost a lot of the round ones so they are slowly making their own way out of my stash, I do tend to use the locking markers for crochet and the round for knitting to slip on the needles. Those beginner kits are not worth the money, buy a cute pencil case, buy the basics and slowly add things because you will NOT use everything in that starter kit and you get a better quality (mostly) buying separate items. I have a programme that writes my patterns OUT for me, I paid for the programme and it does a good job of doing that for me, but it takes hours to write them so not very efficient but some patterns I write I love.
Speaking as a beginner (just picked up crochet 4 months ago) I've had a relatively good experience with the beginner kit i picked up from Amazon. If you are considering getting into the hobby, I think these kits can be a good option. I wasn't sure if I would stick with crochet and $15-20 was an amount I was comfortable spending. I figured if I stuck with it, I could invest in more premium supplies as needed. And if down the line my beginner kit doesnt meet my needs, I will have a better idea of what to look for. I wouldnt buy a beginner kit as a more experienced crocheter but if you want to try out crocheting to see if it's for you, these make sense! Just be sure to read reviews to make a more informed purchase.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I worry that a beginner will get bad crochet hooks and not realize that their frustrations can be from not using a high quality metal hook. 🧶🧶🧶
The cheap beginners kits are also nice because you have a full set of hook sizes to use until you find the sizes you use the most (based on the projects, yarn and tension you prefer)
The beginner kits are like Harbor Freight tools. They're cheap and not great, but they'll get you going and once you figure out which items you use a lot, those are items worth investing more money into higher quality versions.
I thought I would never fall for the yarn bowl, and didn't get on with it at first either... until I started winding my balls/skeins into cakes, now I crochet 2-3x as fast and I will never go back! It keeps it safe from my kid and cat and also keeps everything neat and stops me having to keep dragging out some slack to keep working!
Wow! Thank you, Elise, for the suggestion of using a paper bag to keep a ball from rolling around. I have a lot of yarn that have an outside pull and I haven't worked with them yet because I didn't want them rolling all over the place. I was thinking about buying a yarn genie or the stick thing they have at Michaels, but those are around $30 and I just haven't justified that yet. It seems to simple but I never thought about the paper bag. Thank you! 😊🤗
You can also find a bowl in your kitchen that will do the trick as well. For bulky yarn, a cardboard box works great. So do vinyl bags, (like what throws or small blankets come in), just punch a small hole in the top or side for the yarn to glide through. There's so many freebie ideas to keep your yarn safe, clean and stored while working on a project without having pay any money.
I love to repurpose things. I keep little things like yarn needles, and stitch markers in an Altoid tin, which gets moved to whichever makeup pouch I'm using, depending on the size of what I'm working on. All the makeup pouches were picked up at garage sales for a quarter, or less.
In 2024 my goal is to buy absolutely nothing except books (can't stop won't stop) and yarn *that I have a project planned for*. I'm not going to buy yarn just because it's pretty and on sale! It just sits around taking up space and gathering dust! Suggestion for future vids: if you're buying more stuffing, could you try out some biodegradable options like kapok? I'm really interested in trying to keep my crafting as sustainable as possible and so plastic free stuffing/yarn/etc is totally my jam.
I’ll tell you what I love key chains where you hold your thumb down on the side and the open. The best game changer for crochet projects with big stitches. You just open it, place it in your stitch and close. I find them easier to open than locking stitch markers as my locking stitch markers would break into pieces when I opened them. Also have a nice day everyone happy Sunday
I put little index cards in my project bags, which are reusable shopping bags, with all the details. That started last and i always go through my wips in january and decide whose getting finished before i start buying anymore yard. Im working through all my various scrap bins (different size yarn balls in different bins). I used to always leave my hooks with my projects.
@EliseRoseCrochet I didn't realize how disjointed the comment was but I think people get the idea lol. I am typing on the app. It was supposed to say "this started last year and it's helped so much" but I clearly deleted it. Thanks for noticing my comment though :) makes me smile
You're not alone with the bent needle frustration! I always thought something was wrong with me because I just couldn't get it to stay stationary while using it. It ALWAYS twists around. I use the straight needles and have no issues with maneuverability.
thats really interesting, i just finished making a jumbo yoshi with bent needles and they were so nice when attaching the head and nose as i didn't have to put as much effort into getting the needle around the curve
The only item I think I'll be buying this year, other than yarn of course, would be the neck light. Even putting the light on over my head when I crochet doesn't seem to be enough, or at the very least the light is at a bad angle and I'm just getting shadows in my yarn. I wouldn't mind one of those wooden yarn holders eventually but right now I'm literally just using a box we got from a bakery and having the yarn go through the metal bits of a clip. Bought a cheap little plastic yarn cake weaver so the bakery box is the perfect size for a single yarn cake to sit in so it doesn't pick up random hairs and dust. Maybe one day I'll have to buy more baked goods just to get the boxes.
My husband just went on Amazon today and bought me a nice neck light. I’m looking forward to it so I can sit and crochet on the couch without disturbing him with the overhead lights on. I think it’s going to be a really solid investment for my comfort, and his!
I have a wonderful lamp which hooks on to my end table. It is fully adjustable with swing arms. The light is a bar so I can put it directly over my project and see every stitch. It has 3 different light settings, white, yellow, and blue which is great for different colors of yarn. It also has 5 levels of brightness. When I finished with it, it folds up like a stick maybe about 1.5 inches in thickness so it takes up very little space on my end table. I also do dream catchers which I use my front door to hang them on in order to work with the bottom tails. I use this lamp for extra lighting while working on them. It rotates 360 degrees as well. I love it so much that I also bought another one to hook on the kitchen window sill in order to have light over my sink. I want two more of these lamps, 1 for my sewing table and 1 on my kitchen table where I do lots of other crafting projects. Best $25 I've ever spent.
I started crocheting 2.5 years ago with one of those amazon beginner kits, even after trying a bunch of different hooks, those are always the ones I go back to, they’re my favorite, the stitch markers too! Maybe I’m judt lucky but I wanted to share the other side as well 😊
I'm not so much avoiding any specific products as I'm sticking to a buying mindset: I will ONLY buy items I intend to use for projects I'm already planning to do. And since I already have two works in progress and four projects I haven't started yet, I'm adding in a rule that I'll only plan a new project when I'm down to fewer than five unfinished ones.
I bought a beginner crochet kit for me and my mum. Im 11 and i have crocheted for around a few months and my mum wanted to learn. She was about to buy $60 kit with only 10 hooks and 10 stitch markers where u are paying for the case it came in. So i found one for 16 dollars that came with things that i actually needed so we bought it and so far the hooks are so smooth and comfortable and the row counters is plastic and is so useful because i always forget how many rows i have 😂
You are fully right: Lighted crochet Hawks are horrible. I bought 2 Sets and never use them. So I will not buy any further lighted crochet hawks 2024!!! I like your videos.
I love the bent yarn needles for the mattress stitch!!! It’s perfect. I also love the light up hook for when I’m camping and want to crochet after the sun goes down. :)
I have all my notions in labeled repurposed peanut butter jars. -They are clear plastic and can be layed in rows on a shelf. My yarns are in bins -wool, cotton/bamboo, acrylic. My travel bag is a large plastic zippered bag that contained a bed sheet set. -inside I have my wip, yarn and ziploc bags for stuffing and notions. I do amigurumi.
Thanks for telling us what safety eyes you use! I've bought some from Amazon and even in the same package, some are ok, but some have sharp edges or have inconsistent shapes. I also bought the tool you recommended and it's great! Thank you!
I use stitch counters as row counters since I take projects with me everyday to work on between taking my husband to work and actually going to work myself along with on my lunch break so then I don’t lose what row I’m on
I recently crocheted a holder for a empty Clorox container which now holds a skein of yarn. By putting small rocks or glass beads in the bottom keeps it more stable. And, it is a lot prettier than a yarn bowl. Your suggestions are spot on. Thank you
Buy a couple different styles of hooks and see which ones you prefer. I prefer Boye, but that's me. Boye does have a hook case you can buy either empty or with a full set of aluminum and steel.
I first started crocheting with a really cheap aliexpress crochet hook kit. I then exchanged parts of the kit every now and then with better quality stuff. I swapped out the hooks with a Clover set after researching what people tended to like the most, I got a crochet hook organizer thing, I got cute embroidery scissors, and I kept the measuring tape, stitch markers, and plastic yarn needles from the original kit.
Great video. I am not sure that I could not buy something catches my eye 😸 I am going to try and not buy any more crochet hooks. I have so many now that I don’t even know where they all are 😊 Thanks for sharing
Thanks for all the tips. I ordered clear plastic bags to store yarn in. But I have found they work awesome for finished projects to gift or sell. They have a sticky closure to seal them shut. Works out wonderfully.
When I started making amigurumi, I didn't have any stitch markers. What i did have, though, was plenty of bits of leftover yarns. I started using yarn a size smaller than what I was crocheting with. I carried it up as I worked, which lso mde counting rounds super easy. I still use this technique when making amigurumi.
Whew - just in time! I was tempted by the spiral stitch markers. I just saw a post that said they were great because you could put them in with just one hand. After seeing your video, I think I'll pass 🙂. Honestly, I don't think I'll be buying anything except maybe patterns and yarn. I have all the accessories I need!
Hi Elise, I agree with just about everything you mentioned in this video! My version of a yarn bowl? I enjoy purchasing cakes from the bakery dept of my grocery store, and they come packaged in a plastic dome, and base. That DOME is my yarn bowl! Keeps the yarn from rolling all over the place, clean, and depending on its size, I can just pop the whole project right into the bowl until I'm ready to resume working on it. Another tip from this crochet enthusiast - scotch tape! Huh? Apply a short strip around/over the finger area that tensions the yarn to prevent that tell-tale indentation from forming in the first place. I do a lot of lace crochet/knitting and often with a tight tension to keep stitches uniform. However, I would also end up with, for a time, with what seemed a permanent groove across my left index finger. Even weeks later this pink very slight but noticeable depression remained. Just stumbled into the scotch tape trick by serendipity! Enjoy!
Another great vid, thank you. What I won't be buying in 2024 is Skill Share or anything like it. I am a senior on a super tight budget and electric is going to take a super hike in our state and that's just one thing. I like shiny things too and youtube is a good place to go and get hooked (pardon the pun) on everything out there. I am determined to learn amigurumi this year....the plushies but youtube will have to do for my teaching mode. What would be most valuable for me would be a friend in real life who crochets but no one does anymore. My friends did it in their earlier years and I've just started a few years ago. I'm also learning watercolor and talk about shiny objects......I just want EVERYTHING!! Lol. I love your channel, Thanks much for sharing.
I got a job at Joann’s which I planned on being there just for last Xmas, and I can’t bring myself to leave bc I want to try so many things! It’s now been over a year! 😂 Where are you from @kathytincler2446?
Honestly! The whole AI thing is getting completely out of control. So many people are reposting AI images in crochet groups, customers are commissioning projects based on AI images, and the AI generated crochet patterns are insane!
Yup. I hope that people could see how easy it is for someone to create a pattern and image on ChatGPT. It literally took me a minute or two. Buyer beware! 🧶🧶🧶
From the time I learned to crochet in 1970 when I was 12 years old, up until 2016, I had the same set of Boye hooks and a couple darning needles. That's it. I had no clue there was anything else out there because I didn't crochet all that much. In 2014 I became really ill. By 2016 I was doing better and decided to get back into crocheting for something to do while recovering. However, by this time I was in my 50s and my beloved Boye hooks were making my hands hurt. What to do??? I went online and to my surprise, crocheting had experienced a renaissance it seemed. I went to Hobby Lobby and they had their own brand of hooks with the squishy ergonomic handles for $2.99 each. So I splurged on new hooks for the 1st time in 46 years. They worked great, but then I got bit by the shiny things bug. I too bought things I don't need. I need to stay off of Etsy! LOL!!! I will not buy anymore hooks unless I need some odd size that I don't already have for a project. I bought a set of those Furl's Odyssey hooks and I do not like them. They feel great in my hand and I wanted to love them, but they are inline hooks and I can't seem to use inline hooks very well. So about $200 worth of hooks are just sitting in my drawer. That said, the hooks I am glad I spent the money on and would buy again are the Bqueen hooks. They were expensive, but I saved my pennies and bought them one at a time, but I love them and use them almost exclusively now. Unfortunately, their house burnt down and I don't know if they will ever go back into production. The only thing I intend to buy this year is yarn needed for a project. My goal this year is to finish all my projects I have started which might well take me all year!
I made a project yarn basket with a cinch up top for the yarn to pull out from. I love it. I'm making a lot of baskets/bags/bins that use multiple strains of yarn and the bag makes it easy, keeps the yarn clean and makes it portable.
I probly wont be buying any crochet hooks either. I cleaned up all my craft stuff and found a little zipper pouch at Goodwill that has a pocket on each side and a flap over that. It is just the right size for all of my metal crochet hooks and tucks right into the side of my craft desk drawer. It even says 'Here's the Skinny' on the outside (I think is cool for my 'skinny' metal hooks) and it is purple! I dont know what it held before I got it for my hooks and dont really care because it is perfect to hold all of my hooks, even the tiny metal ones.
I actually love the beginning crochet set that you showed. It has been so helpful. I wonder if you got a bad one. The metal on my hooks are very smooth.
I got myself one of those beginner sets a few years ago, and I still don't see the need to upgrade to a better-known brand as I've not had a single issue with any of my hooks.
I also have that set and it’s great! Must be some duds out there, but so far, for blankets, not having any issues. Will see when I try something with a small hook, what happens then.
tip for protecting your yarn! you can use those cheap drawstring backpacks that get handed out at conventions and stuff. you can pull the drawstring and your yarn ball will stay inside
Really great tip! Thanks for sharing!! 🧶🧶🧶
That’s cool!! I don’t use mine for anything, but I think I will now! Thank you for sharing!!
thank you for this great tip!
omg i love this!!! Definitely going to use it from now on ♥
I have like, 5 of those and weirdly have never thought of using them for my yarn! Tote bags sure, but.... Thanks for this, I think I needed it :)
Extra saving for girls: I use bobbi pins as stitch markers... never falls off, basically locks with how tight is clamps... the yarn usually rests in the opening of the fold over! Change everything for me! 😅😅
When I started crochet I never looked into getting stitch markers, but had a pack of Bobby pins and to this day they are good ol reliable to me XD
I don't even have hair but I buy bobby pins for stitch markers.
i just started amigurumi, realized i had no stitch markers obviously, and just used a safety pin since i have dozens already. guaranteed to be thin and not leave a hole
Do not buy stitch markers they break so easily save your money and use Bobbi pins paperclips safety pins.
@@shaziyataranum710 yeah that's what I said, is it not clear?? I know I can be confusing how I write lol
For anybody just getting into crocheting or lost/don't have stitch markers, safety pins are literally the same. I'm in the middle of nowhere, so when I started learning and needed stitch markers I went to the dollar store and found a pack of colored safety pins for not even $2 and honestly now that I have stitch markers I kinda prefer the pins. Sure you gotta be a bit careful, but to me they're easier to use and spot!
I think the same BUT with thin cotton Garn mine got tangled up and i broke/ dent them pretty strongly 😬
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I use Bobby pins! They stay on and most people have them!
I use bobby pins or paper clips!
use yarn scraps!!!
You say you're not going to buy hooks...then proceed to tempt us with hook sets😂😂
You enabler you😁
lol!!!! I'm a total enabler!!! 😂🙈🧶
Right?! I even paused the video to go look at those red hooks! 😂😂😂
Exactly!! I immediately went to Amazon after the video was over and ordered the kit!! I'm a Clover gal and now I can be a Tulip gal too. Thanks Elise!! 👸💜🐈
@@sandie13rez 😂 I hope you love them as much as I do!! ❤️❤️❤️
@@audraforbes 🤣🤣🤣
I am so sorry that you were disappointed in the lighted crochet hooks. I am legally blind, and I bought a set of lighted crochet hooks, and I absolutely am in love with them. They help me out so much in being able to see the stitches they just wonderful, and worked so well for me.
Hi,
I have the crochet light set that enables the crochet hooks in the set to light up and they are a fabulous aid and I wouldn't want to be without them now even though I'm not legally blind I do have cataracts so I struggle to see, I have found that putting something white on my lap such as a white pillow case or a small white tablecloth under my work help in seeing the stitches clearer.
Hello, what brand do you have?
Thank you for commenting this, Im so severely nearsighted Im at a higher risk of going blind. If that happens now I know I can try out light up hooks and hopefully keep crocheting!
I have a set of inividual acrylic light up hooks and they are excellent. They aren't my day to day hooks, but I use them in the evenings and if I'm using a dark yarn
My daughter got me a set of lighted hooks for Christmas. I love being able to see between the dark yarns. Only down fall is when I stitch too tight & have already put a crack in my favorite hook because they are plastic. Gee now I wonder if they make glass ones.
Thank you for letting us know about AI writing patterns. I didn't know it was so prevalent! I will definitely do my homework before any pattern purchases.
Glad it was helpful! 🧶🧶🧶
The whole AI thing is already out of control.
it sometimes gives you wrong patterns. well, I once asked AI for a heart-shaped pillow pattern and when I was finishing it I realized that it is a circular-shaped pillow pattern.
@@leenamujahed I want to laugh react to this so hard... 😂😂
Using Ravelry is good for avoiding this, as the members can comment on patterns. So if something is off, it will quickly be known. Great place to browse and search for new projects, too.😊
For stitch markers, i like either safety pins, or contrasting yarn.
I put my yarn in Ziploc bags, and snip a tiny hole in one of the bottom corners, then i can keep yarn clean, and have it zipped so it doesn't end up out if the bags. I will also put the label in the bag for washing instructions and lot numbers, etc.
Love your content! Keep it up!❤❤
Yeah I just commented saying how I just use small yarn pieces too, as stitch markers :)
This is a great tip.
One of my favorite things about your videos are the outtakes! So natural and light hearted! 😂
Glad you like them! ❤️
agreed ❤️
Heh... over in other creative groups, we call that having a bad case of Gear Aquisition Syndrome (GAS). :D
lol!!! Whatever it's called I got it bad!!! 🤣🤣🤣
😂
Gear Acquisition Syndrome 😂 I love it 😂
0:47 Fluff and GAS… sounds like a different hobby 😂😂😂
I won’t buy any hook other than Clover Amour. You can’t improve on perfection!
all you need to crochet: a few different size needles, yarn needles and yarn
anything else can make your process easier but is honestly optional
stitch markers? put a small piece of scrap yarn into your stitch (different colour to find it easier)
that yarn spinny thing? i wrap my loose yarn arround random bottles and position them in a way that it slips right off the top when I'm working
This, abd here's another little tip for the yarn: if you pull the string from the middle (can be a bit difficult to get that end out, but it works) you won't have to pull much to get mire yarn. Since I use this trick I can literally just put it next to me and the yarn comes out just from the tension you use to crochet alone and the ball almost doesn't move at all.
So that's what it's called, shiny item syndrome lol, I have that too!
lol! Yup!! 😬😬😬
I use old altoids tins with a magnet strip stuck inside the lid inside my notions pouch and as a mini sewing kit. It's the right size to hold a surprising amount of small things and putting a magnet strip inside the lid means if I have any metal pins or needles I can stick them there are I wont get hurt or lose them.
I also will just count my stitches or rows (whatever I need to track) and tally it on a piece of scrap paper that I then secure through my stitch marker.
I will not be buying more beginner crochet kits. :) I bought one to learn how to crochet and it's fun. Now that I've done a few and made a blanket, I'm finding that amigurumi isn't my favorite thing to make. Realizing that and looking at my stash, I have so many still to do! No matter how cute they are, I do not need more. Great video as always Elise! I'm extra thrilled that you kept the bloopers in.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I’ve never used plastic stitch markers - they’ve always gotten in the way of my being able to hold my work! The yarn tail (or a scrap piece, if the tail isn’t long enough) has always worked super well for me. And it’s free!
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I bought a beginner crochet kit from The Woobles, literally perfect. 50/10! The quality was everything I hoped it would be and started my obsession with crochet and loved it so muchhh!
That's so good to know! I'm getting ready to test the Woobles and I can't wait! 🧶🧶🧶
That's how I learned to crochet, read a pattern, etc.!
@@EliseRoseCrochet I'm really interested to hear your thoughts! its how i learned how to crochet, and i really like still.
I love the Woobles but once you learn how to make amigurumi it’s more cost efficient to by supplies separately.
I have a similar list but now I NEED those crochet hooks and makeup case! I usually use the free cosmetic pouches I get with “gift with purchase” at the mall.
I also learned with the Woobles & I agree that they’re great kits for someone who’s never crocheted before. I do wish they’d make exclusive videos for each kit, though. If you don’t start with Pierre the Penguin they tend to “recycle” videos so it can be confusing to a true beginner.
One of the weirdest purchases ive made for crochet this year was going to an antique shop and buying a thimble! I make microcrochet dolls and my poor middle finger took a lot of hits before i decided to give a thimble a try. So far, it's been great!
Also, I bought an antique abacus to use as my stitch counter and I love it. I just take a picture of the abacus if I relocate my crochet projects.
For stitch markers you can also use safety pins. That’s what I use.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I crocheted with my grandmother when I was a child. Very happy memories there. I am revisiting that craft after a 50-yr break as physical limitations are now causing me to rethink my hobbies. So I've been studying up on modern crochet (mostly via RUclips) and want you to know that your channel has THE MOST PRACTICAL information to date. I consider myself a beginning crocheter with a limited budget who is needing to purchase basic crocheting tools and items. Thank you for your candid product reviews, tips and suggestions. Keep up the good work!
You need to go to... Bag O Day Crochet. Crystal is great ! She has around 1200 projects and puts out 1 or 2 a week. She goes through the whole project, and makes it fun. You can learn so much.
My Mom done macrame when I was little. I use her 10mm hook now for larger projects. However, I did have to upgrade it with a polymer clay handle as it hurt my hand and wrist. She likes the upgrade on her old hook, lol.
My grandma taught me how to crochet the basics and I kinda went from there. Though, she was really into doing the micro thread doilly crocheting turning the overall doillys into bigger projects like blankets and table runners. I never figured out how the heck she managed to see let alone do those kind of projects. They were always awesome looking after she completed each one.
1) any hook that’s not Clover Amour. I’d love to try the Tulips, but I’ll put it on my birthday and Christmas lists only. I, hoping not to buy ANY hooks, but if I lose a Clover size I need, I’m allowed to buy it.
2) any stitch markers at all. I have a huge collection of little ones that look like safety pins without the loop, and they’ve served me well for everything from sock yarn to bulky chenille.
3) any yarn WITHOUT having a purpose for it. This will be extremely hard, but I also need to reduce my stash and finish the projects I have.
What WILL I be buying? Well, we’re doing our first ever Europe trip, and I’m allowing myself a purchase from each place we go to as a memory.
How wonderful!!! Enjoy your trip!! 🧶❤️🐑🐑
Hiyahiya hooks are pretty good.....and I like KnitPro hooks too.
That is my list, too! I do want those red tulip hooks but I won’t buy them for myself and I have enough hooks for several people!
i got a booklet of ergonomic hooks and bamboo hooks for christmas that i figured out was from amazon. i refuse to use any other hooks.
I was actually a little shocked that yarn bowls are on this list! After wanting one for so long, I finally bought one for myself last month, and I've used it nearly every day since!
I will admit I make a lot of small items, so I usually don't have the same project attached to the bowl for more than a day or so. I can see why the yarn bowl would get a little annoying with larger projects or something that requires alot of color changes.
A little secret though, my yarn bowl isn't even a real yarn bowl. I couldn't see spending so much money on a bowl, especially since I was worried the wood might be rough around the cutouts and could potentially snag my yarn. So I actually bought a ramen bowl instead. It was only $5 instead of near $30, plus I like that it's ceramic and has a nice weight to it. Also the hole for the -chopsticks- yarn is nice and smooth, so no worrying about snags 😊
But yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want to buy another one if you already have multiple and don't find yourself using them often 😅
Thanks for sharing! Crochet items are so individualistic! And great idea to use a ramen bowl! 🍜
Thanks for sharing your experience using a -ramen- yarn bowl! I'm going to try your tip. 😊
I leave yarn ends and clippings in my hook box to use as stitch markers. I jgrab something high contrast to the project I'm working on when I need one and don't have to get stressed about keeping up with them. Also instead of a yarn bowl I use a huge binderclip on the side of my hinged yarn box. When I'm done for the moment, I can throw my hook (pencil) box in the box unclip the binder clip, and put the worked project on top of the yarn and hook box and close the cats out of the whole setup.
omg, i love the idea of using a makeup box to hold supplies! i have that exact same makeup box back from my dancing days and don’t use it anymore as it only held my stage makeup. i’ll have to take it out of storage!!
Lol!! I think every teenage girl had that makeup box! 📦 It's perfect for crochet storage! 🧶
I use one of those pop-it toys for a row counter. My kids had a ton lying around, and it works great for counting rows!
Great video! You really pointed out a lot of ways we overspend and clutter up our crafting spaces when we don't need to. I keep thinking I need stitch and row counters but then i remember there’s no way I’ll remember to use them. My “yarn bowl” is a 50 cent plastic bowl I got at Walmart. No it doesn’t have a cutout to hold the yarn, but i manage without it. My friend was talking about getting one of those kits and I told her there is no way the materials are worth that much money. I told her I’ll give her some hooks and go to dollar tree and get a few skeins and RUclips tutorials are free.
Exactly!! Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶
Best yarn bowl ever- Pyrex dish, and chances are it’s in everyone’s kitchen already 👍
Awesome! 👏
I use a large cool whip container!! It works great, and you have a lid if need be.❤
I love using tackle boxes for storing my crochet supplies. It's exactly the same as the craft storage boxes but for half the price. Plus I get to decorate them to make them look pretty
That's a great idea! 🐠
When I took a stage makeup class, I bought a plastic tackle box at Wal-Mart. It didn't disappoint. It was sturdy, and enjoyed it in black and blue.
I stole one of my husband's small fishing hook box and use it for my stitch markers and hooks! It's cheaper than ones you find in the store!
I use the cheap little tupperware containers. You can either mark whats in it or use labels
I just decided to try crochet and so happy with this list to guide me as I start forward…1. Great hook
2. Locking markers
3. Reputable pattern creators ❤
You have undoubtedly saved me hundreds of $$🎉and loads of frustration😊
I make my own stitch markers with lobster clasps and random charms. I love that I can customize them to fit my personality.
I don't buy the full set of crochet hooks in case they're duds. I only buy one from a set to test it out to get a feel for it in my hand and against the yarn. I agree with you on those stitch markers. I usually just toss the open ones away and keep the closed stitch markers. And I don't buy the row or stitch counters because I know I'm the type that'll forget to keep pushing those buttons when I'm deep in thought.
Exactly!!! I thought a digital stitch counter would work well for me, but nope! 🤣
stitch counters would be a nightmare for someone like me. Takes all of that extra time to do it and remember it.
I feel like it would throw off my groove if I had to remember to push the buttons after every stitch
I had a small inexpensive row counter ring that I liked, but the battery died quickly because there was no off switch, so if it got bumped it would stay on for awhile and drain battery. But I saw someone write numbers on a large popper toy and push in the rows you’ve finished. That seems like a great idea! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
You can always you Bobby pins!
They work the same and can help a lot!
Yes!! Thank you!! 🧶🧶🧶
They have mini Bobby pins, that’s what I use. They’re just not as long.
Agreed,I have been using bobby pins for my knitting and crochet for years.
Your suggestion to get a neck light has saved my husband endless frustration in the late evening when he wants the overhead lights off. Thank you so much for the suggestion
I'm so glad it helped! I'm using mine right now!! 💡
I’m with you on all of those things, especially the yarn bowls and yarn butlers. I’ve always used a piece of scrap yarn as a row marker. Doesn’t work for everyone but it does for me☺️ I’ve amassed quite a few accessories, so I really don’t need anything, except arm power 😵💫😉have a great weekend ☺️👍🏼❤️🧶
Haha!! Hope you're still healing up, Karen!! ❤️❤️❤️
I also use a scrap yarn piece for stitch marker! It's pretty convenient and costs nothing:D
I’m newer to crochet but what about paperclips? Seems like they would be great stitch markers
I started crocheting 6 months ago with the woobles kit and right now I am crocheting a granny square blanket and I watch you as I crochet its really fun❤❤😊
What a refreshing take and useful warning. I have two modifications for your list. 1) I use metal bulb locking stitch markers that are very thin, so don't cause a gap. 2) I like my ring digital stitch counter (as you show on the thumbnail). Because it's always right in front of me, I'm more consistent at counting rows. I also like my mini kacha kacha counter, especially because I can lock it between uses (no extra rows tallied).
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I just ordered my 2nd Clover katcha katcha so I have one for a 2nd wip! Love. Put it on a cord for around my neck if I want. 👍
Love the ring digital stitch counters! I buy them in bulk because I give them to people who have a problem keeping count of either stitches or rows or beginners.
I’m fairly new to crochet, so I appreciate this video! It’ll go a long way to keep me from spending money on unnecessary supplies…thank you!😊
super new to crocheting and I've come accross a few videos on your channel and they helped me out a lot. I don't know how to explain it but I love your vibe, something about it is so comforting and you've made such a lovely community here like all the comments are so nice and helpful, very lovely to see
I use my orange prescription bottles for yarn needles, stitch markers, eyes, noses, (I do a lot of amigurumi), beads, all the little notions that go with crochet. They work great. I use zip lock bags to hold small crochet parts when working on a project. I have a "book" with elastic slots that is actually for colored pencils that I have all my Cover crochet hooks in.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I make my own fabric pouches. Great for travel and storage. It’s good to be reminded we don’t need everything! 😊
It's something remind myself of frequently! 😂🧶❤️🐑💌
I love using yarn bags. I use them to organize my projects. Each bag has all the yarn colors I need for that project, as well as a pair of folding scissors, yarn needles, stitch markers, the size hook(s) I need, and any other materials I need for that project. They also have holes for the yarn to feed through, so it's a better version of yarn bowls, in my opinion.
I totally understand the beginner crochet kit one! If one of my friends got into crochet, I'd personally take them to the craft/yarn/hobby store and let them feel the different hooks and yarns and everything so they can see what they might like, then grab some of the other things they might need, like yarn needles and stitch markers. Assemble their beginner's kit with them and it won't be such a waste of money if they don't like something in there and they'll know where to go to change something out for something else.
I'm definitely not buying a carrier/organizer for my hooks this year. I have so many little bags and containers for things already that it'd just be another thing set aside without getting used. I have a Nintendo Switch carrying case that I joke is my "Grandma's cookie tin sewing kit" because instead of a gaming device, it holds the hooks I'm not using at the moment. And I got a little "pen case" in a blind bag toy thing a while back that's the right size to hold my yarn needles, knitting needle stoppers, and some stitch markers. That goes into the travel toiletries bag I have that I use as my crochet bag. No need to buy fancy things when other things might work just as well.
When the dollar tree has the rectangular plastic pencil holders with a snap I buy some for my crochet hooks and notions.
Hello sweet Elise! ❤️ I wanted to ask you if you would think about doing a video on different fibers (cotton, wool, acrylic, etc.) and the pros & cons of each as well as what you would recommend making with the fibers. Any advice would be much appreciated! 🧶🧶🧶
I have been crocheting for about 3 yrs and only ever used acrylic. I bought some Premier Just Cotton and wanted to make some socks or a headband with it but noticed that its has almost no give or stretch.
I cannot express how quickly you became my "go to" in most all things crochet! 🧶. You are so positive and always makes me happy 😁. Thank you for telling me I can do it! Thank you so much and sending you and your family love & hugs! 🥰❤️
Another idea I like to use, are old prescription meds bottles for things like needles and safety pins, perfect size, easy access, childproof, and no extra cost 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I agree about the “beginner” crochet kits -except for the Woobles kits. They are expensive compared to the “imports”, but the quality of the yarn and tools is fantastic! I learned to crochet using those kits.
Good to know! Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I’ve been crocheting for a year now, and I the only thing I’ll be buying is yarn. I’d really like to try the eyes, but for now I’m good with sewing my own eyes 👀 I’m 53 and have chronic back pain. I don’t work and I lied in bed for a long time and got bored. So, I picked up crocheting, and I mainly make blankets for pets for our local shelter. I found Comfort for Critters online and it’s a volunteer group that makes blankets for shelters. I love crocheting, and during the holidays I put the blankets on hold and started with other crochet items. I love watching your videos!! Thank you for sharing everything with us! I do have one question…have you tried the glow-in-the-dark yarn yet?
That is absolutely wonderful!!! 🐾 I haven't tried glow in the dark yarn! 🧶🧶🧶
I love my cheap ergonomic hooks. Had them for at least ten years now and my main handles are getting a bit worn on in my main set but I have a set in the car and another in my bedside cabinet. You never know when you might get an idea!
For row counting I use a clicker. The type they use for counting people at venues etc. Again have three I've used for years. One of my best purchases.
xxJane 🐑🌼
Good morning, Elise. I love your videos and look forward to watching them every morning before I start my work day. I’m 68 and my mother taught me how to crochet when I was 5. She gave me a skein of red Red Heart yarn, a hook, showed me how to make a chain and told me to come back when I’d made a chain of the entire skein! Then she showed me how to do a single crochet and I took it from there. My grandmother made doilies, pillow case edging, table cloths all with the smallest hooks and string. I learned to knit about 20 years ago from a book and an old friend. I’ve never acquired any fancy stuff: just hooks, needles, yarn. For 2024 I will try locking stitch holders. I gave a lot of my hook stash to my daughter in law and I’m now looking for more crochet hooks. I prefer the ones with the flat heads which I’ve discovered are called “in line”. Been searching on Amazon to no avail and in the shops. Most of what is out there are the rounded heads. Let me know if you have any recommendations. I look forward to your next video. Thank you for all that you do.
I only use the locking stitch holders but they are a pain and slow me down. You have to use both hands and fumble to close those tiny little things as they are the same as safety pins. Good luck😀
I hope you get some recommendations for good inline hooks! I really like the tapered hooks! 🧶🧶🧶
Susan Bates hooks are inline. 😊
I love Susan bates soft grip hooks for in-line hooks
The only crochet hooks I will buy would be if I needed a size that I don't have, but then only Clover Amour. Thank you for your warning about AI crochet patterns. I wasn't aware such a thing existed. Thank you for your tip on how to identify a possible AI pattern...so helpful. Don't worry about bent tip needles not working for you. They do the same thing to me.
Thank you!! And AI really is a big deal in the crochet community. I wanted to show everyone how easy it is to whip up an AI generated pattern and image. It only takes a couple of minutes. And the patterns are pure garbage. 🧶🧶🧶
I am a beginner in crocheting and I just ever bought yarn and hook . I don't use stitch marker instead I use small peace of a yarn of different color it easy to pull out after the work is done and it never leaves any tracking mark and very efficient .
Thanks for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Elise and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and granny squares blanket and butterfly mosaic blanket and my somebunny and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and granny squares blanket and butterfly mosaic blanket and I love your channel and your videos and if you keep making videos I will keep watching them and what is your favorite crochet project to work on right now and favorite types of yarn to used when crocheting and keep up the great work on your RUclips channel and keep up the great work on your crochet projects
Thank you!! Your projects sound amazing! I'm working on a beautiful granny rectangle blanket right now! 🧶🧶🧶
I never work with stitch markers. I use a piece of contrasting thread and weave it in and out under every first loop of a round. Its free, it also marks the round and its satisfying to pull out at the end.
Just for the record...on my 74th birthday the beginning of April 2024...I watched youtube videos to learn how to crochet to surprise my oldest daughter, and I did. Tonight I just watched what you won't be buying in 2024 and a few others as well. Since I'm just getting started with 'crochet' I have the majority of items you won't be buying for when I was knitting! So, I think other than getting a set of hooks, I'm good to go. Oh, and yarn, will definitely be surveying that item! Thank you for the great information and thank you for being so upfront honest!
That's amazing!!!!!!! 👏👏👏
I understand the frustration with thick markers. I use plain leverback earrrings or mini hair elastics. The elastics can be just cut out if you forget it in your crocheted item.
Great tip! Thank you for sharing! 🧶❤️🐑💌
I use a yarn scrap of a different colored yarn as my stitch marker when working in the round and I love how it stays in place and it is easy to remove just tug it tight round your hook at the beginning of a new row and crochet it into your stitches and it holds in place beautifully
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I’m with you Elise. I’ll even venture to say I won’t be purchasing ANY crochet accessories (except yarn) in 2024. The reason being that my beautiful daughter found a crochet advent calendar (24 days). Each day had a notion of some kind, including several miniature skeins of yarn. I have everything one could think of and more! Including a darling holder for everything. Some of the things are quite handy- like the retractable measuring tape. I really wanted one of those but the tension ring…eh… I can control my tension but it’s really cute. 😊
Oooh! How fun! What a lovely gift! 🧶🧶🧶
@@EliseRoseCrochet it was quite a surprise coming from her. She doesn’t crochet- was never interested in it. She’s 40 now…who knows, maybe one day. She knows how to chain. 😆
I buy lunch bags for projects. The latest one I got was only A$19. It's wider than most and has small handles and detachable shoulder strap. I can get 2 balls of yarn and a project in easily. And because it's a lunch bag it's waterproof. It also has zip compartment on the outside I use for tools like needles and scissors.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I crocheted my own yarn bowl. Yarn inside yarn. It's not heavy so not effective at doing it's job at all but it has kept me from buying one so I count it as a win!
Awesome!! 👏
Try placing a plastic bowl inside it. Like a butter bowl or cool whip bowl. It will make it sturdy and stand up, its free, and green. You can also add some hot glue dots to the outside bottom of your bowl to keep it from sliding and moving.
For the yarn holders, I recycle thin plastic bags. I put one ball only in a thin bag, tie the handles together with the yarn coming out of the bag through the small gap below the knot. That way as you travel with them you can gather any amount of bags and fasten with a large knitting pin, and through your work so things don’t get pulled out of shape or tangled when moving. (Also great for not picking up the ever present dog hair that she sheds everywhere all year round, if you happen to drop your wool onto the floor as I do)
Thank you for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I've a house full of beautiful gorgeous yarn. I could crotchet all-day every day for a year n still have lots stashed..Dread other half wanting a break..suitcases are full, including my haul of handbags..full of awesome wool. Not perishable thou, haaaaa😂😊❤
lol!!!! Love it! 🧳
Have been reading the blogs re crochet hooks and not excited by most of what I've seen. I have the old Susan Bates and similar hooks. I actually found some of those really expensive hooks and thought they look clumsy.more interested in the utility.the fanciest hooks I own are hand made wooden ones but they are ones I got from my club for Christmas I think working with the large handles is like crocheting with a knife or fork
@@dianestiebelI am so with you on that! I like simple aluminum Boye crochet hooks and I don't put anything "ergonomic" on them. Those fancy expensive hooks feel really awkward to me.
LOL, sounds like me!!!
As a beginner,thanks for telling me about the beginner sets.
Hi Elise, I enjoy your channel. Thank you for being real and functional. Your gifts for your daughter’s nuptials gave me goosebumps. You inspire me. YOU ROCK.
Thank you so much! 🧶🧶🧶
My set with counter like yours BROKE at the handle in 5 projects and IWAS careful, not over tightening! Now have Clover Armour and LOVE them
We it snow/iced in and I did not want to brave the roads so I ordered a cheap “ergonomic” hook from Amazon to tide me over until I could get into town! OMG, it was heavy, especially after using the Pym hook, and the hook end was too short for the plush yarn stitches! Snow melted and I was able to replace it! Love your blog, a pleasure to watch them.
I'm glad you were able to replace it! ❤️
I have a few different stitch markers, the good news is I have lost a lot of the round ones so they are slowly making their own way out of my stash, I do tend to use the locking markers for crochet and the round for knitting to slip on the needles. Those beginner kits are not worth the money, buy a cute pencil case, buy the basics and slowly add things because you will NOT use everything in that starter kit and you get a better quality (mostly) buying separate items. I have a programme that writes my patterns OUT for me, I paid for the programme and it does a good job of doing that for me, but it takes hours to write them so not very efficient but some patterns I write I love.
Very good advice! 🧶🧶🧶
Speaking as a beginner (just picked up crochet 4 months ago) I've had a relatively good experience with the beginner kit i picked up from Amazon. If you are considering getting into the hobby, I think these kits can be a good option. I wasn't sure if I would stick with crochet and $15-20 was an amount I was comfortable spending. I figured if I stuck with it, I could invest in more premium supplies as needed. And if down the line my beginner kit doesnt meet my needs, I will have a better idea of what to look for. I wouldnt buy a beginner kit as a more experienced crocheter but if you want to try out crocheting to see if it's for you, these make sense! Just be sure to read reviews to make a more informed purchase.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I worry that a beginner will get bad crochet hooks and not realize that their frustrations can be from not using a high quality metal hook. 🧶🧶🧶
The cheap beginners kits are also nice because you have a full set of hook sizes to use until you find the sizes you use the most (based on the projects, yarn and tension you prefer)
The beginner kits are like Harbor Freight tools. They're cheap and not great, but they'll get you going and once you figure out which items you use a lot, those are items worth investing more money into higher quality versions.
I thought I would never fall for the yarn bowl, and didn't get on with it at first either... until I started winding my balls/skeins into cakes, now I crochet 2-3x as fast and I will never go back! It keeps it safe from my kid and cat and also keeps everything neat and stops me having to keep dragging out some slack to keep working!
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
Wow! Thank you, Elise, for the suggestion of using a paper bag to keep a ball from rolling around. I have a lot of yarn that have an outside pull and I haven't worked with them yet because I didn't want them rolling all over the place. I was thinking about buying a yarn genie or the stick thing they have at Michaels, but those are around $30 and I just haven't justified that yet. It seems to simple but I never thought about the paper bag. Thank you! 😊🤗
It's a great way to keep it contained! 🧶🧶🧶
You can also find a bowl in your kitchen that will do the trick as well. For bulky yarn, a cardboard box works great. So do vinyl bags, (like what throws or small blankets come in), just punch a small hole in the top or side for the yarn to glide through. There's so many freebie ideas to keep your yarn safe, clean and stored while working on a project without having pay any money.
I love to repurpose things. I keep little things like yarn needles, and stitch markers in an Altoid tin, which gets moved to whichever makeup pouch I'm using, depending on the size of what I'm working on. All the makeup pouches were picked up at garage sales for a quarter, or less.
In 2024 my goal is to buy absolutely nothing except books (can't stop won't stop) and yarn *that I have a project planned for*. I'm not going to buy yarn just because it's pretty and on sale! It just sits around taking up space and gathering dust!
Suggestion for future vids: if you're buying more stuffing, could you try out some biodegradable options like kapok? I'm really interested in trying to keep my crafting as sustainable as possible and so plastic free stuffing/yarn/etc is totally my jam.
Thank you so much for sharing! I will definitely look into it! 🧶🧶🧶
@@EliseRoseCrochet Yaaaay thank you ❤️
I’ll tell you what I love key chains where you hold your thumb down on the side and the open. The best game changer for crochet projects with big stitches. You just open it, place it in your stitch and close. I find them easier to open than locking stitch markers as my locking stitch markers would break into pieces when I opened them. Also have a nice day everyone happy Sunday
Great tip! Thanks for sharing! 🧶
I put little index cards in my project bags, which are reusable shopping bags, with all the details. That started last and i always go through my wips in january and decide whose getting finished before i start buying anymore yard. Im working through all my various scrap bins (different size yarn balls in different bins). I used to always leave my hooks with my projects.
That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
@EliseRoseCrochet I didn't realize how disjointed the comment was but I think people get the idea lol. I am typing on the app. It was supposed to say "this started last year and it's helped so much" but I clearly deleted it. Thanks for noticing my comment though :) makes me smile
You're not alone with the bent needle frustration! I always thought something was wrong with me because I just couldn't get it to stay stationary while using it. It ALWAYS twists around. I use the straight needles and have no issues with maneuverability.
Yes!!! I'm the exact same!! 🪡
I am right with both of you! I can't use those bent hooks either. They twist everywhere except where I want them to go. Thought it was just me.
thats really interesting, i just finished making a jumbo yoshi with bent needles and they were so nice when attaching the head and nose as i didn't have to put as much effort into getting the needle around the curve
Your problems would be solved by buying Clover needles. They are superior. I love them for amigurumi. Tapestry or bent.
Agree! Clover bent work well!
The only item I think I'll be buying this year, other than yarn of course, would be the neck light. Even putting the light on over my head when I crochet doesn't seem to be enough, or at the very least the light is at a bad angle and I'm just getting shadows in my yarn. I wouldn't mind one of those wooden yarn holders eventually but right now I'm literally just using a box we got from a bakery and having the yarn go through the metal bits of a clip. Bought a cheap little plastic yarn cake weaver so the bakery box is the perfect size for a single yarn cake to sit in so it doesn't pick up random hairs and dust. Maybe one day I'll have to buy more baked goods just to get the boxes.
That's a very good excuse to buy the baked goods!! 🍞🥐🎂🧁🍰🥮
My husband just went on Amazon today and bought me a nice neck light. I’m looking forward to it so I can sit and crochet on the couch without disturbing him with the overhead lights on. I think it’s going to be a really solid investment for my comfort, and his!
@@janesfilms I ended up buying a neck light yesterday, can't wait till it comes in. 🥰
I have a wonderful lamp which hooks on to my end table. It is fully adjustable with swing arms. The light is a bar so I can put it directly over my project and see every stitch. It has 3 different light settings, white, yellow, and blue which is great for different colors of yarn. It also has 5 levels of brightness. When I finished with it, it folds up like a stick maybe about 1.5 inches in thickness so it takes up very little space on my end table. I also do dream catchers which I use my front door to hang them on in order to work with the bottom tails. I use this lamp for extra lighting while working on them. It rotates 360 degrees as well. I love it so much that I also bought another one to hook on the kitchen window sill in order to have light over my sink. I want two more of these lamps, 1 for my sewing table and 1 on my kitchen table where I do lots of other crafting projects. Best $25 I've ever spent.
I started crocheting 2.5 years ago with one of those amazon beginner kits, even after trying a bunch of different hooks, those are always the ones I go back to, they’re my favorite, the stitch markers too! Maybe I’m judt lucky but I wanted to share the other side as well 😊
That's great! Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶🧶
I'm not so much avoiding any specific products as I'm sticking to a buying mindset: I will ONLY buy items I intend to use for projects I'm already planning to do. And since I already have two works in progress and four projects I haven't started yet, I'm adding in a rule that I'll only plan a new project when I'm down to fewer than five unfinished ones.
I bought a beginner crochet kit for me and my mum. Im 11 and i have crocheted for around a few months and my mum wanted to learn. She was about to buy $60 kit with only 10 hooks and 10 stitch markers where u are paying for the case it came in. So i found one for 16 dollars that came with things that i actually needed so we bought it and so far the hooks are so smooth and comfortable and the row counters is plastic and is so useful because i always forget how many rows i have 😂
That's wonderful!! So glad you found something that works well! 🧶🧶🧶
You are fully right: Lighted crochet Hawks are horrible. I bought 2 Sets and never use them. So I will not buy any further lighted crochet hawks 2024!!! I like your videos.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶🧶❤️
I love the bent yarn needles for the mattress stitch!!! It’s perfect. I also love the light up hook for when I’m camping and want to crochet after the sun goes down. :)
I absolutely agree with you! I will be saving my money for yarn purchases. It's nice to splurge a little when you've saved some up❤
Yes it is! 🧶🧶🧶
I have all my notions in labeled repurposed peanut butter jars. -They are clear plastic and can be layed in rows on a shelf. My yarns are in bins -wool, cotton/bamboo, acrylic. My travel bag is a large plastic zippered bag that contained a bed sheet set. -inside I have my wip, yarn and ziploc bags for stuffing and notions. I do amigurumi.
Thanks for telling us what safety eyes you use! I've bought some from Amazon and even in the same package, some are ok, but some have sharp edges or have inconsistent shapes. I also bought the tool you recommended and it's great! Thank you!
The safety eyes from 6060 Eyes and Glass Eyes Online are fantastic! 🧶🧶🧶
I use safety pins for my stitch markers saves me quite a bit of money
Great tip! 🧶🧶🧶
I use stitch counters as row counters since I take projects with me everyday to work on between taking my husband to work and actually going to work myself along with on my lunch break so then I don’t lose what row I’m on
Wonderful! My problem is I forget to press the button! 🤣
I recently crocheted a holder for a empty Clorox container which now holds a skein of yarn. By putting small rocks or glass beads in the bottom keeps it more stable. And, it is a lot prettier than a yarn bowl. Your suggestions are spot on. Thank you
I’m just getting into crocheting. Thanks for the tip about AI patterns. Very helpful for a beginner.
Yes! It's becoming a big problem in the crochet community! 🧶🧶
Buy a couple different styles of hooks and see which ones you prefer. I prefer Boye, but that's me. Boye does have a hook case you can buy either empty or with a full set of aluminum and steel.
I first started crocheting with a really cheap aliexpress crochet hook kit. I then exchanged parts of the kit every now and then with better quality stuff. I swapped out the hooks with a Clover set after researching what people tended to like the most, I got a crochet hook organizer thing, I got cute embroidery scissors, and I kept the measuring tape, stitch markers, and plastic yarn needles from the original kit.
Great video. I am not sure that I could not buy something catches my eye 😸 I am going to try and not buy any more crochet hooks. I have so many now that I don’t even know where they all are 😊 Thanks for sharing
Haha!! I totally get the temptation! 🧶❤️🐑💌
Thanks for all the tips. I ordered clear plastic bags to store yarn in. But I have found they work awesome for finished projects to gift or sell. They have a sticky closure to seal them shut. Works out wonderfully.
Wonderful! 🧶🧶🧶
Loved the video, Elise! Thank you! And I meant to tell you I really appreciated the longer length of last week’s video!!
Thank you so much!! I'm so glad! I've been making a few longer ones! ❤️
On another note, I love your style of handwriting! Did you take a class somewhere??@@EliseRoseCrochet
When I started making amigurumi, I didn't have any stitch markers. What i did have, though, was plenty of bits of leftover yarns. I started using yarn a size smaller than what I was crocheting with. I carried it up as I worked, which lso mde counting rounds super easy. I still use this technique when making amigurumi.
Thanks for sharing! 🧶
Whew - just in time! I was tempted by the spiral stitch markers. I just saw a post that said they were great because you could put them in with just one hand. After seeing your video, I think I'll pass 🙂. Honestly, I don't think I'll be buying anything except maybe patterns and yarn. I have all the accessories I need!
Haha!! Those spiral stitch markers are so great in theory!! 🧶🧶🧶
Hi Elise, I agree with just about everything you mentioned in this video! My version of a yarn bowl? I enjoy purchasing cakes from the bakery dept of my grocery store, and they come packaged in a plastic dome, and base. That DOME is my yarn bowl! Keeps the yarn from rolling all over the place, clean, and depending on its size, I can just pop the whole project right into the bowl until I'm ready to resume working on it. Another tip from this crochet enthusiast - scotch tape! Huh? Apply a short strip around/over the finger area that tensions the yarn to prevent that tell-tale indentation from forming in the first place. I do a lot of lace crochet/knitting and often with a tight tension to keep stitches uniform. However, I would also end up with, for a time, with what seemed a permanent groove across my left index finger. Even weeks later this pink very slight but noticeable depression remained. Just stumbled into the scotch tape trick by serendipity! Enjoy!
These are fantastic tips!! Thanks for sharing!!! 🧶🧶🧶
Another great vid, thank you. What I won't be buying in 2024 is Skill Share or anything like it. I am a senior on a super tight budget and electric is going to take a super hike in our state and that's just one thing. I like shiny things too and youtube is a good place to go and get hooked (pardon the pun) on everything out there. I am determined to learn amigurumi this year....the plushies but youtube will have to do for my teaching mode. What would be most valuable for me would be a friend in real life who crochets but no one does anymore. My friends did it in their earlier years and I've just started a few years ago. I'm also learning watercolor and talk about shiny objects......I just want EVERYTHING!! Lol. I love your channel, Thanks much for sharing.
lol! Shiny Object syndrome applies to all crafts!!! I hope you find someone locally that can work with you! 🧸🧶🎨🖌️🖼️
I got a job at Joann’s which I planned on being there just for last Xmas, and I can’t bring myself to leave bc I want to try so many things! It’s now been over a year! 😂 Where are you from @kathytincler2446?
Hello , can you say any suggestions on something to buy instead if cluster stuff?
Honestly! The whole AI thing is getting completely out of control. So many people are reposting AI images in crochet groups, customers are commissioning projects based on AI images, and the AI generated crochet patterns are insane!
Yup. I hope that people could see how easy it is for someone to create a pattern and image on ChatGPT. It literally took me a minute or two. Buyer beware! 🧶🧶🧶
For budget stitch markers, use paperclips.
Great tip!! 📎
From the time I learned to crochet in 1970 when I was 12 years old, up until 2016, I had the same set of Boye hooks and a couple darning needles. That's it. I had no clue there was anything else out there because I didn't crochet all that much. In 2014 I became really ill. By 2016 I was doing better and decided to get back into crocheting for something to do while recovering. However, by this time I was in my 50s and my beloved Boye hooks were making my hands hurt. What to do??? I went online and to my surprise, crocheting had experienced a renaissance it seemed. I went to Hobby Lobby and they had their own brand of hooks with the squishy ergonomic handles for $2.99 each. So I splurged on new hooks for the 1st time in 46 years. They worked great, but then I got bit by the shiny things bug. I too bought things I don't need. I need to stay off of Etsy! LOL!!! I will not buy anymore hooks unless I need some odd size that I don't already have for a project. I bought a set of those Furl's Odyssey hooks and I do not like them. They feel great in my hand and I wanted to love them, but they are inline hooks and I can't seem to use inline hooks very well. So about $200 worth of hooks are just sitting in my drawer. That said, the hooks I am glad I spent the money on and would buy again are the Bqueen hooks. They were expensive, but I saved my pennies and bought them one at a time, but I love them and use them almost exclusively now. Unfortunately, their house burnt down and I don't know if they will ever go back into production. The only thing I intend to buy this year is yarn needed for a project. My goal this year is to finish all my projects I have started which might well take me all year!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing! You could sell those Furls Ofyssey hooks on EBay and get a pretty penny for them! 🧶❤️🐑💌
@@EliseRoseCrochet I might just do that. I really wanted to love them, so it is very disappointing that I don't.
I made a project yarn basket with a cinch up top for the yarn to pull out from. I love it. I'm making a lot of baskets/bags/bins that use multiple strains of yarn and the bag makes it easy, keeps the yarn clean and makes it portable.
I probly wont be buying any crochet hooks either. I cleaned up all my craft stuff and found a little zipper pouch at Goodwill that has a pocket on each side and a flap over that. It is just the right size for all of my metal crochet hooks and tucks right into the side of my craft desk drawer. It even says 'Here's the Skinny' on the outside (I think is cool for my 'skinny' metal hooks) and it is purple! I dont know what it held before I got it for my hooks and dont really care because it is perfect to hold all of my hooks, even the tiny metal ones.
That's awesome!! 💜💜💜
I actually love the beginning crochet set that you showed. It has been so helpful. I wonder if you got a bad one. The metal on my hooks are very smooth.
I got myself one of those beginner sets a few years ago, and I still don't see the need to upgrade to a better-known brand as I've not had a single issue with any of my hooks.
Maybe. They are very rough metal and squeak! I wanted to love them but they don't compare to the Clover or Tulip hooks! 🧶🧶🧶
I also have that set and it’s great! Must be some duds out there, but so far, for blankets, not having any issues. Will see when I try something with a small hook, what happens then.