How did I not know this? Please share your crochet tips

[aJumpedUpPantryBoy]

Today I have just discovered the magic ring

I've been making centres for a blanket and it is so much easier than trying to squeeeeze 11 trebles into a 4 chain ring.

choca do you mean you just wrap the end of the wool around the middle of the wool ball and it still comes loose?

If so video changed my life it is an arse to have to unravel a whole ball of wool to put an end in the middle but less time than it took me to keep untangling different balls of wool. It is not the best video but it is clear what she does and the one I learnt from.

Plus if I drop the wool it doesn't unwind its way across the floor.

I recently learnt to crochet and learnt via youtube so learnt all the american terminology. It totally threw my MIL but she then sat beside me and we did some together and figured out the difference. It was a really lovely moment. I just learnt to convert from US to UK. And I think the US system is better, as everyone says there is no single crochet in the UK system.

I am crochet bilingual :) I do find that it makes no difference which version the pattern is in provided I notice. Most seem to be US because I use Ravelry for pretty much all my patterns.

I always use yarn from the centre of the ball, but I don't re-wind them, I just have a root around in the middle and you can usually feel a bit of a separate bundle, which you pull out and find the end. It doesn't ALWAYs guarantee you stay tangle-free, but more often than not. It definitely makes it easier to be able to keep your ball of yarn in your lap, rather than chasing it round all over the place :)

Oops, meant to add, i tried the magic ring on something last night, worked a treat! Thanks for the link PantryBoy

It's great isn't it!

I have a question - if you buy a skein of wool rather than a ball whats the best way of rolling it into a ball?
I've only done it a couple of times but have always managed about 2/3 before ending with a tangle.

When I was little, I used to have to sit there with a skein stretched between my outstretched arms whilst my grandmother wound it into a ball. This was for reclaimed yarn from an unravelled jumper though.

I did the same thing for my mother, with her yarn wrapped around my arms! (I also used to have to untangle her colours when she did fair isle - my protest of "It's your hobby, you do it" didn't wash.)

PantryBoy I have an umbrella swift and a ball winder

I can just open out the skein to a circle and slip it onto the swift, it spins as you wind the yarn into a ball. The swift I linked is the exact same as mine, it's the cheapest I've seen, wooden ones are lots of money (but much prettier, if money isn't an object!) A ball winder isn't essential, but it's nice to have. The linked one says it's for machine knitting but it works by turning the handle, it's not linked to a knitting machine in any way.

Oooh, the swift and winder look great. I can't really justify buying one though. I shall have to continue with my back of a chair method.

I have to admit the swift doesn't get used that much, but when I need it I am really glad of it! The ball winder is really useful though. I'd put it on your Christmas / birthday list :)

Ladies please

Granny squares. How many chains do you do between your trebles on the sides and at the corners?
I've seen patterns with 2 at sides 2 at corner
1 at sides 2 at corner
2 at sides 3 at corner
2 at sides 4 at corner

Pls or does it not matter so long as you do the same throughout?

Ta

I think I do one between the trebles along the sides (or sometimes none). At the corners I tend to ch 2 although some patterns seem to cal for 3. I don't think it matters as long as you are the same on each corner in a row. I think it just gives different sized hole at the corner!

Marking place to read later, I learnt from the LearntoKnit website as I find it easier to follow written instructions and diagrams than videos. I love the Magic Ring idea.

I've just done a Granny square using the magic ring, definitely easier than using the normal circle of chains, thank you for posting PantryBoy

100 years - I usually do 2 at sides 3 at corner.

I do no chains along sides, and normally 3 at corners. Doing a chain (or chains) in between groups will make your holes look more square than triangular, it just depends what you like the look of best.