Tutorials and Help

How to Crochet: Broomstick Lace Increase

Posted in Tutorials and Help on February 28th, 2015 by Candace – 4 Comments

Broomstick lace, like any other technique, has a lot of potential, especially when you add shaping to your repertoire. Fortunately, making increases in broomstick lace is fairly easy if you are comfortable with shaping and making broomstick lace. All you have to do is make more stitches in the groups of loops. If you are haven’t tried broomstick lace yet, check out the How To Crochet: Broomstick Lace tutorial first.
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How to Facilitate a Crochet Workshop

Posted in Tutorials and Help on February 22nd, 2015 by Tameko Barnette – 5 Comments

Sharing crochet as a social group or with a friend who loves it as much as you do is one thing, but teaching crochet in a workshop is a little different. However, it can be a joyous experience and one worth trying for those who are between jobs, need a fun part-time job, or perhaps, you are looking to become an entrepreneur.

Either way, in the world of crochet, you have a plethora of inspirations and opportunities. A great idea is to put your years of crochet wisdom to good use and facilitate crochet workshops. It’s not as complicated as it may sound at first, especially, if you are not familiar with facilitating a workshop of any kind.

CROCHET 101
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How to Crochet Around Flat Cards or Paper Scrapbook Embellishments

Posted in Tutorials and Help on February 10th, 2015 by Caissa "Cami" McClinton – 3 Comments

I have been so excited and inspired by art journaling and mixed media techniques! Crochet is not the only craft in my life, but I always want to incorporate it into my artwork. My major influences in art journaling and mixed media are Christine Urias, Traci Bautista, and Kathy Cano-Murillo. Aren’t we lucky to have so many wondeful artists at our fingertips through the magic of the internet?

During this tutorial, I will show you how to add texture to your flat cards or scrapbook embellishments by crocheting around them. By the end of the step-by-step tutorial you will have a finished embellishment.

I would look great on your Pinterest board.

I would look great on your Pinterest board.


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A Simple Guide to Yarn Weights

Posted in Tutorials and Help on January 13th, 2015 by Tameko Barnette – 17 Comments

Have you ever noticed how some of your creations may not look and feel exactly how you imagined they would during or after creating them? Or, have you ever noticed that your creations may not look exactly like the images used in the magazine or crochet article?

Quite often, most crocheters from way back will use the yarn weight they have available to them at the time because it is cost effective and easily accessible. Perhaps, we may not even know about or use all of the yarn weights available, even if the patterns may call for a different yarn weight other than the most popular number four (4).

Here, in this piece, I have decided to compile a very simple guide to the various yarn weights and what each of them can be used for when we’re creating our items this year. This will be excellent for those crocheters who like to create their own patterns. You can start to explore the various types of yarn weights to see what works with your creation.
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How to Crochet: Spike Cluster Stitch

Posted in Tutorials and Help on December 20th, 2014 by Amy Yarbrough – 8 Comments
Learning new crochet stitches may appear daunting at times but often, once you unravel the wordy instructions, it can be done with a flip of the wrist –or crochet hook.

A few months back I borrowed a crochet stitch book from my grandmother who has a whole library of wonderful crafting books. I’ve used it so many times for reference in designing my patterns, I am loath to return it. I believe every crocheter needs their own guide to crochet stitches. Understandably, many of us don’t have one, or can’t borrow one from their grandmother. That’s why we are here at Crochet Spot. To help you learn new things! CloseupSPC

My most recent fascination is the spike cluster stitch, abbreviated SPC. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to how it’s done.
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Sustainable Living: 3 Winter Creations

Posted in Free Crochet Patterns, Tutorials and Help on November 20th, 2014 by Tameko Barnette – 4 Comments

Sustainable living is all about what will sustain you; however, it is also about how you sustain yourself. With crochet, we are connecting with a hobby or a profession that is built on sustainable living. The key to sustainable living is recycling; what can be used over and over again or reworked to be used in another way.

In this article, I decided to share three Winter creations with you that can be used many times throughout the Autumn, Winter, and perhaps, even the Spring months as well. They’re just ideas, oldies, but goodies, if you will. During the Autumn and especially during those Winter months, we have to do our best to stay warm and cozy. Below, you’ll find three ideas (plus a quick and easy pattern) that I hope sparks your creativivity for the Winter season.
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Sustainable Living: How to Recycle Your Yarn

Posted in Fun Ramblings, Tutorials and Help on November 14th, 2014 by Tameko Barnette – 7 Comments

Now, I know this seems a little redundant, but it is not because there are so many ways to recycle yarn. There are many ways to get yarn in order to recycle it. I have seen so many people talking online about a variety of ways they recycle yarns. We’re not just talking about the yarn you already have at home like I talked about in previous posts, but other yarn resources.
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How to Weave in Ends – Part 2

Posted in Tutorials and Help on November 13th, 2014 by Amy Yarbrough – 3 Comments

Welcome back to How to Weave in Ends! In part one, we talked about the importance of weaving in yarn tails and a couple of ways to do it. Now I am going to show you what to do when working the tails into the row ends isn’t a good choice.

In the same way I showed you how to weave the tails into the single crochet border, simple weaving in behind a few strands of the stitches in the pattern piece is fairly quick and great for pieces with a wrong side. I recommend this method for solid stitch patterns like the one in the picture below.

3. Sc in piece

Tip #2: After weaving a tail in, give the material a stretch so that the tail will look more natural and you can clip off any ends that show.
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How to Crochet: Widthwise Twirls and Ruffles

Posted in Tutorials and Help on November 11th, 2014 by Candace – Be the first to comment

By now, you may already know how to crochet twirls and ruffles lengthwise–in two ways, even. Another way to do these and ad a little variety to your crochet repertoire is to work them widthwise, it’s as easy as making row upon row of a mix of tall and short stitches.
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Sustainable Living: 3 Extra Uses for an Afghan or a Blanket

Posted in Tutorials and Help on November 8th, 2014 by Tameko Barnette – 7 Comments

While the hobby or profession of crochet could be considered sustainable living in and of itself, we can certainly employ creativity in extra uses for completed items just lying around the home. Come on, admit it, you may have a completed afghan, blanket, place mats, or something lying around or sitting in a closet collecting dust after the initial excitement of creating it wore off.

Well, never fear, there is a use for just about anything. In this first installment in my 3-part Sustainable Living Series, I will share a variety of uses I’ve found in my own personal life to be quite fun and surprisingly, helpful.
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