Hot Knitting & Crochet How-Tos

How To: Crochet an easy pom pom flower

Tracey shows us how to crochet an easy pom pom flower in this tutorial. First, wrap your yarn around four fingers several times, and then wrap another color around as well. Last, wrap one last color on top of the middle color still wrapping around your fingers. Now pull the yarn off your fingers and tie a piece of yarn down the center of the wrapped yarn. Pull this as tight as you can and make as many knots as possible with this piece of yarn. Now cut your loops open with scissors through the...

How To: Crochet a rub-a-dub duckie finger puppet

In this tutorial we learn how to crochet a duck finger puppet. In order to make the bill, start with three stitches on the front where you crochet a front loop to work with. Start with the open end facing you, and pull a loop up with your yarn, like a slip stitch. Now, chain one and single crochet into that on your first stitch. Single crochet in the next stitch and in the last one as well. Now, go into the center stitch and single crochet in that making a point at the beak. Now, slip stitch ...

How To: Crochet a rooster finger puppet

In this tutorial, we learn how to crochet a rooster finger puppet with Tracey. To begin, make a basic bird body by using a basic crochet. Now, begin with the opening facing away and use an F crochet hook. Grab another color of yarn and push the hook through a loop and chain up one with the orange yarn. Single crochet in the same loop and you keep crocheting. Keep doing this until you have a small beak on your rooster. Next, you are going to make the tail of the rooster by doing 3 single croch...

How To: Count crochet stitches

How many stitches does your crochet art have? How can you tell? Why would you even want to know how many stitches are in your crocheted sweater or crocheted hat? Knowing how to count your stitches is a fundamental step in learning to crochet – assuming you want your finished product to be the right size and shape.

How To: Choose crochet projects

Crocheting is a great hobby. It could even be a great business if you're good enough. But how do you go about figuring out what to crochet? What projects peak your interest, or others' interest? If you know some basic crochet stitches, it may be time to move on to a challenging project. Here are some steps to choosing the right crochet project for you.

How To: Broomstick lace crochet

If you're into knitting and crocheting, you probably know it all. But what about a broomstick lace crochet? If you haven't attempted this fine crochet pattern, you must… now! Broomstick lace crochet forms a visually interesting and beautiful stitch.

How To: Cast off a loom when knitting a shawl

Need to know how to cast off? In this free video crafts lesson, Internet crocheting superstar Mikeyssmail offers advice on how to cast off of a loom when knitting a shawl or anything else. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started casting off in your own projects, take a look.

How To: Thread a bobbin on the Brother LS 2125 sewing machine

Many habitual sewers like to sew by hand if possible for smaller projects, since all it requires is some finger dexterity, a needle, and some form of thread. Sewing machines can create stitches and embellishments of great beauty, but as with all electronic devices sometimes their constituent parts have complications. The bobbin, which holds the thread beneath the machine, is one of those pesky things sewers have to deal with.

How To: Color code your knitting loom to remember formations

We all know that color coding is important because it helps us to quickly organize things based on visual cues. As students in high school, we used differently colored page tabs to denote different subject matters, and some of us color code file cabinets for easier and faster access. The same principle goes for this tutorial, which teaches you how to color code a knitting loom.

How To: Crochet fuzzy white baby booties

When the temperatures dip during the fall and winter, there's no cuter way to dress up your little one than with a pair (or two, or three...) of baby booties! Whether you make 'em in snow white, crimson red, or hippie dippy rainbow hues, they're snug and cute adornaments for those little tootsies.