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6 Knitting and Crochet Techniques for Aging Hands

June 7, 2016 by FaveCrafts 18 Comments

As you age, your body changes. This is especially true for your vision, hands, and overall coordination, some of the most essential parts of knitting and crocheting. While you may have learned how to crochet years ago, the truth is that sometimes with age you have to relearn how to crochet or how to knit in a more convenient and comfortable way. Aging does not mean you have to give up your favorite hobbies, but making some adjustments to your techniques can make the whole process much more enjoyable. Check out the 6 Knitting and Crochet Techniques for Aging Hands below to learn about some adjustments you can make to your crochet patterns and knitting projects to make them easier and more enjoyable.

One of the biggest gripes we hear from our audience when it comes to aging and crochet and knitting projects is that hand and wrist fatigue increasingly becomes an issue. Sore wrists and cramped hands can turn the cutest crochet project into a painful process. Look out below for our surprisingly simple solutions.

6 Knitting and Crochet Techniques for Aging Hands SAU(2)

6 Knitting and Crochet Techniques for Aging Hands

  1. Add light and a magnifier to your space.

    Adjust your crochet space to add more light and invest in a magnifier. While it may not seem like sore eyes are directly connected to wrist paint while crocheting, this extra issue can really affect your whole process. Crocheters and knitters who squint may be inadvertently adding tension to their hands as the struggle to see what they are doing. Plus, pausing in uncomfortable and unnatural positions due to poor lighting can easily cause over-exertion.

  2. Stretch, Stretch, Stretch

    Make sure to stretch your hands before, during, and after you work on your projects. No crochet technique in the world will make the project easier if you do not take care of yourself. Give your muscles a fighting chance by warming them up each time you crochet or knit. Stretching amidst a hooking or purling session can help too. Consider learning some new stretches or trying yoga for your wrists and hands if you are especially sore.

  3. Give Yourself More Time

    The reality is that the more wear and tear your hands receive, the more time they are going to need to recover. This means giving yourself more time to finish projects. Don’t plan on sitting down and crocheting that 2 Hour Pot Holders pattern all the way through in an afternoon. Break up the time you spend crocheting or knitting into smaller segments.

  4. Get (or Make) Hand-Friendly Hooks

    Basic and simple crochet hooks can be too small to grip for an extended period of time. Make sure you spend the money on crochet hooks and knitting needles that add some comfort to your crocheting. We recommend buying or making your own knitting needle or crochet hook polymer clay crafts. Adding a softer, bulkier handle to your tools can work wonders.Funky Polymer Clay Crochet Hook Handles

  5. Skip the super intricate projects.

    We all know that crochet patterns with thinner yarn and tinier needles are much harder to make. You should avoid these more intricate projects or, at least, work on them a lot less frequently. Bulky and chunky knitting patterns and crochet projects can be created a lot more quickly and require much less intricate, hand-hurting work.

  6. Be Kind to Yourself

    Aging can be a tricky process. It can be really hard to admit that sometimes you are just not capable of doing things as quickly or as precisely as you used to. Above all else, remember to be kind to yourself. While it might be a bummer to crochet a little less or work on easy knitting patterns instead of impressive intermediate endeavors, remember why you started creating in the first place. You can find as much joy in an hour of crocheting than you used two in three hours of hooking.


Easy Crochet Patterns and Beginner Knitting Patterns to Try

Check out these easy crochet patterns that make you crochet experience easy peasy and beginner knitting patterns that are gentle on your hands. Use the knitting and crochet techniques above with these free project patterns we love.

  • 50+ Free Easy Crochet Patterns and Help for Beginners
  • 45 Quick and Easy Free Knitting Patterns and Beginner Help

Did you learn to crochet when you were younger or later in life?

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Filed Under: Crochet Tagged With: Craft Tips and Tricks, Crochet, crochet tips, Favecrafts, How to Crochet, how to knit, Kaylee Pope, knitting tips

December FaveCrafts Radio: Yarn Talk!

December 6, 2012 by FaveCrafts 6 Comments

If there’s one thing we’ve noticed about you, our readers, is that many, many of you love yarn! Whether it’s to crochet with, to knit with, or just to craft with, you guys love it! So we just wanted to let everyone know that we’re paying attention and to keep you all happy we’re bringing you an all yarn episode of FaveCrafts Radio in December!

This month we’ll sit down and chat with Michael Sellick from The Crochet Crowd, Vickie Howell, Drew Emborsky aka The Crochet Dude about all their best yarn tips! So if you love to knit or crochet, you’ll definitely want to tune in on Tuesday December 11th at 11am EST to hear these three chat it up about their techniques, tips, and frustration solutions. But remember, just like every episode of FaveCrafts Radio, you can call in with your own questions to ask our craftlebrities! Have you been working on pattern that won’t stay flat? Have you been struggling with decreasing or increasing? Beginner or advanced, call at any point during our show and ask any yarn related questions that have been on your mind!

Put it in your calendars because this is going to be one fun show! Remember  just dial 646-200-4435  on December 11th from 11am to 12pm EST to have a chat with our yarn experts. 

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Filed Under: FaveCrafts Radio Tagged With: Crochet, crochet tips, Knitting, knitting tips, radio, The Crochet Crowd

Link Love: Crochet in the Round

June 7, 2012 by FaveCrafts Leave a Comment

Crocheting is one of the most popular, up-and-coming crafts right now. It’s quick to learn, and crochet patterns are generally quick to complete. You can make a great looking crochet project even if you’re a beginner; what’s not to love? One thing you might not know how to do if you’re just starting out is crocheting in the round. Once you learn how to crochet in the round, you’ll open up a world of crochet possibilities for yourself! There are so many crochet patterns that require you to crochet in the round–round rugs, dishcloths, crochet hats, and many amigurumi patterns are worked in the round. Below I’ve rounded up some cool crochet patterns for you to try once you’ve mastered this technique. Or, use them to practice while you’re still learning. And if you’re an old crochet pro, you’ll enjoy making these patterns too!

 

  1. Easy Apple Coasters from Jenny and Teddy
  2. Striped Round Pillow from Easy Makes Me Happy
  3. One Round Baby Eggs from Fiber Flux
  4. Crochet Hexagon from creJJtion
  5. Crochet Heart Garland from Skip to My Lou
  6. Crochet Posies from Aesthetic Nest
  7. Round Crochet Coasters from Caprice Creations
  8. Round Rug from Craftbits
  9. Amigurumi Acorn from Planet June

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Filed Under: Link Love Tagged With: Crochet, crochet tips, Crochet Tutorial, free crochet pattern, Round

Lefties and Crochet

May 21, 2011 by AllFreeCrochet 3 Comments

Being left handed can be hard at times and never more so than when trying to learn crochet. There are instructions for left-handers yes but very rare do you find patterns specifically for left handed people.

If you happen to be the only leftie in the family such as myself, learning to crochet can be difficult to short of impossible. I felt sorry for my mom and grandma, they tried to reach me but I got so frustrated at having to try and mirror their actions that I just couldn’t do it.

Then my mom went and bought me a book with instructions for both right handed and left handed people and I’ve been crocheting since. I have managed to teach my kids to crochet and only one is a leftie like me. I can automatically switch patterns because I haven’t had any patterns for lefties to use but I know that not everyone can do that. I teach myself new stitches about once a month and use the month to get it down. I do patterns the same way, if I see a pattern I like I then work the pattern until I get comfortable with it and only then will I tweak it to make it my own.

Do not forget to take pictures of the finished work to keep track of everything you make, especially if you are going to give it away or making it for a special person.

Everything I make I usually do several times to make sure I get it right; where patterns for right-handed crocheters say go right to left, we lefties go left to right. I am always searching for leftie patterns that go left to right without success. I carry pattern books with me everywhere but they aren’t for lefties. I have noticed some web video instructions for lefties who crochet are starting to pop up but it brings me back to where there are no pattern books.

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Filed Under: Crochet Tagged With: Crochet, crochet tips, technique

Help a Reader: Alien Crochet Hooks

February 3, 2011 by FaveCrafts 8 Comments

Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Barbara asks,
About 35 years ago I made a “Patchwork dog” stuffed animal. I think it was done with the afghan stitch. I can’t find the pattern but I can’t be the only one that ever did it. Please, can you help?

Jane asks,
Years ago I made brown bag pins; got the idea from Aleen’s Creative Living show. I have not been able to find the directions to this project. I remember it required 3 layers of brown paper bag, but not the rest.

Lois asks,
We have a mystery in our group that we need answered.   Someone gave us a crochet hook that is very unusual. It’s ‘v’ shaped – about 6″ on each side of the ‘v’.  on each tip of the ‘v’ is an out-facing c. hook. It is a metal hook, and has NOT been bent into a ‘v’ — looks almost new, and there are NO wrinkles at the curve, suggesting that it’s been bent to the ‘v’ shape. Can you possibly tell us what it is and what it’s used for?

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Filed Under: Craft Tips and Tricks Tagged With: Crochet Animals, crochet tips, papercraft, recycled crafts

Crochet Tips Just For You

June 23, 2009 by FaveCrafts 3 Comments

Often times people need a little help here and there. Whether we need advice, opinions or just a few tips. Now is the opportunity for you to help others and for others to help you. We’ve had a few crochet tips come in that I’d like to share with you. If you’re on the go and your yarn needs to be organized then we have a few tips for that. We can also teach you how to make a plastic bag door mat. How that really works beats me, but you might as well look at these crochet tips and see if it’ll help you out. If you have any tips to share please email us.

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Filed Under: Crochet Tagged With: Crochet, crochet tips

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Crafty Fiesta: La Guitarra Fiesta Frame Box

It’s a Crafty Fiesta all week long here on the FaveCrafts blog, and we’re joined by I Love to Create to get you geared up for Cinco de Mayo with some fun and festive craft projects! Be sure to keep tuning in every day through May 5th for all our amazing Cinco de Mayo craft […]

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