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I love receiving great crochet tips, ideas and questions from readers who have either found clever ways or are in search of solutions to make their crochet work better for them. Here are a few that might provide help or inspiration for you.

No Sag in the Bag
When Patsy M. crocheted a tote bag with 4-ply cotton yarn, she discovered that no matter how tightly she adjusted her tension when making the handle, the cotton stretched too much to make the handle as sturdy as she wanted. Not wanting to change to a different fiber because it would look different from the rest of the bag, she came up with a clever solution to solve her problem.

Patsy purchased some ordinary cotton clothesline and cut a length she wanted for her purse handle. She put a dab of hot glue on each end of the piece of clothesline to keep it from fraying. With her cotton yarn, she worked a row of single crochet over the clothesline, keeping her stitches close together, then closed the ends and sewed them to her bag. Patsy notes that the clothesline provides strength and stability but isn't too stiff. It will also hold its shape well in the wash. Double purse handles made this way are also excellent.

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Dollhouse Decor
Barbara S. discovered that patterns for lapel pins, such as wreaths and Santas, make great dollhouse door decorations when worked in thread with small-size hooks. She also crochets other motif patterns this way to make decorative dollhouse tablecloths, rugs and bedspreads. Barbara says her granddaughter loves these "special touches" made just for her by Grandma!

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Latch Hook "Ends" the Problem
Because of hand problems, Donna B. often has trouble threading a yarn needle for weaving in ends, especially if the yarn end is short. She found that using a latch hook to grasp the end and pull it through the back of her crochet work is much easier. She weaves the hook in and out through the stitches toward the yarn end, picks up the end and pulls it through.

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Taking It Oval
Susan A. wrote to ask how a round design can be made into an oval shape. She has a pattern for a simple round rug that she would like to make into a larger oval design.

All ovals are designed by determining the length of the center chain. Decide the finished size you want your item to be and then take the width from the length and add 1 inch. For example, if you want to make a 6 x 9-foot oval rug, subtract 6 feet from 9 feet and add 1 inch (this would be 3 feet plus 1 inch). Therefore, your beginning chain would need to be 37 inches.

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An Easy Transfer
When Carolyn P. made a lovely crocheted shell, she wanted to add a beautiful floral embroidery pattern on the front. Carolyn asked, "I'm no good at freehand stitching, so how can I transfer this embroidery design to my top?"

An easy way to transfer an embroidery pattern onto a crocheted item is on tissue or tracing paper. Trace the design onto the paper; then pin the paper to your piece and work the embroidery right over the paper. When you have finished, you can tear the paper away and your design will remain in place. French fashion designers have used this method for ages to work fine embroidery on bulky or difficult fabrics.

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Arthritis Relief
Phyllis B. wrote the following:

"Arthritis is taking all the fun out of crochet for me. Do you have any suggestions for relieving the discomfort?"

Trouble spots for crocheters with arthritis include the neck, shoulders, wrists, hands and fingers. The neck becomes stiff and sore, and the shoulders, wrists and hands ache and become stiff. The fingers tend to become misshapen as the inflammation pushes them out of position.

Flax-filled collars that you heat in the microwave can often provide relief for stiff, sore necks. Some are herb-filled and very pleasant. Just be careful not to choose a heavy one if you plan on using it while you work, or you could make matters worse.

It's actually very simple to make one of these collars yourself. Cut a rectangle of muslin fabric, sized to fit comfortably around your neck when formed into a tube. Fold the piece in half lengthwise and sew it together along the side and one end. Keeping the tube flexible enough to drape around your neck, fill it with birdseed (the wild birdseed you buy at the supermarket is fine) or dried corn (don't use popcorn!) and sew the remaining end closed. Heating your neck tube in the microwave on high for one minute should be sufficient, but not all microwaves are the same, so you might need to experiment until you get it just right.

For shoulder strain, try crocheting with a pillow or two on your lap. It will give you something to rest your elbows on, taking some of the pressure off the shoulders.

Sport wristbands can help provide support for your wrists, and gel-filled hand exercise balls can help relieve strain in the hands and fingers, keeping them more limber between projects. You can also use wax bath units (available at many beauty supply stores or counters) for relief. Dip your hands into the warm wax several times to coat completely, wrap in a towel and enjoy a deep heat treatment that will soothe aching hands and give them a skin-softening beauty treatment at the same time! Afterward, the wax easily peels away.

These suggestions aren't cures, of course, but they can help with pain and stiffness issues that affect the pleasure of your crochet experience. But remember to work sensibly, too. Take frequent breaks. If you begin to hurt or cramp, take a breather: fix a nice cup of tea and relax!

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