Sunday, August 22, 2021

Tips for crocheting with arthritis hand

 Can you crochet with arthritis?

Absolutely. In order to crochet with arthritis, you just need to make sure to take extra steps (like stretching and buying ergonomic hooks) to ensure that you protect yourself from further aches, pains, and damage.

Crocheting with hand and joint pain can be really difficult. It doesn't take much discomfort to make the once-relaxing hobby seem stressful and painful. Many crocheters deal with the symptoms of arthritis and have to find ways to enjoy their hobby happily while still taking care of their condition. While it is true that crocheting and arthritis will never be the perfect pair, this sort of pain and discomfort does not have to stop you from hooking beautiful projects and patterns. 

Changing How You Crochet for Arthritis Relief

In order to crochet with arthritic hands and wrists, you will need to alter how you usually crochet. The truth is that you will have to work with your pain instead of around it. Ignoring your symptoms can make them so much worse. Plus, you could actually hurt yourself by pushing yourself too hard. Crochet should be fun, not something you grimace your way through. Try the following habits to make it an enjoyable experience.

Alternate Between Projects: Varying the projects you are working on and even the number of projects you make progress on in one session is a great way to make sure you are taking proper care of your hands. By switching from one project to another, you give your hands a break. Each project comes with a different tension and type of yarn, so you will be crocheting differently. This micro-adjustments between projects ensure that you are not adding undue tension to muscles and joints. 

Types of Projects to Work On: If your pain is especially bad or your symptoms include stiffness, it might be time to change the kind of projects you work on. Crocheting intricate projects with fine and lightweight yarn includes more stitches, tighter tension, and more time spent. When your symptoms are bad, try working on worsted weight projects that use larger hook sizes.

Adjust Your Tension on Sore Days: On sore days, it is going to be harder to crochet. Depending on the weather or the time of day, how bad your symptoms are can change. This means you need to adjust your tension. Make sure you have a handful of projects you are working on at once, allowing you to crochet lighter tension projects when you need to do so.

Lights and Seating

Another thing that might not occur to all crocheters is that where you crochet and how well you see your project can actually impact the pressure and tension you put on your hands. If you're sitting awkwardly or pausing frequently to recount stitches, this can really cause tension in your hands as you might be gripping mid-stitch or tensing your muscles. We recommend the following changes to your space:

Work on Your Posture: Sitting on a straight-backed chair can help ease tension in your hands. Your shoulders, arms, and hands are all connected, meaning tension in one leads to another. Slumped shoulders can only make the problem worse.

Have an Arm Rest: If you have somewhere to set your elbows down and place projects in your lap on a flat surface, this eliminates tension in your wrists and fingers as you are not holding up too much weight.

Get a Lamp: A simple desk lamp or reading light will do the trick. Being able to see clearly will make sure that you are not squinting or pausing during hooking. This can actually alleviate tension and pain as you continue with a fluid motion instead of stopping uncomfortably.

Wear Your Glasses!: Just like the tip above, wearing your reading glasses or everyday glasses is imperative. If you're squinting or slouching towards your project it can hurt you back and ruin your posture, continually placing undue pressure on your aching joints and wrists as you lift them closer.

Do Not Crochet First Thing in the Morning or Late at Night: These times of the day are when your crochet symptoms will be worse. Your body has not had a chance to wake up, meaning your hands have not warmed up. Make time to crochet when you are at your best so that the process is fun and easy.

Have Someone Watch You Crochet: Whether you check in with an expert crocheter or doctor, this can be immensely helpful. Have someone take a close look at your hands and hook while you crochet for a few minutes, they might be able to identify ways in which you are holding your hook that could be doing more harm than good. Changing your crochet posture can be hard, but it is worth the extra effort. 

Have an expert crocheter or fellow crocheter "watch" you work to see if they can offer a new way to hold the hook that might offer relief.

Consult Your Doctor Regularly: As with any medical condition, it is important to be in contact with a healthcare professional. If your pain gets worse or changes, let your doctor know. He or she might be able to provide some tips and tricks for the pain. Always be honest with your doctor about your pain level and stiffness.
 

Taking Care of Your Hands

One of the best ways to care for yourself while crocheting and dealing with arthritis symptoms actually has nothing to do with HOW you crochet. It focuses on what you do before and after you crochet. You need to make sure you are taking care of your hands, both by finding relief for your symptoms as well as implementing preventative measures. Try the following to keep your hands happy and healthy:

Heat: One of the best ways to relieve pain in the hands and joints is through heat. Heat will soothe the swollen parts of your joints and help you relax. Before and after you crochet, consider soaking your hands in warm water. This will help you unwind. You can even toss in some essential oils for aromatherapy. 

Massage: Giving yourself a hand massage before, during, and after crocheting is a fantastic way to alleviate the tension from repetitive motion. It also gets the blood flowing in your hands, helping with circulation, which can actually stave off some arthritis symptoms like pain and stiffness.
 
Stretching: One thing to keep in mind when you are crocheting on ailing and sore joints is that you have to be extra careful with yourself and make sure you are not pushing yourself too hard. This means treating a crochet session like exercise. Just like you would stretch out before a big run and after, you should do the same when crocheting. This will make sure that your hands are ready to work!

Paraffin Wax Treatment: One thing many of our readers swear by is giving your hands the paraffin wax treatment often. Paraffin wax helps to relieve the symptoms of many painful conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. 

Crochet Tools for Arthritic Hands

The number one way you can ease the stress and pain of crocheting with arthritis is by using the correct equipment. Making changes to your crochet hooks, for example, will make a world of difference. Crocheting means you are performing repetitive motions over and over again with tired joints. Anything you can do to provide support and alleviate the tension and pressure you place on your joints, wrists, and hands can work wonders. 

Crochet Hooks for Arthritis Sufferers

If you currently crochet with simple, metal hooks, changing what kind of hook you use to crochet is going to make a world of difference. You will likely be shocked by how comfortable these crochet hooks can be! There are a ton of crochet hooks for arthritis out there.

Which option you use is really up to you and what kind of pain you are managing. Every crocheter is different and every crocheter has different needs. We recommend exploring a few different options and finding out what works for you.

Make York Own Ergonomic Crochet Hooks

Not ready to invest in brand new hooks or need to save some money? There are a few DIY options. Check out these projects!

  1. Funky Polymer Crochet Hook Handles - The polymer clay added to typical aluminum handles provides an easier and softer grip. You can probably make these with hooks you already have.
     
  2. Recycled Crochet Hook Holders - This simple tutorial shows you how to add crochet hooks to old pens! Pick a pen that's comfy on your hands (especially one with a grip) and try it out.
DIY Crochet Hooks for Arthritis

Compression Gloves (Crochet Arthritis Gloves)

Another great addition to your crochet toolbox is a set of nice compression gloves. These gloves help relieve the aches and tension from crocheting with arthritis as they serve to protect your hands and pad the repetitive movements. They are specifically designed to support vital parts of your hands. Check out some of our favorite brands below.

  1. Lion Brand Stress Relief Gloves ($15.99) - Designed especially for crochet and knitting, these gloves were created to massage muscles and enhance blood flow without restricting movement.
     
  2. Crafter's Comfort Gloves ( $12-$13) - These gloves are comfy and made of cotton. Designed especially for hand pain and swilling, they come in three sizes, making sure they fit perfectly.
Compression Gloves (Crochet Arthritis Gloves)  
One can do stretching of the fingers, by placing hand on the table and spreading fingers as far as possible. Then trying to hold the thumb by one finger at a time for 10-20 seconds each. Squeeze a soft ball for 15 seconds, relax and repeat for 10 times, do these exercises 2-3 times in a  day. 


For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Crochet Hat Too Big: 6 Ways to Resize a Finished Pattern

This is a common problem with crochet hats, especially for newbie crocheters. Making the leap from a flat project like a scarf or blanket can be tough.

Pretty much every experienced crocheter has had a crochet hat end up far too large. If your crochet hat is too big, don't worry! There are actually ways that you can adjust the size of the final product without removing all of your stitches. Some simple stitches, added ribbon, or a hot bath might transform your project into a perfectly proportioned piece.

Suggestions for How to Resize a Hat:

1. Wash and Dry in High Heat
Just like other pieces of clothing, you can wash and dry your crocheted projects in high heat in order to help them shrink. This is a great idea for those items that are way bigger than you expected. One thing to keep in mind, however, with this technique is your make of yarn. Some yarns shrink more than others and too high of a temperature might damage synthetic yarns

2. Surface Crochet on the Finished Product
Surface crochet refers to crocheting on the outside of a pattern. This is a fun way to add new elements and texture. You can also use this to tighten up your hat by crocheting tight elements, by doing slip stitch in the last row.

 3. Add a Pull String
Weaving in a simple string around your hat to pull it tighter is an easy fix to this problem. The hat might look a bit big and bulky, but if you are creating a slouchy hat this is a great option.

4. Add Elastic
Hooking or sewing elastic into the rim of the hat can also create a smaller circumference. This is ideal for bulky, slouchy hats as it will only resize the brim of the hat and not the whole piece. 

 
5. Take Out a Few Rounds
Depending on how much bigger your hat is than needed, sometimes taking out just a few rounds (up to 3-5) can make it fit just right. This is also an option for hats that have stretched on their own.

6. Take it Apart and Redo It
Sometimes, a crochet project does not work out the way we would like it to or a stitching error causes the entire final project to look less than perfect. There's no shame in redoing a project! In fact, a lot of crocheters pull out their stitches and redo a project, especially when the yarn is expensive.

For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

 

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

How to Crochet Faster, even if you aren't a pro !

If you're a beginner crocheter you may think that crocheting faster only comes with experience, but, any experienced crocheter will tell you that anyone can be a quick crocheter.

Experience is only a small part of getting your project done quickly. You also need to pick the right weight of yarn, the proper crochet hook, and prepare your yarn beforehand just to name a few things.

earn how the different types of yarn can affect your speed, along with hook sizes. Learn how the pattern alone makes a huge difference in how fast or slow you can work.

We'll go over how to prep your yarn before you start, the importance of stretching and good posture, and more.

Understand the Different Types of Yarn

Yarn comes in different weights numbered from 0 – 7 (0 – Lace, 1 – Superfine, 2 – Fine, 3 – Light, 4 – Medium, 5 – Bulky, 6 – Super Bulky, 7 - Jumbo). If you want to work up a project quickly your best bet is to use a Bulky, Super Bulky, or Jumbo yarn. You will end up working fewer stitches and have a decent-sized project.

Understand and Choose the Right Hook Sizes

Just as yarn comes in different sizes, there are different sizes for crochet hooks. They come as small as 2.25mm and as large as 25mm. The larger the crochet hook, the quicker you will work. This goes hand in hand with your yarn weight since the bulkier the yarn, the larger the crochet hook you will use.

 

Image shows an open pink crochet hook case with hooks sitting inside.

 

A lot of people prefer either inline or tapered crochet hooks, which can change how the yarn moves for each person. Learn more by visiting one of these guides from our friends:

  1. Inline vs Tapered Crochet Hook guide from I Like Crochet Magazine
     
  2. Inline Hooks vs. Tapered Hooks guide from Fiber Flux
Inline vs Tapered Crochet Hook 

Think Wisely When Picking a Pattern

Patterns with textures are always tempting and beautiful, but, if you want to work up a project quickly it’s best to pick a pattern with a simple stitch. Go with something like a chevron or ripple stitch.

It looks complicated but, it’s a pattern that once you’ve got the stitch pattern down you can work on it mindlessly. Save that cable or bobble stitch for when you have a little extra time on your hands.

Prep Your Yarn Before You Start Crocheting

Instead of unwinding your yarn as you crochet, wind the yarn into a ball prior to starting your project. And, instead of letting it roll all over the place as you work, place the ball in a yarn bowl, tote bag, or in a yarn holder. This simple step will prevent your yarn from getting knots and tangles while you work with it.

Image shows a plastic water bottle type container with a ball of yarn inside. A strand of yarn is coming out the top hole and on the other end is a crochet circle piece in progress. There is a crochet hook attached to the piece.

Remember to Stretch Your Hands and Wrists

Before you sit down to start crocheting it’s important to stretch your wrists, hands and fingers. This will not only help in preventing pain, but it will also help to keep them flexible while you work.

Some stretches that you can do:

  1. Interlock your fingers with your palms facing away from you and then extend your arms out. Hold this stretch for 5 to 10 seconds. Rest and repeat this a few times. You can also do this same stretch by holding your arms behind your back with your palms facing up.
     
  2. Using your right hand stretch the fingers on your left hand by gently pressing them back and holding it for a few seconds. Repeat using your left hand to press back the fingers on your right hand.
     
  3. Open and close your fingers as you move your forearms back and forth.
Be sure to do one or all of these before you sit down to crochet and after you have been crocheting for a while to maintain the flexibility in your fingers and wrists. We also have a helpful guide for crocheters with arthritis. Check out Crocheting with Arthritis: A Guide to Pain-Free Hooking.

Find a Good Sitting Position

It’s not only important to make sure your fingers and wrists are ready to crochet, but that your whole body is as well. While we are all prone to slouching it’s ideal to have good posture while crocheting. Sitting hunched will not only tire your body out quicker, but you will end up with achy shoulders and neck pain.

Sit all the way back in a comfortable chair with cushioning and make sure you have ample lighting so you can see what you are doing. Avoid sitting on a hard surface or the floor which won’t provide any support for your back.

BONUS! Fastest Crochet Stitches

Although the way you crochet makes a huge difference, when you're crocheting basic or simple stitches, you will naturally move faster.

Single, double, and half double crochet, seed stitch, and similar quick to produce crochet stitches are going to be faster than something that involves more movements and actions, like the shell or v-stitch.

Obviously, the more comfortable you are with a stitch, the quicker it will be to crochet.
 

Now you've got all the information you need now to turn out beautiful crochet projects at lightning speed!

One thing for sure, most people roll the thread or wool around your finger, I also used to do that. After a while the finger hurts. Then, years ago, while we're in Germany, one of our friend taught me to glide the thread or wool by taking it below the little finger, then go over the ring and middle finger and on top of the pointing finger. I'm putting photos for you all to understand better, this helps a lot, as you don't waste time rolling the thread around the finger, nor does it hurt.

 


 




Hope this helps you to understand how to crochet easier, as in this way, by holding the thread or wool, close by with your thumb, it helps to guide you better. Once you get the knack of holding like this, I'm sure that you'll enjoy crocheting. Good luck to all.


For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

Little bear- keychain ( TIP- crochet)



The basic bear is not my design, it is from the site below-

The pant is my idea, as I found what was given in the link above would have been too big for my tiny bear. 

TIP- I'ld like to tell the crocheters that when you see a pattern and start crocheting, please remember that the number of stitches, rows will depend on the thread/ wool you're using, according to its thickness, you may increase or decrease the stitches and rows.

I had used less number of stitches than what was mentioned, but crocheted more rows for the pant. Then instead of doing a bow tie, I made a scarf or you may say small tie for my bear. 

As mentioned earlier the keychain with a button is my own idea.

This is a gift for a person who did us a favour. Basically, when someone does some favour, I prefer to return with some gifts/ chocolates or anything according to the age of the person and depending what they'ld like.


For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

 

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

How to Read Crochet Diagrams

Unlike crochet patterns, which use words and abbreviations to explain the design, crochet diagrams involve symbols, letters, colors, and other illustrated elements to explain a pattern without words.

This type of schematic can look intimidating but it's oftentimes less complicated than crochet patterns.

It all depends on what kind of learner you are. If you have more visual and spatial sense, than you may prefer crochet diagrams to crochet patterns.

Some designs actually have both a pattern and a diagram, too, or diagrams for certain aspects of the piece. Learn How to Read Crochet Diagrams with this guide.

This page will go over the types of diagrams, the symbols, and understanding it all. You'll be able to master diagrams in no time after reading everything we have for you here.

We even have a free infographic with symbols for you to download! Simply scroll down and get it to help you along. This is a helpful resource on crochet diagrams for beginners.
 

Crochet Symbols Chart

Before looking at crochet diagrams, it's vital to understand the symbols you will be seeing. Some diagrams come with a symbol key, however, many don't. You cannot understand most diagrams without first knowing what the symbols mean. Below, we have a chart with the symbols and what they mean. It's easy to learn how to read crochet charts with this PDF.
 

Crochet Symbols Chart
If you look at the chart, you will see many stitches and actions you understand if you've been crocheting.

Crochet Symbols Decoded

For further explanation, we'll quickly go over these common symbols and what they mean. Not that a diagram may have slightly different versions of what you see in the chart above but most are very close to what's shown.

Starting at the top of the left column and going down:

  1. The chain stitch (CH) is usually shown as a horizontal oval shape. This is the base set of stitches for most patterns.
     
  2. A slip stitch (sl st) is used to connect stitches and is usually shown as a back/colored dot, filled-in oval, or a dash.
     
  3. Single crochet (sc) is a basic crochet stitch that is shown as a cross or X on a crochet diagram.
     
  4. The half double crochet (hdc) is another basic stitch and is shown as a T shape.
     
  5. The double crochet (dc) is another basic stitch and is shown as a T shape with one short diagonal line through the vertical part of the symbol.
     
  6. The treble/triple crochet (tr) is another basic stitch and is shown as a T shape with two short diagonal lines through the vertical part of the symbol.
     
  7. The double treble/triple crochet (dtr) is a stitch that is shown as a T shape with three short diagonal lines through the vertical part of the symbol.
     
  8. Sc2tog means to single crochet 2 stitches together. The symbol for this looks like an isosceles triangle without the bottom. There is a short diagonal line going through each of the two sides.
     
  9. Sc3tog means to single crochet 3 stitches together. The symbol for this also looks like an isosceles triangle without the bottom but with a straight line in the middle. There is a short diagonal line going through each of the three sides.
     
  10. Dc2tog means to double crochet 2 stitches together. The symbol for this looks like a taller isosceles triangle without the bottom. There is a short diagonal line going through each of the two sides and a horizontal line across the top where the two points meet.
Starting at the top of the right column and going down:
  1. Dc3tog means to double crochet 3 stitches together. The symbol for this looks like a taller isosceles triangle without the bottom but with a straight line in the middle. There is a short diagonal line going through each of the three sides and a horizontal line across the top where the three points meet.
     
  2. 3-dc cluster is a 3 double crochet cluster stitch. The symbol for this is a line curving inward on the left and the opposite on the right. There is also a straight line in the middle and a horizontal line at the top where the three meet. There is a short diagonal line through each of the three lines.
     
  3. 3-hdc cluster/puff st/bobble is a 3 half double crochet cluster, puff, or bobble stitch (your pattern should clarify which). The symbol for this is the same as the 3-dc cluster above but without the short diagonal lines.
     
  4. 5-dc popcorn is the 5 double crochet popcorn stitch. The symbol for this shows two lines curving inward on the left and the opposite on the right. There is also a straight line in the middle and a horizontal upward curved line at the top where the five meet. There is a short diagonal line through each of the five lines. It looks similar to a piece of popcorn.
     
  5. The 5-dc shell is for a 5 double crochet shell stitch. The symbol resembles a shell with five straight lines, two angled outward on the left and two angled outward on the right with a straight vertical line in the middle. Each has a horizontal line at the top and short diagonal lines through them.
     
  6. Ch-3 picot is a chain 3 picot stitch. It looks like three leaf shapes connect to make a circle that doesn't connect at the bottom. There's also a black/colored dot near the bottom/inside.
     
  7. The front post dc (FPdc) is a front post double crochet. This looks like a straight vertical line with a hook at the bottom facing left. There is a horizontal line at the top and a short diagonal line through the vertical line of the symbol.
     
  8. The back post dc (BPdc) is a back post double crochet. This looks like a straight vertical line with a hook at the bottom facing right. There is a horizontal line at the top and a short diagonal line through the vertical line of the symbol.
     
  9. The term worked in back loop only is shown as a small downward curve.
     
  10. The term worked in front loop only is shown as a small upward curve.
     
If your crochet diagram has a symbol not shown here, there's a good chance there will be a key. If not, you can always look up crochet symbols and see if you can find it listed somewhere. Russian symbols also include many that are not on the standard American charts, so keep that in mind.
 

Types of Crochet Diagrams

Now we are going to go over the different types of diagrams you'll see in crochet. A normal crochet diagram can include the entire pattern or a part of the pattern that has complicated changes.

Below is Red Heart's Mud Cloth Inspired Throw diagram. As you can see, it includes a symbol key to make understanding the diagram easier.
 

Mud Cloth Inspired Throw diagram

Below is the diagram for the Lace Fans Crochet Shawl from Caron. Along with the stitch key, it shows the two different versions, the picot numbering, and the motifs.
 

Lace Fans Crochet Shawl diagram

Speaking of motifs, there are also diagrams that simply show the color pattern. Below, you can see this from Red Heart's All That Chic Throw pattern.
 

All That Chic Throw diagram

Similar to motif diagrams, assembly diagrams are used to help you assemble the pieces in the correct order and colors. They are often numbered, lettered, colored, or labeled in another clear way to show how it all goes together. Below, the Citrus Smoothie Throw from Red Heart shows the motif organization along with the finished size of the blanket.
 

Citrus Smoothie Throw diagram

Here's another example. Bernat's Poncho Set shows several diagrams for the granny square assembly to create the ponho.
 

Poncho Set diagram

How to Read Crochet Diagrams

The best way to explain how to read a crochet diagram is to walk through a pattern. For this, we'll use the All That Chic Throw that was mentioned earlier. If you look at the diagram below, you will see three hexagons, which are the motifs for this pattern. It's an intermediate pattern but as you can see mostly uses the double crochet with slip stitches and the chains.

The majority of the pattern is double crochet as you can see with the T shape symbol in all four rows. At each corner of the hexagon, you will have two chains (oval symbol). In the top right of each hexagon, you will see a trail of chains and slip stitches, which are used to connect the hexagons. The colors on the right hexagon represent the rounds.
 

All That Chic Throw diagram

Let's explain one more example. This is for Caron's Crochet Kimono Cardigan. This pattern includes an assembly diagram and the motif stitches. As you can see, the XS/S/M/L diagram is on the left and the XL/2/3/4/5 X-Large diagram in the middle. These two diagrams also include numbers around the diagram. These numbers represent inches so when you measure your kimono, it should match what's shown.

On the right, you see the motif diagram. The colors represent the rounds. The corners show three chains and then the pattern alternates double crochets and chains. You'll also see three chains going down each round with slip stitches on either end (these are mostly on the right side), which is the process you use to connect the shape.
 

Crochet Kimono Cardigan diagram

 For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement


cuemath.com
Read More

I have not made this yet so I cannot rate it.

Include a Photo Include a Photo

Tried this craft? What did you think?

I actually find the diagrams easier to understand than just the pattern. I love when instructions include both.