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How to crochet faster?


Gran

Question

I would like to know the technical aspects and mental strategies/tactics of crocheting FAST. If you are a very quick crocheter and would be willing to share the how-to's you know, could you please post them?

 

Thanks!

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Do you crochet holding the hook like a knife (overhand), or like a pencil (underhand)? Does your entire arm move from the shoulder as you work to make a stitch, or are the movements you use centered in the forearm and wrist? If we know this, it well could be that we could suggest ways to make your movements smaller, and possibly quicker.

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My friends consider me a very fast crocheter. Nowhere near Lily Chin, but fast.

I hold my hook the same way as Yarnaholic, except I'm right handed. It could be that I was taught by a left handed crocheter (Hi Mom!).

What I have noticed that I do differently from my friends is I hold the yarn relatively close to the hook. I mean I can't have more than an inch between my work and my left index finger. I also do all the work with my hook, and almost none with the other hand. And the hook stays relatively parallel to my lap.

Again, as everyone has said, it takes practice. I found I started speeding up when I did a few mile-a-minute afghans. Talk about mindless crochet! But in a good way!

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I agree, practice is 99% of it. But it also has a lot to do with what kind of yarn you're using, and what kind of hook (not that one is better than another, it all has to do with what kind of hook you've got the most practice WITH). You have to be comfortable with all of it before you're going to be able to gain any speed.

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Practice, practice, practice!! :hook I think that's the ONLY real technique to crocheting faster.....your hands have to know what to do.

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Don't think about it-at least for me, if I start to THINK of trying to crochet faster, all my muscles tense up, and I end up working much more slowly (not to mention getting muscle aches). I think it truly is something that comes with practice.

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I seem to crochet faster when I don't look AT my work, but beyond it. And I remember to get us to learn to type rapidly, our teacher had us first do drills for SPEED, then when we could type quickly she had us slow down to our accuracy level. By alternating speed and accuracy drills we soon became proficient in both. I learned to type back in the days before computers caused it to be called keyboarding. We had to put a piece of paper in the machine with the good old Selectrics.

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I crochet fast. However that does change my gauge because I end up crocheting looser, which makes it easier to get the hook in the stitches. So if I want to follow a pattern as close as possible I got down a hook size. Of course with most afghans I'm not concerned about finished size too much so I may go down a size to be on the safe side.

 

I also hold my hook like a knife and that hand does most of the movement.

And like what was said above an easy pattern, one with repetative stitches, works up quickly. I can do a granny square very quick. Where as a doily pattern that I'm following can take longer, especially the first few stitches that I'm learning. Also pulling from a center and having the yarn lose works great. Those plastic bag holders look great for yarn holders! Hadn't thought of that. I usually set my skien of yarn (like RH worsted) so it's vertical and it comes out easily after the first ounce or so.

 

Just practice crocheting, as you get better, you will get faster. When I had to relearn how to wrap the yarn around the hook I was slow to begin with and got faster.

Debbi

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Not being distracted by kids hubby or television....Faster paced music...I am amazed at how much I accomplish when listening to salsa....being comfortable with your hook and yarn is probably the easiest way to crochet fast. Certain yarns are heavier even though they may be worsted weight all yarn companies are not alike!!!! Plain patterns or ones you know of by heart however these are also the ones that are incredibly boring. Thread crochet works up slowly for me because of carpal tunnel but give me a 4mm hook and some sayelle and I'm in heaven. You have to figure out what works for you. I always make major mistakes when I'm under a dead line so I no longer take orders that need to be done now!! The biggest thing to remember is to enjoy your crochet , Its not a race its suppose to be for creativity and relaxation.

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:hook :hook :hook:yayTHERE IS A WAY BUT IT TAKE TIME. IF YOU HAVE USE OF A RADIO OR CASSETES OR CDS WITH MUSIC THAT HAS A STEADY BEAT, TRY CROCHETING TO THE BEAT. START OUT SLOW THOUGH. THE OTHER WAY IS TOJUST RELAX AND HOLD YOU WORK FLAT AGAINST YOUR FINGERS IN WHICH EVER HAND YOU HOLD YOUR WORK AND YOUR FINGERS . BUT BEWARE THE MISTAKES THAT YOU MAY MAKE.:manyheart:think IT'S ALL ABOUT RHYTNM:yarn
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I've a hunch that my missing element is indeed the yarn itself. I do appreciate these ideas and articulations of experience! When I trained myself to be a hook under instead of a yarn over, it changed my crocheting radically. My tension evened up (and get tighter), and I got a lot faster.

 

Now, I'm going to try experimenting with how the yarn gets into my hand. Had never thought of a yarn bag (see Sandie's photo) or the double ball method.... Thanks much!

 

Any more?

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I don't think anyone said this. If so, I missed it. I use a yarn bag when I crochet. I hang it up, use a center pull, and I don't know if it helps me crochet faster, but it helps me to crochet often. I have two. wish I had a dozen. I have one hanging by my desk so I can just pick up my yarn and go. I also have one on my treadmill. It looks like one of those plastic bag holders but is shorter. I have a picture here.

 

Not having the yarn rolling around on the floor, I think, speeds things up.

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There are some parts of "crocheting fast" that just can't be explained... I think for me a not-so-healthy addiction to Tetris in 5th grade is one of my biggest boons :lol I'm not sure I would suggest trying that, though!

 

There are a few things I didn't see mentioned explicitly:

(1) I like to use a center pull ball that was wound twice (that is, I wind it from the skein to a center pull ball, and then wind the center pull ball to a new center pull ball.) I feel like this gives it the best tension... not to loose, but I don't have to stop and pull (does double balling really help? that's another subject altogether, but I feel better, so at least it helps mentally!).

(2) Place your yarn carefully! I always put my yarn directly next to my left leg, as it hangs right for me. YMMV. From what I've noticed from watching other people crochet that differs from how I crochet, I do nearly all of my movement with my hook hand, and merely flick my finger to "hook under" (as opposed to yarn over, like queen_mo said).

(3) I have to reiterate what queen_mo said, again, that "hook under" vs "yarn over" is probably the biggest "time saver" for me. Both in knit and crochet, I don't move my left hand to loop the yarn, I just flick my finger a little to hook under. But I do this because it just comes naturally to me and is the most comfortable for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't crochet or knit much, because it felt odd, and I would REALLY crawl at finishing projects! :-)

 

HTH, :yarn

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Thanks very much for the thoughts and ideas, and a special thanks to Aggie May for the very helpful video. :) I really appreciate you all doing this.

 

I'd welcome even more ideas on the technical, tactical, strategical, or experiential aspects of how to crochet speedily?????????

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my crochet speed varies based on my mood, project, hook size, yarn size... and what I am doing while I crochet. I crochet very, very quickly when I am in the mood to get a lot done... especially if I am using a large hook, thick yarn (even 2-3 strands).... and making something with a lot of spaces (as someone mentioned).

so many variables!

But sometimes, if I just like the project, I can crochet really tight, small stitches with a tiny hook... like my little critters I've been making. Mostly because I see such progress so quickly.

 

Anyway... just have fun with it. You'll find your speed.

 

I don't do it to finish tons of projects quickly as my goal. My goal is to "unwind" as I wind the yarn around my hook. To keep my hands busy so I can relax at the end of a long day. The end result is that I usually finish projects quickly.... just as a side effect! :):yarn

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I know I crochet faster when I am on a repeat section of the pattern. If I am using thread I can go fast because thread doesn't seem to split as much as yarn either.

Darlene

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I want to second what mudpie said-that there is no "right" way to hold a hook or yarn, and also no "right" hook. Susan Bates hooks work for Lily Chin. Possibly the woman who whupped her uses Boye hooks, so there goes the " If you want to crochet fast use X brand hooks". Even if two people use the same hook and yarn, and hold the yarn and hook in an identical manner, there will be variations in the movements that the two crocheters use in order to form a stitch. Even a milisecond makes a huge difference in what the brain tells each hand to do, and that's going to create differences. I consider myself a moderately fast crocheter, but I'm always looking for ways to streamline my motions just a little.

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First, let me say that there is no "one" right way to hold your hook. The right way is the way that is most comfortable for you. And the most comfortable way may not be the fastest way. I'm not sure of the reasoning for your question, but I don't think one should place too much emphasis on crocheting "fast". That comes naturally with time and practice. I consider that I crochet fairly fast, but when I am pinched for time in which to complete a project, I don't enjoy crocheting as much. For me, personally, I crochet to relax and unwind.

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I agree that it depends on how you hold your hook and yarn. I've been trying to hold my hook and yarn the "right" way that my mom and everyone else I know does, but it takes me so much longer since I'm really not used to it. I don't know how to describe the way they crochet, though.

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I crochet pretty fast, but I don't know that I have any hints/tips for doing so. My daughter (age 12) is almost as fast as I am, so I'll have to ask her when she gets home from school if she has anything to contribute.

 

I also hold my hook with a pseudo-knife grip: my thumb lies on the flat part of the hook, with my middle finger draped over the back of the flat part. The bottom of the hook is held loosely, cupped underneath my ring and pinky fingers. My index finger lies lightly against the back shaft of the hook.

 

I'm left-handed, so my right hand holds the yarn, and doesn't really move at all. I also just noticed that I don't really move my left wrist much at all. It's much more a motion of my whole forearm partially rotating about 45 degrees back and forth. Sometimes I use my index finger to adjust the position of the hook if the arm motion isn't enough to achieve what I need.

 

Oh, I also use Boye hooks. That is what I learned on, and I've never learned to like using the Bates hooks.

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