Uncategorized – Yarny Bees

Posted on June 19, 2025June 5, 2025 by Rebecca Willis — Leave a comment

Crochet: Top ten tips for developing crocheters

As you’ll know by now, crochet is very versatile and also conveniently portable. Now that you’ve mastered the basics, there’s a whole range of more complex projects available to you – but where do you start?

Here are my top ten tips – in no particular order:

Join a crochet class aimed at craft lovers who want to develop their crochet skills. There are classes available in-person and online. This will enable you to learn alongside others who are working on the same projects and to get direct support from a more experienced crocheter/crochet teacher, to help you to develop your skills.
Join a local needlecraft group. As well as it being a social activity with like-minded people, you are also likely to find support, ideas for new creations and pattern recommendations.
As you increase your skills and confidence and begin to tackle more complex projects, you will need to have a wider range of hooks, needles, yarn and patterns. Choose carefully, as it can be easy to be lured in by the number of tools and gadgets listed as ‘must-have’ items. It’s worth taking your time and asking for expert advice on which tools and yarn to choose for your project.
Pom-pom makers are a huge time saver and very easy to use. I create a lot of items for sale and I consider pom-pom makers as an essential for me with my business. Needle threaders and stitch counters are inexpensive and could help to save you time and effort.
Using a swift and winder reduces the risk of knots and is great for mindfulness and fun – it’s my favourite luxury item.

‘Using a yarn winder and swift is the easiest way to wind up a skein of yarn. These tools help to wind the yarn into a center-pull ball, which sits flat to make it easy to work with.’ The Creative Folk
Challenge yourself to create your own designs and write down the pattern, so you can come back to it again later. I love creating new patterns and experimenting with colour too.
Think about a purpose for your projects. Crochet can be used for making: –
- clothing – eg. jumpers, tops, dresses, cardigans or hats
- decorations – eg. table decorations or wall decorations
- other useful items – eg. blankets, duvet covers, cushion covers, table mats or bags
  
  Consider who you can gift items to, or whether you would like to use your skills to create additional income for yourself.
Keep the tension of your stitches even. This is particularly important when creating items of clothing, or other items with more than one side, such as cushion covers.
Keep a craft journal, with all of your projects in it. It’s great to look back on and it will also allow you to easily keep track of where you are up to, especially if you are working on more than one needlecraft project at a time. I’ve created a Yarny Bees Craft Journal, designed for beginners and advanced crafters and it’s available from my in-person shop and my website.
Remember that yarncraft is fun – take time to enjoy the creativity, mindfulness and flow that it offers.

In my shop in Lichfield and online too, I sell a range of knitted and crocheted items, yarn, needles, hooks and patterns. I also offer in-person and online workshops and groups, for adults and for children. You can find more information about these on my website:

References

‘7 Best Yarn Winders And Swifts of 2022’ The Creative Folk, by Emily, January 2021

7 Best Yarn Winders And Swifts Of 2022 – The Creative Folk

Posted on June 12, 2025June 5, 2025 by Rebecca Willis — Leave a comment

Crochet: Ten Top Tips for Beginners

This is the 2nd post in my series of ‘Top Ten’ blog posts for yarn crafters at all stages. Throughout this series, I’ll be sharing tips to help you to get started with, or to improve, your yarn craft skills.

I love crochet, for its versatility and portability. A hook and yarn don’t take up as much space as knitting needles, meaning that I can crack on with my projects wherever I am. As with any new skill, some people can find crocheting a bit tricky at first, but once mastered, it can lead to a hobby that’s relaxing and great for creating unique garments, accessories and gifts.

So, here are my Top Ten Tips – in no particular order

Having lots of equipment is not necessary when you are new to crocheting. The number of tools you’ll need will grow as your competence and experience grows, but to start with, keep it simple – yarn, a hook and somewhere to record your stitches.
Choose a chunky yarn (eg 12 ply) and a large hook, eg. 6.5mm.
You can learn to crochet from videos, tutorials, photos with instructions, online classes, or in-person classes. For complete beginners, I would recommend in-person classes, if you are able to attend one locally. This is because the teacher can help with posture and technique, advise you on yarn and hook size, check and advise on tension, identify any errors and set you back on the right path if you make a mistake. In-person classes are also great for socialising with like-minded people and for support and encouragement along the way.
Start with a chain stitch, then progress to something that’s simple, repetitive and small. A granny square is a popular choice for beginners. These can be used individually for decoration, or if you go on to create more, they can be stitched together to make a bag, a decorative cushion cover, a quilt cover, or a blanket.
Keep count of your stitches and projects in a designated notebook or ring binder. This can be an ordinary notebook, or a craft journal, for more prolific crafters. I’ve created my own Yarny Bees Craft Journal, which is available from my in-person shop in Lichfield and from my online store. (link to the journal online)
Keep the tension of the stitches loose, but even throughout.
Regular practise is important, to embed the new skill and to make it easier to return to each time. It’s also good for confidence building.
Keep going and seek advice from a crocheting friend or instructor if you come unstuck – we were all beginners too at one point!
Ensure that as you move to different projects and you choose new yarn, that you use a suitable hook for the gauge and create a swatch (a small square of crochet with the pattern and tension you want to work with).
Enjoy the process as well as the end product that you create.

For me, crocheting has been great for reducing anxiety and stress. When I was teaching in a high school for pupils with SEND, it gave me an outlet to help me to switch off and unwind after a busy day. Now, I love combining my hobby with my teaching experience, helping people to learn and develop their yarn craft skills in a fun and relaxed environment, at my many in-person workshops in Lichfield.

You can find out more about my workshops and Craft Hive sessions here.