Ep. 16 – Speed crafting: tips and tricks to crochet/knit faster

Most of us have looked at other makers and wondered how in the world they can crochet/knit so fast whether based on the number of things they produce or on the sheer speed at which they work. For today’s episode, we pulled together our favorite tips and tricks to finish your increase your crochet/knit speed. 

How was your week?

Dani

• Dani had a fun week; she went on a family vacation to Myrtle Beach. She loved it there though it was much too short. They left on Monday; drove from Ottawa to Syracuse and were flying from there but of course, their plane was delayed 4-5 hours which meant they lost the afternoon they were supposed to have there. They spent some time chilling by the pool and doing a few activities. They left early Friday to come home which meant they only got three days there to enjoy but they did try Chick-Fil-A for the first time.

Nathalie

• I had a colonoscopy this week which was not fun. The process is three days long from watching what you eat to emptying yourself to going through the actual procedure. The worst part was the concoction I had to drink a glass of every fifteen minute for two hours, twice. 
• My son started standing up if he has something to hold on to, anything really. This has kept us busy running after him and watching him as he loves to explore and will try to eat the cat food or splash in the dog’s water any chance he gets. 
• Aside from that we’ve been working on the basement, we have floors now and we’ve started installing some of the doors. My desk, office chair and filling cabinet are all here and assembled. We got some extra storage which is also here but unassembled, we just need to get the mouldings done first and then we can assemble everything and finally unpack. 

What did you buy this week?

Nathalie

• We have new flooring in the basement that we don’t want to scratch up nor do we want to add those ugly clear plastic pads under our office chairs so we replaced the basic plastic wheel most chairs have with these scratch-free, smooth and silent wheels that look like roller skate wheels. 
• Aside from that I got some new bibs (this one + these) and sun shades (this one + these) for the car because Theo has been really struggling with the sun in his light-blue eyes.

Dani

• Aside from a big bottle of Chick-Fil-A sauce, a Myrtle Beach sweatshirt, a Myrtle Beach fridge magnet, and a Myrtle Beach Christmas tree ornament she brought back as souvenirs from her trip, Dani didn’t really buy anything. 

What are you working on?

Nathalie

• I’m currently working on assembling the first month’s daily squares for Theo’s first year of life temperature blanket. 

Dani

• She is continuing her progress on Isa’s Novice Cardigan (pattern from Petite Knit). She has finished the body’s ribbing and is ready to cast off and start the sleeves.  

Now let’s talk about today’s subject – Speed crafting: tips & tricks to crochet/knit faster

Use Bigger Hooks/Needles

This one may seem obvious but using chunky yarn and bigger hooks/needles will obviously make your project go much faster than using smaller yarn and smaller tools. 

Ergonomic Tools

Ergonomic tools are designed to reduce hand strain, this means your hands won’t cramp up allowing you to work longer and faster. Trust me on this the cheap plastic or metal hooks are good to get you started but nothing beats an ergonomic hook, once you try it, you’ll never want to go back (and you shouldn’t). 

Practice Consistently

Regular practice can increase your speed as your hands get used to the motions. The continuous repeat motion of the stitches becomes muscle memory, and you wind up getting in a groove and working faster. As we say, practice makes perfect, it’s no different here. 

Yarn Choice

Using smoother, bulkier yarns will be easier to work with than using lower quality cheaper yarn that will be splitting consistently making you waste precious time. The smoothness of the yarn may be underrated but it makes such an impact in how it feels in your hand that you’ll subconsciously want to keep going. 

This also relates to the ergonomic tools too but the combination of the yarn + tool will also impact your speed. Metal tools let the yarn slide easier than bamboo tools for instance increasing your speed. This can be overwhelming for beginners though so if you’re just starting out consider using bamboo tools. Bamboo + scratchy yarn will work up slower than metal + buttery soft merino wool, no matter how fast you normally knit/crochet. 

Memorize Patterns

Knowing your pattern by heart can reduce the time spent consulting instructions. A good way to make this easier on yourself is to work assembly line style when making multiple of the same thing. For instance, if making plushies, make all the heads first, then all the arms, then all the tails, etc. This breaks down the pattern in smaller portions making it easier to remember each portion individually and saving you from constantly looking at your pattern for the next step. 

Use Stitch Markers

Markers can help you keep track of stitch counts and rows without recounting so add as many markers as needed to help you remember special stitches in your pattern or make it easier for you to know how many rows are left before your next special stitch.

Continental Knitting

If you knit, learning the Continental style will save you some time! With English style, like I do, you have to “toss” the yarn around with your right-hand wasting milliseconds that add. When using the continental style, you hold the yarn in your left hand and swoop it with your right needle meaning you never have to let go of your work to “toss” the yarn. 

Work in Good Lighting

Having proper lighting helps you see your work clearly, reducing the chances of errors and time spent fixing them. It also saves you from straining your eyes which is a benefit on its own. If you don’t have proper lighting where you knit or crochet, get a neck light like I did! 

Pre-Wind Your Yarn

Or at the very least, pull from the center! Not having your yarn roll around everywhere is much easier and pre-winding it in a cake or pulling from the center also lowers your chances of getting it tangled. 

Finger Exercises

Exercising and stretching your fingers (and wrists!) help keep them agile and reduce cramping which in turn means you can keep working on your project longer. 

Organize Your Workspace

Having your workspace clean and organized helps reduce visual clutter which gives you mental space to be productive and creative. Plus, having your tools and materials neatly organized allows for easy access which means less wasted time searching for what you need. 

Set Goals / Time Limits

Setting goals and especially time limits is a great way to challenge yourself to complete tasks more quickly. For instance, put a 30-minute timer, focus on one project and try to get as much done as possible. You’ll most likely see that having a time limit will make you want to beat the clock so you’ll be more focused and will work faster than normal. You can do this with everything, not just knitting and crocheting. 

As always if you have any questions, comments, thoughts or even podcast topics ideas, please email us at: dropastitchpodcast@gmail.com. 

Have a great week everyone!