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Crocheting isn’t just about the yarn, it’s about the crochet tools you’re using! Sometimes, the right set of tools can make all the difference not only in the quality of your work but in the ease as well. The better tools you have the easier it can be to get your work done.
In this post, I’ll be going over some of my absolute favorite tools this year in 2022. Some of these are fan favs I’ve found on the internet and others I discovered myself and can’t put down. Let’s jump into the yarny goodness!
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1. Furls Crochet Hooks
I know, I know, this is always my number one. But my Furls hooks have saved my wrist so many times over and they let me crochet for long periods of time without pain. Plus, they make it easier and faster for me to crochet so to me, they’re a no-brainer.
My favorite Furls crochet hooks are the streamline resin series, which you can find here. I’m also a fan of the Odyssey hooks and have a couple of these as well.
If you’re looking to see all the options Furls has, you can visit their website below.
2. Skein Holder
So I just found out that these are a thing and I’m super excited about them. Basically, they hold your skein(s) in place while you work so you don’t have to worry about your skein rolling or bouncing away from you as you work.
I find these are also great for crocheting double stranded using just one skein because they allow you to work from both the center of the skein and the outside strand as well. This is a great crochet tool that gives you flexibility as you work on your crochet projects.
Alternatively, you could use a yarn bowl to help control your yarn while you work. I have this one from Furls and love using it!
Bonus tip for these: If you’re working with multiple colors of yarn, this tool helps keep your different colored strands organized as you work so you don’t end up with a tangled mess.
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3. Yarn Ball Winder
My ball winder has come in SO handy, I can’t even begin to describe it. This is definitely a must-have crochet tool this year. Below you’ll find some of the ways I use my ball winder. It’s saved me from throwing out tangled yarn and from ripping out stitches row by row slowly from unfinished projects or errors in my work.
I bought mine from WeCrochet / KnitPicks, and you can find it here. There are also others available on Amazon and other retailers. I personally love mine because I am able to secure it to any flat surface so I don’t have to hold onto it while I wind.
Here are some great ways you can use a ball winder that are both life and time saving.
- use it to rip out stitches. If you have a project you need to rip out whether it was unfinished or has a mistake, you can use a ball winder to frog the whole thing quickly and get your yarn back into a nice cake.
- cake up all of your hand dyed yarns. Hanks are super tricky to work with but a ball winder can save you lots of time. For this method, you’ll also probably need a swift, which you can grab here.
- clean up all the yarn vomit using a ball winder! If you have a mess on your couch, floor or wherever, you can use a ball winder to clean up the mess and have a nice cake to work from
4. Stitch Markers
Stitch markers are a great addition to your tool stash. They can help you keep track of the number of rows and stitches you have and can mark the start and end of certain elements of your project.
One big change I’m making this year with these tools is using them as placeholders. You can put a stitch marker through the working loop of your project where your crochet hook normally goes to keep your project from unraveling. This is also great for traveling so your project doesn’t get tangled in your bag while you’re on the go.
I absolutely love these budget-friendly stitch markers from Amazon but you can find similar ones on other websites as well.
Plus, we can’t forget all the amazing small businesses that handmake some beautiful stitch markers. Below are some of my favorite makers for these;
5. Blocking Boards
Okay, so technically these aren’t “new” but there are so many new styles this year that call for blocking boards. Granny squares and other themed square patterns are making a huge comeback this year and the best way to get a clean edge on those designs is by using a blocking board!
My favorite blocking board for everyday use and garments are these foam boards. They’re super easy to use and you can re-arrange them easily for projects of different sizes.
For any granny square or blanket square pattern, I’ve been loving these wooden blocking boards. You can easily stack multiple squares at a time on these boards and you can even rearrange the pegs to any size you need. I recently used these for my Winter Blanket CAL and included video tutorials featuring how I use my blocking board as well.
BONUS: Blocking Pins
Although standard blocking pins work amazing, I’ve found the quickest and easiest solution to blocking. These pins come in 2 different sizes within an easy box you can carry around anywhere. Instead of placing separate pins one by one when blocking, these have 4-6 pins so you can block your pieces more quickly. I absolutely love this crochet blocking tool and use it for all of my garment patterns.
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