I am a chiropractor and I’ve been tempted to make a channel for crafters because I hear so much about joint and muscle pain. 😜 These things are helpful! But my advice to use with them is to TAKE BREAKS. I have been crafting for 50 years and all the gadgets are a huge help, but your body needs a break from repetitive movements. Every 30 minutes, just stop and move your neck and shoulders around for a few seconds. Bend and straighten your arms and wrists for a few seconds. Looking away from your project also helps your eyes. Cheap and easy 😄 Thank you for all of your reviews and tutorials! I really enjoy them!
Honestly if you made a channel and had tips or even videos or shorts that crafters could follow I'm sure you'd get a steady stream of followers. We all know we should take breaks but having it visualised might help 😊
I drink A LOT of tea while I knit... in a small cup. This way I have an excuse to get up and move every time I want more tea and need to refill the cup.
In my life, I have never and would never do knitting or crochet (or read) in total darkness ... with only a little light on my hands. Might work for a dorm when lightsout for roommate means stitching under a blanket with a focused light. Love my Ott-light or one with that type of lighting. I found floor lamps wat Big Lots for $30 and the lights are actually OTT bulbs. I also get up and walk around, go to the bathroom, wash my hands, get a drink, focus my eyes to long distances - and then go back to my stitching. The eye focus changes are especially recommended if using a device with magnification! Also, it is VERY important to make sure you are BLNKING if stitching, watching tv, playing on computer, or watching tv. BLINK. Staring is a good way to get 'dry eye.'
When I spent years working in business coaching on the phone we used wireless headsets and walked all around while on calls. Not only better physically but most of us did better thinking and therefore coaching when we were on the move!
@@Lynx_Therian_for_evs Privacy reasons and liability perhaps? Who knows if doggy decides to sue for using his images without prior, written consent? XD
I have my nephew (11 years old) for the summer, and he asked me to teach him how to crochet, but I am an awful teacher. I turned on your how to video and he can now make a lovely chain ❤ on to single crochet!
I have been unsuccessful teaching my SIL. My niece (her daughter) taught herself. Maybe she will have more luck. Trying to teach 5yo granddaughter to knit but failed to factor in she is a lefty🙄.
I asked my husband, who loves woodworking if he could make me a yarn genie. He used a luxury wood and it is gorgeous! Because it is solid wood, it is heavy and I can set it on the floor beside my couch while I knit/crochet. If you don’t have a crafty SO get the yarn genie Toni is demonstrating. Once you get used to it you can’t be without it!
that’s what I have and I love it! I tend to want to knit and crochet as close to my face as possible and end up with elbow pain, especially after repeated long sessions. I don’t have the problem anymore! still important to take breaks and stretch though.
tbh it's kinda crazy that you don't have way more subscribers, I think you have fun, fresh content, and you're one of the best crochet youtubers I watch.
Same here! I love it. It is lightweight enough to put it in my wip bag to go. I also have some really nice wooden ones from Amazon. Additional hangy spinny things recommended for making color changes.
Yes! And I know she mentioned yarn bowls but I still constantly have my yarn catching when working in a yarn bowl, the only difference is it’s not going anywhere
this!!! because there’s no way to extend it, the buckle is basically useless for me and just ends up being a bit of hardness at the ends of what otherwise is a super comfy and useful pillow
It’s why I haven’t gotten one. I carry my weight in my belly so there is no way that half moon shape is circling around me at the right points. I just crochet at a desk or table with a long manicure pillow under my forearms.
As a knitter, I absolutely love my Yarn Genie. My mum bought me one for Christmas so I had no expectations. The best thing about it is it stops yarn tangling if Iike me, you're a person who uses commercial yarn balls. Downside, it has to sit on a flat surface in front of you as you work.
We literally just had a power outage and nobody knew until I reached for my light to do some crochet. Never thought about how useful that could be until now.
Since I suffer from chronic pain in my stomach and often can't really sit right and have to half-lie in my bed I really love these ergonomic "gadgets"! I'm always on the lookout for new ones, that help me be able to crochet even when I'm in pain. And I feel like the pillow could help me a lot! Gonna have to think about getting one
Same here, the bed is the most comfortable for me as well. At least until my spine and damaged nerves start to bother me. I have been looking at that pillow for several months now. I saw it on another RU-vidr’s channel and went to look into purchasing the pillow. First of all it’s over $50 and always sold out in every color. So I started using a maternity pillow that I have, it’s a full body pillow. It was purchased for me 12 years ago to help protect my head and keep me on my side during seizures. So maybe a nursing pillow may be a good substitute for other crochet/knitters to consider.😊 I love your reviews Toni, please keep it in your content it has helped me as a beginner/intermediate crocheter. I’m able to share what I’ve learned from you with my Mom who has been doing this for almost 50+ years.❤😊
I was just "meh" about everything until we got to the Valari pillow. I have a LOT of neck, back, and shoulder pain. I'm a nurse nearing retirement age. Too many years of pulling on people much larger than myself (back in the day when we did not have the assistive gadgets that are now present in many facilities). Sorry,n I digress...anyway, my ears developed points when you started talking about the pillow. Then I followed the link. OUCH! That price tag!!! It would have to do way more than wrap around my middle to substantiate that price tag. BTW, I have and do use many different things to make "yarn bowls". I've used the large tub that soft peppermints come in; I've repurposed a coffee tin; also repurposed the big cylinder that oatmeal comes in; but my favorite is using the little zipper bags that sheets and things come in. Right now I have one hanging from my cross stitch stand so I am able to cross stitch a while, then switch to crochet and back as I feel so motivated. Loved the video and reviews, but I'll have to pass them all and save my cash for MORE YARN. Love your pup!
Someone in the comments mentioned that they use a nursing pillow! I also just bought one of those memory foam pillows. It doesn't wrap around but much much better than nothing.
Speaking of left-handed tutorials, our web browsers these days have optional add-ons you can search through and click on to install, and some of them let you mirror the page, or even right-click on a particular element in the page, and click on something like "mirror this" in the text options that pop up, to flip it horizontally. This way you can turn any right-handed video into a left-handed video! Also, that Red Bull comment got me good 😆
The one thing, I am not sure you would call it a gadget tho, I don't want to crochet without is my rolling craft cart. Everything in one place from yarn to notions is a must for me. Great Video! Thank you, TLYC.
I love my rolling cart! Everything is there. I have a wonderful gooseneck light with several light intensities in the top portion and a power bar for plugging it into on the bottom. Plenty of space for supplies and gadgets like my yarn Jenny.
my neck light was a godsend when my power went out for three days back in January! I have a jump kit for my car which I was able to use to charge devices on periodically, but my neck lamp lasted a fair amount of time and I could use it for things like reading too. I didn't even think about it until like day 2 and then felt like an idiot for not using it sooner instead of trying to position little camp lights where I could see but they weren't blinding me out of the corner of my eye!
Two items I swear by and use daily: the Yarn Jeanie and an app called Row Counter. I find the Yarn Jeanie to be the easiest way to unfurl yarn. I just stick the skein on there (no need to cake) and start crocheting. The Row Counter app does much more than just count rows. I store PDFs of all of my patterns on there, organized in folders. I use the pattern right from the app. You can keep notes on your project. There’s a timer so you can determine how long it takes to make an item. (Great for helping with pricing if you sell finished products.) It syncs my phone with my iPad so I always have up-to-date info on both. And it does much more.
The Wool Jeanies are sooooo useful when you have a project with lots of different colours... no more winding yarn on bobbins and having to guess that you've got enough yarn on those bobbins... I have an entire row of Jeanies with extra spindles+bases and can just click and swap around as needed...
fabric products for crochet/knit crafters are always a little funny to me. I like the idea of that valari pillow but my first thought is oh i should make one of those for myself 😅
My husband made me a yarn unwinder from an empty 3d printer filament roll and a stand 😅 i steal all his empty rolls to cake my yarn on and then i can just stick it on the stand and crochet away! I also made a yarn bowl for myself. I got a very large 5litre pickle jar and crocheted it a mesh jumper. Because its glass the balls roll around inside smoothly and the height of the jar is plenty to keep it running smoothly 👍
It always makes my day, Toni, when you upload a new video. I especially love your reviews because you keep everything so real but aren't horribly negative when something you've tried out just isn't a good fit for you. Love your channel, your personality and your gorgeous creations. Thank you for being a ray of light! :)
I LOVE the Yarn Jeanie - it’s something I use especially when I’m using more than one strand of yarn at a time. I can stack two smaller yarn balls and it helps me keep them from getting tangled. I have three of them and use them with colorwork too, they’ve been a game-changer for me.
My wool genie has been so great! I never have to pull aggressively at my yarn. It's perfect for mindless crocheting while watching my favourite shows 😊
I love highlighter tape. I use it to highlight which row’s directions I am on. Frequently I split it in half as the tape can be wider than the text. It comes in a variety of colors
I was having elbow pain from crocheting, so I bought a V shaped pillow for about £12 from Amazon and that has helped loads! A cheaper solution to the pillow in the video. Loved seeing all these different gadgets, definitely tempted by the wool genie!
I have that exact winder and I love it! It's cheap and easy to use. I thought it might not last long, but it is still going. I attached it to my desk and it did not leave any marks. I've used it on a bunch of different surfaces, never had a problem. Make sure it's secure, so it doesn't move, and you are good to go!
Your furbaby is so adorable & I can tell that you’re such a good momma. Thank you for checking these gadgets out & sharing your thoughts about them, that’s so helpful.
After my shoulder surgery I use my pillow every time I crochet, read or do any handwork. I love it. It does a fantastic job of reliving the pain in my shoulders.
i LOVE!!!!! the lemon wood mini minder!! It works really well and if you have any issues with your order, they send replacements! I had a hang on hook that didn't have/lost the rubberpiece inside of the hook to keep the rod in place, and they sent me a new hook thats a lot better for free!!! i LOVE it so much and it really helps!! Especially with the yarn cake combo, my word
Toni, I cannot crochet without my neck light! These old eyes have done a lot of lookin' over the decades and it's taken its toll. Even in what I consider good lighting I can finally see my stitches using a smaller hook and yarn with that gadget :)
I guess I'm a gadget lover because I own almost all of these! LOL. I especially love my Valari pillow, it's helped a lot in reducing carpal tunnel symptoms and shoulder pain when knitting and crocheting. I bought a Lumos lumos light after being very disappointed in a $20 neck light I had. It may cost over twice as much but it lasts much longer on one charge than the other set lasted with batteries and the light temperature and brightness settings make it worthy of the price to me. I have a yarn to go carousel from Twice Sheared Sheep that is very similar to the mini minder. It includes a magnetic rotating base that makes it handy for knitting/crochet at home and when I leave I pull of the base, attach the handle and I'm good to keep knitting!
I couldn’t live without my counting pop it! I use it all the time to keep track of what stitches that I need to do next. For example if I have to do a single crochet then multiple stitches for bobble, I will pop the one in the first row for the single crochet. I then use the second row to keep track of the bobble stitches. Once I get the hang of the stitches and it becomes automatic, I ditch the pop it. But it really helps me to get started. I also use it to count my chain stitches. Every time I make 10 chain stitches, I pop one. If I have to stop working on my chain in the middle of my 10 count, I pop the corresponding number on the bottom row. It definitely stops me from panicking when hubby comes in and starts asking me questions. Hint, I never use it on a flat surface. I just make sure that I put it someplace safe if I need to walk away.
no i'm crying LOL i clicked to see what in the world one of those fidget poppers could be used for in crochet PLS DON'T TELL ME IT'S A ROW COUNTER HOW IS THAT MORE PRACTICAL THAN THE ONES WE ALREADY HAVE xD XD NOOO that takes up so much space. most the amigurumis shown on the pinterest page were AI generated garbage. also i'm not a fan of safety eyes myself not just for the difficulty putting them on but i like my toys to look more.. idk homemade? so i just make eyes and things with my yarn but that's such a clever tool for those who do use safety eyes a lot. why are the people in the preview for the yarnball winder winding already prepared skeins of yarn? u can center pull the skein girlie pop.. i love that ur giving credit to original creators instead of just plugging any ol' amazon link like most people do or even their affiliated links to gain on the theft of other people's good ideas.
I like the look of safety eyes but I never actually got them because why get two or three extra tools for eyes when I have yarn, felt and embroidery skills? Embroidered eyes look cuter in my opinion
I am 61 with less than perfect eyesight and the only way I can crochet with really dark yarn is with my trusty neck light. Mine was about $20 on Amazon and it has warm and cool light choices and three brightnesses. Love it. I have a lighted crochet hook that I have never liked using. The light is too bright and seems even brighter somehow because I wear glasses. Hate it.
Oh I'd loooove the pillow for the elbow support! I've been using my nan's old teapot as a yarn bowl for a good while now since I need one that's cat proof. I feed the yarn through the nozzle, pop the lid on and bam it's all set. Seems to work just fine as long as the ball of yarn is small and tight enough, some I've had to rewind but I find it therapeutic to do by hand (did it for my nan when I was little and we'd pull apart old knits to make new ones, she was very frugal and didn't hesitate to recycle a child's old sweater into mittens) so it's not a big deal 😊 only annoying thing is that I'm a bit glued to it and have gotten a few funny looks pulling it out in a cafe or bus lmao 😂 But it keeps the yarn clean so well! Much love from Finland, super fun video! Subscribed 🎉
I love my wool genie. So much that I have two of them to use when I am working with two yarns. I love that I don't have to pull the yarn. It flows effortlessly.
100%, my favorite stitch counter is the My Row Counter app. Allows me to switch easily between different projects if I switch up what I'm working on, allows me to import my pattern and set secondary counters linked to the 'global' counter, so that I can track pattern repeats or pieces of a larger project. And its on my phone, so I always have it with me.
For the safety eyes, the prym vario works just as good. I always support new brands, but as it's not available at the moment, this would be something for everyone wanting to buy it now. The valario pillows are nice, but I don't like that they aren't size inclusive. The elongating strip you can buy doesn't work for larger people as there is no pillow at the sides anymore. So a larger size, somewhere between the original and a nursing pillow would be perfect 🤗
I am a yarn groupie. I have been knitting, crocheting, Tunisian crocheting, sowing, embroidering, etc. for years. Although I am advanced hooker, I love watching you. Your energy is unmatched.
A gadget I use and really helps if your eyesight is bad is a Headband Magnifier Glass Magnifying Glasses with Lamp. I originally got them for diamond painting, but I now use them to help me see my stitches, especially when using dark or fuzzy yarn. They are rechargeable and also work while charging too n
I love it when you do reviews etc. I love gadgets but have become rather selective after a few things that disappointed. Now I look a lot, think even more and eventually decided yes or no. I love the neck light looks fantastic but I am small and wonder if the arms might to too long on me. In my now style I will look into it and see further about it. I live in Australia so maybe we don't have them here and postage from USA would be too much. Always love your channel.
I think my favourite crochet gadget of this video is that cute doggy. And I think everyone agrees we want to see more crocheted doggy items. I'm sure the little pooch won't mind being used as a mannequin if you just provide enough doggy snacks. XD
A few years ago, my son asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I sent him a link for a Stanwood 10 oz. yarn ball winder. The smallest skeins I use are 5 oz, but most are 7-10 oz. I LOVE IT!!! Best gift ever!
@Toni I’m going to have to look at some of these gadgets seriously. I also use my neck pillow which I have for traveling. It’s my favorite color - purple and soft. I’ve had total back replacement surgery and don’t realize I get so stiff from long sessions until I get up and can hardly stand and walk without pain. I’m definitely going to put my phone timer on and get up every hour or so and stretch and walk around to get the kinks out. Since C my children don’t want me to walk outside anymore because I’m a fall risk. So some of the gadgets are new to me and some I have. I “love” gadgets as well which are useful and don’t break the bank lol. Thank You 🙏🏾 You Are Appreciated 💜
Hi Toni Thank you for all your tutorials and for sharing your time and talent with us :) My favourite gadget is not really a gadget as such. Hehe It’s my mini IKEA Raskog trolley which has 3 shelves . Everything I need is on this trolley and in the evenings, I just pull it next to my sofa and crochet away :) I can also leave my blocking board on the top shelf. When im done for the evening, I just push it to a corner of the living room and it’s out of the way. :) ❤
I like the Wool Jeanne when I do color work. Of course, that gets pricey, but if you have the scratch, it’s really nice to have 2 of them for a project. You can take the spindle off the magnet to untangle if it becomes a problem.
Neck lamp hack .... go to a hardware store, they usually have a version of a neck light and they are cheaper. Mine was bought at Lowe's and the brightness is adjustable
Regarding the mini minder. Do not leave it in your project bag. I did and it BROKE. luckily I was able to glue it. I love using it. I love your channel. Keep it up.
love your videos! currently getting back into crochet after fighting cancer and becoming partially paralyzed on my left limbs. your videos always make me smile 🙂🩷
I appreciate that the first example of situations for the lighted hooks is "power outage". You have your priorities set straight and it saves you from the awkward "the-power-is-out-I-guess-we-should-do-something-together" family game of uno lol
The way I have missed these type of calm and informative crafting videos youtube videos! Just found your channel immediately subscribed after you called me out for my temperature blanket.
I love the Knit Picks winder you reviewed and was actually using it when I started your video. I also appreciate the portable/wrist yarn keeper. I got one from a seller on Etsy. While my light is another brand, it is very handy for crocheting with dark yarn. I cannot do without strong magnets for my yarn needle and threader and the red Tulip hooks. 😊
I treated myself to a Wool Genie a couple of months ago and I love it! I don't think I'll really get any other gadgets for now (I don't need a winder at the moment as I get skeins) but never say never! Fun video Toni ❤😊
I see your videos for the first time and i'm happy to subscribe. Your voice is so calm and vibes are so cozy. I'm definitely gonna maraphon lots of your videos these weekends❤
My daughter gifted me a set of prism glasses and they are fabulous! There are 5 prisms of different strengths. Click one into the holder, it's completely adjustable AND there's a light with 2 brightness settings also moveable. Wonderful for working with dark colors, thin yarns and small stitches. I've used them for sewing with black fabric and thread.
I love my Wool Jeanie! I'm usually a center-pull kinda gal, and when I do work from the outside of a skein, I find that yarn bowls mess up my tension more often than not. It's especially nice when frogging things to fix mistakes - spin the Jeanie and wrap that frogged yarn back up!
Excellent love gadgets and crocheting so to have a video showing me gadgets for crocheting was heaven thank you loved it and some new ones too, I have a neck light used for evening and dark colours, I love the idea of the cushion, I’ve had a Jeannie before but sold it because I agree with you a yarn cake does the same, but I think the safety eye tool is a game changer for me as it takes me a long time and all my weight to put my safety eyes in so I definitely want one x
Thank you, Toni! Very interesting and helpful. My two cents: the Wool Jeanie is very stitchworthy for me - the smooth feed has really helped. Not a required tool but I’m glad I have it. The other one that I enjoy more than I imagined is the bent-tip yarn needle. Who knew! I might have learned about that one from you.
You did hear they postponed manufacturing those safety eye plyers. They decided to change them to cover all the sizes. He said will be over a year before they can get them out.
19:30 .. the little plastic kit is great for travelling or camping .. just grab and go . Stop and buy yarn .. rainy days .. you have a full kit and you don’t need to bring your expensive hooks because no one wants to lose those ;)
Great video! Ive got to get that tool to put the eyes, etc on with such ease. That pillow was 1st one they started for breatfeeding moms. That was in the olden days, lol. I can't live without my neck light! I'm know I binge watched as many chrochet gadgets and hacks as ubwoukd find. There are so many! I think i ran out of gaa before the videos did.
I have a Barva weighted yarn ball holder which is an upright wooden dowel on a swivel base and I absolutely LOVE it. I hate yarn bowls bc the yarn is always popping out. I use a deep pot when I have a big skein. Thank you very much for the excellent reviews.
Lovely video as always!!! 9:17 I have that yarn ball winder, and it has been super easy to use, and I use it for EVERYTHING! It is amazing for orgagnizing yarn, I was hesitant to buy it, but it has turned out really nice! So I totally agree on it being Stitch!
Hi. It’s my first time seeing your channel. I’m a guy who crochets amigurumi. I’ve been using the numbered popit for a few months now. It’s a total game changer and really helps with counting stitches and rows.
Bought the light. Got it yesterday-love it and recommending to a friend. I’m packing it for our next hotel trip where lighting is never bright enough. Thanks Toni! 💡
I absolutely love my wool Jeannie. It's a lot less friction than yarn bowls if you work from the outside of a yarn cake. No tugging and pulling needed. I found a wooden version on the Zon with two sides to hold two yarn cakes. One side is extra tall and wide for larger skeins. It's perfect for color work knitting, and I use it every time I knit.
i think that the light up ctii i chet hook could also be helpful when working with black! it would make it easier to see your stitches which can be tricky with black/dark yarn!!
The safety eye tool looks awesome. I wish there was one for larger safety joints as I crochet teddy bear’s to give to less fortunate kids and I use safety eyes as well as moving joints that are a 3 part piece for the arms and legs I struggle with making sure they are secured properly and still moving around. They are similar to safety eyes only flat top with posts and a washer for the inside before the back goes on
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