March 11, 2021

National Worship of Tools Day!

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Did you know that March 11th is National Worship of Tools day? Me neither until a few days ago!

What better excuse do you need to go through your crafting tools, sort them out, give them a clean and maybe go to the craft store and buy a new hook case or that hook size you are missing in your collection?

How a crocheter can celebrate National Worship of Tools Day:

This part is easy! You can:

Clean your tools. The tips below should help you do this.

Organize your tools.
Create something with your tools. Finish the day with an hour or two of crochet and admire how clean your tools now are!

Did you know that you should regularly clean your crochet tools?

Much like with hammers, screwdrivers and saws it is important to keep your crochet tools clean and organised. After all crochet is either our business or our treasured hobby. So why wouldn’t you take care of the tools you use to create your masterpieces? Painters clean their brushes, carpenters look after their hammers and saws with cleaning, oiling and sharpening. You get the picture…

But do you clean your hooks, darning needles, scissors, containers and project bags?

What can you use to clean your crochet tools?

The answer depends on what you are cleaning…

I tend you use a little warm soapy water for most of my tools and give them a good dry. You can also use:

*Dawn dish soap or similar

*bleach or baby wipes (if in doubt go for baby wipes – they are cheap enough and good if you have sensitive skin)

*rubbing alcohol – to use on your plastic or steel hooks

*vinegar and water solution

*simple green and water solution follow bottle ratio

*Beeswax-natural untinted which is handy for your wooden hooks and tools. K

*block undyed wax, wax paper, polish or anything you would use on fine furniture

You will also need:

A wash cloth and

A couple of towels

Do not forget to wash your hands before you start!

Hooks – metal, plastic and metal hooks with rubber handles:

I use my mild soapy water to clean these. If there are any stubborn spots you could try a little rubbing alcohol or white cleaning vinegar. Rinse off any excess cleaning solutions or soap. Allow them to dry properly before you put them away again.

I also pop my plastic stitch markers in the bowl for a little clean too. If you use fancy stitch markers then you might just want to use a damp cloth and rub them down. Again, make sure they are dry before putting them away!

Wooden Hooks

DO NOT soak these in the soapy water – they will soak up the water, expand, go soft and be ruined. Equally you do not want to be using things like bleach wipes or rubbing alcohol on them as it may affect the look and finish of your hook. Use a damp cloth (ensure all excess water is squeezed out of it first!) to rub the wooden hooks down, then dry thoroughly. Once they are completely dry you may want to give them a little bit of a wax but remember the Miagi rule – wax on, wax off! Remove any excess wax with a dry cloth (microfibre or sliver cloths are great) – you should not be able to feel any residue.

Scissors:

I use a damp (not wet) cloth to clean mine and give them a good rub. If there are any marks or residue on them then you could use a little rubbing alcohol. Check the mechanics of your scissors too – make sure they don’t need a little oiling or sharpening. If they are getting a little stiff I pop a tiny bit of sewing machine oil on them and then wipe them down with a cloth to take away any excess oil after a few minutes. You may need to repeat the rubbing down a couple of times as the excess oil can lurk around the screws that hold the scissors together.

Tape Measures:

Yes, these need a good clean every now and then too! I find it easier to use a baby wipe for these personally. You don’t want to be submerging your tape measures and the kids are always borrowing them to measure things and each other. Baby wipes are not as strong as bleach or rubbing alcohol. After all, if they can clean a dirty bottom without causing sores or irritations then they are good for my tape measures! If you don’t have children running around using your tools bleach wipes will also work wonderfully. Occasionally I have used Dettol or Flash wipes without incident.

Plastic containers and bags:

Do you keep your stitch markers in a plastic tub? What about your hooks or needles? You should also give them a good clean. I would recommend either using the soapy water as you would for hand washing dishes, or pop them in the top shelf of your dishwasher if they are dishwasher safe.

If you have project bags you may want to consider putting them in the washing machine on a delicates cycle and do not tumble dry.

What will you be doing to celebrate National Worship of Tools Day? Leave us a comment and let us know!

What’s the hashtag for National Worship of Tools Day?

Use #WorshipOfToolsDay on social media to share your love for tools. You can also tag us! You can find us on Instagram and Facebook.

Read on and celebrate national worship of tools day with other designers and bloggers:

There are a few other designers and bloggers who are sharing hints and tips or their favourite tools today too. Check them out by clicking the links below:

Sweet Potato 3 is worshipping her Mimmo caddy here.

The Loophole Fox is sharing her favourite tools here.

New designer and blogger, Creative Snugglies, is also sharing her favourite tools here.

Simply Melanie Jane is looking at tools every beginner needs here.

Millenial Maker is looking at tools she never thought she would use here.

Crocynwithwine is sharing hers here.

Bernadine over at Me N My Hook is sharing her favourite 3 cottons to crochet with here.

National Worship of Tools Day!