What Crochet Tips Monthly Actually Is and How to Use It
Crochet Tips Monthly is a quarterly publication focused on intermediate to advanced crochet techniques. It covers tension management, pattern drafting, fiber selection, and finishing methods that most beginners never encounter. The issues are compact, usually 40 to 60 pages, and they assume you already know how to hold a hook and work in the round. That assumption matters because if you pick this up cold, you will skip half the articles and wonder why nothing is clicking. I ordered my first issue around 2019 after a sweater project went sideways on gauge. The problem wasn't the yarn or the hook size — it was that I was pulling the yarn too tightly on the way back and letting it slack on the way forward. That inconsistency is invisible when you are working fast. The issue had a two-page spread on how to catch uneven tension mid-row without frogging back. It worked for me. I still keep that issue in a portfolio box somewhere in my closet.
Getting Your Subscription or Back Issues
The current subscription runs through their website and costs roughly $18 per year for four issues. They also sell single back issues at around $7 each if you want to target specific topics. Download options exist for digital subscribers — PDF files, around 15 to 25 megabytes per issue depending on whether images are compressed. I have noticed the digital version occasionally has a rendering glitch with the color swatch plates on older tablets, so if you are reading on something small, the print copies are cleaner for pattern work. They do not have a free sample. You can read the table of contents on their site, which lists the featured technique, any guest contributor, and the fiber focus for that quarter. That is enough to decide whether a particular issue is worth your money before you commit.
How to Actually Get Value From Each Issue
Most people treat these like magazines and read them cover to cover in one sitting. That wastes about half the content. The issues are designed to be used as reference documents. Here is the method I use now. First, skim the table of contents and flag the three sections that address your current project or immediate skill gap. A typical issue contains six to eight articles, two pattern projects, a yarn review section, and a letter column with reader questions. The pattern projects are often the most useful part because they are written with full measurements and ease allowances, which most free patterns online omit entirely. Second, work through the flagged sections before you touch a hook. I spent months ignoring this step and constantly second-guessing myself mid-project. The advice is dense but practical. One issue had a detailed breakdown of how yarn twist direction affects drape in lace weight projects. I had been making shawls that collapsed at the edges and never understood why. The article explained that high-twist plied yarns spiral when worked into open stitches, and the fix was to switch to a low-twist braid or add a stabilizing border. That was the difference between a shawl that held its shape and one that curled into a tube.
Get the Full Details
Third, save the issue to a folder on your computer and print only the pages you need. Their digital files are searchable, which helps when you are looking for a specific term like "ring stitch" or "block weight." The search function works well unless the PDF was scanned from a printed copy instead of typeset, which happens on some older back issues. If the text isn't selectable, you will need to use OCR software or just scroll through manually.
Common Pitfalls When Using Crochet Tips Monthly
The biggest mistake I see is treating every technique described as universally applicable. The articles are written by working designers who test their methods on specific fiber types and hook materials. An article about cotton thread tension will not translate directly to mohair blends. The contributors sometimes acknowledge this in a footnote, but the nuance gets lost if you are skimming. Another issue is the pacing. Some articles move quickly through foundational concepts and assume familiarity with terms like "turning chain value" or "statistical gauge." If those terms are unfamiliar, pause and research them before continuing. There is a glossary at the back of each issue, but it is abbreviated. A full glossary would make the issue longer and less focused on new techniques. The yarn reviews section is useful but incomplete. They typically review six to ten yarns per issue, which is a small sample. A yarn they rated poorly might work fine for a different project type. I learned this the hard way when I avoided a merino blend they called "springy and inconsistent" and ended up using it for a sturdy basket project where those traits were actually advantages. The review was accurate for garment wear but misleading for home décor applications.
When Crochet Tips Monthly Won't Help You
If you are a complete beginner, this is not the right starting point. The articles skip over basics and jump straight into problem-solving territory. You will feel lost and likely return the magazine. Start with a structured course or a beginner-focused book first. Build up your vocabulary and muscle memory before you read something written for people who already know what a "front post treble" looks like on a live project. The publication also does not cover amigurumi or toy-making in depth. Those sections sometimes appear in passing, but the focus is consistently on wearable items, garments, and technical construction methods. If your interest is strictly stuffed animals and cute characters, you will find the content mismatched to your goals. Finally, the pricing model means you lose access to past issues if you cancel. There is no archive available for purchase after cancellation. I ran into this when I wanted to revisit a technique from two years ago and realized I no longer had the digital files saved. I had to dig through old emails to find the purchase receipt and request a re-download from support, which took about five business days. Keeping your own copies is essential if you plan to maintain long-term reference access.
