3 Reasons to Use Pantyhose in Crochet
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Nowadays we don’t buy and wear pantyhose with the frequency we used to. I honestly can’t recall the last time I wore pantyhose myself, but that doesn’t mean I quit purchasing them! If you’ve ever wondered how to reuse old pantyhose, what to do with ripped nylons, or ways to incorporate pantyhose in crochet, this post is for you, friend!
Why Use Pantyhose in Crochet
My favorite general hack for reusing old pantyhose is when searching for something small (think earring, small screw, staple, etc) in the carpet. Stick the toe of the nylon over the vacuum hose and suck the small object right up, without losing it to the suction. I also like to use pantyhose instead of lingerie bags in a pinch.
Nylons are great for crochet in several different aspects and for various reasons, and here are three specific purposes for pantyhose pertaining specifically to crochet.
1. Knee highs as a yarn sock.
Do you have pets? Do you crochet for others, or for sale? If you ever worry about pet hair getting on your crochet project as you work, use a knee high as a yarn sock! Simply insert the working skein of yarn with the center-pull facing you. The knee highs will stretch enough to accommodate the full skein of yarn (even the big ones), and will get smaller as the yarn is used. Also, no matter how much you throw around the skein, it will never get tangled when in a knee high!
2. Nylons for softening yarn in the washer.
One of the first things I discovered, when learning different yarn brands, was how to soften scratchy or economical yarn before using it. Of course you don’t have to soften the yarn first, and I have never had a finished project not come out of the wash feeling softer than when it went in, but if you want to work with the yarn while it’s already in that softer state, this tip works great! See how to soften yarn using pantyhose in this tutorial.
3. To prevent stuffing poking out through the stitches of amigurumi or stuffed crochet.
One of my favorite ways to use pantyhose in crochet is to keep the stuffing (Fiberfil) from poking out of my stitches when making amigurumi, crochet stuffed toys and/or animals. Use the nylon fabric as a barrier between the stuffing and the crochet. This works particularly well when using darker yarns with white stuffing because if you use black (or blue, brown, etc) pantyhose it helps to further hide the white!
See more amigurumi tips and tricks here.
I find that dollar stores usually have the best deals, or you can get a multi-pack on Amazon and just use one knee high at a time. I found this pack of knee highs which gives you eight pair (16 individual knee highs) for a great price, and will go a long way!
Aren’t these great ways of repurposing something you may already have on hand? Are there other ways to use nylons in crochet? Share with me in the comments below!
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How Much Yarn Do I Need? How to Determine Yardage in Crochet
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