Guest Post: 5 Tips for Better Crochet Tutorial Videos

by Tamara Kelly for Crochet Business

When we started making video tutorials for Moogly, we were blessed with years of video making experience (Geoff) and years of crochet experience (me). Combining the two was natural!

What we lacked was equipment and a studio. Borrowed cameras and lights, and a nice solid pillowcase on the dining room table for a background gave us our start. And since then we’ve worked hard to improve on quality, investing in better equipment as we go.

But we still film at the dining room table! And you don’t need fancy equipment to make good crochet tutorial videos. These 5 tips will give you the best start – and most are free!

Good Lighting is Key

1. Good Lighting is Key

If they can’t see what you’re doing, your video tutorial isn’t going to be much help! The very best lighting is free – natural light from the sun! If you can film next to a bright window, with indirect sun, that is ideal. It might look funny outside the frame, but remember, the viewer can’t see that you’re working sideways at the kitchen counter!

If filming during the day is out of the question, then you’ll need lights. There are lots of pricey lighting kits on the market, as well as some inexpensive options such as LEDs. But you don’t have to shop – try placing a table lamp on either side of your work, just outside the frame. Having light from multiple directions keeps shadows to a minimum and keeps the focus on your demonstration.

Minimize Noise

2. Minimize Background Noise

Background noise comes in 2 forms – what you can see, and what you can hear. Try to minimize both! Before you start filming, stop and listen to your surroundings. Are there dogs barking? Kids playing? The neighbor mowing (or snowblowing)? Wait til it’s quiet and you’ll have a much more watchable video.

The visual background of the video is important too. Don’t distract from what you’re trying to show by having coffee table clutter or a keyboard in the background. Clear a bit of space and put down a piece of plain poster board or even a plain pillowcase. If you don’t notice it in the video, then it’s perfect!

Your Hands are the Stars

3. Your Hands are the Star

But even if you’re a crochet rock star goddess, you don’t want your hands to be the part the viewer focuses on. The point of the video is what your hands can do, not how they look. You don’t need a fancy professional manicure – clean, trimmed nails, and a bit of lotion a little while before you film is all you need. Plain, neutral polish (not chipped!) optional.

Slow Down

4. Slow Down

It’s easy for you, so you’re going to just show it and be done, right? Slow down there! The viewer might have never seen this before – be sure to carefully show each step, giving the viewers a chance to take it in before you move to the next step, talking more slowly than you would in normal conversation. This can be harder than it sounds!

Use a Tripod

5. Use a Tripod

This is the one piece of equipment I do recommend that you invest in right away. You can’t hold a camera and crochet at the same time! Luckily, tripods don’t have to be expensive or take up a lot of room. You can buy small inexpensive models at most superstores, and they even sell them for smartphones. As long as it holds the camera still, where you want it, then it’s a good tripod!

Filming video tutorials has become a fun way to share what I do at Moogly. I hope these tips help you in your own tutorial endeavors!

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