Your tips are great. And # 5 is the biggy. I have been crocheting most of my life, off and on. For me this type of needlework is meditative. It can keep my mind occupied, if I do not feel like thinking too hard; or it is the perfect thing to settle me down and relax during stressful times, when my mind is going a mile a minute. Thanks for sharing your insights. And I love your photography.