So over the last week we’ve had a very interesting discussion going on Twitter about crochet hooks and hand holds. Which do you use and what’s your favorite? We’ve covered a few other details too. But the conversation got so big, it spilled over into the weekend! (By all means, jump in and add your say too!)
It’s been so amazing, that I wanted to not only recognize the voices in the field, but to extend an invitation to the rest of my crochet peeps to join the conversation over my blog and Facebook. Because I know not everyone is on Twitter and your voice counts too!
You see, I’m asking questions of crocheters around the world because I really want to know. It may sound odd, but it’s really important to me to hear about your hooks and how you use your hands and tools. And as much as I want very much to show up in your town and sit down with you over coffee and tea (maybe pie) and watch you crochet, chances are it won’t be happening this year. (Soon I hope, but sadly not this year.)
My mind is on it and so I’m asking you for input now. Grab your cyber sips and consider reading on. Who knows, maybe it’ll lead to a live conversation down the road too. 😉
So far the Twitter convo has been fascinating!
It all started with my Twitter post and @MMAAC‘s response.
It all started with…
Little did I know that a firestorm was about to start. 160 tweets later that first day (and that’s not counting my tweets – just everyone else’s) my phone was blowing up with the huge response! Which was rather funny, because my hubby was like, “Really? Can’t you get your crochet friends under control?”
What can I say, we’re a wild bunch we.
We talked about holds, we talked about hooks that have broken on us, we talked about glass, bone, forged and felted hooks! Plus we even offered help to other crocheters working on various things. And I learned a few things! Besides just some random answers to the questions I was asking!
I learned from @umarndt that she can’t get Susan Bates style hooks where she lives in the UK! Something hard for me to imagine since it’s one of the only readily available styles at the stores here in the US.
No Bates?
Several people hadn’t really thought about different ways to hold crochet hooks. It was really interesting to hear from each.
My crochet friend @CrochetWithDee mentioned how nice bone hooks can be when I mentioned I’ve thought about picking up some porcupine quills to try carving with. Dee says she’d love to try it out. And truly, I know she likes to test a lot of hooks! The only thing is, I know that porcupine quills are actually hollow porcupine “hair.” So I’m not sure if it will work. I need to get a hold of one to try.
I haven’t seen a porcupine quill crochet hook yet. I aim to make the first.
And of course Dee and I thought of several other ideas.
Dee also suggested wrapping a crochet hook handle with roving, such as some do with tape!
What a concept: roving wrapped handles!
And sure enough, I found a felted crochet hook on Flickr and even more for sale on Etsy. So if you hadn’t thought of it, good ‘ol fiber might be a great way to modify your hooks!
Felted crochet hooks exist!
Then @ProbablyCraftin brought up something that no real crocheter of any lengthy experience doesn’t at least think about sometime – a beeper to find our hooks when they’re missing. Seriously, why hasn’t one of us invented this? Well… ok I know why I haven’t yet.
Seriously, we need to invent something for this.
After talking about some antique hooks Dee reminded us all about Hook Lady, who has tons of insight and information when it comes to antiques.
In the middle of our convo, I came across @knottyfingers bit of wisdom, which I just thought was great.
My buddy Andee weighed in too.
We got some amazing input on hook preferences and personal stories!
@CrochetAllDay and @moseley_bonny jumped in with input and shared a photo of their hands. Irene’s hand and finger positions are very interesting! See the differences between the two?
Irene’s fingers. Overhand hold.
Bonnie’s underhand hold.
It was great! And it was an AMAZING experience! It was like a mini-convention over Twitter. I just wish we were live and maybe sharing some cake too or something!
There were tons of Twitter favorites and retweets, but the sea of folks you see listed below have all been amazing contributors to the actual #crochet conversation. (I hope I covered anyone – yell at me if I didn’t catch someone!)
@_quietlife @LillieShairrick @Edwyna7 @CraftyGirlMerch @MamaO @NurtureMyBaby @macdog73 @FiberValleyGirl @Cynical_Woman @PennamitePLR @Mamas2hands @becreech @TammyOnTheRadio @umarndt @CrochetAllDay @CrochetLibFront @kymccord1 @CrochetWithDee @PollySpin @phillygirl64 @LauraDryad @ProbablyCraftin @Slackermom66 @designsbyzula @breigaren @SaysellCrochet @candypow @MaryKnitsPDX @@Scruggbug @Amie__Foster @LateBloomer1982 @made222 @ItsMeMaven @AmbassdrCrochet @Craftypodes @CarlaHeirlooms @MMAAC @SHorton2012 @mikikala @abbyrascal
If you haven’t gotten to know these crochet peeps yet, I recommend you do! 🙂 So count this as my #FollowFriday recommends, even though it’s not Friday. (Be a rebel. Break the rules!)
Why? Because these peeps are real. They analyze and they converse. And they have no bones about having a public conversation over hooks and yarn they like or don’t like, good experiences and bad. Several of these names are designers – some indie, some not. And they definitely are all worth following if you like crochet. Just sayin.’
(Any companies lurking my blog, this is a hint to you.)
Why was this so amazing? Because we don’t talk about it enough. These are parts of our crochet story that we haven’t explored all that much. And it actually matters. We’re united in that we crochet, but we are unique in how we do it and what works best for us. We are unique in how we add to the craft. There’s valuable data here. And there’s an amazing story here too! I want to take the time to listen and learn.
So what about you? How do you hold your hook? What kind of hook did you learn to crochet with? What kind of hook do you like best now? I really want to know! And if you know why, tell me that too! And don’t just stop there: if you know crocheters who would be willing to share their insight with me too, please let them know about this post!
But no matter what, unless (as my friend Andee Graves has pointed out) it causes you pain or discomfort, just remember….
There’s no wrong way to crochet!
I look forward to your response!
Go ahead and click a link below to “share this.” You know you want to! : )
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I love antique bone ones. When I discovered you can buy them on ebay, often for cheaper than new hooks, I went a bit mad and built up quite a little collection. I was pleasantly surprised to find some quite chunky ones, as I cannot manage tiny thread crochet, much as I admire it. I even found a few antique Tunisian ones. The bone ones probably go up to about 6mm or so (I need a proper size measuring thing, I’m just eyeballing them so far, but my eye is not bad for that) and I got a wooden Tunisian one which is 8mm, 1″ circumference, which I found a pattern for from the 1860s!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/carriage-boot
The heads on them are quite varied, some inline and some not. I generally prefer not inline for regular crochet, but my Tunisian hooks are all inline and that seems to work well. As well as bone, I favour wood and bamboo, natural light and warm materials. I learnt on an aluminium 4mm, which was fine, but I have arthritis so I do tend to prefer light and warm materials. Plastic is OK functionally, but I also have a preference for natural, plus acrylic hooks can squeak a bit.
As for hold, I guess I’m an overhand. I taught myself from a book, but I deliberately didn’t pay attention to ‘how to hold your hook and yarn’ knowing I am better finding my own way, due to the arthritis. My yarn hold is more unusual than my hook hold, as I did not fancy tying my hands up with yarn by wrapping it all over everywhere. I found out a while back that it is the Russian style. I hold it quite loosely and drop it whenever convenient. My tension is plenty even enough and I choose to work loosely because my hands hurt with tight tension. I can vary my tension, I am always bemused to find some people claim to be unable to do this and can only vary it by changing hook.
This is really fascinating KnotRune!
I also tend to have a looser yarn hold, and have no problem with tension. When I was a kid, my crochet was always too tight, but when I stopped wrapping my fingers, and because of the years of practice, it all worked out. I do have to work more tightly with thread. But light you, it can cause me pain, so I do more yarn than thread projects. I do think my antique forged hooks make a difference in my overall thread experience though, because they are actually somewhat flexible.
I’d love to see your hands and hooks sometime! Let me know if you’re willing to share a photo!
Thanks for sharing and adding so keenly to the conversation!
~ Jules
very interesting!
Glad you enjoyed it Darlene!
I’m not much of a crocheter but I’ve been lucky to try some high quality metal ones and they feel so much better than the aluminum Susan Bates that I first learned on. My favorite, oddly enough, is still my 4.00mm metal hook from the Klutz set that I learned with
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Check out Tanis Galik’s style in her video about interlocking crochet. She has a lot less twisting of her yarn this way, and her work is staying very flat. I’m thinking about changing the way I work, I like hers so well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq9tjJunocw#t=206
Thanks for adding to the hand-hold discussion JackyBaby.