Monday, May 17, 2021

Metal Hooks & Why I Love Them

My grandma taught me how to crochet. She was a master in crocheting large-scale tablecloths and doilies. So she used the thinnest hooks ever possible for her projects to make spider-web quality lace, which always kept me wondering how doesn't she miss the thread with such a tiny hook. Have you tried crocheting with a o.25 mm hook? Believe me! It's a Sisyphean task!

The first projects I started in crochet were with a {now beloved} 1.9mm hook. Grandma didn't own any bigger sizes than 2mm. And she also taught me that if you want to give a project a delicate and more sophisticated look, then small hooks are your friends. So for years now I have been using small hook sizes to make my crochet jewelries.

Another reason why I love ordinary metal hooks is that they have a part in the hook body that is flattened. The way I hold my hook is that I hold it by placing my thumb  on that flat plateau on one side and my forefinger in the same spot on the other. The grip is not strenuous and crocheting is fast, easy and most importantly - painless.


 

I have some plastic and wooden hooks as well without that flat part, but I rarely use them because my hand easily tires and more often than not, they are painful to crochet with. With plastic and wooden hooks, the yarn kind of sticks with them and I have to pull harder while it drags down, whereas it slides smoothly with the metal ones.

What's your experience with hooks? What are your favourite types? 

7 comments:

Granny_J said...

I've been crocheting for over 70 years and only use metal hooks for the same thing you mentioned, the yarn binds with wood or plastic hooks and I have to pull harder. That sometimes makes the stitches tighter than I like them.

Maya Kuzman said...

Yes, that's right. And it makes the project kind of disjointed and floppy.

Sheltie Times said...

I stated with Bates metal hooks and I loved the shape of the hook. Eventually I wanted something with a larger handle and moved to Bates Bamboo hooks which combine the metal hook with the Bamboo wood handle. These are still my favorite hooks. Sadly Bates seems to have stopped making them so I bought up a supply to have should I lose any or in the case of my smaller hooks like my b it bends.

I have a knife hold rather than the pencil so the round Bates handles work well for me.

For my thread steel hooks I finally found ergonomic hooks that work as holding the steel hooks was torture.

Sum of their Stories said...

I have a set of metal hooks that look pretty much the same as yours, and a lot of plain metals ones that I inherited from my nan. But my favourites are the clover amour ones with the squishy handles, I do find them more comfy if I am crocheting a lot. I am gradually collecting a full set, the kids give me one in a different size each birthday and Christmas!

Maya Kuzman said...

Thank you for sharing Sheltie. I was just reading a comparison between Clover and Bates hooks, but I think a person decides which one to use after working with several and see which has a more ergonomical grip and which is more fitting. I don't think I can work with Clover hooks, but that's just me.

Maya Kuzman said...

Thank you for sharing Julie. Al my smaller sizes are inherited from my gran too. I rarely use them but they have a great sentimental value. As far as gifts are concerned, my family rarely buys me crochet related items ;)

My thrift store addiction said...

My grandmother always used metal hooks too! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!