PARTS OF A CROCHET HOOK
Imagine that you are a mechanic: you’re not going to take off a lug nut with a hammer, are you? Or, what if that inexpensive ratchet breaks just as you are about to get that pesky socket loose enough to remove. Frustrating, isn’t it? Whether you are working on a car or crocheting a beautiful hat, you need to choose your tools wisely. Good tools make the job more pleasurable. You want your tools to be comfortable to work with and a good fit for you and your project. Choose wisely, and of course, using visually pleasing tools doesn’t hurt either.
PARTS OF A CROCHET HOOK
When crocheting, try to keep the yarn loop on the shaft of the hook. This will ensure that your stitches are the correct size and keep your stitches uniform.
Crochet hooks come in many different varieties, but they often have the same things in common. The average crochet hook is made up of five to six basic parts: the head or tip, the throat, the shaft, the handle, and some may or may not have a thumb rest or grip.
Most yarn hooks have one of two different head shapes: round or in-line (which is sometimes called flat). A common name brand for round head hooks is Boye and a common name brand for in-line hooks is Susan Bates. Both of these brands can be found at your local craft and hobby store. The throat of the hook is made narrower than the rest of its body to help you work your yarn through the stitches.
Next on your hook is the shaft, probably the most important part. Most of your crocheting is done on the shaft, so its size is very important. The width of the shaft determines the hook size: the larger the size, the thicker the yarn you can use. The size is usually stamped onto the hook so that you don’t have to figure it out yourself. There are three parts when you look at the stamp on a hook. First, a letter of the alphabet: these start at the letter B and go up. The further up the alphabet, the bigger the size of the hook. The largest hook I have ever seen in person is a Q. After the letter is a corresponding number. Finally, the width of the shaft is written in millimeters. These indicators will help you identify your hook size.
Your crochet hook also has a handle, and here you have many choices. The average hook will have a straight handle that may or may not have a thumb rest indent on it. These handles are usually about four inches (10.2cm) long. But lately, since people have been known to crochet into the later years in life, ergonomic handles have been making an appearance on shelves. These handles fit into your hands better and are easier to grip. They relieve some of the stress put onto your hands and wrists while crocheting. Now, if you like to be surrounded by pretty things, you can also find hooks covered in polymer clay. These are usually artistic in nature and can be found on websites like eBay and Etsy. You can even find online tutorials to make them yourself.
Crochet hooks can be made from many different materials. I am always searching the secondhand stores looking for old hooks made from ivory or some other unique materials. Most of the hooks you will find at your local craft and hobby store are made from aluminum or plastic. Larger hooks are always plastic to help keep the weight of the hook lighter. Higher end local yarn stores will usually also carry some wonderful bamboo hooks. If you search the Internet, you will also find some amazing and beautiful hardwood hooks crafted by hand. These are my favorites, but you must remember that they are handmade and may not be the exact size needed. Because of this, I don’t design with them. I do love to use mine for personal and charity items though. Last on our list of materials are steel crochet hooks. These are those small, and sometimes scary, ones you see. They are used when working with fine thread and making intricate designs. These hooks also use a different numbering and lettering system than regular yarn hooks.
You could easily go broke purchasing all the fun little accessories that go along with crocheting. But in truth, you only need a few things. All of these can be found at hobby and craft stores as well as local yarn stores. First, let’s consider the necessities.
Scissors are pretty self-explanatory. I like to use a small pair of embroidery scissors because they fit into my crochet hook case. It is also nice to have a pair that folds up or has a cover to keep from possibly hurting someone. I’ve even seen some really neat ones that hang like a pendant on a necklace chain. The choice is yours.
A yarn needle or two (also known as a tapestry needle) is also a necessity. These large needles are usually pretty blunt and have a large eye that makes them easier to thread. I introduced my mother-in-law to a fabulous implement called a needle threader. She loves how much easier and faster it allows her to thread her needles.
You will also need something to measure with. I always carry a small six-inch (15.2cm) ruler with me. I find these great for measuring gauge, and they store nicely in my hook case and travel easily. I also keep a long fabric tape measure at home for larger items.
Stitch markers are next on my list of must-haves. These do not need to be fancy: in a pinch, you can use scraps of other yarns to mark your places. Safety pins can also stand in for stitch markers. Avoid the ones with the coils on one end because they may tangle into your project and become hard to remove. Don’t use knitting stitch markers. These are usually circles that do not open and close. You need to be able to remove them! I’ve made my own stitch markers out of pretty beads and various findings for jewelry making such as lobster or trigger clasps and earwire or lever-backs for earrings. You can also find some beautiful ones already made online at sites such as Etsy. I’ve seen some great ones where the beads are numbered so that you can easily count your rows!
Last on my list of must-haves is a pencil or pen and sticky notes. I love to use sticky notes to mark what line I am on in a crochet pattern. Since they are sticky, you can move them to the next row as you complete a row. Also, you can make notes to yourself on them to remind you of any changes you made to a pattern.
As I mentioned before, there are a ton of accessories you can spend your money on for crocheting. I have listed the basics, but here are some other items you may want to accumulate as your finances allow.
I love a good hook case that can hold all your stuff. They can be fabric, leather or even crocheted!
A row counter is a good tool so you don’t have to keep writing tally marks on your paper each time you finish a row. Also, a yarn swift and ball winder are great when you work with yarns that come to you in hanks. Lastly, a blocking board and pins are helpful when it is time to finish your items and give them a professional look.
Other items even farther down my list are things such as support gloves for your hands and wrists, pom-pom makers, yarn bobbins for colorwork, and needle gauges. These items serve a specific purpose and are needed at specific times, but they are not items you’ll need as a beginner.
If using yarn scraps as stitch markers, be sure that the yarn you use is light in color so it doesn’t transfer any dye onto your project. You’ll also want to use a smooth yarn for this, too.
