Understanding hooks : Crochet #1

Crochet is one of the most popular yarn craft. The very basic tool required to create beautiful crochet is a hook. Understanding the shapes, sizes, variant and material of the hook is important. The understanding about the hooks helps in choosing the right hook for the project and your comfort.

Anatomy of a hook :

A hook has 5 parts. Its important to learn this because each part plays its role in making crochet. It becomes easier to chose your hook, once you understand this.

1. Head – It is the top end of the hook.
2. Throat – It the grooving part.
3. Shaft / Shank- It is the part following throat where thread usually slides.
4. Thumb rest / Grip – As name suggests, this is the part where your thumb will rest to move the hook smoothly.
5. Handle – Following the thumb rest, handle is the part held between palm/ fingers.

Inline vs Tapered hooks :

Tapered hooks are strongly shaped between shaft and head. Susan bates hooks are tapered hooks.

Inline hooks are smoothly shaped between shaft and head of the hook. Boye hooks are inline hooks

There is nothing right or wrong about either of the hooks, it is absolutely personal choice, which one you feel comfortable with.

For a beginner, i would advise to chose inline hook. It helps in keeping the loops consistent. Usually beginners have a tight hand in crochet, a tapered hook makes the loops smaller , which makes it harder to move the hook smoothly. An inline hook helps in avoiding tight hand in the crochet.

Once you progress, then it is absolutely personal choice based on likes, dislikes and comfort.

Common hooks – 

The most common hooks are made in aluminum or plastic. A wide size range is available to suit different type of yarn weight. A range of hooks are listed below. Details of the specific type will follow in future posts.

1. Small hooks – These are steel hooks made for fine cotton yarn. This cotton yarn work is called thread crochet. Since these are very fine hooks, a plastic/ silicon handle on these gives better grip to work.  

2. Lace hooks – These are very fine steel hooks ranging from US size 14 steel (0.6mm) to US size 5 steel (1.75mm). These needs to kept carefully with protectors covering their tip to avoid accidents.

3. Specialized hooks – These are ergonomically made hooks for better comfort and grip.

4. Double ended hooks – These type of hooks have different size at each end. In the following image, a thumb shaft is visible, but there are many hooks with straight shaft which can be used for adapted Tunisian crochet. Details of Tunisian crochet will be discussed in future posts.

5. Tunisian crochet hooks – These are much longer hooks. These are designed like knitting needles with hook on one end.

6. Tunisian crochet hooks with cable/ Flexible Tunisian crochet hooks – These are designed to make large afghans/ shawls in Tunisian technique.

7. Wooden hooks / Bamboo hooks – These are very attractive and lighter in weight than metal hooks. The grip is also better than standard crochet to prevent fingers from slipping while crocheting.

8. Plastic hooks – These are made in very attractive colors, but the precision in making these is not as accurate or good as metal or wooden hooks.

9. Jumbo hooks – The largest hook size is US N-15 (10mm) to US size S (30mm) and are made in plastic/ bamboo/ wood. These are used for making thick crochet fabrics very quickly.

Hook sizes – Crochet hook sizes are found in 2 different ways – US sizes, UK/English sizes. Metric sizing helps in finding the match between the 2.

In the next post i will be sharing details of basic equipments needed for crocheting.

Please write your feedback, questions, doubts in the comments. I will surely respond to you.