Welcome fellow crochet enthusiasts! So last we talked about the many different kinds of yarn. This week we are getting into the tool of your craft, hooks!
The come in many different colors, styles, or even specialty ones. But how do you know which ones to get? Better yet, how do you know which one to use?
A crochet hook is like having the proper brush for an artist, it can either be your friend or your enemy. So let’s talk about hooks a little further. I would recommend getting a good set of crochet hooks. I know this sounds cheesy but a good set of hooks starts you out on the right foot. The kind I would recommend are the ones with the ergonomic handles because it will ease you into getting a feel for holding the hook and your hand will hurt a lot less. Then when you crochet more and more you will already have a good pair. You can get a set of these online or they have a very nice set at Walmart. If you don’t want to commit you can buy them separately also.
They also have your basic hooks, they are usually made out of aluminium. These ones are cheaper and the brand varies by where you get them. These ones are also very nice. You can get a nice and cheap set on Ebay. You can always make or buy the softer handle at a later time. These are also a good starter hooks.
Then you have the specialty hooks. Recently there has been greater emphasis on hooks that light up. These are pretty nice also because you can crochet even in a darker environment or can use them with dark yarn and be able to see the stitch better. These I wouldn’t really recommend for beginners though because they are made out of plastic and personally I have a fear of them breaking especially when still learning about tension. As you progress in the knowledge of crochet these might be a good option as well. They also have hooks that are made out of wood. Though I do not have experience with these particular hooks I know a lot of people really like these also.
So which size to use? The size greatly depends on the pattern you are using or the yarn. As mentioned in the previous post, most patterns will give you a recommended hook size. It is important to follow that size because otherwise it will mess up the pattern. When I was first starting out this was one of my major mistakes. I thought that I knew better than the pattern and created a mess. But what if they don’t list a hook size? Remember you can always look at the label for the yarn for guidance.
Depending on where you live they will label the hooks differently. In some places they prefer to use letters. For example US-J. Some places like to categorize with the metric system use such numbers such as 9 mm. Again, you need to look at the pattern and your area to be sure which kind to use.
So now that we know the basics of the yarn and hooks and you have them ready we can start to crochet. Next week we will get to start. Our first project that we are going to do is a washcloth. It is fast and easy project and will not be so overwhelming. Now you want to make sure that you get 100% cotton yarn. A good brand is Lily Sugar and Cream yarn. You can get a small skein for a good price in many colors. I can’t wait to start crocheting with you! I’ll talk to you soon!
Cats MeWOW Designs 