Crochet hook

The "hook"

A crochet hook is a type of needle with a hook at one end used to draw thread through knotted loops. Only one crochet hook is needed to make crochet stitches. The crochet hook's earliest use appears to have been in the late 1700s or early 1800s.

Typical materials for crochet hooks wood, plastic, casein, or aluminum. Historical examples also include bone, steel, porcupine quill, celluloid, agate, ivory, and fossilized mammoth ivory. They can have decorative handles. The handle may be shaped to fit the hand for easier use. Some hooks are made with wooden or plastic handles with the hook made of metal and inserted into the handle.

An alternative form is the Tunisian crochet hook, which is much longer than a regular crochet hook, in order to accommodate the multiple loops used in Tunisian crochet. A type of crochet needle with a hook at each end, known as a cro-hook, is used to make double-sided crochet pieces.

Differing size systems

Hooks come in various sizes (measured in millimetres or fractions of an inch), according to the thickness of the needle. There are several systems of letters and/or numbers that describe the sizing of crochet hooks. The size of the hook is usually matched with an appropriate ply or thickness of thread.

Although it is indicated above that there is a hook at one end (Double end crochet hooks) [1]have a hook at both ends and are use for a different type of crocheting.

Also available are ergonomically designed crochet hooks, which feature a larger, easier to hold handle. These type of hooks help to prevent hand cramping, which can be a crocheter's worst nightmare. [2]

External links

• About crochet hook parts
• Crochet hook sizing systems
• Using crochet hooks