April 23, 2010, Newsletter Issue #92: Anatomy of the Hook

Tip of the Week

The crochet hook obviously is the single most important tool you are going to be using to crochet.  All crochet hooks are not created alike, so here are some basic features of a crochet hook that you need to know about in deciding the type of hook that you want to use.  There is no right or wrong type of crochet hook -- the choice of the type of crochet hook to use is very personal, so I would recommend experimenting with the different variations to decide which ones you like best.


A crochet hook has a head, a throat, a shaft, maybe a thumb rest, and a handle.  The head will be either round or flat (also called "in-line").  Some crocheters prefer the round head because it is a little pointier and makes entering stitches easier; some prefer the flat head because it can make catching and pulling through the yarn easier.  The throat of the hook starts from the indent of the head and tapers out to the round, uniform part of the shaft.  Whether round or flat head, it is the width of the shaft that determines the size number of the hook and thus the size of the stitches you make.  The shaft measures about an inch to an inch and a half in length from the head to the thumb rest, if there is one.  Many hooks have thumb rests or an indentation at this point in the hook to make the hook easier to hold and to keep the hook from shifting in your hand while you are crocheting.  The remaining part of the hook is called the handle, and a regular crochet hook is usually about six inches in length (as opposed to a Tunisian crochet hook, which is usually much longer) .

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