All About HOOKS - Part 2 - Sizing

All About Hooks - Part 2 - Sizing
©2006 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com

If you are making something like an afghan where it doesn't matter if your hook is a bit larger or smaller, a homemade hook would work just as well as an expensive store-bought one. The important thing is that it be comfortable for you to use and that you get an even tension when using it. If your "H" isn't the exact same size as a Boye or Bates "H" it's really not that critical. Even among manufacturers sizing varies slightly.

You will need to know which hooks you have and which hook you need for your current project. Here's an idea of which hook you might use for which yarn type according to the Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting (Yarn Weight System section) compiled by the Craft Yarn Council of America.

It's my opinion based on what I've seen on the yarn labels, plus my personal experiences that if you use a hook that is too large for the yarn you're using, you will have a very "holey" piece. If that is what you're going for, that's fine. If you use a hook that is too small for your yarn, you will have trouble keeping it on the hook. If you use a thinner yarn, but want to use a larger hook, try using two strands rather than one. I once worked a double strand of fingering yarn using I think it was an H hook. Those tiny hooks are hard on my fingers. I used a very soft yarn and it was a pleasure to work with. Came out nice and soft and thick.

The chart below may help you determine what that letter hook you're holding might be - sizes are approx. as they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from catalog to catalog, which is what I used for reference. Lengths vary depending on what type of hook you're buying. Brittany and many other wood hooks are longer than the aluminum Bates and Boye hooks etc etc. Since MoEZ are manufactured by the same company they are standard lengths.

Note: I have only seen the T through W on Ebay at AJ's One Of A Kind Custom Creations. His stock changes as these are handmade so inquire if this is what you are looking for. Turn of the Century also has some larger hooks and MoEZ (see below) are large though they don't use the letters to assign them. Of course I am sure there are other dealers I haven't found yet.

The MOEZ hooks are larger hooks. www.moezunlimited.com/ Here are the sizes for those:

MOEZ also has afghan hooks and cro-hooks.

For hook classifications (a sort of history of hooks), visit Crochet Guild of America: http://www.crochet.com/hook/hooktype.html

Hooks page 1  |  Hooks page 2  |  Hook Sizes  |  Hooks Page 3

All About Storage - Organizing

02/14/08
 

The buttons above were my first at the Cabana. I keep them for sentimental reasons. :-)

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