Dee's Hooks & Stitches

Dee's Dowel-y Crochet Hook

2012-02-17T10:34:00.037-05:00

Crochet hook I made in Nancy Nehring's class @ 2006 CGOA ChainLink Conference.

Manufacturer: Me!
Type of Hook: wooden; made from a dowel; size "L"
Own/Covet: Own
On the Hook: nothing at the moment; use mainly for hand-crocheting chemo caps with bulkier yarns

What I love about the hook: I love the natural feel of wooden crochet hooks. There were CGOA conferences where Nancy Nehring taught the class on how to craft your own crochet hook, but they always quickly sold out - so imagine my delight when I got in her 2006 class!

For me, this class was more than about just crafting a crochet hook. It was more about self-discovery of what I like about the crochet hooks I use. What I discovered in that class is that I like my crochet hook heads to be tapered, with a nicely shaped bowl, and slightly tapered neck that gracefully connects to the body of the crochet hook. I also discovered Walnut Oil. Apparently, not only is it good for consumption, but it is also great for conditioning wooden crochet hooks!

If you are interested in learning how to create your own crochet hooks, I have created a page here containing several "how to" links. Crafting your own crochet hook is a journey well worth taking, even if you only go on the journey once, as I have thus far. :)

NeedleLite Crochet Hook

2012-02-10T10:48:00.075-05:00

Vashti Braha demonstrates her new light-up crochet hook at the
2006 CGOA ChainLink Conference.

Manufacturer: created by Mike, Roger and Bill of MrB Innovations / NeedleLite Crochet Hook
Type of Hook: plastic; lights up
Own/Covet: Own; size K
On the Hook: nothing at the moment

What I love about the hook: Look into the archives of many online crochet groups from 2005-2006 and you'll see a surge in interest in crochet hooks that light up. I don't remember posting anything on the topic, but I do recall being very interested.

At the 2006 CGOA ChainLink Conference, I was in a crochet class with classmate Vashti Braha, who, after our break, came nearly bouncing in with glee with a new crochet hook from the Vendors Market. (Yes, those are her happy hands pictured with her new NeedleLite crochet hook.) Oh! I recall instantly coveting her new crochet hook - I had to have one for myself! Unfortunately, the vendor who had them had sold out!

A few years later (in 2008 I think), while ~~browsing~~ trolling on eBay for crochet goodies, I found someone selling them. Now I proudly own one. What I like about the hook is that it is extremely bright ... great for when my eyes need a little burst of light when working with dark colored yarns. I like the long neck and body - and that it has no thumb rest. The button-cell battery is also easy to replace; and because it uses a button-cell, the hook is light in weight. What I don't like, and it's just a minor thing, is that the manufacturer did not put their name on the hook.

These light-up hooks are more expensive than the Clover line of light-up crochet hooks (to be discussed in a future blog post), but I think, based upon the amount of light it produces, it is worth the investment. That, and the fact they're MADE IN USA!

Susanne's Ebony Crochet Hook

2012-02-03T10:33:00.013-05:00

Manufacturer: Susanne's Häkelnadel aus Edelholz (translation: crochet needle precious wood)
Type of Hook: Ebony recycled from piano wood
Own/Covet: Own (several!)
On the Hook: nothing at the moment

What I love about the hook: A few years ago I purchased several of these crochet hooks from Webs yarn store, located in Northampton, MA. (I have of yet to see them offered in other US stores.) The hooks are created out of wood salvaged from a piano manufacturer in Germany -- I love this!

The hooks are light weight, and very smooth. I love that the hooks don't have a thumb rest making it a great tool for creating narrow strips of Tunisian, or really tall linked crochet stitches.

I was unsuccessful in locating information about the hook creator, so I am unsure if Susanne is the company's name/crochet hook line (such as with Susan Bates' crochet hooks), or if Susanne is an actual person. Regardless, the hooks feel nice, come from recycled material, have a nicely shaped head, and are reasonably priced. Recommended? Yep. :)

Titanium Crochet Hook

2012-01-27T09:50:00.015-05:00

Manufacturer: Molton Gold/London, England
Type of Hook: Titanium
Own/Covet: Own
On the Hook: nothing at the moment

What I love about the hook: This is one of my prized crochet hooks in my collection. Based upon the eBay listing (I had won back in 2003), the hook came from a jewelry store that was named "Molton Gold," which was located on South Molton Street in London, nearly 30 years ago. The eBay listing states it is in the original box; it came with no paperwork or tags from the store.

I have no idea who the actual hook maker was, but my understanding on how the rainbow colors were created comes from a 3-day-long crochet class I took around the same time I won the eBay auction: the hook was dipped in a chemical, then electricity was added. How long the hook sat in the electrified chemical determined the color the titanium took on; to see this process done in person is really cool. (Google/Bing Joan Dulla to see some really cool creations using this process.)

Other than the hook being from London, being made from titanium, and the array of rainbow colors, I also love the long body. I think it would be perfect for Tunisian crochet made with fine thread. The only thing preventing me from actually using the hook is the head; it's kinda funky with it's extremely pointed head and notched out throat.

I don't know if any others exist; I would love to know more about this hook, and if there are more out there in the world. :)

Glass "Hot Rod" Crochet Hook

2012-01-20T09:52:00.054-05:00

See more images of this hook while being made by visiting:
http://twitter.com/#!/KnitGlassGuy/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Fyfrog.com%2Foe50bqrj

Manufacturer: Chris of www.KnittingGlassGuy.com

Type of Hook: glass with dual inner twist colors of yellow & periwinkle, custom heart at the end; size H.
Own/Covet: Own
On the Hook: scarf for donation

What I love about the hook: Back in November 2011, I posted on Twitter that I wanted to treat myself to a new crochet hook. Within minutes Chris was recommended by Helen of Orlando, and we began tweeting about custom creating a glass hook for me.

I wanted a glass crochet hook with colors that "popped" so that when I crochet in public the hook will draw attention. Chris created two hooks and let me pick. When I asked if he could add a little heart at the end of the hook, he created that too. Chris said after he made the heart there was a little bit of glass left over, so he surprised me with a matching pendant!

When I first picked up my new glass crochet hook to begin my initial test drive, it did feel a little heavy, but I quickly became accustomed to the weight and my stitches were soon speeding off my new "hot rod" crochet hook flawlessly. For those concerned about the warmth of the hook, I found it warmed to my hand within moments, almost like crocheting with a wooden hook.

If you never tried a glass crochet hook, I do recommend it: Chris sells his for as little as $12 (plus S&H). His glass hooks, like the one I now enjoy, is more expensive, but well worth it. :)

Harry Potter's Magic Crochet Wand

2012-01-13T10:14:00.022-05:00

Manufacturer: Jimbo of Jimbo's Front Porch
Type of Hook: branch wood collected from somewhere on Jimbo's ranch.
Own/Covet: Covet. Hook is owned by my daughter, Mini~Dee
On the Hook: A Harry Potter scarf she is designing.

What I love about the hook: This was a special request I asked Jimbo for. My daughter, having read EVERY Harry Potter book -- several times -- and now collecting every DVD of the Harry Potter movie series, was missing something. This became clear when we were discussing if there are crochet hooks inspired by the books & movies we love. I had never heard of a "Harry Potter Magic Crochet Wand" before and thought it would make a great birthday gift for her.

Only she didn't get it for her birthday, which will have taken place by the time this entry posts. Jimbo was so quick in responding to my special request, that when it arrived in the mail, my husband & I both decided the hook was so awesome that we just HAD to give it to her early. This meant she got it for Christmas. (We also gave her yarn to crochet her own Harry Potter scarf; pictured above with her HP crochet hook.)

When I hold her Harry Potter hook in my hand, I find the natural crooking of the wood to be perfect for overhand holding. I love how the crook straightens towards the body and neck, leading to a nicely shaped head. I can see why she's been so spell-bound to crochet! Jimbo really did a great job on this "one of a kind" crochet hook! :)

Mini~Dee thinks the hook is pretty cool; she's been practicing her "flick & swish" technique with some beautiful stitches. The head & body of the hook is smooth, and the rustic wood end inspires the castings of many spells, such as, "Accio yarn!"

Guest Blogspot: Craft Designs for You

2012-01-06T09:59:00.013-05:00

Image used with permission.

-*-*- Guest Blogger: Sandie of www.crochetcabana.com -*-*-

Manufacturer: Craft Designs for You
Type of Hook: hard maple wood in size L
Own/Covet: Own
On the Hook: a scarf using Deborah Norville Serenity yarn. The color pictured is Stormy.

What I love about the hook:
I love the way the yarn just glides over the wood with hardly any effort. This particular hook is special to me because it was custom made to celebrate the 10th anniversary of my web site, Crochet Cabana in 2007. I have two with the same design - the L hook and a #4 steel hook. Cherie Leck and her husband Ken make the hooks themselves, carving the wood and painting the design. Cherie is a joy to work with.

The lighthouse and dolphins have always been incorporated in my logos on the web site. There is no real reason for this except that I enjoy and collect lighthouses and have a fascination with dolphins. The logos I have had at Crochet Cabana were all designed by my daughter.

You can see similar hooks at their web site.
http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/crochethook/samplecustomhooks.htm

I also own some of the custom made gemstone hooks on the same site. Beautiful hooks!
http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/crochethook/crochethooks.htm

Peacock Crochet Hooks

2011-12-30T11:10:00.016-05:00

Manufacturer: Tom & Linda of DyakCraft.com (formerly known as GraftonFibers)
Type of Hook: Handcrafted Bullion Crochet Hook, size H/5mm
Own/Covet: Own, purchased at a ChainLink Conference a number of years ago
On the Hook: Crazy Stitch (aka Diagonal Box Stitch) scarf, original design, donated locally in 2010

What I love about the hook: I usually display this hook at various crochet classes I teach as it beautifully demonstrates how the neck & body (shank) merge together to create a nice, long area for holding many yarn overs or many loops at one time without being stretched. (Not familiar with the anatomy of a crochet hook? Then check out this image offered by the Crochet Guild of America.) This is important for making stitches such as the bullion stitch, also known as the roll stitch, and the rice stitch. But this hook is also great for making thin strips of Tunisian crochet as well (think of creating Tunisian jewelry, or belts & straps) without having to use a very long hook -- or one that is cabled. Because this hook is so versatile for several crochet stitches & techniques, I think it is a *must have* for every crocheter's "tool box."

At the writing of this blog entry, Tom & Linda have halted the making of these crochet hooks while they work on bringing their Interchangeable Crochet Hooks to market.

Brainsbarn Apple Crochet Hook

2011-12-23T19:02:00.004-05:00

Manufacturer: Brian & Anne of Brainsbarn.com

Type of Hook: Applewood (from my backyard) with sterling silver spheres & accents, and my birthstone - Amethyst, complete with a captive ring. Size I
Own/Covet: Own (a birthday gift to myself; blogged about it here.)

What I love about this hook: This is my first crochet hook created out of applewood. The applewood is amazing -- it is so lightweight! Even with the beautiful beadwork & carvings, the hook is well balanced and is so comfortable in hand. I love using this hooks on long-term projects for that very reason! I love the applewood so much that, at the time of this blog post, I have a request in for another. The next time you're in your backyard, or at the park, and see a pretty branch laying on the ground, look for hook potential -- you never know! :)

Custom Graydog Crochet Hook

2011-12-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

Manufacturer: Jill & Bill Barnes of Graydog Woodenware
Type of Hook: special request by husband for our anniversary; it has our birthstones on it; size F
Own/Covet: Own (blogged about it here.)
On the Hook: A gift using the Crazy Stitch, also known as the box, block and diagonal stitch; a very addictive stitch.

What I like about this hook: Gradog was the first-ever hand-turned crochet hook I ever purchased which totally revolutionized the way I crochet today! (I'll feature the first-ever Graydog hook in a future post.) Because of this, I will admit I am biased towards them. That said, I loved how Bill & Jill worked as a team: He carved the hooks, she jeweled them. Their hooks got so popular they stopped taking custom orders, but somehow my husband was able to convince them to create this one for me. This particular hook has a graceful neck and body which allows me to make my taller stitches more uniform. The head is tapered like a Boye. I love how the jewels sparkle in the light; I often use this hook during public crochet demonstrations.

Graydog hooks were offered on eBay, often going for hundreds of dollars each, as people feverishly tried to outbid each other -- the Graydog hooks were highly prized! Unfortunately the Graydog hooks haven't been seen on eBay for a few years, and it seems their official ebay store has been recently closed. Their last sale, as of the writing of this blog post, on Etsy was in 2010. It is not known if they're still offering a hook, or two, for sale, but worth favoring -- just in case.

This hook has been featured in Piecework magazine, and in Crochet Traditions magazine.

Sonshapes & Wolfenwoods Crochet Hooks

2011-12-09T10:16:00.000-05:00

(blogged about these two crochet hooks here.)

Manufacturer: Joanne Sulllivan, owner of Sonshapes, Inc.
Type of Hook: Bahama Cherrywood Dymondwood crochet hook. It is adorned with a smooth Sterling Silver bead cap, Aurora Borealis Light Rose Swarovski Crystal, Silver-plated rondelle with aurora borealis Swarovski crystals and an antiqued Sterling Silver bead cap. Size "I".
Own/Covet: Covet; it is owned by my daughter.
On the Hook: Nothing at the moment.

What I love about the Sonshapes hook: Joanne offered her hooks both through her website, and through eBay. She also offered the service of having names and special messages engraved both on the hook and on an optional wooden box. This link is to her former website that includes a brief video of how her hooks and knitting needles were created: http://web.archive.org/web/20070311050838/http://www.sonshapes.com/thedesigner.aspx. Sonshapes went out of business in 2008.

Manufacturer: Max Wolfen & Babywolf of WolfenWoods
Type of Hook: baseball bat out of Hickory wood, and adorned with a ceramic baseball & glove at the top
Own/Covet: Covet; it is owned by my son.
On the Hook: Nothing at the moment.

What I love about the WolfenWoods hook: Like the Sonshapes crochet hook, the Wolfenwoods hook has the same tapered style shaped head, like those of the Boye mass-produced style heads. Although I've yet to use my son's hook, it has a nice balanced feel in the hand. Wolfenwoods still has a shop on Etsy, although the last sale made was in 2010; and still sells on eBay (last sale as of the writing of this blog post was August 2011). It might be worthwhile, if you're interested, to favor them in the event they start offering more crochet hooks.

Brainsbarn RAK Crochet Hook

2011-12-02T09:28:00.004-05:00

Manufacturer: Brian & Anne of www.Brainsbarn.com

Type of Hook: Indonesian Rosewood Crochet Hook, complete with a captive ring and a glass Pink Ribbon Bead with silver insert
Own/Covet: Own (RAK'd: blogged about it here.)
On the Hook: Nothing at the moment.

What I love about the hook: This hook was RAK'd (Random Act of Kindness) to me by Brian & Anne in recognition of all the charity projects I crochet, thus the hook has a pink ribbon on the bead between the two wooden sections. I use this beautiful hook exclusively for charity projects as I believe it is filled with "good vibrations & intentions." I love how the wooden hook warms to the touch and executes my stitches flawlessly.

Flameworked Glass Crochet Hook

2011-11-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

Manufacturer: Michael & Sheila Ernst of www.glasspens.com
Type of Hook: glass
Own/Covet: own
On the Hook: sweater, original design, "Arms in Strength" stitch (half-double post stitches)

What I love about the hook: It was a gift from John & Joy, former owners of the beloved yarn shop, "Knit Together" that was in Stamford, CT. It brings back many fond memories we had at the store.

Civil War Era Antique Bone Hook

2011-11-18T07:44:00.005-05:00

Manufacturer: Unknown; C1860 - 1880 (US Civil War Era)
Type of Hook: possible wedding gift; handcarved out of shinbone
Own/Covet: Own (blogged about it here.)
On the Hook: Nothing at the moment.

What I love about the hook: I love the potential history -- it is hand carved, stained with navy blue ink, and has jingly-rings at the end of the hook (a feat hard to do, as I understand it). Because the hook is so ornate, and carved out of cow shin bone, it is very possible it was either a wedding gift or a hook belonging to a wealthy crocheter. I received this hook as a gift from my brother-in-law, Fred, who obtained it at a flea market. This is not a mass-produced hook.

This hook has been featured in Piecework magazine, and in Crochet Traditions magazine.

DyakCraft Interchangeable Crochet Hooks

2011-11-11T19:52:00.001-05:00

Manufacturer: Tom & Linda of DyakCraft.com (formerly known as GraftonFibers)
Type of Hook: Interchangeable - prototype
Own/Covet: Own (blogged about it here)
On the Hook: Tunisian Scarf, original design

What I love about the hook: As it is a prototype, the hook length was made to fit my (small) hand. Hook & cable set are light and easy to use. Yarn glides beautifully over hook & cable.

As of this blog post, the Dyak Interchangeable crochet hooks set are not available for purchase - yet. Linda stated on Ravelry that it should be available "soon."

Reviving, now with a purpose!

2011-11-09T19:33:00.014-05:00

After letting this blog sit idle for several years I have finally decided to revive it to exclusively showcase the crochet hooks I have collected, as well as those hooks I covet. Going forward I will include with my photographs: the name of the person/company who created the crochet hook; if it is still being created/manufactured at the time of the blog post; a link if available; and note if it is one I own or one I covet. If there is a crochet project pictured with the hook, I'll try to provide information on that as well.

If you have a stunning photograph of a crochet hook you love and would love to have it included with the "parade of crochet hooks" I hope to amass here, please feel free to contact me.

Over on the side column I will feature links to those hook manufacturers I feature. If you know of a crochet hook I don't already have here, and should!, please recommend them! :)

Crochet Hooks

2005-09-12T20:41:00.000-04:00

Greetings & thank you for visiting.

As you can see, the blog is still under construction. I am in the process of adding links. Content will follow once the format has been settled upon.

Please come back & visit again.
Thank you.

2005-08-25T19:21:00.000-04:00

Until the blog is up and running, this is it for now! Be sure to return when posts about various brands/types of crochet hooks and stitches are discussed.