Crochet hooks come in many different sizes and are made from a variety of materials. In past times this included ivory and bone. Usually today you will use thicker hooks made of aluminum or plastic. Smaller steel hooks are used for more delicate lace work and for fillet crochet, otherwise known as the net stitch.
The hook size should always be suitable for the thread used. There is no point in using a large crochet hook or vice versa with a fine 4-ply yarn, or using a small steel hook for double knitting yarn. The general rule is to match the size of the thread to the hook, the smaller the hook, the finer the thread. We’ll then use the hook at the end of the crochet hook to create different crochet stitches.
Different crochet stitches are created by inserting the end of the hook into the work, then wrapping the yarn around the hook, and finally pulling the hook through the loop or loops on the crochet hook shaft in a precise series of motions.
There are many different ways to hold your crochet hook. Most people, myself included, hold the hook like holding a pencil, with their thumbs on the flat part of the hook shaft. Few people like my husband hold his hook like a knife.
Use the grip that feels most comfortable for you. There’s no right or wrong way to hold your crochet hook, but it should feel comfortable. Once you start crocheting, you’ll soon know which grip suits you best, and you’ll find it helps to experiment until you find one that works for you.
No matter what project you’re crocheting, the work will always start the same way, with a knot that slips onto your hook. To do this:
1. Loop the thread in a circle.
2. Thread the hook through the loop and catch the thread with your hook.
3. Pull the thread to make a slip knot.
4. Tighten the stitch on the hook.
The next step is to hold both your crochet and yarn. This gets easier over time and is once again a matter of practice and experimentation. Hold your crochet hook in the hand you would normally type in, as described above, and in your preferred style. Then, with the thumb and index fingers of your free hand, hold the thread just below the slip knot.
Try to hold the thread between your index and ring finger. Any grip you have on the thread will determine the tension of your stitches. Then, let the thread slide through your fingers as you work. Obviously, you’ll need to hold the thread while you do this. This will help you make fairly tight seams so you can keep your tension. This, as mentioned earlier, gets easier with practice.
Each pattern will begin with a series of chain stitches, often referred to as the abbreviation ch in crochet patterns. Each project pattern will require a different number of chain stitches, so you will need to look at your pattern to see how many are needed. When you first start crocheting, practice making just one long row of chain stitches.
To do this, be sure to hold the hook and thread as outlined above, then insert the hook into the space between your fingers and the thread. Then take the hook under the yarn and up the other side, this will catch the yarn on your hook – you will now have two loops on your hook. Then pull the hook through the previous loop on the hook while holding the yarn. Now you only have one loop on your hook. This created a chain stitch. Repeat this process over and over to crochet a series of chain stitches.
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