What size fabric?

[MrCat]

Hi folks,

 

Sorry if this is a bit of a daft question, but it can't be that daft as I haven't been able to find out yet

 

I just got my girlfriend a size U Tunisian crochet hook (tempted to get one myself now!) but I had to get her some wool to go with it and wow!!!... Talk about expensive!

 

I do have a lot of scrap material tho and it suddenly dawned on my search for non existent cheep wool of the tight size for such a hook that you can use fabric strips, woohoo what a revelation. This means I can also give her plenty of stuff to use with the hook

 

So, I'm wondering what kind of width strips of material I should cut, and whether I knot it together to make a big roll of material yarn do to speak, or whether it's better to just leave it as individual strips and there's a clever way to do it as you crochet?

 

Any advice would be great, thanks!

 

And if anyone knows the best place for cheap wool of that size in the uk? I just paid £60 for a 'small' roll of loopy mango. I'm new to all this and couldn't find the right super chunky size anywhere, or just wasn't sure what I was looking at possibly

[Granny Square]

I think you should find out from your friend what sort of project she wants to make; it's sort of like buying a paintbrush and paint without knowing if someone intends to paint the outside of a house or portraits on the head of a pin.

 

A U hook and fabric would be suitable for thick rugs, seat cushions, baskets, kitchen trivets (to put a hot pot on) and similar things that are thick and stiff.   Here is 1 article that describes fabric strips from .25 to 1 inch. (there is much more info to be googled)

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa092599.htm

You can also find tools to cut the fabric strips (an example US source and there may be less expensive ones out there)

https://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?code=411036&source=FABSEMG&gclid=CLn66OnE_cMCFeFj7AodpmIAHA

 

A U hook and multiple strands of 8 or 10 ply yarn would work for loose and loopy blankets.  In the US acrylic yarn tends to be the least expensive (I know you said wool, but I'm understanding you to mean yarn in general and not the fiber content).  Here is an example (I'm not sure if you need to sign in to see this, it's a yarn site so it's free to sign in)

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L0463.html?noImages=

 

Having said all that, the Tunisian hook will limit the patterns and projects that she will find (most will be in non-Tunisian stitches).  Tunisian hooks can be used for non-Tunisian stitches but it would be cumbersome to do so.

[magiccrochetfan]

Welcome to the ville!

 

Is this the yarn you got? http://loopymango.com/collections/big-loop-yarn/products/big-loop-yarn-merino-mini

That is really huge.

 

And this http://loopymango.com/collections/knitting-tools/products/giant-crochet-hook-size-u-25-mm-9-inch-long hook?

[Granny Square]

Holy cow that is expensive, "£60 for a 'small' roll " I just realized I did the math backwards, was thinking GBP 60=USD 39 which is high but not unheard of for a skein of upscale yarn, but that's really 93 USD .  Eek.

 

Hopefully UK villagers can chime in for more reasonably priced local yarn sources for bulky yarn.  All I can think of is Garnstudio (because they have lots of nice patterns) in Europe, here's their bulkiest yarn (even with VAT would be much less expensive, yarn price only= GBP 2.7 to 3.2 per 36M ball, it's wool)

http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/yarn.php?id=90

[magiccrochetfan]

Deramores http://www.deramores.com/super-chunky-knitting-yarn?limit=all&p=3

Is a UK based company (that ships worldwide). Depending on what she wants to make, some those super chunky might work.

[MrCat]

Hi folks,

 

Thanks for all the great info!
Yes magiccrochetfan, that's the wool/yarn I bought! And yes I probably will say wool when I mean yarn of any kind

This is the hook I ordered, it's not here yet. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PKJ5GD2/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1
I'm confused as I checked the picture again after I ordered it, the picture says size P but the product description says size U 25mm/32" which is what I wanted.

 

I ordered this up after my girlfriend saw a youtube vid of someone using one with the extra thick super chunky yarn and decided she wanted to do some of that. I never realised finding the yarn would be so much of a mission, or so expencive so I want to get some material together for her as it's free.

She's just getting into her crochet just now and knows a few tunisian stitches as well as some others I couldn't tell you just now, but she's just really experimenting and finding newe fun things to do with her new hobby so I thought this would be a cool thing to get.

I'll have a look at those links when I get back in from work. Thanks again for all the advice! And thanks Granny Square, that article on crocheting fabric is just what I was after! I was googling size of farbrin and size u hook and suchlike for ages and not coming up with anything useful...

 

So it would also work to just but super chunky yarn and use multiple strands at the same time to make one fat strand? I never thought of that, seems obvious now tho

[Granny Square]

Glad to help.  If you google 'crochet with fabric strips' you will find more info, including you tubes.

 

Re: hook sizes, I think different US brands stray a bit from each other, especially in the bigger diameters. 

 

I'm glad you got a cabled Tunisian hook; the alternative for Tunisian hooks are very long solid ones.  The cabled type would be easier to use for standard crochet as well.

[MrCat]

Thanks Granny! I have no idea what you mean about 'cabled' but I'll take your word that I got lucky...the do call me lucky Luke for the primary reason I tend to be lucky

[Granny Square]

Cable = it has a 32" tail hanging off the back end of the hook, with a wooden ball 'stopper'. 

 

The other sort of Tunisian hook looks more like a long conventional knitting needle.  It's a little harder on the wrists IMO.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kr%C3%BChlstein%C2%AE-bamboo-afghan-crochet-hooks/dp/B00H0GI12Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1425074143&sr=1-2&keywords=tunisian+crochet+hook

[MrCat]

Ha! That's exactly the set my girl just bought. She has writs trouble on one hand and was hoping the crocheting would help stretch and move it in a good way.

Oh I see the tail now, I didn't pick up on tha when I ordered it, I thought it was a big long 32" hook! Funnily she was talking about the tail bits earlier, I hope this thing arrives soon