Fun question

[Courtney0508]

This question popped into my head this morning. I thought it would be fun to ask the community:

If you could only use one size hook for the rest of your life, what size would you choose?

I think I would have to say H.

[Lacycrochet]

1.75 mm steel hook for me.

[NCcountrygal]

An H or US 7.  1.5 for thread. I’d need a minimum of 2.  BWG

 

PS.  After some more thought I'd need an E hook, too.  

Edited August 25, 2023 by NCcountrygal
add info

[Granny Square]

Probably a US "I" size for US medium (#4) yarn; it is the size of the first hook I bought (I still have it although I don't use that one any more). I later got a Hero brand aluminum set which I still use.  I also prefer the same measurement size for knitting needles (#8 US) for that weight of yarn.

For Doilies with #10 thread, a US 7 hook, for sort of the same reason.  I ended up with a couple of stray steel hooks from a my grandmother, one was the #7 so it's nice to remember her that way.

[Courtney0508]

1 hour ago, NCcountrygal said:

An H or US 7.  1.5 for thread. I’d need a minimum of 2.  BWG

 

PS.  After some more thought I'd need an E hook, too.  

😂

[greyhoundgrandma]

I agree with the I hook for #4 worsted weight. I've never understood why #4 skeins suggest an H instead of an I. Maybe it's just my tension. I use some DK or sport yarn but #4 is my go to.

[TATS]

A 1.25mm for fine threads 🙂

[ReniC]

I'd never get by with only one hook. My faves are: #4 weight is a I/9. For thread a size 9 steel hook. For cotton thread like Peaches & Cream an H/8 hook. See what I mean?

[LegalWoman17]

A size "I" for me. 

 

[LittleBearsPorch]

That's a good question! I would like to say I could pick one, but due to my very specific tension preferences I have to change sometimes. Maybe when I'm more experienced I can pick one and make it work more universally 🤣 Still have a lot to work on with my hand control.

[Tampa Doll]

I would say the G or 7 4.50mm for yarn and the 7 for thread.  Going much higher than that I feel like I am crocheting with a tree trunk.

[Horsy]

On 8/25/2023 at 1:20 PM, Granny Square said:

Probably a US "I" size for US medium (#4) yarn; it is the size of the first hook I bought (I still have it although I don't use that one any more). I later got a Hero brand aluminum set which I still use.  I also prefer the same measurement size for knitting needles (#8 US) for that weight of yarn.

For Doilies with #10 thread, a US 7 hook, for sort of the same reason.  I ended up with a couple of stray steel hooks from a my grandmother, one was the #7 so it's nice to remember her that way.

So you still got yourself some old Heros!  If you want to get rich quick, head on to ebay and see what the going price for these beauties is.  

Just by way of discussion, do you use them plain, or do you do something to thicken the shaft, ie, place some sort of grip onto it?

 

[Lacycrochet]

18 minutes ago, Horsy said:

So you still got yourself some old Heros!  If you want to get rich quick, head on to ebay and see what the going price for these beauties is.  

Just by way of discussion, do you use them plain, or do you do something to thicken the shaft, ie, place some sort of grip onto it?

 

Mine are all clover ergonomic.  These old arthritic hands need all the help they can get.

[Granny Square]

Ain't giving up my Heros!  I use them plain  

Edited to add, Lacycrochet posted a tiny bit before I did - I bought 1 clover hook to try once, it had the tapered hook style I prefer but the handle didn't work with my pencil grip.  I think most ergonomic hooks are for overhand grip folks.

Also, looking at my hooks just now, I probably would put a grip thingy on a hook smaller than, say, US F size; I just don't use tiny yarn that often (just tiny thread).

Edited August 29, 2023 by Granny Square

[Lacycrochet]

12 minutes ago, Granny Square said:

Ain't giving up my Heros!  I use them plain  

Edited to add, Lacycrochet posted a tiny bit before I did - I bought 1 clover hook to try once, it had the tapered hook style I prefer but the handle didn't work with my pencil grip.  I think most ergonomic hooks are for overhand grip folks.

Also, looking at my hooks just now, I probably would put a grip thingy on a hook smaller than, say, US F size; I just don't use tiny yarn that often (just tiny thread).

I think you are right, I hold my hook like a knife.  Holding an ergo hook like a pencil would feel odd.

[Horsy]

1 hour ago, Lacycrochet said:

Mine are all clover ergonomic.  These old arthritic hands need all the help they can get.

By "clover ergonomic", do you mean the Soft Touch (totally flat handle) or do you mean the Clover Amour, with the thick handle?  Oh wait - I see that you do the knife grip so that would mean you are using the Soft Touch. 

I foolishly bought a Clover Soft Touch even though it is grossly unsuitable for my pencil hold.  But the shaft is so smooth, so perfect, that I fashioned a cylindrical clay handle (crude, but it works fine) for it so as not to throw a good object away.  (I'd give it away is what I mean.)  

Believe it or not, some pencil holders actually prefer a skinny metal shaft to hang onto, no added grip or rounded handle.  What the hey -   I don't know how they can stand it. 

 

 

[Granny Square]

Eh, a skinny metal shaft was what I 'grew up on', even with the doily hooks.  I forgot to mention earlier that I now have put actual 'pencil grip' thingies on the THREAD-size hooks I use the most, and also have an interchangeable Boye thread hook size set my hands are a bit creakier than they used to be (the thread size tips go on a G  size handle, to which I haven't add a grip - so far).

Edited August 29, 2023 by Granny Square

[Lacycrochet]

28 minutes ago, Horsy said:

By "clover ergonomic", do you mean the Soft Touch (totally flat handle) or do you mean the Clover Amour, with the thick handle?  Oh wait - I see that you do the knife grip so that would mean you are using the Soft Touch. 

I foolishly bought a Clover Soft Touch even though it is grossly unsuitable for my pencil hold.  But the shaft is so smooth, so perfect, that I fashioned a cylindrical clay handle (crude, but it works fine) for it so as not to throw a good object away.  (I'd give it away is what I mean.)  

Believe it or not, some pencil holders actually prefer a skinny metal shaft to hang onto, no added grip or rounded handle.  What the hey -   I don't know how they can stand it. 

 

 

I learnt to crochet back in the day on those skinny steele hooks.  I couldn't use them now though.  My thread hooks are Clover Armour 3675 ergo flat handle rubber easy grip.  I do have clover armour thicker handles for my yarn. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Lacycrochet

[Horsy]

33 minutes ago, Granny Square said:

Eh, a skinny metal shaft was what I 'grew up on', even with the doily hooks.  I forgot to mention earlier that I now have put actual 'pencil grip' thingies on the THREAD-size hooks I use the most, and also have an interchangeable Boye thread hook size set my hands are a bit creakier than they used to be (the thread size tips go on a G  size handle, to which I haven't add a grip - so far).

Lacy Crochet:   I learnt to crochet back in the day on those skinny steele hooks. 

 

Ha ha.  I learned as a teenager on a teeny tiny steel doily hook, too.  What was my teacher thinking!!!  What a hot mess that attempted doily was!

You say you put pencil grip things on the thread size hooks, makes sense - yet I have seen people (old women) crocheting a mile a minute with those tiny steel hooks (making bedspreads, doilies, tablecloths, etc.) with nothing on the shaft to increase its size.  SMH...

I have some ancient steel Boye and Millward hooks.  Sizes 4, 11, 12 and who knows what else...what does your steel collection consist of? 

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Horsy

[Granny Square]

My steel hook collection (hooks that aren't part of the newer interchangeable set) are all Boye, except 1 Hero (that wasn't part of my Hero aluminum hook set); besides a couple from my grandmother that are possibly 100-ish years old or more (she'd be 130 something herself), others were either unwanted items given to me (here, I found this in a drawer), plus a few I bought way back in the last century at a 'dime store'.  

[Tampa Doll]

I use the clover armour hooks for B to what ever.  I need that soft and full handle to use with my hands and they work good with the pencil grip I use.  

Most of the ergonomic hooks do not work with the pencil grip, to big or fat.

[Bailey4]

On 8/29/2023 at 2:53 PM, Granny Square said:

Eh, a skinny metal shaft was what I 'grew up on', even with the doily hooks.  I forgot to mention earlier that I now have put actual 'pencil grip' thingies on the THREAD-size hooks I use the most, and also have an interchangeable Boye thread hook size set my hands are a bit creakier than they used to be (the thread size tips go on a G  size handle, to which I haven't add a grip - so far).

As a knife holder the Bates Bamboo where my first thread hooks I could actually hold because the ends of the the metal thread hooks would end up stuck in my hands and they hurt.  Why they weren't smoother I'll never understand unless they weren't ever thought to be used by a knife holder.  I use the Tulip Etimo thread hooks now as my Bamboo hooks went missing at some point when we had some painting done and I had to box everything up and I couldn't replace them.  Oddly while I love the Etimo thread hooks can't use the yarn hooks at all.  I find the yarn slips too easily.

I do too many different kinds of projects to pick just one.  Even within projects I constantly take notes because my tension changes and what one year maybe hook A turns out to need hook B the next year.

[ambiekraftsreads]

Mine would have to be an H or I.