Holding on the the Steel Hook...Harder than it looks

[Ryaira]

I was wondering something I've searched through quite a few of hte other pages in this forum, and well haven't seen a post for this problem yet.

 

Maybe it could be that I'm the first person in history to nitoriously drop her hook after a few stitches. I doubt that I am the only person who has ever dropped these tiny little hooks but again stranger things have happened I could be the only person.

 

Wondering if anyone had a few tips on how to keep a better grasp on the hook! I have no problem holding the thread, or anything like that and normal aluminum hooks are no issue I don't drop them by this 1.90 mm hook seems to be a problem for me.

 

My doily is coming out alright but it does look a little loose in places, again it's not finished and hasn't been starched so I will wait to see what the finished item looks like before I go froging it!

[Katchkan]

I have never had a problem with holding on to my steel hooks and they are the ones I use the most. I do not hold them tightly either. I use a knife grip not the pencil grip. That might make a difference. I just lightly balance them in my hand and move my hook with minimum motion.

As for loose stitches a lot of times it is caused by the thread sliding to far up the throat of the hook. Try and keep your stitches close to the head of the hook. That is what I do anyway.

Of course a lot of it is just practice. No one did perfect the first few times they used thread. But for me thread is my first love and always will be.

Look forward to seeing your doily when you get it done.

[Tampa Doll]

Something like this might help.

 

http://www.herrschners.com/products/sku-012900__id-3512.html

 

 

I hold my hooks like a pencil. I have even had the problem with the larger hooks.

 

They can be slippery, and the smaller needles can get lost in your hand. I have a friend who puts a pencil eraser in the middle of the hook to help with her grip. The eraser, that fits over the top of the pencil.

[Julie]

I have a cushion or polymer clay grip on all my steel hooks. It makes them easier for me to hold and ended a couple days worth of pain when I started working with thread almost instantly. Sometimes they can be hard to find in stores, and if you aren't wanting to order online for whatever reason you can make your own easily and cheaply with some Sculpey clay. You can read about doing that here and here.

[Scorpio59]

I use a cushion- works great!

[Ryaira]

Awesome thanks so much,

 

 

I think it's that it's just a different more tiny hook to hold onto, I only dropped it once in my sitting today and I'm round 11 out of 22 rounds so hopefully I'll have a handle on it soon.

 

Gonna try those ideas too.

 

Thanks for all your help.

[sunshine1977]

I have cushions on all my smaller hooks as well...Both steels and the smaller aluminum hooks...I am a pencil gripper, and I prefer using fatter pens and pencils when writing, so the cushions are great for me...If I try to crochet without them, my hand cramps up very quickly!

 

Laurie:hook

[donnalynn2]

Holding those lilttle steel hooks is a pain for me so I started making handles for them that are larger.

 

I take some Crayola Model Magic Clay and just wrap it around the hook, do a few stitches to get the clay molded to my grip and let sit for at least 24 hours. It's helped me tremendously.

 

The thing I like about Model Magic is that you can remove it if you wish and start over where as if you use Sculpey and bake it, you're kinda stuck...

[Wombat]

You can also wrap a band-aid (the fabric kind, rather than the plastic finish) around the hook. The gauze bit makes for a little extra padding.

 

And I why do they always put the hook size on the thumb side of the hook - I wonder as I look at what appears to be a permanent imprint on my thumb.

[donnalynn2]

You can also wrap a band-aid (the fabric kind, rather than the plastic finish) around the hook. The gauze bit makes for a little extra padding.

 

And I why do they always put the hook size on the thumb side of the hook - I wonder as I look at what appears to be a permanent imprint on my thumb.

 

Amen to that! My thumb is always bothering me feeling the imprint of the size!

[The Shrone]

I initially tried using one of those cushions but found it wouldn't come off the hook!

 

Then one day I found Clover Soft Touch steel hooks. They are worth every penny!

 

Yep, I'll keep repeating myself about them ! I think they are the best to work with for thread, especially when using the size 10 and 12.

 

~ Lori

[Ryaira]

Lori,

 

Thanks so much I've seen these hooks at the local Micheals store but they are all enclosed. So I stick with my Susan Bates cause I like the feel of the hooks.

 

But these steel hooks are very new, I've been doing better recently with them and I've been able to get a few bookmarks done...

 

You know it would be nice to find a store that you could actually test them out. Get a feel for them. It's good to hear a review from someone who has tried them. I think I'll go and splurge this weekend and give them a try.

[tweety256]

It was suggest on an other board to wrap you steel hook with a self sticking ace bandage. this way you can make it as fat or skinny as you need.

 

this is what I am taking about if you are not sure.

 

http://www.medicalmailorder.com/Self-AdhesiveBandages.html

[Ryaira]

Thank-you all for your help.

 

This thread crochet thing is definitly going to take some practice. But I'm working on a filet chart at the moment and so far it's looking okay not as tight as I've seen in posted photos. But it's at least looking like the chart so I'm doing something right. I'm not dropping the hook as much now as I've gone ahead and used some tips. Funds at the moment related to the ending of school and trying to line up a full time postion are preventing me from splurging so I've sorta combined an idea.

 

I've gone and found some surgical tape or bandage tape and I tried that at first but found it wasn't as soft and was rough so I unwrapped it and then took a cotton ball and pushed the hook through, and then wrapped the tape around it like the hockey players do and I've been doing really well with my padded hook.

 

Again thank-you all for the help I'm really starting to like thread crochet and I am looking forward to seeing this chart worked up in thread and placed on the coffee table under my candle display.

 

I'm going to be looking into sculpty, and the clover brand and a lot of the other options posted.