Pencil or knife hold?

[FancyFingers]

I guess mine is knife hold? The mental image I get of that term is someone using their whole fist. I hold the hook between thumb and middle finger, and use my forefinger to push it down through the loops, with my pinky stuck out as a balance/stopper.

[crazyhooker]

I am closer to a knife hold. However, the nuns never succeeded with me, so the way I hold a pencil is a) wretched, and b) not that far from how I hold a hook.

 

My mom does the traditional pencil hold, but I just can't.

[funkyreporter]

Jimbo the hook whittler had a thread a while back asking for pictures of people's 'grip style' and I was determined to be a "toothbrush choker" whatever that is!

[Wendy79]

I think I must do a knife hold--it's definitely not the traditional pencil hold--like many of you, though, I'm not quite sure. But then, I hold a pencil "wrong", too, crazyhooker! (against my ring finger instead of my middle finger) I don't have a problem with it, and I have good handwriting... but I had a teacher in elementary school who used to come by and snatch the pencil out of my hand if I wasn't holding it the way she thought I should. Even at age 10 I couldn't see what difference it made, so I continued on in my stubborn way...

[Happy_Hooker]

knife mostly... Sometimes depending on the yarn/thread, pencil is easier, (but not preferred.)

[Julexia]

I hold my hook with more of a pencil hold -- but its a bit modified. I have tried with a knife hold but its like I'm trying to crochet with my left hand (I'm right-handed).

 

I just watched Aggie May's video and I hold my hook the same way she does.

[darski]

I learned with pencil but I have large hands and it just felt better to use the knife hold. Now I learned on (tiny) steel hooks and those hooks in a huge hand just didn't seem destined to continue.

 

My uncle always referred to my hold as being ham-handed but since I was getting the job done, I just went with it.

[remclave]

I learned the pencil method from "The Bantam Step-by-Step Book of Needle Craft" by Judy Brittain. I've had the book since 1979 when it first came out and it is still my bible for learning new stitches that I haven't learned yet... I hold it like a pencil and use my left hand pinkie wrap for controlling my tension.

[redbird51]

i use the knife hold. my grandmother taught me but she used the pencil hold way. i think that way looks "prettier" but i'm just not coordinated enough to do it. also, it hurts my wrist.

[mudpie]

Both. I am much more comfortable holding the hook like a pencil. But if it's anything larger than a "K", then I have to hold it like a knife.

[knit1crochet2]

I use the knife hold. I just taught a girl at work to crochet and showed her my way of holding the hook and the yarn, but she was all thumbs. I told her to go home and work it out until she was comfortable. Well, lo and behold, with no visual of any kind, she came back crocheting with the pencil hold. I didn't say a word. She has good speed and tension, so I left it alone!

[FancyFingers]

I think I must do a knife hold--it's definitely not the traditional pencil hold--like many of you, though, I'm not quite sure. But then, I hold a pencil "wrong", too, crazyhooker! (against my ring finger instead of my middle finger) I don't have a problem with it, and I have good handwriting... but I had a teacher in elementary school who used to come by and snatch the pencil out of my hand if I wasn't holding it the way she thought I should. Even at age 10 I couldn't see what difference it made, so I continued on in my stubborn way...

 

That's the way I hold my pencil, too - thought I was unique! Oh well. My handwriting is merely "acceptable" rather than pretty, but holding the pencil the "right" way makes it illegible. LOL I'm sure there were elementary teachers who weren't happy with my style, just none who made much of an impression on me.

[astridz55]

most definately, pencil hold. I just tried the knife hold and my arm is all over the place trying to do the stitches. But when I do the pencil hold my arm remains stilland my wrist doesn't move much either. Mostly just the fingers. I've been told that I am fast but I don't know too many others who I can watch crochet so I can't compare.

[missamorphosis]

I'm a knife-holder with my hook. I tried it like a pencil & it just felt way too awkward.