How Do You Hold YOUR Hook?

[Shanae]

I hold it like a handle and a friend of mine holds it like a pencil so we have a debate everytime we get together about who the weird one is!!

[Indigo Skye]

O.H., doesn't everybody????

[codymikki]

Underhand, like a pencil and I'm a lefty as well. Fascinates my co-hookers at the Sr. Center:think

[Cherokee2]

I hold it like a pencil. The book I used taught both methods, one was Continental method and the other English method...can't remember which is which! But I have tried the overhanded way and it is so clumsy for me. I can crochet pretty fast underhanded, though, depending on the yarn and the pattern.

My mother learned to crochet in her 60's, from my sister. Both held the hook overhanded, and both tried to teach me, also a friend from work tried, and long before that, my grandmother. But I was awkward and gave up. So I got the book and started practicing, once I got the hang of it underhanded, I learned pretty fast. Guess it's what works for each person. I'm surprised at the responses in this thread though, there are a lot more pencil-holders than I would have thought! I thought I was the odd one!

[caroline192]

I always crocheted holding the hook as a pencil. I have recently bought an ergonomic handle that the hooks screw into and am trying to find another way so my hands don't hurt so. Right now I am holding it like a knife.

[shuttlebuggy]

I learned by teaching myself from a "Learn to Crochet" book and that was how the diagram showed the hand position - overhand like a handle.

[lilmari]

lol i guess we are pretty much all "weirdo's" (im not calling names, i read weirdo somewhere in one of the other posts lol)

i hold my hooks overhand, balanced on the tips of my 3 smallest? fingers lol. the index finger i rest on top of the needle, and the thumb helps hold the work in place with the nail facing me.. i think that makes sense.

i was taught to crochet by my mom, who let me put my hands on top of hers as she crocheted. she did it underhand, the "right" way, and she would always tell me to hold the hook "correctly" (in spanish "agarralo bien!") but i never could.

so i always thought I was goofy for not being able to

[cheerios1004]

I do overhand and wrap all my fingers around it. I have found that this is very uncomfortable when do the afghan stitch. My whole hand hurts from it and I'm not sure how to prevent it..any ideas?

[Pebbles]

I don't really notice the way I hold my crochet hook. I supose I hold it like a pencil.I taught a group af ladies to crochet .I showed them the way I hold it,then I told them to try to hold it the same way or the way they felt comfortable.

[stitchylady]

What a great poll! I guess I'm not in the minority after all! When I was about 10 or 11 my Mom tried to teach me to crochet, but I just couldnt hold the hook like a pencil...and she insisted that was the "right" way to do it...so I gave up! At about 14, I bought a book, yarn and hook and taught myself using the overhand way that I just kind of figured out on my own (book only showed "correct" way!). I used to get teased by anyone else who crocheted and saw me holding my hook "incorrectly". Guess I get the last laugh...who knew I was doing it an accepted way all along!

Doreen

[jeannie1205]

LOL...I have tried overhanded and it's a lost case. I learned underhanded as a kid and guess that's what it will always be.

[Becky619]

I hold it overhand. But, my grandmother insisted that was wrong and tried to make me hold it like a pencil. I still hold it overhand LOL

[Priszm]

While crocheting last night, this thread popped into mind. I hold my hook overhand and didn't even know there were other ways to hold it. So I tried holding it underhand. I had no problems with the insert, I kept stumbling when pulling the YO through the loops on the hook. I think I'll stay with overhand.

[KarenW]

I hold mine overhand-glad to hear I'm not the only one! Everyone else I know around here holds theirs like a pencil.

[crys_c]

I've also tried the "pencil" hold but i can't keep my tension properly like that. I'm glad to know that there are others who also hold overhand...i always felt like i looked strange to other people.

 

I also can't hold my yarn with my left hand...i always have to throw with my right...makes me work a little slower but once again...i can't get the tension right the other way

[Sleepystitcher]

I hold mine overhand, but can't get it to work right with steel hooks and thread. I'd have to hold it pencil style for that, but I just can't get the hang of holding it pencil style, so I don't do thread. My mother was a "threadie" and always held hers pencil style. Maybe that's why she couldn't teach me to crochet. I ended up learning from a book, with a little help from my DMIL.

[branwyn]

i answered both. i normally hold it like a pencil, but if carpal tunnel starts to flare i go for the handle hold for a few days.

[Cliffnote]

I hold mine like a pencil also, I was taught that way also. I feel wierd if I hold it any other way.

 

Kim

[leftiescrochet2]

I hold mine overhand too. I just couldn't get the hang of doing it underhand.

WLM

[kdsmm]

I do overhanded. I have tried changing but can't get the tension right or else the hook keeps falling out of my grip.

[jenzire]

It depends on the hook I'm using really. I hold my regular hooks like a pencil and my double ended hooks like a handle. I also use overhanded when I use my lighted crochet hooks. I am a lefty but I learned to crochet right handed cause that's how my step-mom did it. I learned to tat right handed also cause I figured that since I was learning, might as well do it the right handed way cause it is way easier to find patterns for right handed people. I don't think there is a right way to hold the hook, though. If it feels good and what you are making looks even and consistent, why worry about how to hold your hook?? Worry about producing a beautiful handmade object that is made with love and take pride in the fact that you made it.

[AK1]

I hold overhand...hurts my wrists to hold like a pencil, though my Mom tried to get me to hold that way. Not to mention I fumble way too much holding it like a pencil!!

[trsbrooks]

Hi all,

This is very interesting. I was taught to hold the hook like a pencil and so I didn't even realize that you could hold it another way. I will try holding it like a handle and see how I do.

 

Does it make a difference in terms of speed? I find that I am a very slower crocheter. If a pattern says it takes about 8 hours to finish, it will take me closer to 20! Maybe it's because I'm holding my hook incorrectly?

 

Thanks for any advice you can give!

[Jaden]

I think there is no correct or incorrect way of holding the hook. Whatever works for you should be fine.

 

But most of the hooks are designed to hold them like a pencil, I think.

 

One example is my hook with led-lighted tip. If I'd hold it like a pencil I'd be fine. But since I hold it like a handle the little switch starts to annoy me after a while. If they had placed at the end of the grip instead of at the side it would not be a problem not matter how you hold your hook.

[kirarose3]

I was reading everyones answeres and was thinking i held my hook like a pencil. So that's how i marked the pole. Well while wating for the page to load so i could write this i picked up a hook. Guess what, i didn't even know how i held it.lol it turns out i don't hold it underhand as i thought i hold it overhand like a handel.lol i don't even know how i crochet.