How Do You Hold YOUR Hook?

[Shellie_wnj]

I hold mine overhanded, I never even knew you could hold it any other way until I started watching "uncommon threads" and some of the women on there hold it so daintily :-)

[Shellie_wnj]

I do it manually.. Like, I take my left hand and I wind it over the hook..

 

So do I!!!

[tryptikangel]

Once upon a time I voted on here for overhand... but lately I've been changing the way I hold the hook to more pencil or some weird combination of the two. It depends on how my wrist is feeling since I've noticed some twinging pain periodically when working on different projects. My husband recently had surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome and all I could think when my wrist was acting up is "It's gonna suck if I can't use that hand/wrist to crochet!" so I've been experimenting with how I hold the hook and how tightly I hold onto the yarn and project. Seems to be helping thus far.

[Yarnluver]

Underhanded.

 

When I grew up not only everyone held the hook that way but I saw it in old movies, (we have to admit it looks sort of "dainty" and in the past women were taught to be very lady-like in every way), and when I learned from a book in the '70s that's how it was in the illustrations, also the way I learned to hold the yarn in my left hand, I rest it on the index finger, winded under the middle finger, over the ring finger and wrapped around the pinky for "tension control". I'm pretty sure overhanded was the alternate way adopted by people who couldn't hold the hook the "traditional" way and over time they taught others and it became more popular, especially with the video tutorials available in the internet, if you'll notice the majority of us "underhanders" are older than most overhanders. Also, people who learned how to knit first tend to hold their hook and yarn differently too.

 

I used to think underhanded was the "right" way but now that I'm used to seeing several different ways I say whatever works is right!

[FosterMom]

All this time I thought I was the freakie one holding my hook overhand! Most people I see hold it like a pencil including my nonna who taught me! I could never do it that way.

 

K

[BigPinkPolkaDot]

Always overhand. I tried holding hooks like a pencil, but that seems so unnatural for me. It also hurts my wrist. Overhand is more comfy for me.

[Mary Dale]

I started out 'overhand' and then someone told me my tension would be better if I did the 'underhand' like a pencil. So I changed.....

[therapsdia]

I hold mine underhand because it's less motions for my hand than the overhand which makes me feel like I'm doing a workout!

[crochet freak]

I was taught to hold my hook like a pencil but it was very awkward feeling for me and my stitches were WAY too tight. Holding it overhand feels much more natural and I'm able to keep my stitches more even.

[The Zany Bishojo Evalana]

I never really thought about it before, but I guess I hold it overhand.

[crochetlady75166]

I always held my hook like a handle and others thought it was weird. I'm able to create whatever I want, so I guess the way I hold it really doesn't matter. I tried to hold it the "right" way, but it felt too awkward and slowed me down. I got frustrated and started holding it in a way that was comfortable for me... that's all that matters anyway

[Yarn or Fabric]

I hold my hook like a shiv

The bottom of the hook is in the palm of my hand - I now only use Susan Bates bamboo handled hooks since they are easier on my palm.

I can not hold it like a pencil no matter how I try. I have also read that I hold my hook for speed - which I can guess is true at least for me.

 

I have tried to change to the pencil technique but it's like I might as well be spinning cotton candy. Just isn't going to happen no matter how much I try. I'm happy with the way I hold it so it's all good for me.

[krafty19]

I learned to hold it like a pencil, like my mom did. But someone showed me the overhanded method and I've been doing that ever since. I can crochet much faster doing it the overhanded way.

[Shlee]

I do over handed, I never understood holding it like a pencil because I hold my pencils differently than some people do.

[Leaflyn]

I crochet overhanded. It feels SO weird trying underhanded. lol

[muscidae]

I crochet underhanded, but I try to practice overhand because once you "get it", it's faster and less tiring for the hand. Or so I read...

[WendyUK]

I hold my hook underhand, I didn't realise that there was any other way of holding it

 

I don't hold my yarn properly either but I've tried the way it shows you to hold it in tutorials and it really doesn't feel comfortable and I get cramp in my hands almost straight away. Trust me to be awkward !

[jeannej]

I hold my hook overhand, like a handle. I recall, my dear late MIL, years ago, a life-time knitter but brand new to crocheting, laughing at how I managed my hook, despite my having, at that time, some 30 years of experience with it (the dear was 'underhanded' lol). I'd quietly sigh as she'd turn to me for instructional help while chuckling at my mode of operandi. lol Silly, I know, it's the finished product that matters anyhow, and, of course, that we enjoy doing what we do no matter how we do it.

 

So, count me, a right-hander, overhanded with my hook and rolling it through each stitch, too boot; with my yarn tensioned in my left hand, under folded pinky & ring finger, up and over my jutting index finger...

 

I recently caught a PBS episode of 'Knit and Crochet Today' and secretly envied how the crocheter's working hands were so relatively low-profile and much less action-packed...and then I chuckled at myself and started speedily hooking my way in a fluid flurry.

[miranda]

I had to look up this up on the internet because I wasn't sure how I held my hook! ANyway it turns out I hold it underhand like a pencil. My Mum taught me and that is the way she does it.

[curlysue]

Overhanded....I think the underhanded looks "pretty", but it is very awkward for me.

[DawnofMarch]

Like a scalpel... Because otherwise I would be irritating not only my wrist (wrist problems and constant movement combined equal pain) but my hand as well because for some reason the way I hold a pencil strains my hand.

[annmcc1976]

lol.. I had a brain fart n had to actualy grab my hook n start a few stiches to to fig how i hold it ****!!!

 

I hold it like a pencil I tryed to hold it other ways n just couldnt get the same tension or work as fast.:crocheting

[SusanMarie1956]

I do it both ways... depends on what techinique I'm using.

[annmcc1976]

lol i had a DUH moment..

 

I sat down to crochet.. and was working along.. working along.. I look at my hand and could slap myself in the head DOH! I do not hold my Hook like a pencil LOL THAT Is how i feel funny LOL i hold it like a handle!!! ****!

 

im like OMG Ann you Terd... You replyed with pencil.. and your holding it like a handle.. ****!!!!!

[Lynn]

I was taught the overhand method and could never hold my hook the underhanded way. My MIL used to crochet underhanded and it looked so awkward to me!