In DIRE need for suggestions for the (TA DA) WORLD'S LARGEST CROCHET HOOK

[jimbo]

International Crochet Day is fast approaching (Sept. 12) and the date co-incides with the big Crochet Event in Portland Oregon which I'm hoping to attend. So.... What better time to unveil the.... WORLD'S LARGEST CROCHET HOOK OOK OOK (that's an echo for effect).

 

Before going nuts trying to make the MONSTER of MONSTER HOOKS...

 

1. I need to have an idea how big a hook can be and still be handled by one or two persons, not by crains or heavy equipment. Any suggestions??

My thoughts right now is to make a hook that is maybe 6 inches in diameter and about 5 feet long. Would that do it?

 

2. I need to know if the world's fattest YARN is out there somewhere or if there is anyone who can make some up? Maybe the yarn will dictate the size of the hook? Maybe the hook AND yarn will make it into the record books! eh?

 

3. I'll need someone to actually use the hook. Hopefully it would be at the Portland event. Hopefully also, it would be unveiled and used on International Crochet Day... to help promote crochet and bring peace and happiness all over the world. (hay why not shoot high?)

 

4. What could be made with a gargantuan hook.

 

I know we've toyed with this idea before, but maybe its time to actually DO something?

 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

Jimbo

[Gran]

That would definitely be a world's record. Can't imagine a single strand of fiber would work. Would need to be multi-strand.

 

You will need folks with great dexterity and agility.

 

Am looking forward to the photos!

[jimbo]

Thanks Gran! I'm thinking of maybe putting handles on it, but you're right... it'll take some muscle.

Can multi strands be made into a single strand?

[Gran]

They sure can. They question is how to get them twisted smoothly at that size. Might want to use soft rope.

[Nila]

Sure why not? My first thought would be monk's cord. You could do it with several really long strands of thick yarn. Rope would also work if you were going for something already made.

 

As for what to make, how about scarf or an afgan? Or maybe the world's largest stuffed animal...lol

[jimbo]

Great ideas! Now i'm wondering which should come first, the hook or the yarn. I'd really like to use yarn but rope's always an altrernative. I like that Monk's cord idea. Looks like that could be made pretty thick.

 

How about a stocking cap for Paul Bunyan?

[Cherri]

Jimbo, did you see where some people used a boat hook to crochet a flower? Here are a couple of links.

http://www.cornishorganicwool.co.uk/index.php?m_id=6&n=3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2006/10/16/knitting_feature.shtml

 

They didn't say the size of the boat hooks but I searched a little and it seems that some of them are up to 8.5' long. (I know nothing about boats except what I learn from the Deadliest Catch )They aren't very big around though, and they taper toward the point. Just FYI. I'll keep looking.

[jimbo]

yeah... i saw a video clip once of a lady in Germany, i think, who was doing tunisian crochet on a hook that must have been 8 or 10 feet long, but she wasn't holding the hook and it was far less than 6 inches in diameter. Also saw some backhoe mounted knitting needles knitting a flag, but again those were knitting needles and were machine operated.

Didn't see the boat hook thing though.

Thanks for the links Cherri!

[beth eathorne]

ok first someone needs to see if there is a record for the biggest hook.. my suggestion is to the Guiness Book of World Records and see....if not email them and see what they can find...and then go from there with the size of your hook. you might also want to make some kind of arrangments with them to officiate so you can get your hook in the record book.

[Ellie 13]

Some soft clothes line type rope might be good for the "yarn". Home Depot type places should sell it by the yard. Definitely check with Guiness Book of World Records for your hook size. Good luck.

Ellie 13

[frogrockr]

The question also has to be asked is the "biggest" referring to the length of the hook overall or the diameter?

 

For a single person a 8" diameter 6 foot long pole (for horsy people, like a show jump rail) with a head burred into the end could work....

[Elle]

The largest cotton rope I have ever seen was two inches in diameter and very soft. I would think that would work well for "yarn". The only thing is it might get expensive to have any amount of this "yarn", but it sounds like that's what you'd need for a hook that's six inches in diameter! Maybe do a Google search for nautical ropes and see if anything crops up.

[texasredhead]

How about cotton cording? At JoAnn's we sell it in the home dec department. It is used as the base to cover with fabric for cording on couches and pillows etc. It is soft and plyable and comes in many widths. it is on spools and you buy it by the yard. You should check on that.

[RoseRed]

You could always ask the UN Navy where they get their HUGE rope that ties the ships to shore and create a hook to crochet that!!! That's the largest fiber strand that I've ever seen.

[jimbo]

All good ideas guys! Maven over in Ravelry suggested strips of cloth from used clothing might be made up into a "yarn" (i think she said it's called "plarn" or something like that). That's a good idea too.

And now i'm wondering if a yarn company might step up if there was enough publicity. Anyone have contact with yarn suppliers?

The rope ideas are all good and would work well if we can't find a monster yarn source.

And then i wondered if a series of crocheted chains could be braided to make a good sized yarn. Twould take lots and lots of yarn though.

Next time i got to the crick, i'll scout out some likely trees (dead of course) that want to become famous.

 

Thanks for all the input guys!

 

Who's coming to Portland, bytheway??

[mamarose22]

You could use several strands of macrame cord. Also you could try mop top yarn. I would imagine that you would also need several strands of that as well. I have a spool of cotton mop type yarn that I picked up at a garage sale and at some point I think I might crochet a string bag using a Q hook.

Plastic strips are called plarn, referring to plastic yarn. You could go to thrift shops, garage sales, and pick up tons of old sheets etc to cut into very, very wide strips to crochet with.