Guide to Sizes and Types of Crochet Hooks (2024)

Needlecrafts

Crochet

When you first begin to crochet, you might want to just start with a beginner set of basic crochet hooks. As you get more and more into the craft, you'll likely take an interest in exploring all of the different types of crochet hooks out there to find the ones that are really best for you. This guide explains the different crochet hooks including special crochet hooks such as Tunisian crochet hooks, ergonomic crochet hooks, light-up crochet hooks, and the Knook. Some of these crochet hooks will be for specific techniques in crochet while others can be used when working any regular crochet pattern. It's good to know what the options are as you broaden your experience in the craft.

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  Basic Crochet Hooks

  

  The average crochet hook will work for any beginner. You will find these sold as individuals and sets of different sizes at any major craft retailer, yarn store or online. There are just a few things that you should know about these crochet hooks:

  Size: Crochet hooks come in different sizes, which may be measured in letters, numbers or millimeters. For example, a general-sized crochet hook is an H-8 5 mm crochet hook. A basic crochet hook set might range from E - J.Size E would be smaller than H,size J would be larger. You typically match your crochet hook size to your yarn weight, which is often on the yarn label. A beginner will usually work with worsted weight yarn and a size G or H crochet hook.

  Material: A basic crochet hook may be made from one of several common materials. Aluminum, plastic, and bamboo are very common choices, with many people choosing aluminum crochet hooks for their first set. Fancier crochet hooks may be made of clay, glass, wood or other materials.

  Hook throat: A crochet hook has either a tapered orinline "throat", resulting in more or less flatness to the hook head. Neither one is better than the other but crocheters who find it hard to work with one may want to try the other. The most common brand of tapered crochet hooks is Boye; the most common inline crochet hooks are Susan Bates.

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  See Also

  A Guide to Crochet Hooks - K.A.M.E. Crochet

  Thread Crochet Hooks

  

  When crocheting with thread instead of yarn, the crochet hook is similar but it is much smaller than a yarn hook. Thread crochet hooks are also often made of steel so that they don't bend while you work, a problem that becomes less of an issue with larger hook sizes. If you are going to work with thread, it's important to learn about how thread weight is labeled as well as how thread crochet hooks are numbered (in mm).

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  Ergonomic Crochet Hooks

  

  Sometimes people find it uncomfortable to work with regular crochet hooks for a long period of time, especially if they have hand conditions such as carpal tunnel or arthritis. There are ergonomic crochet hookswith much larger handles shaped to create a grip that facilitates easier crafting.

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  Light-Up Crochet Hooks

  

  People who want to crochet at night without waking everyone up by turning on all of the lights in the house will be thrilled to know that there are light-up crochet hooks for sale. They light up right at the tip so that you can easily see where you are supposed to insert the hook to crochet. These are basically just like regular crochet hooks except for the light.

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  Tunisian Crochet Hooks

  

  Tunisian crochet is a niche of the craft that uses a different set of stitches from regular crochet. It also typically uses special crochet hooks. These hooks, called Tunisian crochet hooks or Afghan crochet hooks, are longer than regular crochet hooks. Tunisian crochet hooks may have a head on each end of the hook or they may have a cable connecting a one-headed hook to another one-headed hook.

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  Knook

  

  Tunisian crochet isn't the only variation on crochet that uses a different type of tool to get a knit-like fabric. Another similar technique is Knooking, which uses its own tool called The Knook. The Knook looks like a regular crochet hook except that a small hole has been drilled into one end, through which you thread a cord for holding your stitches.