I love to crochet and thoroughly enjoy all the fun and interesting projects that evolve from that ever amazing hook.  Getting a grip on your hook is totally a personal preference but if you are new to crochet or wanting to teach someone this art, then I hope this information will help you. There are mainly 2 styles of gripping your hook – the pencil hold and the knife hold. I’m a left-handed person for everything but crochet.  Being the only leftie in my family was a true stump factor so if I was going to learn how to do this craft, I had to learn right-handed.  What I have discovered over the years, is that I can keep a good tension on my yarn as I control that with my left hand where my right hand is really only doing one movement going through my loops. Anyways, how I hold my hook is with the knife style.  I place my thumb on the flat section or thumb rest, my index finger rests on the shaft helping to hold my loop in place, my middle finger sits gently on the back of the hook along the thumb rest and my ring finger and pinkie slightly wrap around the hook and hold it in place against the palm of my hand (this helps to keep the hook from rotating in my hand). My left-hand thread tension is this:  wrap the yarn under my pinkie finger, over my ring finger, under Mr. Tall Man (the middle finger) and over my index finger.  I hold my work with my left hand using my middle finger and thumb and extend my index finger away from my hook to keep it slightly taut as I use that yarn to make my crochet stitches. I do not vary from this setup whether I am using a steel hook with thread or a super bulky yarn with a Q hook. Also, I have found the Susan Bates hooks to be my personal favorites. I like to work with the in-line style hook versus the tapered hook that you find on a Boye design.  I have just been introduced to the Clover Soft grip style hooks and I think I’m going to like them a lot too especially when working with thread designs for doilies, etc.  Experiment and find the type of hook that works the best for you and feels the most comfortable in your hand.  There are tons of choices available. If you are new to the crocheting bug or teaching someone, maybe begin with a larger hook like a size J or size K.  The fatter hook might help you not to grip too hard and make your stitches too tight. I still have my very first crochet hook which I believe is a Susan Bates, just is marked as a size 6 or size G.  With some research, I actually believe it is a 4.25 mm as I have the latest size G6/4.00 mm and the size 7/4.50 mm and the shaft is really in between these two hook sizes.  It is always my “go to” hook for most of my projects!! So “get a grip” and pick up a crochet hook and make that wonderful cozy scarf or baby blanket for yourself or as a gift for that special someone.

HAPPY CREATING!!

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