Crochet Hook

Resources | Equipment | Essential Equipment

A crochet hook or crochet needle is the single most important tool you need to crochet. There are different types of crochet hooks, but all have the same parts, although they are made of different materials and their appearances are different.

Here you can find the different types of crochet hooks and when to use them; The anatomy of a crochet hook; Materials; and much more!

Anatomy of a Crochet Hook

A crochet needle consists of 7 parts that are distributed in head and body. Each part of a crochet hook performs a specific function.

Head

Point / Tip

It is the tip of the crochet hook that is used to insert the hook into previously made stitches. Points can range from very rounded to very sharp. If the tip of the hook is too blunt, it makes it hard to get into the stitches. If it is too pointy, it will tend to split the yarn when inserting the hook. The easiest hook to work with is one that is semi-blunt.

Lip

It is the actual hook of the crochet hook. Is always better a rounded lip because a pointy one tends to snag on the stitches.

Groove

It can be either straight or rounded. The rounded one holds the yarn better.

Throat

It does the actual hooking of the yarn and pulls it through a stitch. It must be large enough to grab the yarn but small enough to prevent the previous loop from sliding off.

Body

Working Area / Shaft

This part holds the loops that you are working with, and its diameter determines the size of the stitches. A hook with a large shaft makes easy create stitches that require many loops, like multiple stitches or cluster.

Thumb Rest / Grip

It is the part of the hook where you will rest your thumb while crocheting. It helps to keep the hook positioned in the right direction, letting easily rotate the hook with each stitch. Not all crochet hooks have a thumb rest.

Handle

It is used to balance and manoeuvre the crochet hook properly. The handle is the bit that will rest in your palm if you have a knife-grip, or against your index finger if you have a pencil-grip.

Crochet Hook Materials

In ancient times, crochet hooks were made of different materials such as porcupine feathers, celluloid, agate, bone and ivory.

Luckily, nowadays, we use other materials!

The choice of material depends on the diameter of the hook but, these limits are approximate.

The smaller hooks are invariably made of steel, but the others can be made of different materials.

Crochet hooks are currently produced in diameters ranging from 0.25 mm to 25 mm.

The most common materials according to their thickness are the following:

Crochet hooks under 2.0 mm are made of steel, for their strength.
Aluminium is the predominant material from 2.0 mm to 6.0 mm, for its lighter weight.
Beyond 6.0 mm, bamboo, wood, and plastic are the more common materials, for their even lighter weight.

Steel hooks are hard, strong and long-lasting, almost indestructible! That is why steel is used to make the smallest hooks, up to 0.25 mm.

Aluminium is the most common material. These crochet hooks have the advantage of being fast, they are slippery and pass through the yarn easily, making them a great choice for beginners. They come in bright colours, as well as in standard grey.

Plastic crochet hooks are economical, therefore easy to replace. They are lighter in weight than metal ones and have a bit of flexibility. They cause static and friction in contact with synthetic yarn. They come in opaque different colours.

Acrylic crochet hooks have the same characteristic as plastic hooks, but they stand out for their transparency, resistance to breakage and elasticity.

Wood crochet hooks are lighter in weight than metal ones. Wood is a natural, flexible and resistant material, and the most comfortable crochet hooks are made of wood. But they are expensive, and those that are not made of good quality wood can splinter and hook the yarn.

Bamboo crochet hooks are like wooden ones but less expensive. They are also robust, flexible and comfortable. Bamboo is an Eco-Friendly material since it is a renewable resource.