If you are wanting to learn how to crochet, you’ve come to the right place! With this new series I hope to give you all of the information that you need to get started on your crochet journey–from what hook to look for, all the way to advance stitch techniques, we’ve got you covered. Today we’ll be discussing the parts of a crochet hook.
Choosing a crochet hook is often a matter of personal preference. While you are learning how to crochet, it’s important to try out different hooks to determine which you are most comfortable holding. I always say that since your crochet hook is the tool you’ll spend a lot of time with, it’s important to purchase the kind that is right for you, especially if you are planning on using it for many, many years like most of us do.
For this series, I wanted to start out by giving you a bit of information about the parts of a crochet hook. These will be key items to look for during your crochet hook purchase.
Parts of a Crochet Hook
Head
The head of your crochet hook is the part used to push into the existing stitches so that you can retrieve the yarn and pull it through. Crochet hooks can have pointed heads, or rounded heads. The choice between them is simply a personal preference. If you’re crocheting a project with close, tight stitches, you might prefer a pointed head so the stitches are easier to enter. My suggestion would be to try one of each and decide which is easier to work with.
Throat
The throat of the crochet hook is the part located from the head to the shaft. This is where the yarn is caught when you pull it through the hook. When I first started crocheting, I didn’t pay much attention to this area, however in recent years, I’ve noticed a definite difference between the inline versus the tapered features of hooks. Inline references when the head is inline with the throat of the hook. It has a flatter appearance to it and appears to have a deeper area in which to catch the yarn.
A tapered hook has the appearance of tapering off with a less flat rise in the hook to the shaft. The tapered hook to me doesn’t catch the yarn quite as tight, however I find that I prefer it to inline due to the tension I’m able to get with it.
Shaft
The shaft of the crochet hook is where the yarn is held for stitching. You’ll notice that the shaft of the hook is often the part that grows in length the most as the size of the hook increases. This part of the hook is also often referred to as the shank. The length of the shaft is what drives the hook size diameter. If your hook is an I-9/5.5mm that means that the shaft is 5.5mm. This drives the size of your stitch and is something that you’ll want to pay attention to when you learn how to read crochet patterns.
Grip
The grip of the crochet hook is a spot for your thumb to rest. The grip will often also include important information about your crochet hook such as the size and diameter of your hook. Some hooks may have a special grip for comfort depending on the crochet hook material, but many aluminum hooks also have a standard aluminum grip.
Handle
The handle of the crochet hook is where the remaining fingers on your hand rest comfortably. The handle of a standard aluminum crochet hook is also aluminum, however you can also purchase hooks with ergonomic handles that are supposed to be easier on your wrists.
I notice when I work a lot with my hook, the very end of the hook begins to rub against the inside of my palm. For comfort, you can find crochet hooks, or even special accessories to put over them, to help out with this.
Note: Crochet hooks have the same anatomy whether you are using them left-handed, or right-handed.
In the comments below, please let me know if you have any questions, or if you may have something additional to share about the parts of a crochet hook that I could share with readers. Read more about where to buy crochet hooks!
As always, happy hooking!
