Crochet Beginnings: Crochet Hooks

Crochet Hooks Anatomy

While crochet hooks all come in different shapes, sizes, and materials, they all have one thing in common, a small hook at the top. 

The word “crochet” quite literally means “small hook”, and this small hook is what allows crocheters to loop through yarn & fiber to create works of art. 

All crochet hooks have a tip/point, hook, throat, shank, thumb or hand grip, and handle. 

Size of Crochet Hooks

As there are many sizes of yarns and fibers, there are crochet hooks to fit! We’ll just stick with the common sizes for now. 

There are 2 types of sizing, metric sizing and US sizing. Metric sizing is what you’d expect, it’s measured in millimeters, and the US uses letters and numbers to classify sizes. 

Probably the most common sizes to use are 4mm (G), 4.5 mm (7), 5mm (H), 5.5mm (I), and 6mm (J). 

Choosing the Best Hook for your Project

The hook you choose is totally dependent upon your project and the look you’re wanting. 

The best place to start when choosing a size is looking at the skein or ball of yarn you're using. Most materials have a suggested hook size on the packaging. 

If you’re looking for your project to have a tighter tension with less give or stretch, size down one or two hooks. 

If you’re looking for your project to have a looser feel, size up one or two hooks. 

Personal Preferences

From here on out, choosing a hook is completely personal preference. I have a few things I keep in mind when I choose the right hook for the project (these are my personal preferences, but they can help you think about choosing the right hook).

For a project that needs a tighter tension, I like using a metal hook with a hand grip on it. The metal hook takes on friction better than plastic hooks and the hand grip helps me with fatigue.

If I’m looking to do a project with a bit more of a loose feel or relaxed tension I use whatever hook “fits my vibe”. Meaning, whatever one I want to use at the moment. My hand won’t tire as much with a loose tension project, so I don’t really worry about hand grips vs. no hand grips, and due to the relaxed nature, I don’t need to think about the friction my hook will take on. 

Projects that have lots of half double crochet or double crochet stitches I need a needle with a longer shank or completely metal with no hand grip. I tend to move my hook quite a bit with these stitches, so using a metal hook with a small shank is harder on me and tends to disrupt my flow. 

If you liked this blog, check out the Crochet Beginnings: Crochet Hooks video on our Youtube Channel. 

Happy Crafting!