A Tool to Covet 4KCBWDAY6

A Tool To Covet
Write about your favourite knitting or crochet (or spinning, etc) tool. It can either be a tool directly involved in your craft (knitting needles or crochet hook) or something that makes your craft more pleasurable – be it a special lamp, or stitch markers. 

Is it an item that you would recommend to others, and if so for which applications/tasks do you think it is most suited.

A few years back, among some yarn-y things given to me by one of my mother's friends, I discovered a wooden crochet hook. I know now that it is likely a tunisian or afghan hook, but at the time, I simply used it as a regular hook. I made a baby blanket in a bulky yarn with that hook, and I was in love.

This hook was not marked with a size. It's probably a bit larger than what I would call "K". There is just something about the smoothness of the wood, and how it feels in my hand; not at all like the metal or plastic hooks I've used.

New hook next to old hook

At one of my craft shows last year, I discovered a vendor who carved wooden knitting needles. He also had a cup of crochet hooks, though they were not as finely crafted as his knitting needles (I'm operating under the idea that he found knitting needles easier to size, hence no sizes on his hooks). I bought another wooden hook from him, as it was smaller and better suited to my little hands.

Close-up of the new hook in action

I've really wanted a Harmony set of hooks, with the pretty wood, but have not found reason to purchase them at this time in my life. I would recommend wooden hooks to crocheters who are looking for a different feel in their hooks. They are lighter than metal hooks, and feel nicer than plastic hooks. If you plan on making your own, I would wait to use them until you've been crocheting for a while. The one I purchased needed a lot of help from me to acheive the smoothness I expected, and the hook caught on some of my fluffier yarns until I had taken a file to the rough spot.

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