Susan Bates Crochet Hook Cushion Grips 3.75"-2/Pkg

Product Information

I’ll admit it – I’m a bonafide crochet hook addict. I’m constantly on the search for the best ergonomic crochet hooks which means I buy A LOT of hooks. At last count I had about seven 4mm hooks alone. Seems like overkill right? If I see a hook I’ve never tried before, I buy it immediately – it’s my achilles heel. I think I’m one of the only yarn crafters who buys more hooks than yarn! I’ve had a few people asking what my go to hooks are and the truth is, I use so many different styles of hooks I can’t even count, but I do have a few favourites. A] The hook: The design feature that gives this utensil its name and allows you to hook those pretty stitches. I bought this from a knitting store that carries only Addi hooks so I was kind of forced into buying it but I quite like it. It’s a 2mm so I use it for amigurumi and it’s a top notch little hook. I prefer these to the Addi Swing so if you’re going to budget for an Addi hook, try this one first, especially if you’re a pencil grip crocheter. I can’t quite imagine how a pencil grip crocheter would hold and Addi Swing. If anyone can point me to a video of it being done, I’d love to see it! They’re better for wrist pain as the inline hooks require more movement to get yarn loops on and off them. The taper in tapered hooks means slightly less yarn wrangling because it’s meeting you half way.

The most common inline hooks are Susan Bates hooks. This type of hook gets its name from the fact that the hook is “in line” with the shaft. The throat has more of a flat shape and the hook is deeper and more pointed. The advantages of inline hooks are that they can create more uniform stitches and that they can help make stitches more even. They can also get into tighter stitches more easily because the head of these hooks tend to be slightly pointed. The disadvantage of an inline hook is that the hook itself can be so deep that it is difficult to pull the yarn through. There are many different crochet hooks designed with specific yarns and uses in mind, but for the most part, you'll hold them all in one of two ways: like you're holding a knife or like you're holding a pencil. This small section is on some considerations for crocheting comfortably and some simple safeguards for preventing wrist pain. I also briefly talked about some common conditions in the wrist but remember to go see your doctor to find out what your diagnosis is if you have any worsening wrist discomfort. What is the best posture for crocheting?But upon closer inspection, you see that most crochet hooks boast five distinct design features, each of which has a different function and all of which are necessary to crochet effectively. Let start off with the best general posture for crocheting, which is to maintain the most neutral position you have at rest when you are sitting down. That would meansitting down on your sofa or chair, with your feet on the ground, arms and elbows by the side, with isolated wrist movements.

I’m a knife grip crocheter and found it fine to use the Addi Swing but I’m pretty sure a pen grip crocheter would struggle – they look to me like they’re designed for knife grippers.You might want to do something called a gauge. A gauge is a way to measure the space between each of your stitches, vertically between rows and horizontally between stitches. With all the considerations I mentioned above, you must be thinking why is it important to hold the yarn and hook correctly. Simply speaking, with even (and arguably correct) tension throughout your crocheting process, you can reduce pain and also get the final project size, appearance and quality that you want. How do I stop my wrist from hurting when I crochet? They look like toothbrushes to me. I know I’m fussy but I look at crochet hooks for about 8 hours a day and I like them to look nice. I don’t think these are the worst looking ergonomic crochet hooks by a long shot (the earwax coloured Clover Soft Touches are pretty hard on the eye) but there’s something very medical about the way they look.

My personal preference shouldn’t really come into anyone else’s crochet hook experiences but I’m a Clover Amour gal through and through. I use and love a variety of crochet hooks but if I have the choice, I generally reach for a Clover every time! Switch between different crochet hook holds like the knife hold or the pencil hold, because both grips involves different wrist and arm muscles.

The handle isn’t ergonomic per se, it’s just built up with polymer clay to give it a handle. I think this is a plus though because it’s inclusive of all crocheters. Both pen and knife grips can use them.

If elbows are lifted from the side or lifted up in the air (i tried crocheting while lying down before), it puts unnecessary strain on the elbows and shoulders. So by isolating the other joints like the elbows and shoulders and just focusing on isolated wrist movements, you can minimize body aches while crocheting. That said, the placement of your fingers on the hook is crucial to achieving a good hold so you can crochet easily and painlessly for many years to come. I’m naturally a very twitchy person – I don’t sit still for very long – and this behaviour translates with crochet hooks as well. If I’ve been using a Clover Amour all day designing something in the Crochet Coach studio and I want to switch to another project, I’ll often change to a different style of hook too just to mix it up. It’s like exercise – if you run 5km every day your body eventually gets used to it and you need to change your exercise routine to incorporate something different.It's helpful to understand each part and its purpose so you can hold your hook confidently and don't form bad habits that could stymie your enjoyment or cause you pain with repeated movement. Please refer to the illustration below as you read the following descriptions: Very smooth metal shaft and throat – I have a cheap ergo hook and the metal is kind of bubbly which is endlessly annoying when my yarn snags on it