The most basic first question that every beginner crocheter asks is how to hold a crochet hook? How you hold the crochet hook can be a huge factor that decides how fast you can crochet, how even your stitches will look, and how comfortable it is to crochet for a long time.
There are two main ways to hold a crochet hook: the knife hold and the pencil grip. Every crocheter has a favorite way to hold their crochet hooks, and it takes trial and error to know what works for you. But regardless of the style, having the right crochet hook will make crocheting more comfortable.
What are the best crochet hooks for knife hold and pencil grip? For knife hold, you’ll want a crochet hook that has a large handle that fits into the palm of your hand. For pencil grip, having a crochet hook with a large and comfortable thumb rest will make all the difference.
If you want to know the reason why read on to find out! We’ll also recommend some great crochet hook options for both styles.
Anatomy Of A Crochet Hook
Every crocheter knows what a crochet hook looks like – it’s a stick with a hook at one end, designed to grab the yarn.
However, there are actually quite a few styles and designs for crochet hooks, which can really affect how ergonomic they are to handle.
When you look at a crochet hook, there are actually four different parts that you will need to investigate. Understanding what they are and how different designs differ will help you choose the best crochet hooks for your style of grip.
Every crochet hook has four key features:
- The hook. This is the part that will need to grab the yarn and pull them through the stitches.
- The throat. This is the part that connects the hook and the working area itself, and it is where your yarn over and new stitches are created.
There are two types of crochet hook throats: inline and tapered. The inline hooks have a shaft that’s rounded and even from the hook to the working area. This is designed to help beginners who struggle to keep stitches even.
Tapered hooks have a smaller throat that’s slightly tapered towards the throat, which makes it easier to go through the stitches and create new loops.
- Thumb rest: Not every crochet hook will have a thumb rest, but this is a slightly flat area on the handle where your thumb will hold onto when you crochet.
- Handle: The handle elongates the hook and gives your hand balance when you work.
In the next section, let’s explore how each design feature suits a different type of hold.
Best Crochet Hooks For Knife Hold Vs. Pencil Grip
As we’ve mentioned, there are two main ways to hold a crochet hook: the knife hold and the pencil grip.
Some crocheters prefer one style over another, and some think that one style of grip makes crocheting faster. However, it really comes down to comfort – what feels natural to you and what makes crocheting comfortable and allows you to create even stitches.
Let’s take a look at each style below.
The Knife Hold
The knife hold means that you hold the crochet hook in your palm, with your thumb placed over the thumb rest. This position is similar to when you hold a knife to cut on a cutting board, and you will have a very firm grip on the crochet hook.
In this position, your wrist will do most of the work when you crochet. You will need to flip the hook back and forth and pull the hook upwards and downwards when creating new stitches. This means crocheting for a long time using the knife hold style can be fatiguing for your wrist.
However, some crocheters swear by this method because it allows them to have a firmer grip on the crochet hook. The entire handle will be inside your palm, so having a substantial handle with a relatively flat thumb rest area will make the crochet hook much easier to hold.
Here are some of our recommendations.
1. Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook
This crochet hook from Clover is really designed for the knife hold. The handle area is thick and flat on one side, similar to the knife handle, so it will feel quite natural and easy to hold.
The flat handle is made of lightweight plastic with very pronounced thumb rest, so the hook will be quite lightweight and won’t cause wrist pain after working for a long time.
This is a tapered crochet hook with a long working area. The hook is made of rust-proof metal, which will allow the stitches to glide on and off easily. This design also comes in a few common sizes, so you can always find the right size for your next project.
2. Susan Bates Bamboo Handle Silvalume Head Crochet Hook
Bamboo is another lightweight material that makes perfect crochet hook handles. It also warms up when you hold the crochet hook in the palm of your hands, which can make crocheting feel quite comfortable.
The handle area is rounded, which some knife-hold crocheters prefer because their palm can easily wrap around the handle. The thumb rest is placed on the metal shaft itself, so there is some grip on the hook to let you feel the stitches slide on and off.
This is a tapered crochet hook made from aluminum, so it’s smooth, durable, and even rust-proof.
3. Prym Ergonomics Crochet Hook Set
This set of crochet hooks from Prym Ergonomics is definitely designed for the knife hold. Each crochet hook is made of a long, continuous shape that flows seamlessly from the handle to the hook.
The handle area is thick and rounded, which can feel very comfortable in your palm as you crochet. The handle is tapered towards the hook, which is a natural place to hold your thumb while still giving control to your palm.
The handle is also wrapped with a rubber material, which feels soft and comfortable in your hand but still gives you some grip over the crochet hook. The hook is made of smooth and lightweight plastic, which works beautifully with chunky yarn.
This set comes in five common crochet hook sizes: E (3.5mm), G (4mm), 7 (4.5mm), H (5mm), and J (6mm).
The Pencil Grip
With the pencil grip, you hold the crochet hook just like how you would hold a pencil, only with the handle upwards. Your thumb and index finger will manipulate the hook, and the handle will rest against your index finger.
With this method, your index finger will do the most of the work when you crochet, flipping the crochet hook back and forth as your grab new yarn and create new stitches.
Some crochets do believe that this grip is slower than the knife hold because your hook needs to ‘travel’ further when it grabs new yarn. However, if you feel more comfortable with this style of grip, then you should be able to speed up your crocheting without changing the grip.
Let’s take a look at some crochet hooks that are designed for the pencil grip.
1. Susan Bates Red Heart Crystallites Acrylic Crochet Hook Set
This set of crochet hooks from Susan Bates can be very comfortable for those who prefer the pencil grip. Each crochet hook has a long and continuous shape, with a long and smooth handle and a pronounced thumb rest that is flat on both sides.
That means you can just hold it like a pencil, and the flat side of the thumb rest can rest against your index finger as you work.
These crochet hooks are made from acrylic, which is lightweight but still very smooth, allowing the stitches to easily slide on and off. The light and elegant design don’t put any strains on your hand as you crochet but still offers decent control of the hook.
2. Clover 3672 Amour Crochet Hook Set
This set of crochet hooks from Clover comes with rubberized ergonomic handles that are both lightweight and easy to work with.
The rubber handles do not bulk up the crochet hooks, but it offers some grip for your fingers. There is a pronounced thumb rest on each hook for your thumb and index finger to grab onto, and the light rubber handles can also make crocheting more comfortable.
The crochet hooks are tapered hooks, but the throat areas also resemble inline hooks since they’re wider than other tapered hooks, which can be of assistance when making nice and even stitches.
3. KOKNIT 9 Pcs Ergonomic Crochet Hook Set
This crochet hook set comes with really fun, colorful crochet hooks, but they are also quite useful too.
We love that the thumb rest area of the crochet hook has a non-slip design that allows you to firmly grip the crochet hook, but the rubberized handle doesn’t make the grip heavy or uncomfortable.
This set of crochet hooks also comes with a wider range of sizes, so you can work with lace-weight yarn as well as super bulky yarn.
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