I tend to purchase (splurge on) a few new hooks each year that are on my wishlist. I love trying out new hook designs from new makers & brands and decided to take a moment to talk about what I thought of this years’ haul! If you’ve been following me for a while you know I struggle to crochet like I used to–three years of fast-paced show seasons really did a number on my hands, wrists, shoulders, back and neck. I usually cannot crochet more more than an hour or two without feeling pain and have to take many more breaks than I used to. All of this means that I have to be careful about the tools that I use and make sure that they help (rather than hinder) my ability to crochet comfortably. Any hook that allows me to crochet longer and with less pain is a win in my book! So, lets get started!
Furls Odyssey- Blue+Nickel in 5.5mm
If you know me, you know that this is not a “normal” size for me. I tend to use 10mm and up for the majority of my projects BUT 5.5 and 6mm hooks are still my choice for making things like crocheted crop tops! I had heard great things about the odyssey line and wanted to try them but the price point is a bit higher ($33) and I since I don’t use this size as often I didn’t know if the investment would be worth it. I ended up reaching out to Furls to see if they would be open to collaboration and they actually sent me this hook to use and promote on social media, so I finally got to try one out! They are heavier than your average hooks of this size but it is deceptive because I have not experienced the hand fatigue I would expect from a heavier hook. I think they really hit the nail on the head with the shape and size to counteract the additional weight of the hook. I continue to use this hook regularly for my smaller projects and am overall very pleased with it!
If you are in the fence about splurging on one of these, I would definitely give them a try if you suffer from any kind of pain associated with crocheting! Furls runs sales fairly often too, so there is a good chance you can snag one at an even lower price than the MSRP of $33. Another plus for Furls is that they are very good about their customer care and replacing hooks if you have an issue or your hook breaks (we have all had those moments of terror when the cat paws a hook off the edge of a table…)
Furls Jumbo Ebony Hook – 25mm
When I reached out to Furls, they offered to send me two hooks–the 5.5 Odyssey I already mentioned and one of their jumbo hooks, which as you guys know is much more my speed! I was very impressed by the sleek and beautiful design of this hook and love that it has the nice “sharp” hook head that you don’t often see in the larger hook sizes! The other plus is that they are smooth as BUTTAH!! I have had my fair share of wooden hooks that maintain enough of the wood texture to just not be quite as smooth to work with as their plastic and metal counterparts but you will NOT have that problem with this hook. They are smooth as silk and a dream to slide through yarn. It is also not an overly heavy hook for being a larger size, which makes it easier for me to use for longer periods of time BUT it is a bit long for my preference. I’m not sure why hook makers feel that bigger hooks should also be longer (I am sure there is a reason I am not aware of because I see this very often). This extra length can be a hinderance for me because it adds to the weight of the hook, makes me question where I really need to grip it when crocheting, and can even just get in the way at times. These hooks also have quite a hefty price tag at $44, $52, & $60 for their mango, rosewood and ebony options respectively BUT if you love jumbo wooden hooks as much as I do it really may be worth the investment!
Overall I still LOVE this hook and it is one of those tools that just makes you happy to look at. The design elements are wonderfully detailed and if you like to surround yourself with tools that are both functional and beautiful, this is definitely a hook to add to you “splurge” list!
The Hook Nook – 25mm Jumbo Hook
Okay, time to take a break from Furls for a moment (since more than half of my new hooks this year were from them!) and talk about a fun line of hooks by Jessica Carey of The Hook Nook! I found her hooks while researching Jumbo hook options and fell in love with the bright, beautiful colors (and the impressively affordable price points!) This 25mm hook was only $9!!! So, I knew I HAD to give it a try for that price… plus, it’s PINK! So, yeah, I was hooked (literally!). When it arrived it was just as beautiful as I imagined. It is a fantastic shade of hot pink and the translucent look made it even more mesmerizing. I would not wait to use it. Sadly my excitement was dashed when I realized just how HEAVY the darn thing is. There was no way I could use it for more than a few rows without my hand starting to cramp up. For $9 I didn’t feel bad about it because it still makes for a great Instagram photo, it just isn’t practical for me as an “everyday use” kind of hook. I have heard pretty good things about her smaller hooks so maybe I need to give them a try since I am sure the smaller ones are probably substantially lighter as well!
Furls Candy Shop – 13mm
I purchased this 13mm for a very specific project after being very happy with the feel of the 5.5mm Furls odyssey hook. I was making a blanket and the hook I was using was just not allowing me to progress much on the blanket before my hand and wrist would begin to ache. I also LOVE the bright colors of the candy shop hooks so I knew it would be worth it just to have such a fun color in a hard to find size. My first impression was great, it was bright orange and sparkly (super fun for sure!) as well as nice and light and shorter overall than many of my hooks in that size range. I started using it immediately and honestly just was not super impressed. The hook is not as “deep” so it was not as easy to grab the yarn on each pass/stitch and my hand definitely began to feel fatigued faster than I thought it would for being a furls hook with a pretty price tag of $49. I know that their smaller sizes in this collection have a bit of a wider handle which may make them a bit more ergonomic but for this size and for my own needs I realized I had another Instagram “prop” rather than an “everyday use” hook.
Just by looking at the photos on their website I feel like the 18mm option might have been a better choice because you can see that the hook is “deeper” and the handle is wider which I think would help with the ergonomic feel of the hook. All in all I still love this little shiny orange hook and will continue to use it in photographs for Instagram (everybody loves some good hook and yarn eye candy) but I cannot say it is a hook I will use all that often.
Nik Naks & Knots 10mm Susan Bates with Custom Polymer Clay Handle
Okay, this was a SUPER fun custom order for myself from the lovely Niki of Nik Naks & Knots! She creates beautiful polymer clay handles for crochet hooks of all different sizes and brands and I was thrilled to work with her to create a color combo that used my favorite colors, pink and orange! I had actually never used a Susan Bates hook (surprisingly!) and so I was excited to try this one out! I am becoming a big fan of the inline hooks with pointier tips on them as they really help me in making my stitching more fluid. Niki does a fantastic job with her color mixing and it was love at first site when I received my hook! The handle is a great shape and fits perfectly in my hand–she was able to use photos of my holding some of my favorite hooks to get the shape and size just right which was a custom experience you seldom get these days (and never get with the larger hook brands!) I was blown away by her kindness and openness to work with me to get all of the details right.
Overall the hook is on the heavier side due to the larger hook size and the fact that it is a Susan bates metal hook plus the clay BUT the ergonomic handle helps make up for this. The best part is, Niki also offers bamboo and plastic hooks that are lighter and a fantastic option if the heavier metal hooks cause your hand to fatigue faster! I would definitely recommend checking out her work!
Furls Galaxy Streamline Swirl Hook – 10mm
I am finishing up this post with the hook that I have ended up using the MOST out of all of the new hooks I purchased or received this year and that would be my Furls Galaxy Streamline Swirl 10mm hook in the purple Taurus color! I purchased this hook immediately when I saw how beautiful it was and the lower price point helped seal the deal (the streamline swirl collection hooks are priced at $22 each). I use 10mm hooks for the majority of my smaller projects like hats, headbands and fingerless gloves, but also for a few of my sweater and cardigan patterns including the Ginny Jumper and the Indian Summer Cardigan!
This hook is all around a winner in my book, it is light, wonderfully ergonomic, beautiful to look at and I absolutely love using it. I would definitely purchase another streamline swirl from Furls, especially if they continue to come out with brighter colors like this one and the Andromeda that they released this past year!
I would love to know if you have tried any new hooks lately that you love?? Let me know in the comments or connect with me on Instagram!
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