Question From Reader: Tunisian Hooks a Pain?

Dear Dee,

I am learning Tunisian crochet and find I have too many loops on my hook. How do you deal with this? Thanks, Marnie

Dear Marnie,

prototypes of DyakCraft's Interchangeable Crochet Hooks

What a great question! Tunisian crochet requires us to load up our hook with many loops, much like a knitter would load up one of their knitting needles. The problem of having too many loops on the hook causes the loops to stretch out, fall off the hook -- or worse! -- cause an actual physical injury!


Since I have experienced all three issues (yes, I sprained my thumb a number of years ago from too many loops/too much weight on the hook) I now almost exclusively use cabled Tunisian crochet hooks.


My current "go to" cabled Tunisian crochet hooks are the proto-types for www.DyakCraft.com that I mentioned this past January {LINKY} ~ based upon the discussion on Ravelry, their interchangeable hooks should be available anytime soon!  The interchangeable crochet hooks, including the Denise version (which I also own) and others on the market, do tend to cost a bit more, but in my humble opinion, they are well worth it!  The interchangeable's are great because you can change the hook size and/or the cable size for your project.  In the picture above I have nearly 200 loops on the hook & cable; by moving the loops down the cable I disperse the weight of the work.  {{both the Dyak Craft & the Denise interchangeables are made in the USA!!}}


The interchangeables are also good for the "amazing needle" (aka knooking) technique, and the crochet-on-the-double technique.  If you're not sure what these techniques are, visit my website at www.CrochetWithDee.com and check out my Crochet Types & Techniques page.

Maybe now is a good time to put an interchangeable crochet hook set on your Holiday Wish List.  :)

Sincerely,
~Dee