I am full of allthequestions!
Even though I’ve crocheted all sorts of things, I rarely follow any patterns, rules, or even guidelines. I get a finished object out of my effort but I can’t predict finished size or repeat something exactly if I want 2 of the same thing. I think it behooves me to follow some standards and learn how to do it properly for a change. Finding a good yarn brand that’s a standard size in a wide range of colours would be helpful. Figuring out the ideal hook size to use with that rather than grabbing the smallest one that will work & then struggling with every stitch, lol…
What are your tips & tricks? Thank you for sharing & saving my poor achey hands
Funny you should post this now as I was reading this blog post from hobbii. Maybe it will be a good jumping off point for you. I haven’t made any yet to give first hand advice, i’ve done stuffies but not tiny ones like ami.
I have seen that a 3,5 mm hook is pretty common. Lots of yarns to choose from using that size. What to think about is to take a hook that is one or two size smaller than the recommendation on the yarn, because you want tight stitches.
Acrylic is what many people prefer, I myself use a blend of acrylic and cotton.
If you know that you might get cramps, use a ergonomic hook/larger handle.
I did read about Hobbii yarns being recommended but haven’t found a source in Canada. I usually use a 3.5 hook, and have Clover Soft which is my favourite. I still end up with hand cramps in short order so I’ll be reading about gripping techniques in the link @AntBee posted. I personally hate working with cotton yarns so that is completely out. Love the way they look, loathe the way they feel. My skin is a dried out wreck afterwards too.
Yes, everything above. I think most people use acrylic because there are a couple of main brands with plain, very consistent worsted weight yarn in a BUNCH of colors, so it is super easy to find exactly what you want, plus, for the most part, the yarn is interchangeable between brands. It’s cheap, can be purchased almost anywhere, comes in a bazillion colors, 100% washable, and overall a good choice. But for me, I prefer a cotton, or even a wool. I have used Knitpick Pallettes for amigurumi and really liked the finished results. It is a finer yarn, so everything will be smaller, since a lot of amigurumi patterns are for worsted. But it comes in great colors, is affordable, especially on frequent sales, and it’s easy to get since it comes to you. But it isn’t as washable (it will felt) and working smaller may not be awesome if you are already getting hand cramps.
I find that a lot of yarn manufacturers list the same mm size of yarn hook and knitting needle as the recommended, but in my opinion, crochet should always be worked with a larger hook than it would as knitting due to the nature of the stitch. So, working on the recommended hook is, to me, already working on a hook too small for the yarn. I typically go down only one size for worsted weight, and not at all for finer yarns. This may help you with the hand cramping, as it sounds like you might be a tight crocheter already. The intention is to make smaller gaps between stitches, but you can overcome it in other ways, like lining the pieces in pieces of like-colored old sock, tights, nylons, etc. Work how it is best for your hands and wrists and don’t fret over it.
I have one small project planned and will buy yarn from whichever is the largest, most common collection of likely candidates. My hope is to be able to find all the future colours I may need in the same yarn so they will always work together. Too many times I’ve had issues trying to use different brands of the same supposed weight, they are not always alike!
I’ve made a bunch of amis. I mostly use Red Heart Super Saver. You can mix and match yarn brands that are the same weight, but they can vary slightly. I usually use an F or G hook and worsted weight yarn.
My go to hooks are Clover Amour. I used to use Boye, but it killed my fingers and hand. I don’t have as many problems with my Clover hooks. Keep an eye on Amazon. I see them go on sale every so often for a great price. I 100% recommend these hook
Edited to add: oh yeah! If you haven’t already learned the invisible single crochet decrease, it makes a HUGE difference in finished look!
I usually use a d or e hook for amigurumi. I think smaller hooks just give a tighter result and no gaps for the filling to peep through. but yeah hand cramps are an issue. I just try not to do marathon sessions and break it up.
I use acrylic or cotton.my favorite hook lately is one with a bamboo handle. it’s rounded at the bottom and very light.
I have a set of Clover Amour hooks, I asked my family for them on xmas. They are nice & I do appreciate the colour & size variety but I still greatly prefer the Soft Touch above all others. I’ve got a whole set of bamboo hooks as well, I never use them though.
That is so interesting, that you prefer the Soft Touch over Clover Amour.
I really like the Soft Touch too, but Im curious about the Amour ones. Watched a video recently with hook comparisons, and that woman prefered the Amour before Soft Touch. And of course, its all individual preferences, but still interesting to hear.
(And now I need to get me an Amour so I can try)
Yarn: I use a lot of Red Heart Super Saver (Aran/heavy worsted weight, acrylic, lots of colors) or similar yarns.
Hook size: RHSS recommends using an I hook (5.5 mm), and I usually use E (3.5 mm) or F (3.75 mm) hooks when I make amigurumi with it. For thinner yarns, I’ll go down to C (2.75 mm) or D (3.25 mm) hooks.
Hook style: I almost always use my Susan Bates hooks (in-line style with pointy heads).
Thank you! Now I know.
Imagine, I donated sacks of yarn not long ago and here I am buying more. Sigh, I cannot help myself. Crochet is simply the best for making whatever sort of shape or thing you can imagine. You don’t even really need to know what you’re doing beyond a few simple stitches, decreases and increases. I mean, it does help for a nice looking end product, lol, but strictly speaking you can get away with flubbing it in such a manner that knit would never allow.
I love it.
Hooker for Life!
