| By :
Dirik Hameed
One of the first forms of knitting is crocheting. As early as in medieval times it was being done in the Victorian era. Crochet hooks are the main tools that are used. There are various types of them each with its advantages and disadvantages. Among the least costly are plastic and aluminum ones. Aluminum hooks are long lasting, light and smooth to crochet with. They hardly get caught in the yarn being used and they will hardly become twisted out of shape. The disadvantage of a plastic crochet hook is that they are rather brittle and they are not as smooth as aluminum. They can become bent and get pitted quite easily. This causes snags with the yarn with the result of stitches that are not uniform. However, aluminum hooks are not altogether unaffected by becoming pitted. This can happen if the hooks fall down or they are stored with care. This causes snags which will cause the yarn to pull away and separate as one works with the crotchet. Sometimes the damage on a hook remains undetected. One way to ensure that it is in good working condition is to pass a very smooth fabric like nylon or silk at the end of the hook. If the hook has become carved, the fabric will get caught and run. A damaged hook should not be used. The jumbo plastic hook are is kind that do not get carved. There are almost completely fail-safe and are ideal for large projects. Another option is those made of wood. Their main drawback is that they tend to splinter and this gets caught in the yarn. Such a hook can be carefully sanded with very fine sandpaper and steel wool to make it smooth again. Finish with light application of paste wax and polishing or a coat of two of clear varnish with light sanding in between coats. The cro-hook is another crocheting tool. It has two hooks, one on each end and this is the tool used for making afghan stitches in two or more colors. The item being worked on does not need to be turned over if it regular stitches that are being used but if a cro-hook is being used, then the item is turned over. The finished product is a heavier one with an effect akin to that of horizontal stripes. In earlier times, bone hooks were used but they too are susceptible to bending. The best option there is the steel hook. They are a little more expensive but these are virtually unbreakable and they never become bent out of shape. Aluminum ones are the next best thing. To make them last for long, hooks should be stored properly. They should also be cleaned regularly with beeswax to keep them smooth. Steel ones should occasionally be soaked in some rubbing alcohol and then dried. Those made of aluminum and plastic should be washed in mild cleaning liquid and then polished with beeswax. A bone or wooden hook should not be soaked in water. Simply wipe and then polish with beeswax or use wood oil for wooden ones. Be careful with storage as well. Do not just throw your crocheting hooks anywhere. They should be kept in a case just for this purpose. Even better, they should be wrapped in felt. If they are well taken care of, the same ones can be used to come up with one beautiful crocheted item after another for a long time to come.
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