Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Square Crochet Hooks??

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I’ve never seen a square handled crochet hook before, but I’m intrigued.

Kollage Square Crochet Hooks

These hooks claim to be ‘ergonomically designed’ (as do many others) and are a bit pricey for mass-marketed hooks, but if they live up to even half of their hype, they’ll be worth it to me to take some pressure off my carpel tunnel syndrome problem.

Kollage Square Crochet Hools (and knitting needles) are available at a variety of online vendors, but the one pictured above can be found here .  I chose to link to this site because their photo of the hooks was far better than others, including the manufacturer’s site!  The hooks have rosewood handles and aluminum heads.

I found this cool site for jewelry making supplies when I was searching for different sizes of cording to crochet with.  Marion has a wealth of those cords for sale too.  You can see them here .  The more I sniffed around this site, the more pleased I became.  You gotta love a jewelry maker who ventures into crochet!  Read about her crochet adventures here and take a look at the pretty necklace which was her first such project.

Marion's Venture Into Crochet

I would love to hear from any readers who have personal experience with these hooks.  I plan to order one so I can form my own opinion, but I’d love to hear yours too!

Comments

  1. Kollage had these to try out at Stitches Midwest 2010 and I was excited to get one, but only a few vendors had them and they had already sold out. Thankfully this year Kollage themselves had plenty for sale. I picked one up my first day at Stitches and then on the crochet tour on Sunday, we were allowed to pick out a hook as well. I use those two hooks almost exclusively. They feel really nice, are easy to hold in a variety of positions, and they remind me to think of how I’m holding them. Though I do manage to hurt my hands with them if I’m working on something small like amigurumi that’s my own fault and I have no excuse since the square hooks give me lots of options to hold them in a better position.

    These and the Susan Bates bamboo hooks are my favorites. I’ve tried other ergonomic hooks and those either do nothing for me or are too hard to hold. The Kollage hooks are pricey but if there’s one hook size you use often (in my case a G) I think it’d be worth it to get one from Kollage.

  2. Devi,
    Thanks so much for your comments and insights. This is just the kind of info I was looking for. My favorite hooks are the Susan Bates bamboo handled ones. How do you think they compare to the Kollage hooks?
    jd

  3. I haven’t crocheted in years, but when I saw these hooks and the price I thought of two DIY ideas.
    1) Use polymer clay to cover the hooks you already have. If you have several colors on hand you could even color code them.
    2) Office supply stores often have rubber/plastic pen and pencil holders that slip on to make them more ergonomic. This idea will only work for certain size needles though.

    Hope these ideas help for those of you looking for an economical way to reduce the stress on your hands.

    Dawn McCreary

  4. I am intrigued by these hooks. I have been lusting after an addi turbo swing hook that has a supposedly ergonomic handle. Anyone tried the addi?

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.