Crochet Hook Definition - for the apparel industry

A crochet hook is a type of needle, usually with a hook at one end, used to draw thread through knotted loops. Only one crochet hook is needed to make crochet stitches. The crochet hook's earliest use appears to have been in the late 1700s or early 1800s.

Hooks come in various sizes (measured in millimetres or fractions of an inch), according to the thickness of the needle. There are several systems of letters and/or numbers that describe the sizing of crochet hooks. The size of the hook is usually matched with an appropriate ply or thickness of thread.

Hooks can be made of wood, plastic, casein (milk protein) or metal. They can have decorative handles. The handle may be shaped to fit the hand for easier use. Some hooks are made with wooden or plastic handles with the hook made of metal and inserted into the handle.

An alternative form is the Tunisian crochet hook, which is much longer than a regular crochet hook, in order to accommodate the multiple loops used in Tunisian crochet. A type of crochet needle with a hook at each end, known as a cro-hook, is used to make double-sided crochet pieces.

If you want to learn how to crochet, single crochet is one of the most important stitches you need to know. A majority of crochet patterns and projects incorporate single crochet stitches. Once you've learned the single crochet stitch, there are infinite possible ways to use it. You can work it in rows, in rounds or spirals, as edging, in different parts of the stitch for different effects, and combined with other stitches in countless variations.

Learn about Crochet.