Some for me, some for you?
Before Christmas I showed you how I went down a crazy path, and made a whole set of coordinating crochet hook handles for myself. What I never told you was that I tried to use one of the hooks a few hours later, and it was terrible.
I’ve heard people say that they are fiercely loyal to the brand of hook they use, and that some brands just don’t work as well as others for them. I accepted this, but thought it was kind of silly. I mean, a hook is a hook, right? Well, I just could not get that Boye size E to work for me. I moved up a few sizes, and then down a few sizes, and none of them would obey my command. I felt like a complete spaz using them – I was so surprised that I couldn’t make them work!
So there I was with a lovingly-made set of hooks that were useless to me. Useless!
Since then, I’ve worked little-by-little, in between holiday preparations and festivities, to make a whole new set for myself. This time I covered Susan Bates hooks, which I have no problem using whatsoever. Like the last set, I covered all of the handles in some variation of my Triangle cane pattern, making each of them coordinate with its own metal hook color. Each hook was given Triangles in a different color scheme, and all of them are different from the ones I used on the original Boye hooks.
What can I say? It helps to have a sizable stash of canes to dip into when I need them!
My honest opinion is that the Boye hooks (on the right) are more attractive than the Bates hooks, when viewed all together like this. But beauty doesn’t particularly matter when I can’t do so much as make a chain with them, I suppose.
So there it is – sixteen hooks. And even after all that, I’m still in a hook-making mood.
Shocking, I know.
This coming weekend is the annual Clayathon, and I thought I’d make some more hooks – for you!
I’ve re-opened the shop for a very short time, and you can place an order for a custom-made hook, just like you did at Christmas time. I have a selection of nine different patterns to choose from so none of us gets bored with the same-old same-old (and by “none of us” I mean “me”).
Just like before, you can also order pens or shawl pins if you wish.
And if there’s anything else that I’ve ever made that you are dying to have, leave a comment! My Clayathon time is largely unplanned and I might be able to arrange it.
Ok, so go order a hook if you like! And don’t wait too long… I have to stop taking orders noonish on Wednesday so that I have time to order the hooks I need before I leave for my trip!
Thanks 
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Glad you decided to do this again; I never got around to ordering any before Christmas, so these will be Ray’s birthday present to me.
Also, the different hook brands are definitely not alike. I’ve tried a bunch of different brands and Susan Bates are definitely my favorite. I had this really pretty set of rosewood Brittany hooks — so nice to look at, but the lack of a thumb rest drove me bats and I ended up donating them to a Ravelry fundraiser a couple years ago.
I noticed at Christmas, everyone ordered hooks with thumb rests. I think, aesthetically, they are better without, so I’ve been making them that way for myself, and I love them. Personal preference is a funny thing
Happy Birthday! (and thank Ray for his discerning taste in birthday gifts, LOL!)
Well, the ones without thumb rests may look better, but at least for me, they need to be functional as well. I mentioned above what happened to the last set I had that was pretty but not comfortable for me to use.
Technically this wasn’t actually Ray’s *idea* for a birthday present…it was more like:
Me: Hey, Lisa’s selling her hooks again. Think I’ll get some this time. They can be your birthday present to me.
Him: Great, because I couldn’t think of anything to get you.
Trouble is, I already have pretty much everything I want. Did I say trouble? Not for me, really…but hell for anyone who wants to buy me a gift.
Well, that’s actually why I mentioned the thumb rest thing – to illustrate the personal preference thing
I remember those double-income having-everything-I-want days fondly, LOL!
Yay! Thank you for selling again. I went to enlarge the cane photo and a different one popped up – with the black and white cane as #7. I still like the one I chose, but FYI.
Thanks again,
Carrie
Oh, thanks for letting me know! Those were the patterns from last time
And thanks for your order. I’m off to process it now!
I’m a Boye user (perhaps just because that’s what I started with)… if you are not going to use your set of Boye hooks, I’d love to buy them!
✿ Enjoy this post from Tara Liddicoat: and the hookin’ continues… ✿
I love love your crochet hooks! Will get them someday…hubby’s gonna kill me if I get them lol
Hubbies don’t get this kind of thing
Thanks for the complement!