Friday 6 August 2010

Pencil or Knife ?



Here's a picture of me crocheting .

As I was adding another stripe to my GSB it struck me that I don't really know what others look like when they crochet. Do I hold my yarn and hook like everyone else ?

I have been crocheting since I was a child so I can't actually remember being taught .

I've noticed that the only other person I see crocheting these days,my lovely sister in law, holds her hook like this..........



So a quick Internet search told me I hold my hook like a knife ( or overhand) and my SIL uses the pencil grip.

Some of my English crochet books don't even mention the knife grip,so I wonder which is most popular ? Which do you like ?

I've tried the pencil grip but it makes my wrist ache.



My Granny Stripe has progressed quite a bit this week,after a lull during the hot weather of July.

Yes it's actually longer the it is wide ,at last,but not a lot.......



55 inches long ,which is 62 stripes........



I think another 10 stripes will be enough .Then I'll be onto the edging ,yay.
I love the way this project is turning out ,hope you're not fed up with seeing it!

I'd love to know which hook hold all you crocheters out there use, so please leave me a comment
Jacquie x

28 comments:

  1. I had to go and get my hook to check, and yes I too am a knife holder, this sounds very dangerous!!! The other way just feels all wrong some how, it will be really interesting to find out which is the most popular. I will have to warn my hubby that i hold the hook like a knife so he knows not to cross me when crocheting.
    Your blanket is coming along splendidly. x

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  2. I hold my crochet hook the knife way - it's the most comfortable way for me. :)

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  3. I hold it the knife way too!!Your blankie looks very pretty!!

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  4. Another knife holder, it just fits naturally that way
    Your blanket is looking very very nice

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  5. I am so jealous, I knit, which takes ages and I mainly knit baby blankets to give to people who've just had a baby. Crochet looks so much quicker. I must try againt to master it and it's the 'holding' that is difficult for me

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  6. Hi Jacquie! Your blanket is looking spectacular! I never tire of seeing how it's progressing! I'm loving my Ripple, but feel a little frustrated having to wait till I can get more yarn. Nevertheless, I take it out and have a little stroke and enjoy it;s delicious colours! Lots of love from another 'knife holder', Amanda xxx

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  7. Well now there's a good question! Going off your pictures I think I must be somewhere inbetween. Perhaps leaning more towards the knife.
    Your blanket always reminds me of the seaside, it is adorable.
    x

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  8. You put my blanket to shame I stopped when the weather warmed up, and I don't think mines very neat :(

    I hold mine like your SIL never thought of it before.
    Cate x

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  9. Hey J, your blankie is really pretty. Pencil grip feels most natural to me. Enjoy your weekend.

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  10. This fellow "knife holder" knows she's got to get on the bandwagon and do up a granny stripe blanket soon. You are almost done--oh yeah, the ends. I have noticed though that I have quite a grip with my left hand which gets a bit stiff after a good while.

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  11. Hi,
    Oh your granny stripe is coming along beautifully. It's so big!

    I'm a pencil grip, but maybe I should try knife if it is easier on the wrist. Food for thought.

    I'm really enjoying watching your progress:)

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  12. Interesting. Actually a woman at work commented on my grip of the hook and thought it was really...weared! I am a knife holder. Could not hold the hook like a pencil and just like you in every book I have about crochet they always show how you should hold the hook like a pencil. My daughter on the other hand (turning 9 in October and learned how to crochet this spring) she is holding the hook like a pen. Well, I will not force her to hold it in any other way as the result is fantastic.

    I am curious to know about "crochet aches and pains"... Maybe a post for me to publish. I am currently suffering from a funny pain in my right elbow, on the top side by the end of my lower arm. Maybe I am suffering from a crochet elbow? I just have to surf that one on teh Internet...

    Your blanket is so refreshing and big and fantastic and perfect blue. You should be very proud of your work. I am loving it!
    Annette

    I can't remember when or who taought me how to crochet bu

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  13. Your Granny Stripe is turning out just stunning....Love it. I'm a pencil hooker by the way! ax

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  14. Now this is where I throw a bit of a spanner in the works as I hold my hook as I would a knife but I don't crochet like a crocheter - I crochet like a knitter in that I hold both the hook and yarn in my right hand and throw the yarn over the hook as you would in knitting. What makes it doubly weird is that I am left handed yet do this right handed - nuff said I think! Lol!!!

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  15. I'm very new to crochet and hold my hook like a pencil as it feels most comfortable, but I do get a very achey wrist so I may try the knife to see if it helps! Interesting to see how others hold theirs! xx

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  16. Well I can't say that I have actually noticed which way I hold it although I am self taught so I probably do it the wrong way lol.
    I'm loving the granny stripe blanket I'm sure I'll get around to starting mine at some point this year or next hehehe.

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  17. I'm a pencil hooker! Loving the blanket, unfortunately I'm a great 'starter' and always find it difficult to finish a project - especially one which takes a while! So well done!
    Jille x

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  18. Knife here! Loving your blanket. I am busily crocheting little things for the wedding and miss all my big projects especially when I see everyones beautiful creations, but as soon as those bells have rung and that cake is eaten there will be some serious knife holding action taking place in this home :)

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  19. I'm a pencil holder. Blankets looking lovely!

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  20. I didn´t know there were names to that... but I´m a pencil holder, then!!
    I love your blanket!! The colours are great!

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  21. Your blanket is looking lovely.
    I hold my crochet hook like a knife too.

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  22. When I first read the title of this post, before any pics or text appeared, I knew exactly what you were talking about! And I too am a knife holder. I've never seriously tried a pencil hold, but may do so sometime, just to see. It's funny how HARD it is to alter any little thing we do when crocheting. I have a bit of arthritis (or some variation) in the ring finger of my left hand, and I'm sure it has not been helped by me keeping that finger tightly crooked in order to guide my yarn along as I crochet with the hook in my right hand. Yet I can't hold that finger any other way or it makes the whole process almost unbearably awkward - just that one finger!

    Like anything else, I'm sure it would become easier with practice if I forced myself to do it, just like crocheting with a pencil hold might actually be preferable if I gave it a real chance and became proficient. Ah well.

    Oh, and not to put this last, but WOW your blanket is just amazing! I've been watching its progress with interest here and on Flickr and I absolutely love it.

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  23. i once actually had a woman recoil in horror and truly shudder in a reaction to my left handed crocheting style. It made me very self conscious as a teenage crafter and i tried to rectify it. I now crochet in various "holds" ! I say it is all about the produce not how you look whilst producing.

    your rug is GORGEOUS!

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  24. A bit late but I'm a pencil holder as far as crochet goes. Your blanket is great!!!

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  25. Hi Jaquie, I do it pencil style, I tried the knife grip but it hurt, just like you tuther way on. I looooove the stripey such soothing colours.

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  26. I hold my hook like a pencil...ish, I also use my middle finger to tension (my mum tried 1000 times to get me to hold it the way you do!) As I use my thumb and first finger to hold my work. I think I just have awkward fingers in that my first finger doesnt hold straight at all ever! I have never seen anyone use the middle finger to tension their yarn before so I guess I must be weird!

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  27. Clario, I use a pencil grip, and hold the work between my thumb and forefinger with the middle finger to tension my yarn as well. I taught myself from a book so someone somewhere thinks it's legitimate!

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  28. I hold my hook like a knife. I tried it the other way and it my hurt my wrist too and just felt wrong. I'm left handed but I crochet right handed.

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