Huge Hook ...

Well.  Thankyou kindly for all your comments on my last post about work experience.
It was really interesting to read all your thoughts and experiences to do with the subject.
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I also had a couple of emails and comments on my large crochet hook and using all the yarns, so i just really wanted to do this little post to show you all how easy it is to make your own big hook, and hook away all your favourite odd balls of yarn.

Both the hooks below I made.

The smaller of the two is 12mm wide. It was made from a wooden knitting needle out of the charity shop.

It's my most favourite hook :o)

I use it for my rag crochet mainly, but also for when I make what I call my 'tweeded' crochet with about six different yarns.

Below is my 12mm favourite, a 15mm shop bought plastic jobby, and in the middle is the beginings of my new 25mm large hook.

I've cut the 9" section off of one of the poles of our beach windbreaks :o)

Then got the stanley knife (a blade like a craft knife/scalpel, only stronger and sturdier for 'sharpening' the stick! -for my lovely  readers outside the UK)

See how they all measure up?

Then see, this is the begining where I mark the stick cross ways where my pokey bit of hook is going to be, and where I'm going to wittle the throat.

So you sharpen the pokey bit first (I know all part s of the crochet hook have got names, but I forget!)

You cut crossways, then scrape the wood away to the cut notch..

And you just keep doing that till you get to the size of the actual hook you want.

See above is the basic shape.

Then you get the sandpaper out.

As rough as you can handle it to begin with.

To shape the 'hook' part, you wrap the sandpaper round a kebab skewer, or a knitting needle and sand away.

Then you cut a bit, then sand a bit...See...

See the difference the sand paper makes?

And Voila!  See, a beautifully sanded crochet hook, just the size you need to make a nice fat yarn rug/pad.

I wax my hooks with a candle at the end, and rub the wax in really well with my warm hands to get a nice smooth edge to my hook.

You don't have to do this, but I think it makes the hook nicer.

And if you use a scented candle like my ginger and orange one above (the green thing -don't ask me why ginger and orange is green......) it makes it smell lovely too.

Oh, and the wax doesn't come off on the yarn if you rub it in well and leave about 24 hrs before use. :o)

Above is the little practice rug I made with my new hook, just to see how many yarns I could get on and how fat and cosy it would be.

Let me tell you now, IT IS SUMPTUOUS!

I used 18 yarns all at once on the hook.

And if you pop them all in one of those supermarket big 'green' bags, they don't get tangled up together.

(Well knot much anyway ;o)  )

But you will want to make loads of things once you see and feel how lovely it is.

Believe me, you won't be leaving all those odd balls of mohair and strange yarns in the bottom of the basket at the charity/thrift shops anymore once you see what you can make!  ;o)

Have fun lovely people.

Hope you all have a fantastic week.

And please, please, stop the rain dancing ladies ;o)

Take care everyone,

Love Donna x