I've done crochet now for nearly 10 years "full time" and as with any crocheter you will find that whatever type of projects you are on you will have one special size or hook that you will prefer more than others.
For amigurumi I tend to prefer G Hooks (4.0 mm). Tighter stitches for smaller dolls or animals done in the round. G Hook is small but still rigid. Occasionally, I will use D or F sizes but generally it's G. B Hook if I'm doing Barefoot Sandals or N Hook for my Jellyfish.
I have one favorite hook. One hook that beats all my others.
My I/9 Hook (5.50 mm) by Boye.
My I Hook is more special to me than the others not because of the size, color, rigidity, etc but because it was a gift from a friend.
You see, I learned crochet when I was about 9 from my paternal grandmother. My mom and dad had been divorced for a few years and she lived in another county so we didn't get to see her often. She was in her late 80s and early 90s, so tiny (literally her shoe size was 5) and frail. If she ever knew how to drive it was long before I knew her. She had a one bedroom apartment with a bible or two within every few feet. Her daughter lived close by and would come over when she washed her super long hair and roll it all up into a bun with little waves on top. She would crochet or make gingham pillows with beads and fabric and sell those at local shops for extra cash that she insisted on giving to her grandchildren, even when we'd run back inside and leave it on her table for her. She had numerous children, grands, great grands and great-great grands when she passed at 99 years old. Literally, grands and greats numbered in the couple hundreds. She was our Mama King.
Mama King was very religious. She only said one cuss word in the 18 years I knew her, she didn't watch anything that cursed or had anything hurtful or evil in it. She read her bible every day and prayed often all day long. The most common things she'd say when she heard someone being nasty or shocking was "They Law".
I always wanted to learn to crochet from her but many of the times we could go stay the night it was a late Saturday evening, we'd play with cousins on the front lawn and then go to church Sunday with her. She didn't "work" on Sundays so for me to learn to crochet took many weekends of convincing. She was afraid the Lord didn't look favorably on those that worked Sundays and her craft was her work. One Sunday she taught me to chain. I never could pick up the rest of it and finally just gave up.
Many moons later I was married with kids of my own. We had moved many states away from most all of my family, the kids were in school but still elementary, I was depressed and anxiety ridden. A friend suggested I learn crochet or knit. Several tens of youtube videos later and I was up and running. I made all sorts of things and gave them away or sold them. At that point I also started my Etsy shop. The woman in the apartment upstairs of us made me think a lot about my grandmother and my mom. She was a tiny woman, living on her own away from her kids but she would go get her hair done and set, dressed so nice and always looked just lovely. She had the biggest kindest heart too. She loved visiting with the kids and I. If we saw Miss Janet outside with groceries we'd run out and help her. Every Sunday we'd hear the sound of her heals clacking on the hardwood floor above us, ready to go to church. Even when we moved back to my home town we'd send her packages. Janet and I mailed letters like old pen pals. She moved to another apartment building and loved it there.
One day I got a package from her with an old set of knitting needles and a single crochet hook. I've never tried knitting but my mother in law use to so I left those with her to try ( of course she can't see well so they're still in an envelope over at her house ) but I kept Miss Janet's crochet hook. A very old, well loved, I/9-5.50mm Boye hook.
After a month had gone by I had not heard from Janet and began to worry. I called her line and no answer. I wrote and no reply. I checked her local news papers and found her obituary. I wrote a final letter to her son, who was easy enough to track down, and I told him how much she had meant to me and our little family, how thankful I was to have known her. He sent me a photo of her and thanked me for chatting with her. She really loved it. She'd gotten ill and just couldn't shake it.
This I Hook is my favorite. It's my Janet. It is a symbol of my grandmother who had worked long and hard raising a family by any means necessary with love and faith, a symbol of my mother who left this world too early who raised us the same way and Janet who had raised hers and helped me be a better person while raising mine. I think of them often when I work. Every project I do I fill with love and positive energy, thanks to the love I have received and want to share.
So this one is special. I'm not sure I still have anyone stop by this blog but do you have any special hooks or needles that are special to you? Any yarn from your family that you've made something special with? I'd love to hear about it!
Blessed be!
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