Properly holding the crochet hook can help you maintain consistent tension more easily, leading to a more even and attractive outcome in the final project. Bates brand handles, in my opinion, are made for knife grip crocheters – further back than us pencil hold crocheters can use. You may find you get a different result if you used the comfort cushion with a Bates hook, or with smaller diameter hooks. I honestly don’t think you need to stress out over what kind of hook person you are – if you like both, use both.

By finding the best technique for you, you can avoid hand strain and work more efficiently, allowing your projects to come together smoothly and effortlessly. Quote: “My main hand problem when I crochet is actually with my non-crocheting hand; the hand that holds the work in place rigidly grips the work without moving for long periods of time, and that is the main cause of my (crochet-related) pain.

The addition of a fatter handle makes me grip much more openly and prevents the tight tendonitis producing grip of death.

My very first impression was confusion and curiosity because how the heck is it comfortable to hold such a thick handle? There are two main ways of holding a crochet hook and choosing the right one for you can make a world of difference in both comfort and precision. If you struggle to keep the yarn on your hook when pulling it through then an inline hook would help with this.Though this might not make a huge difference (again, this is my experience and intuition speaking rather than science), I think the different materials will impact your tension. Felt can make a great handle for your hook, particularly if you crochet the fabric and felt it on to the handle. The distinguishing feature of an inline hook is that the head of the hook is ‘in line’ with the shaft. If I’ve been using a Clover Amour all day designing something in the Crochet Coach studio and I want to switch to another project, I’ll often change to a different style of hook too just to mix it up.