New 'do & new issue
When my hair stylist of two years was on holiday back in April and I was desperate for a trim, I made an appointment with another stylist at the same salon. She rocked my world, and I made the (awkward) switch. As an added bonus, my new fabulous hair stylist is a crocheter. Imagine the enjoyment of chatting about our favourite craft yesterday while the scissors went snip snip and the hair went 'bye 'bye.
I told her about my newest find: the Phildar crochet hook.
My closest LYS just started carrying them, and I picked a couple up on a whim. Holy rapid stitching, Batman! These babies are like the Addi-Turbos of crochet hooks. And the thick, plastic handle is the perfect size for my pencil grip doohickeys. A Google search turned up zilch, so I don't get the impression these puppies have been around long, at least in online stores. And since they're Phildar, they may not be available in the US. Has anyone else used one?
Anyway, my fab stylist hadn't considered that there's such a variety of hooks out there.* Imagine! She's been using the same few hooks for years. When I started crocheting I pretty much stocked up on several hook varieties and went to town. What about you? When you see a new kind of hook do you snatch it up and try it out? Do you prefer different hooks for different types of yarns or projects? Do tell!
We're a little sick, chez Crochet me, but our next issue is looking In. Credible. It's a bit slow going due to the sluggishness, but be prepared for our best issue yet. We're getting a mascot!
* I'm now around 8 inches lighter, and have made a mental note to bring a Phildar hook to her when I go in for my next cut.
- Kim Werker's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Search
About Kim Werker
About Me:
I'm the founder and creative director of CrochetMe.com. I'm also the editor of Interweave Crochet and the author of Crochet Me.
I love sushi, thunderstorms, mutts, good books, the smell of clean laundry, crocheting funny dolls and monsters, knitting, and spinning.
- + Print-friendly
- + Email This Page
- 325 reads
Share This Page
kim, where did you get that? i am going to be in kits on monday and would love to have a lookie at those. i have a whack of boyle hooks i got in a set at M's. they are decent, but i am not crazy about them.........
I've been faithful to Boyes since learning with them in the '70's, and the only other choice was Susan Bates which I've always disliked. Recently I discovered that:-Boyes are the WORST in terms of their stated mm. size vs. their ACTUAL size. They LIE TO YOUR FACE and keep on doing it. This is a big reason why a person can get very different results crocheting the same thing with a Boye "E" and then an Inox "E"--this happened to me just 2 days ago. The Phildar hook is lookin' sexy.-inlines such as susan bates really do help when the yarn splits too easily-I'm a fan of only the Crystalites in the 8mm and 9mm sizes and often reach for the 10.5mm and 11mm too. -I have to have the Lion Brand "Q" because it's 15mm whereas other "Q"'s are 15.75mm and 16mm. I really need a 12mm, 13mm, and 14mm; does ANYONE make them???-Stitchdiva has wooden "R" and "T" hooks! (I bought them already but haven't used them yet.)
I wanna see the new 'do!
That hook looks exactly like my 15 yo knitting/crocheting daughter's Inox hooks. She loves them and keeps them in a fabric roll. I adore Susan Bates Quicksilver and don't use any other hooks. Quicksilvers are fab, I love the glassy finish, and I love the in-line head. I just can't use the other, "out of line" (?) hook. :)
[...] In ten minutes I’m going to get my hair cut and highlighted. I am psyched. Also because I could do with sittin’ around for a couple of hours and not thinking about work. Remember Kate the fab stylist who’s also a crocheter? She’s getting a book. Oh, yes. [...]
I can totally relate to that. Ever since I started up crocheting regularly , found yarn stores & realized there were more hooks than Boye, I've been using different hooks. If the yarn splits easily, for instance, I'd rather use an in-line hook like a Susan Bates or a bamboo hook. I have some old Inox gray hooks from the 1980's that I use a lot. I like the bamboo hooks for wool. I've tried several plastic varieties, and I also like the Clover soft-grip and the regular gold Clover hooks. haven't seen the Phildar ones yet--I'll have to watch out for them!
I have several hooks of varying flavors. I love to try new hooks. So far, I like my bailene, bamboo, and lion brand hooks the best. Can't wait to get a hold of the phildar. Don't care for my crystalites or chipping Bates.
I love my Turn of the Century hooks. I tend to be suspicious of any plastic hooks. I'm not crazy about Boye hooks, but still use them on some projects. I have a ton of Bates that make me happy (though their recent change in paint job or whatever doesn't impress me, the paint chips off). I'd love to have a slew of the gold clovers, the ones without the soft-grip. Currently the clovers are my favorites. I do have some bamboos, but I don't use them so much.
I'll have to be on the lookout for those hooks. I love to try new ones. My current favorite is the Clover Soft Touch.
I've tried Boye, Susan Bates Silvalume, and Susan Bates Quicksilver. Quicksilver is by far my favourite, and now I don't buy anything else!Oh... and I tried one other one that was nice, but repeatedly fell apart... every half hour worth of use! I returned that one pronto!
Check this site out: http://users.pandora.be/phildar/English_site/frame_welcome.htmUnder needles and hooks, they do reference a crochet hook, but no pics. Is that the one?
magdiego -- It looks like the hooks they list are made by Inox, not Phildar. There's gotta be *something* about these hooks somewhere on the interweb. I'll keep on it.
The Phildar hooks are sold in their own stores here in Europe. I've not seen the plastic handled hooks yet in the stores here in Brussels, but I have not been into the stores in about 2 months. To the best of my knowledge there is no on-line sales from Phildar. Let me know if you want me to keep an eye out for any other sizes in these hooks, and we could arrange a trade!