Handmade Hooks

[natalie058]

I am :cloud9 ... Soon I will be the proud owner of TWO handmade hooks from Turn of the Century (http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/tchome.htm#pages). I placed and paid today and now only have to wait for them to be shipped... :mail I am so excited! :danc I got sizes H and I... I think they are both cocobolo, although one is dark and one is light - I think I am in :heart :heart :heart already and they haven't even come yet! Just had to share!

[threeolivemartini]

once you get them you will definately be in LOVE!! i promise you that

[Julie]

You are going to be so incredibly happy with those hooks. I want to frame mine, they are so beautiful. Except then I can't use them. <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/rowofhearts.gif" />

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifWhy can't you use them, Julie? I have to use a cushion on my hooks and I'd hate to ruin the beauty of these with a blue tube on it. Guess I'll stick to the "ugly but functional" hooks!

However if I had money, I'd buy a set and put them in a shadow box for someone down the family line that could use and appreciate.

[Julie]

Oh no, I can and do use them. I just mean if I framed them on the wall on display because I think they are so incredibly beautiful, then I can't use them. I use them all the time, it just seems a shame to me to store them away where I can't see them when I'm not using them is all. :))

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifYup. okay...I totally misread your post! :D There must be a decorative way to display them when not using them....let me think on this..... :idea

[threeolivemartini]

well this is what i do .. i have a really nice old hat pin holder.. and i set mine in hook side in so you can see the handle.. its very nice .. and i always get comments

[natalie058]

Well, mine still have not come yet...:( but all this talk of displaying, I had to get my :twocents in. I have a tendency to use my nicely colored hooks as hair sticks when I am in a hurry (much more durable than those cheepy plastic ones at the stores) and my mom suggested that these wooden ones would be much prettier, although I don't know if this would damage them at all.

[Julie]

I don't think it would hurt them one bit. That's a neat idea!! :))

[threeolivemartini]

it shouldnt.. i have done the same.. did you notice at turn of the century he makes the hair sticks too ?

*i am evil* i know...

[Julie]

I was almost going to mention it but wasn't sure he still was making them. :wink I'm racing out the door to the post office so I figured I'd check when I got back. If you're evil, I'm evil too! :rotfl

[threeolivemartini]

Julie i cant think of another person i would rather be evil with!!

:bad

[natalie058]

I didn't even notice hair sticks! but i did fall in love with those pens and i have the perfect recipient on my gift list this xmas... maybe i will just have to get it all at once, along with the other hooks sizes i want :ha :ha But really, thank you all for turning me on to Turn of the Century - I am soooo excited about these hooks, it's driving my boyfriend nuts!!
ME: :bounce :mail :cheer2 :mail :danc :mail :blah :mail :woohoo :mail
HIM: :<> :bang :grumpy :faint :irked :nono :th >:

[Julie]

LOL Natalie - wait till you get them, and all you can do is show everyone how nice they are. :D!

[natalie058]

you guys r not going to believe this... you know how i am all excited :danc for my hooks, no? Well, i received an email from bill tonite saying that he'd accidentally overlooked them and will try to get them in the mail tomorrow! :cry I appreciate his honesty and it's still probably going to be quicker than alot of other places... plus from what i gather the quality is more than worth the wait, but i'm bummed :( that it's going to be at least another few days! Just had to whine a bit

[Julie]

Ah Natalie, I'm sorry to hear that. Especially for your first order, but you won't be disappointed with them or with Bill in the long run. He's a great guy. And I was so hoping since you'd posted you'd received your hooks!!! :faint

[bkellya]

Love love love these hooks, I think I just need two more for the whole set. And they are gorgeous enough to display, so I do. I found a beautiful wooden bowl, put a loosely wound ball of leftover hand dyed wool and stuck a couple hooks into the yarn, it looks lovely! My friend has a vase with hers in them and it looks beautiful as well.

[natalie058]

What a great way to display them, kelly, i bet they look lovely :)h I'm still waiting for mine, hopefully today they'll come :mail since I'm already planning my next order... i'm thinking about hairsticks, a "j" and "k" hook, and maybe an afghan hook, too, since I can't seem to find them anywhere around here... Agh! so much stuff! What colors of wood did you all get yours in? Mine are both cocobolo and i think i'm going to try to stick with that wood, but i love the african blackwood, too... decisions!

[natalie058]

THEY CAME!!! :woohoo :yay2

[Julie]

Natalie!! Do you like them?? :yay2

[natalie058]

I Do! I am in :heart Here (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nmnenado/detail?.dir=/a50c&.dnm=331d.jpg&.src=ph) they are, I had to show them off they're just so pretty... in fact tomorrow i am making my sis a scarf in her varsity colors just so I will have a reason to use them! lol :lol

[Julie]

They are beautiful. :)h I'm almost ready to place an order just from the excitement of talking about them so much.

[rebeccav]

well, i've given everyone subtle hints (okay - outright told them via an email with Bill's link and a specific size for each person :bad ) that i would like to get some of these beauties for Christmas....
everyone, cross your fingers for me :fc :bounce

[Julie]

:)h Rebecca! :fc :fc :fc

[natalie058]

:lol :fc Rebecca!

[natalie058]

Just have to talk about these hooks cuz my family just doesn't get it! I started a new project (scarf) JUST so I could use mine!! :lol The length takes a bit of getting used to, and i think my stitches are a bit bigger than with Boye hooks, but they are soo smooth and lovely... they are like art. Now i want a whole set [uh-oh!! $$] :hsanta

[threeolivemartini]

i love love love mine.. i cant say enough about them .. i want more too but think my sweetie is planning something about them so i am gonna lay off til the first of the year and act no so disappointed if i dont get them for christmas LOL

[DenmaDesigns]

I <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/rowofhearts.gif" /> those hooks too but can't afford them with my husbands Parkinson's meds costing so much. Last year (before we knew about him) I saved up to buy some Britteny Hooks. I <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/rowofhearts.gif" /> them! But I know if I ever could afford the TOC hooks I would buy them in a minute!
Cyndy

[rebeccav]

:yay2
GUESS WHAT -
my niece spilled the beans on my Christmas gift -
seems that my SIL order some of bill's hooks for me
:yay2 :yay 2:yay2

[Julie]

Oh you are going to be so very happy Rebecca! Now I'm just as excited as you are, I can't wait until you get them!! :yay2

[natalie058]

Congrats, Rebecca!! :yay2 How exciting for you - I :heart mine so much, i'm tryng to put in another order before xmas, and I'm sure you're going to love yours too!!

[InStitches52]

Ok, this place is dangerous. I got so excited reading about pretty hooks I ran off and ordered three of them. :lol

I sure hope the ones I want are still available. :sweat

[Julie]

And yay Rebecca (InStitches)!! I love his hooks, you are going to be so happy with them. :hug His P hook is rarely out of my hand these days - except for when I'm working on snowflakes, of course. :wink

[InStitches52]

Snowflakes with a P hook would be mighty scary :eek2 .

Since I seem to be on a bulky yarn kick, I ordered the K, N and P hooks. I have yet to hear back from Bill as to the availability of the ones I chose. :fc

[natalie058]

:fc InStitches!!

[Frangipani]

Those hooks are gorgeous. They seem liek a bargain as well being hand crafted. :D

Bec

[natalie058]

I've emailed Bill today about getting a couple more hooks for Christmas, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get them quite in time... I'm being picky and trying to get all cocobolo wood...so beautiful! :yes ... and there are none left in size K :cry so I asked if he might do a custom order, but I'm sure he is swamped with the holidays coming up so soon. But, the hooks are certainly worth the wait and i think it would be nice to get an after-Chirstmas Christmas present. :D!

[Julie]

I was all set to order another P hook a couple of days ago but he is so picked over right now. It's only for me so I can be patient and wait, but it won't stop me from checking and drooling all the time, either. :)h

[threeolivemartini]

and he is so busy trying to fill orders ! that is what i do Julie.. if the thing i want isnt there in a wood i like .. i wait.. he WILL have more.. the waiting part is hard though.. but there are some woods i just wouldnt want ...

[JPorter718]

:clap I just ordered a Q-hook from him :clap

I can't wait to receive it... all the hooks are so beautiful.

I was liking the Cherry wood, but would have taken the darker wood as my second choice and all the Cherry Q's were SOLD, but I emailed him anyways and he said 'I lucked out, he had one in reserve' :hyper

It went out today so I should get it on Friday! Woohoo! :nana

P.S. I bookmarked his page for hubby for Christmas time... I want an H, I, J, K and heck any other one he has :thinking1

[threeolivemartini]

i have an S in maple its yummy

[natalie058]

well, I heard back from Bill and man is he tempting... :bad said he has a boxed set of cocobolo hooks f-k, just in case someone wanted a matching set for the holidays, and I would love love love to be that lucky girl, but I cannot stretch my xmas dollars that far. :cry Guess I will be another one waiting til after the holidays.

[Julie]

Look at it this way, you'll have a lot more to pick and choose over after Christmas. :clap

[natalie058]

Hey ladies, I have been corresponding with Bill and he let me know that sometime early next year he will raising his prices by $1 on items like hooks, knitting needles :U and hair sticks... I will still be waiting, i guess because I am so **** picky and his hooks are so worth it... the way I look at it, since I am a first generation crocheter (and probably even if was not!) I am amassing my "heirloom collection," and they are SO worth it! :yes

[Julie]

It's still totally reasonable, plus when you add in the savings you get when you order more than one at a time and still get flat rate shipping, it's a bargain! He'd have to raise a lot higher than that to chase me off! :)h

[threeolivemartini]

he could double his price and I would still pay it .. he is top notch and i love his hooks.. i guess i am a very loyal customer when i really like something

[Sharon]

Ok ok, what IS so good about a home made hook?? I worry that the sizing will be off. How do you get the "hook" part the correct size?? Anyone buy off of Ebay from Graydog? ( i think that's the name. )

[Donna]

Ok ok, what IS so good about a home made hook?? I worry that the sizing will be off. How do you get the "hook" part the correct size?? LOL, you have got to try one and see! :)h It's hard to describe -- maybe someone else will be able to say. Anyhow, it's the shaft that primarily determines the size of the stitches, not the hook part (the tip and throat). And even commercially made crochet hooks don't conform to the same sizes, and often aren't even accurate to the millimeter measurement they're labeled with! :tryme I've used Boye, Bates, and other brands, and I find them all to be a little different. (Check out this Sizing Table (http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/knitsize.htm) by the beloved Bill.) That's why swatching (http://crochetme.com/issue_1/joy_of_swatching.html) is so important. (LOL, I guess you guys have noticed I'm a swatch lobbyist.) :D!

[natalie058]

It took me a few minutes to get used to my TOTC hooks, partly because the handle is longer and I had to figure where was comfortable to hold, and partly because the hook part itself is more enlongated than boye, which i usually use. After the initial learning period they now feel so comfortable to use, and my stitches turn out to be very very close in size to those made with boye hooks of the same size. PLus, these hooks are just so much fun to use... they are like playing wiht art.

[truelove730]

Sdk64- I have won two hooks from graydog and absolutly love them both. The quality is great and I switch between my wooden one and Boye aluminum one (the same size - I) and there is no difference. Here is a picture of the hooks. They are my favorite and hope to get more soon. Ironically the guy that makes them is named Bill too and Jill designs the additions (like the cat and other jewels). Here is a link to the Graydog auctions (http://search.ebay.com/GRAYDOG_W0QQsocolumnlayoutZ4QQsocomparecolumnlayou tZ1QQsosortorderZ1QQsosortpropertyZ1). Both Bill & Jill are super nice and I love the hooks so much.

<IMG WIDTH="350" HEIGHT="500" SRC="http://photos2.flickr.com/2032626_013c13da2e.jpg">http://photos2.flickr.com/2032624_55befae01b.jpg

[Julie]

The Graydog hooks are gorgeous!! I look at those auctions and am amazed at how the price climbs, but then again they are beautiful hooks so I'm not so very surprised after all.

I love my hooks from TOTC, and like Natalie said they do take a bit of adjustment when you first pick one up after using Boye or Bates. They are just a bit longer and it does make a difference. And like Natalie, I think it is just like working with a piece of art too! :)h

[truelove730]

I am shocked by the Graydog prices too. I only got mine six months ago, but they prices have gone waaayyy up....I guess the word got out. When I got mine the cat was $55 and the other $35. I saw one of the cat ones (all wood) go for $165. All auctions start at $9.99 with no reserve so they are doing well. I love them so much because they are so colorful and feel great in your hand. I have been wanting a "wood" colored one and think I will try out TOTC.

[Sharon]

Guess I will just have to wish for one. :(

[threeolivemartini]

I have to admit.. i have a grey dog.. and its beautiful.. i scored mone for 23 dollars.. its an H and has a starfish and a red crystal on the end.. i will take a pic soon i swear.. but for the price i have gone to bill at turn of the century...they are jsut as beautiful to me and i dont have to "bid" for it

[lillian1969]

I found a website that shows how to make your own wooden hooks.I wish my boyfriend would learn woodturning.Then he could make me some:th

[threeolivemartini]

hmm i am all for equal opportunity.. wood working isnt just for men.. you could learn and make your own!!

go girl power!

[lillian1969]

Thats true, but with all my crochet, sewing and other stuff.I have no room for a lathe and what ever else.Not saying I could not do it.I took wood shop when I was in school and I enjoyed it.Its just space wise not good for me now

[lillian1969]

We could all learn to make our own hooks and would not need TOTC.:thumbsup

[Rosesandtea]

sdk said: "Ok ok, what IS so good about a home made hook?? I worry that the sizing will be off. How do you get the "hook" part the correct size?? "

I just had to comment on this as I read this thread today (still nosing around parts of Crochetville I haven't seen yet). I got some wooden hooks for Christmas. They are made by Brittany.
My husband is a scientist and he has brought home all sorts of equipment at times when it would otherwise be thrown out because of moving labs, etc. Earlier this week I wondered if he had something to measure very small things and indeed he had. I thought it would be fun to compare the Brittany wooden hook with a metal one I have of the same size. DH got out his micrometer and we measured the hooks. The Brittany was 50 microns larger than the metal hook. We measured my hair as well and one of my hairs is 50 microns. I think that is pretty darn close.

We didn't measure all the wooden hooks I got. I just wanted to measure one and see if they really were the same size. 50 microns to me is a very acceptable difference and we'd probably find that amongst the same company's hooks of the same size when the mold changes due to age, heat, etc. Also metal hooks will change a bit when hot or cold although they may be more apt to lengthen than to get bigger around. (Gotta ask dh about that although I won't bore you with his answer!)

I made a couple of swatches with the hooks we measured, and the wooden one made a slightly larger swatch although I wonder if it is due to the way I held the hook as I wasn't used to it. At this point I wouldn't start using the hook in the middle of a project already started but when I get used to the wooden ones, maybe I can.