Feature Friday: Double-end Hook Crochet

While keeping an eye out for a hook I could convert to knooking, I found what I at first thought was an afghan hook.  Then I saw the extra hook at the other end!  The hook I found is a Red Heart product.  It's 10"/25cm long and is a size J-10/6 mm   There were no other sizes available. Some time ago, I'd borrowed a book from the library with double-end hook crochet patterns, but until now I'd never seen a double-ended hook.  So I snapped it up to give it a try.  I figured I could always ignore one end and use it as an afghan hook if it didn't work out.

Here are the initial results. Note that I had to go by memory, as I didn't find the book I'd borrowed again, and will have to put a hold on it.  Until then, I winged it as best as I could remember.



Starting a project is, as near as I can tell, much the same as doing an afghan or Tunisian crochet - neither of which I've actually tried yet, so don't take my word for it! *L*

To start, I worked a chain to the length I wanted, plus 2 ch for turning.  When working back down the foundation chain, the stitches are done up to the last loop, with is left on the hook.  In my case, I decided to work with double crochet, which worked as follows. 

At the start of the row, ch 2 (or if this is the first row, work into the 3rd ch from the hook).  Counts as first dc. *YOH, insert hook into next loop, YOH, pull through, YOH and pull through 2 loops.  Leave last loop on hook and repeat from * to the end.

When reaching the end of the row, it will look like the photo above. 



Turn the entire piece and attach the next colour to the hook at the opposite end.  Pull the new colour through the first loop, YOH, then pull the yarn through the next loop on the hook.  Continue until all the loops on the hook have been pulled off, leaving only 1 loop on the hook in the new colour.  Each loop that was on the hook now has a loop in the new colour over it.  This is the loop you will be working into in the next row.

Do NOT turn.



Ch 2.  *YOH, insert hook into next loop, YOH, pull hook through, YOH, pull yarn through 2 loops.  Repeat from * to the end.



Turn the piece, take up the yarn dropped previously to change colours and keep repeating the pattern.

I'm not entirely sure I'm doing this right.  I'll have to spend some time looking at tutorials and check out some patterns.  Looking at one of the pages now, it appears I'm working into the wrong loop when going back down the row to put all those loops back onto the hook.  It might also be a different stitch.  I'll have to figure it out.

As it stands now... I'm not too impressed with it.  I found myself getting bored with it rather quickly.  It seems rather finicky, and I don't know that I like the look of it enough to bother.  It also seems to use up a lot more yarn.  Maybe after I've gone through the tutorials and figure it out, I'll like it better.