Tools of the Trade

What kind of crochet tools do you use?  I have tried many over the years and I keep coming back to the same ones.  I used wooden crochet hooks, but they break too easy.  I crochet fabric and it can be stronger than the wood.  It could be my technique, but I hate to admit that.   I like the Boye hooks because of the shape and the slickness of the metal.  Some hooks tend to allow drag if the finish is not as smooth.  I also like the Comfort Cushion from Susan Bates.  It comes in blue colors (ONLY BLUE) and the size small is hard to find.  If you get the wrong size it will slip off.  It is also a bugger to get on your hook.  I usually dip my hook in liquid soap and water.  It goes into the Comfort Cushion real well about half way.  Then it is a test to see if  I can get the hook in the rest of the way without cussing.  It is so nice to have a hook with cushion that you can grip.  About 10 years ago I won a speed crocheting contest.  I crocheted more double crochet stitches in a certain period of time using acrylic yarn and a Boye hook with a Comfort Cushion on it, than the other entries.   LOL

Knitting needles are a different story.  I German knit or pick my yarn instead of wrapping it the English way.  For this type of knitting, I like good points on my needles.  I also like the warmth and quiet of wood, bamboo, or the fake plastic whalebone with give.  The old metal kind have been retired at my house.   Have you ever tried to use 3 or 4 metal double point needles?  They slide out and it turns into a real mess.  I guess with knitting a little drag is OK.  I collect knitting needles.  I like to make small projects and use a different pair of needles with each project.  I even match the project with the needles.  If the needles have a heavy top or head, they are not balanced and are hard to work with.  I have purchased beautiful needles with large beads on the top and they have also been retired  at my house because of the top heavy problem.  Glass knitting needles are a nightmare for me.  I tend to drop needles a lot.  Circular needles help with this issue, but they are not as pretty as straight knitting needles.  A couple of years ago I suggested that manufactures make colored needles.  A company is doing that now, but knitters want color and design.  Why do I have to purchase a  size 9 to get a green needle?  What if I want a 6 in green?  I also like the old wooden designs from Brittany.  They still use that design on the crochet hooks they make, but the knitting needles have a simpler design now.   People pay dearly for an old pair of needles.  It is the nostalgic look with the dark needles designed with a Victorian top.  If function, beauty, color, nostalgia, and design are in a needle, I probably own it.

What kind of tools do you use?  Does it bother you when people call your knitting crocheting or vice versa?  Blessings to you!  Dawn