Knooking hat

[Tammy]

I was given 1 skein of some yummy yarn Bernat Bamboo Natural Blends, color: water (light soft blue) it is a bulky weight. Having only 63yds (57m) I had no clue what to make with it but knew I wanted something special as it is sooooo soft. One of my Aunt's friends just found out she has cancer and will be starting chemo in a few weeks. I instantly thought of this yarn for a chemo hat for this woman. I knew there wasn't enough yarn to crochet a hat, there is just enough to do a simple knit hat. Well now this yarn has that boucle (sp) texture to it, plus the soft slipperiness of it that I'm not comfortable with knitting loom or knitting needles. Out came the knook hook. Using this pattern Knooked Hat Crown Down I can at least make the hat this way. I have discovered though I can knook, and know enough of it to help others get started I don't like it. Have any of you tried knooking? If so what are your thoughts?

[carolivy]

Wow! That is something I have never even heard of! Interesting. Don't think I will try it though as working with the crochet hook hurts my hands now.

[Lynn]

I never heard of this before. Also can't say I ever met a yarn I couldn't knit, although there are some I prefer not to knit. The hat looks simple enough for DPNs or circulars. What do you dislike about knooking? I Googled it and found a couple of videos that explain it very clearly. Now, I've worked with enough life lines in lace knitting to know that I don't like working from a cord. There isn't enough stability like a knitting needle provides. Why not just use a regular knitting needle? It would be so much simpler.
Thank you for bringing this technique to my attention. I suppose if there is a crocheter who simply cannot "get" knitting and really wants to, this could be a bridge to use for teaching.

[Tammy]

Wow! That is something I have never even heard of! Interesting. Don't think I will try it though as working with the crochet hook hurts my hands now.

Carol I had only tried it enough to say yep I can do that if I have to. Like you crocheting hurts my hands. Normally when I crochet I hold hook like a pencil with this I hold it like a knife. Maybe that is part of what I don't like about it.

I never heard of this before. Also can't say I ever met a yarn I couldn't knit, although there are some I prefer not to knit. The hat looks simple enough for DPNs or circulars. What do you dislike about knooking? I Googled it and found a couple of videos that explain it very clearly. Now, I've worked with enough life lines in lace knitting to know that I don't like working from a cord. There isn't enough stability like a knitting needle provides. Why not just use a regular knitting needle? It would be so much simpler.
Thank you for bringing this technique to my attention. I suppose if there is a crocheter who simply cannot "get" knitting and really wants to, this could be a bridge to use for teaching.

LOL I just wasn't comfortable doing the knooking. I think it is a lot of what you said about not feeling stable on the cord. The hat is back on circulars. I started it with the knooking, did all the increasing and such but couldn't take it. I slid it onto the same size needles as the hook was and it doesn't look bad considering I changed techniques. This yarn is so soft, slippery and splity that I just have to make sure I'm watching my knitting not watch tv while I work on that.

[Lynn]

Yeah. Some yarns, in spite of how nice they feel in the skein, just should never have been born. Watch carefully, so you don't have to frog. That would really mess it up. Hope your friend appreciates the hat.

BTW, I switched from pencil to knife crocheting years ago because of ruhmatoid arthritis in my hands and wrists. It has really helped with the pain. Of course, it took some getting used to, and I remember not liking it as well, but now that I'm used to it, I'm glad I switched. At least I can keep crocheting.

[carolivy]

I always did hold my hook like a knife but it still hurts now. I have a tendancy to crochet realllly tight and now have arthritis in the end joint of the index finger that I use for manipulating the hook. Bending this finger is now extremely painful. Thankfully with tatting I don't have to bend this finger much at all.

I have done some knitting with some bulky weight very airy bouclé yarn put out by Red Heart. The only way I will knit that one is Garter Stitch. It is so airy that you cannot see any pattern when you knit with it but it makes great baby blankets.

[Tammy]

Hi Carol,

I know what you mean about arthritic joints. grumble growl Thankfully we have found other fiber arts to get us through our need to create.

This yarn is like you described you can't really see the individual stitches unless you know what to look for. Normally I wouldn't fight with a yarn that takes to much time because of the splitting etc but for a chemo hat I will. It is so important to have something very soft and gentle to the skin. Plus it is always a learning experience for me even if for nothing more than to remind myself never to buy this yarn in the future.

[carolivy]

When I knit those afghans I used a size 11 needle and it didn't take much time at all to make them. Not much yarn either with that size needle.

[rsmre]

I watched some YouTube Videos on Knooking. It was interesting, but it looked awkward and tedious. Even the women demonstrating seemed to be struggling to make the stitches. In some cases, the demonstrator needed to hold the stitch or pry it open enough so that the knook tool could go through the stitch. I don't think that actual knitting or crocheting is anywhere near as difficult.

[Tammy]

It isn't hard. It is boring, and working from the cord just isn't me.