Crafters are always thinking about the tools they use, and there tends to be endless choices to make when selecting them. When I first discovered bamboo crochet hooks and knitting needles, I shunned my previous use of aluminum hooks and needles. I thought I had found “the” perfect material for these tools. However, after awhile, I realized that sometimes aluminum works better than bamboo. I tend to work faster with an aluminum crochet hook because it has more glide to it (if that makes sense), and for some types of yarns, like cotton, I also prefer aluminum.

Now I’ve added wood into the mix in the form of my first Harmony crochet hook that I got from KnitPicks recently. It is made of laminated birch, and it is so pretty! But is it practical? I have been using it on a shawl I’ve had in the works for awhile, and I’m giving it the thumbs up! It feels light in my hands (it’s a size G) and it has a fair amount of glide to it. Plus, the hook end is nice and deep, so it grabs the yarn really well.

I’ve tried all three types now – wood, bamboo, and aluminum – and I don’t really have a favorite any more. I like them all, and I really use them all based on what I’m making.