Polymer Crochet Hook Handles.
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| Robin Murray Etsy |
I have been having difficulty with a crochet hook since my chemo damaged the nerves in my hands and had almost given up trying to do too much. Then I discovered on Etsy that some clever people in USA make polymer handles for their hooks, which make them so much easier to handle. They seem rather expensive (especially if you want a set) and there is always the problem of customs taxes to consider, and waiting for them to arrive, (which I seriously hate!)
So today I went off to buy some Polymer thinking ... how hard can it be? I also purchased a new metal set of hooks so that if it all went disastrously wrong then it would not be too much of a problem. A set of six metal hooks and three polymer colours set me back about £10. Sadly the colour I wanted was not available in the art shop we visited (pink), so I had to settle on lilac, purple and white as they were the only ones bearable (brown, orange, black, anyone?)
Well it was difficult! The clay was very hard and no matter how I kneaded and pummeled it the material refused to become pliable. Mixing the colours to make a marble effect was also very hard to do as they were not keen to be mated. Eventually though I managed to make a simple handle with a marble effect and some spots and shrouded the hook ends in it. I then rolled it and tapped the ends to give it a little firmness before I baked it.
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This process was extremely difficult to do in an Aga (the temperature is approx 450c in one oven and 150c in the other) and the temperature suggested is just 120c - 130c for 15/20 minutes. To counteract the heat I put the hook onto silver foil and covered it with silver foil too and placed it in the coolest part of the lower oven.
After about fifteen minutes I checked for any signs of discolouration or cracking and could see none so I set the package back in the oven for a further five minutes. When it came out I put it into a bowl of iced water, which apparently helps the hardening process. This was the then time for the next stage of smoothing and sanding and polishing. The finished project should be visible here in a short time. Meanwhile I think I shall just pop over to Etsy and order some anyway! (And yes I did succumb).
Yours look pretty good, but a lot of bother to do.
ReplyDeleteThat is a brilliant idea!! I have never come across it before as a way of making crochet hooks easier to handle.
ReplyDeleteYours looks lovely - but I agree, what a lot of effort. Sometimes it is worth paying someone else to do it for us, haha ;)
Please do share pictures of them "in action", if you are able to use them easily!
Yours looks great, if you could just discover a way to make them easier and faster then you could sell them on etsy!
ReplyDeletejust checked how many tutorials for the handles ..............they all just say knead the clay thought they might have a way with it .
ReplyDeleteyours looks great love the colour !!how clever to have a go .......then succumb :))))
Oh, I've seen them here too! I think the problem you had is that you used the 'Classic' Fimo, which is hard, and does require warm hands and lots of kneading. If you try again, use the 'Soft' Fimo, which is much more easy to manipulate. Also knead small amounts at a time to build up, rather than a big block at once. Also not sure Fimo and Sculpey should be mixed, but as long as it's stayed together, that's good!
ReplyDeletethis is a great craft and one I have had on my list of things I should do for a while now. I have a rubber gripper on my basic hook currently but when I go to other hooks I find that this does not work as well because it slipps around. Katy is right about the soft filmo but also you may have gotten older product (since it appears taht the shop didn't have a great selection) and at times this can make a difference. My husband had this happen previously on one of his projects and the clay was very difficult to manage. Good luck on your projects.
ReplyDeleteHow enterprising of you. I think I'd have succumbed a lot quicker, but well done you for making such a great effort. Fingers crossed that yours works.
ReplyDeleteI'm really impressed. There is a solution to every problem, it is just knowing who to ask, and a crochet handle is something I had never though of. I had a short foray into fimo jewellery and really enjoyed it, but I didn't have the patience to sort out the polishing technique.
ReplyDeleteThey look amazing. I agree crochet hooks are hard to hold and I like hooks with chunky handles.
ReplyDeleteI think yours turned out great. I've tried working with polymer clay and had fun with it but decided it wasn't for me. I can't believe what people can create with it.
ReplyDeleteOh clever girl, what a fab idea!
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