Archive for October 6, 2011
New Tunisian Crochet Hooks Are a Dream Come True
This weekend I had the pleasure of taking a test drive with the new Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet hooks available through WEBS. Not only are they beautifully made, it is pure joy to stitch with them. The ergonomic design of the hooks makes them extremely comfortable to hold and the colors are absolutely mesmerizing. In fact, each size is color-coded, making the hooks easy to identify, grab and go.
The Dreamz Tunisian crochet hooks range in size from E (3.5 mm) all the way up to 12 mm and come in vibrant shades of purple, green, orange, raspberry and teal. Simply put – they are a must for every Tunisian crocheter’s upcoming holiday wish list. The basic set, which is less than $55, comes with 8 hooks (US sizes E, G, 7, H, I, J, K and L), 4 cables (one 24”, two 32”, and one 40”), cable connectors, 8 end caps, 4 cable keys and a clear carrying case.
Personally, I enjoy the feel of wooden hooks the most compared to metal or plastic ones – there is something about the weight and the natural texture that I find pleasing. The Dreamz hooks are made from densified laminated birch wood, which was selected with the test of time in mind. Birch wood is harder than other woods, like ebony and rosewood. It has minimal water absorption too, reducing the chances of warping and allowing the hooks to remain strong. Each Dreamz hook is topped with a low-gloss finish to enhance the intrinsic beauty of the wood and keep them smooth to the touch.
Well, I am sure like me you are asking – yes, these are pretty but why do I need another set of Tunisian crochet hooks. I asked Kathy Elkins, who owns WEBS along with her husband Steve, this very question. “The Dreamz hooks are similar to some other Tunisian crochet hook sets out there in all the ways we love – cords in different lengths, a great range of hook sizes and stoppers for each cord – but then they are different and so much better!” she explained.
The added bonus that comes with these Tunisian crochet hooks is the perfect blend of well thought out design elements – namely, a novel screw-and-key mechanism that allows the hooks to seamlessly connect to the cords, extra long nylon cords that don’t kink, and a streamlined shape for crocheting ease.
“Not only is the color-coding by size a terrific and unique feature, the join is virtually seamless and the transition from cord to hook is gradual and smooth with no step-ups or bumps to catch your stitches,” Kathy continued. “Since the join is screwed together and you have the locking pin to get it nice and tight, your hooks and cords won’t separate. Finally, the hooks themselves are fantastic with an inline shape, a nice deep throat and a not-too-pointy tip; so, you don’t have to worry about splitting your stitches. And while not as slippery as the Addi’s, I have tried almost every fiber with these hooks and NOTHING catches on the surface.”
Of course, I took this as a challenge and had to try the hooks out on a range of yarns in my stash too. The hooks glided through everything from mohair to merino to acrylic without a glitch. Here is a sample of one of the hooks in action with Gems, 100% merino wool yarn, by Louet. FYI – this is a Tunisian crochet lattice stitch pattern that I have been playing around with for an upcoming design. Stay tuned for more!
An American Success Story
Although made in India by KnitPro, the Dreamz line is part of the next chapter for WEBS, a true American family business. The full line includes single-end crochet hooks in 13 sizes, interchangeable knitting needles, fixed circular needles, as well as double pointed and straight needles.
The history of WEBS is a beautiful story and an inspiration to all of us who wish to turn our passion into a paycheck. “WEBS was founded in 1974 by my mother-in-law, Barbara, and her friend. It started in the basement of Barbara’s home and the focus was to teach people to weave,” recounted Kathy. “Eventually the family wanted the basement back and her friend decided business was not for her, so they parted ways. Barbara leased an 800 sq. ft. retail space in Amherst, Massachusetts; and, by the early 80′s, she added yarns for knitting and crochet.”
Over the next decade the business continued to expand and moved from a Victorian house in downtown Amherst to a larger location in Northampton by 1992. Ultimately, though, WEBS landed on some prime real estate in the virtual world after Barbara’s husband, Art, read an article on the importance of the internet in the Wall Street Journal and purchased the url www.yarn.com.
Eventually, by early 2002, Barbara and Art had passed the reigns to their son Steve and daughter-in-law Kathy. “Art and Barbara asked us a couple of times if we were interested in joining the business, which we politely declined. By 2001, Art and Barbara were ready to move on and had finally found a buyer. They came to see Steve and I that fall – one last-ditch effort to convince us to take over the business,” Kathy said. “They came with financials, charts, and projections – the works. I decided it was a good decision for us and it took a few weeks, but eventually Steve agreed that taking over WEBS was the best for us.”
Today, WEBS has grown from a small mail order business to the go-to online destination for all things fiber related. Kathy and Steve pride themselves on listening to their customers and constantly improving to meet their needs. “We consider ourselves very fortunate to do what we do. We constantly remind our staff that knitters, crocheters and all fiber artists have many, many choices of where to shop. So, we have to always be grateful when we are their chosen destination and make their shopping experience the best it can be,” concluded Kathy.
In fact, the Elkins back all of their products 100%, including the new Dreamz line, and will replace any broken or damaged parts. For more information on the Knitter’s Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet hooks, visit WEBS online at http://www.yarn.com/.
Live Your Passion, Embrace the Hook
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Clearly, the entire world has been touched by the life of Steve Jobs. It’s no doubt that he will remain an inspiration for generations to come and his business has revolutionized every facet of our day-to-day lives.
I was touched this morning by this quote of his during the 2005 commencement address at Stanford. I immediately thought of my passion, crochet, and how I want nothing more than to eat, sleep and breathe it all day long. Some of us stitch for fun and some of us stitch because we have to – it’s our creative outlet. It’s our gift of beauty back to the world. Much like the iphone, ipad, ipod, and Mac computers were all Jobs’ gift of beauty to us.
So, my point is that I resolve today to embrace my hook and live out my dream…no matter what. Thank you Steve Jobs for inspiring me to do. Rest in peace.
