If you’ve seen my latest pattern, you may have noticed that the doll is made with a tiny crochet hook. But how do you crochet with such a small hook, you might wonder? It’s not much different from using regular hooks, but I still want to share some tips with you. This way, I can help you if you need it—especially if you’ve never crocheted with a hook smaller than 2 mm. So today, I’m giving you 5 tips for crocheting with a small hook.
Making dolls is my favorite hobby. Those sweet little faces, dressing them up—it reminds me of when I was a little girl playing with my Barbies. And yes, I’m over 30, but I still love dolls. Not to play with, but to crochet! My latest collection is the Tiny Dolls Collection, dolls crocheted with hooks ranging from 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm. And let me tell you, that is tiny! But not if you have the right yarn. Below, I’m sharing 5 tips on how to work with these tiny hooks.
Tip 1: Yarn is everything
The smaller the yarn, the smaller the hook, right? That’s true to a certain extent. For a regular ball of cotton, the recommended hook size is between 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm. But a 2 mm hook also works fine. It really depends on how tight you crochet and how you hold your yarn. The tighter you crochet, the larger the hook you’ll need for the same dimensions.
For small projects with thin yarn, you can safely use a smaller hook. The dolls are made with special embroidery floss, normally used for stitching on jeans, canvas, or blouses. I use it to crochet tiny dolls. This yarn works perfectly with hooks from 0.6 mm to 1 mm to keep stitches tight. If you use it with a 1.5 mm hook, your work will be a bit looser, which is perfect for the doll’s clothing. Look for yarn in categories like “lace” or “embroidery,” such as Durable Embroidery, Rico Essentials, Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat, Scheepjes Candyfloss, and Rhapsody Embroidery.
Tip 2: Don’t leave small hooks lying around
Okay, maybe a strange tip, but let me explain. The smaller the hook tip, the easier it is to accidentally poke it into your cushions. And not just cushions… If your hook has a cap, use it! A little gross story: once I used the back of a tiny hook to push stuffing into a doll’s arm. I slipped, and the hook stabbed into my palm. I stayed calm, wiggled it free, and luckily it wasn’t worse. For a moment, I thought I might need to go to the hospital to get it out.
So please, always cover the tip with a cap or store hooks in a special bag. You don’t want to injure yourself, your kids, or your pets. They poke just like needles, so PLEASE BE CAREFUL!
Tip 3: Too tight is stiff work
The “drawback” of working with thin yarn and small hooks is that your work can become very stiff. Keep your wrist relaxed to avoid pulling the yarn too tight when making stitches. For some parts of the doll’s body, it doesn’t matter much, like the shoes. But for the head, don’t make it too tight. Otherwise, you can’t shape the head into a round form. Stiffness can make the head look odd and unnatural. So don’t pull your work tighter than the yarn already does.
Tip 4: First project? Buy small amounts
If you’re used to large projects that require 2 or 3 balls of yarn, don’t do that for tiny hook projects. You don’t need that much yarn! The only colors I buy in larger amounts are skin tones like nude, Latina brown, and Sunkissed brown. For clothing, you don’t need much. I always buy 5-gram balls in multiple colors. That’s more than enough for several projects. When you know you’ll make, say, 10 of the same doll, then a larger ball is fine. Otherwise, buy small amounts :) This saves money for other beautiful colors.
I recommend looking at Rhapsody or Scheepjes Candyfloss. They come in boxes with multiple colors. A rainbow set is fine, and a few boxes with shades from dark to pastel are enough for your first dolls in multiple colors. And one large ball of Rico Essentials or Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat for the skin tone.
Tip 5: Don’t buy just one size…
My last tip: don’t buy just one size of a tiny hook. For the dolls, you can use multiple small hooks. The smallest range is 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm. And YES, that’s 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, etc. Let me promise you: I’ve used almost all of them. I bought simple metal hooks without rubber grips. Why? Because hooks with grips often feel too small. With metal hooks, it crochets easier—at least for me.
Check the photo below for the difference. With a metal hook, I have more control over the tiny stitches and can position my fingertip on the yarn more easily. I don’t get that with a rubber grip, to be honest.
My metal hooks came from “Uncle AliExpress” for just a few euros, and I love them! As you can see in the photo, both hooks are 0.6 mm, but the Clover looks smaller than the cheap one from Ali. But the Ali hook works best because of the shape from tip to grip. The Clover is so thin it bends downward completely. Same size, same result in crochet, but Ali is my favorite. It’s sturdier, doesn’t bend, and the yarn slides on and off easily. So don’t be fooled by expensive hooks claiming to be better!
Those were my tips for crocheting with a small hook. Have questions or need help with tiny projects? You know where to find me!
Love,
Adinda
