Holding the Crochet Hook

Hi,
I just watched a few crochet videos on YouTube, and I keep noticing that most people crochet using the knife grip. I very rarely see the pencil grip, which is how I work.
I try the knife grip every now and then, but I just can’t get the hang of it. I also find it more tiring than the pencil grip—or is that just because I’m used to doing it differently? I also think the knife grip makes crocheting feel more relaxed.
I’d just be curious to know how you all do it.
Most people probably don’t even think about it—they just crochet the way they learned. I didn’t either, until I noticed it in the videos.

Now I had to grab a crochet hook and try it out. I don’t hold it like a pen.

But I’ve also often seen in videos that others pull up the stitches differently, often placing the yarn differently. I always thought that in England, the U.S., or Russia, people just knit or crochet differently.

I think everyone does it the way they were taught, whether by their grandma, mom, or at school. 

I use the knife grip :D For me it was the other way round — I noticed the pen grip and just can’t get the hang of it. That’s probably a good thing, because according to my mother-in-law, I apparently crochet incredibly tightly^^

I’ve noticed the different grips too—I used to just chalk it up to other countries, because whenever I’m on vacation I always see a British woman knitting, and it looks so different from how I do it.
I also hold the crochet hook like a knife—otherwise, those thicker ergonomic handles wouldn’t make any sense. And I tend to crochet on the tighter side, too.

I hold the crochet hook like a pen.

Yeah, the ergonomic handles only make sense with the knife grip.

I’m a “knife” crocheter. ^^
I didn’t even realize there were other ways to hold a crochet hook until I went to a crochet meetup.
I was pretty amazed... XD
I tried the “pen” grip once, too, but failed miserably... 

I actually wasn’t aware either that you could hold the crochet hook differently. I don’t know anyone else who crochets in my circle of friends—I only saw it in the videos.


I’d first have to try that myself.... 
But I don’t hold either my knife or my pen like that.... 🤔😂
When crocheting, I was never really aware that you could also hold the crochet hook differently.
I know this from knitting, and in most English videos they show both styles, the "European" knitting style and the English one. Although in Italy they knit quite differently again.... most people there tuck their knitting needle under their arm and then move their whole body, "it feels like"  ( sorry, Donna) I could never knit calmly and in a relaxed way like that..... 

I guess that’s what you’d call it :-). It’s great that you can do both. I tried the “knife grip” again, but it’s not working for me. I think that’s actually how most people crochet.

I’m definitely a “pen grip” crocheter. I’ll have to practice the “knife grip” on a test piece. I’m curious to see how it feels. I’ve also seen that thing about bringing the yarn around the other way…

Well, I’m a “knife grip” crocheter, too. I learned it that way as a kid and used to think it was only different on other continents.
It wasn’t until I saw videos on YouTube that I realized it varies here, too.
To each their own—whatever feels most comfortable.

I can work with both hook holds, too. However, I usually use the pencil hold—I personally find it much more comfortable.

I’m also more of a “knife grip” person when it comes to crocheting. That’s how I learned it, and I’ve stuck with it.
I’ve also noticed in various crochet videos just how differently people crochet.
Just for fun, I tried the “pencil grip” once—it feels more comfortable for the hand—but, oh boy, I really struggled until I managed to crochet a single crochet stitch that way, and since it was so unfamiliar, no, that wasn’t for me.

Everyone also wraps the yarn around their finger or holds it differently—have you ever noticed that? It’s really interesting.

Now I’d have to take a look too 😂 I’m also in the knife-grip camp. 

It’s kind of funny that so many people have to “try it out” first... 🙈.
Everyone holds their crochet hook so naturally—I never realized before that you could hold it any other way...  

I thought so too. It’s interesting that some people first have to check how they actually hold the crochet hook :-)

So I'm knife grip too. I counted through the replies so far: 
9x knife
3x pencil 
2x flexi 

Steffi  is definitely knife grip. Or do you hold the knife somehow differently??? 

Yes, I've noticed that about holding the yarn too. For example, I only wrap the yarn once around my index finger, because I squeeze the yarn between my ring finger and little finger like an ox. 

I'd really like to see Italian knitting sometime. Tucking it under your arm??? What??? 
American knitting already drives me nuts, when they keep knitting, wrapping the yarn, knitting, wrapping the yarn; how do they ever get anywhere? With me it goes like a sewing machine, zip zip. 

What I always find even more interesting in the videos is how the ladies make the starting loop; everyone has her own technique there too. Recently I saw someone who didn't make a slip knot at all at first. She somehow wrapped it around the needle so that it formed by itself. 

Last night I tried the “knife” style because it made it easier to reach some of the stitches, but I quickly switched back to my usual way.