Crochet Tool

The present invention is in the field of a tool or appliance to form an initial crochet loop to begin a creation of a fabric-based article.

In crocheting, it is common to form loops. An initial loop must be made in a specific manner in order to launch the creation of an article formed from a crochet fabric form. Unfortunately, the loop formation process can be difficult and time consuming to achieve because it is difficult to hold yarn with one hand at several separate points, while grabbing and looping the yarn with a crochet hook held in another hand. While a number of approaches have been tried over the years for forming loops, none has proved entirely acceptable.

As such, there remains a need for crochet tool enabling stationary positioning of yarn in several positions while forming an initial loop and starting a crochet article.

A crochet tool for creating a first loop is provided comprising a card base enabled to be hand-held including a top edge, bottom edge and opposing side edges. In this embodiment, a first cutout may be positioned at the top edge extending towards an interior of the card, left of a center point of the top edge. A second cutout may be positioned at the top edge extending towards the interior of the card, right of the center point of the top edge. A third cutout may also be positioned at the bottom edge of the card opposite the first cutout and extending towards the interior of the card. Additionally, a fourth cutout may be positioned at the bottom edge opposite the second cutout and extending towards the interior of the card. A user may then grasp the card with one hand and use the cutouts to hold yarn segments of a single string of yarn, thereby enabling a user to create an initial crochet loop.

In different embodiments, the cutouts form a triangular apex or a semicircle. In both of these embodiments, the third cutout includes a slot formed by parallel straight edges forming an angle towards a center of the card and the slot has an inner dimension enabling a portion of yarn to be held securely. In this or another embodiment, a rectangular cutout is positioned in an upper center of the card enabling grasping of the yarn segments through the card by a user.

In another embodiment a method of forming an initial loop enabling creation of a crochet article comprises the steps of fitting an end portion of a single strand of yarn in a slot having a width enabled to secure the yarn, the slot extending from a first cutout positioned at a bottom left edge of a rectangular card crochet tool, extending a first segment of the yarn from the slot across a front face of the card to a second cutout positioned at an upper right edge of the card. Further extending a second segment of the yarn from the second cutout straight down a back face of the card to a third cutout positioned at the bottom edge on a right side and then extending a third segment of the yarn across the front face of the card from the third cutout to a fourth cutout positioned at the upper edge at a left side.

With the yarn segments held in place by the cutouts of the card, implementing a hook of a crochet tool to pull a portion of the third segment under the first segment forming a subloop around the crochet tool from the third segment and hooking an upper portion of the third segment again with the crochet tool and pulling it through the subloop thereby forming the initial loop. In one embodiment a rectangular cutout is positioned in an upper center of the card enabling grasping of the yarn segments through the card by a user. In another embodiment, the first through fourth cutouts each form a triangular apex or a semicircle extending away from the upper and lower edges towards an interior of the card and the first cutout includes the slot formed by parallel straight edges forming an angle pointing towards a center of the card.

shows a front face of a crochet tool in the form of a card. Cardis a rectangular shape with curved corners that is oriented horizontally when being used. A rectangular cutoutmay be centered in an upper half of card. Cutoutis also a rectangular shape with curved corners. Cardincludes a top edgeshown in. Top edgeincludes two yarn-retaining cutoutsandthat are equidistant to each other. Cardincludes a bottom edgethat also includes two equidistantly spaced cutoutsanddemonstrates a thickness of cardthat is consistent throughout the card. Cardmay be manufactured from any form of plastic or polycarbonate. Additionally, cardnay be made from wood, glass or a form of metal in another embodiment. A thickness of cardmay be increased depending upon the material selected for manufacture.

Each of cutouts-may be formed as a two-sided triangular apex forming approximately a 45° angle with the apex high point extending towards the center of the card away from edgesand. The cutouts-having this shape are enabled to retain one or more strings of yarn while creating an initial loop. Cutoutis formed off center to a left side of a center point of bottom edge. Cutoutincludes a slothaving a first and second parallel edges having a dimension between them of less than a dimension of cutoutmeasured along bottom edge. One of the parallel lines formed by extending a left edge of the apex ofand the other parallel edge beginning at a top portion of the apex angled to enable the second edge to be parallel with the first edge wherein the width is enabled to snugly hold a single strand of yarn. In this manner, a string end of yarn is held securely in slotas it is a starting point of creating a starting loop explained more fully below.

demonstrate a comparison between different shapes of cutouts.includes the same cutout shapes in the embodiment ofelements-shows an embodiment wherein the cutouts are semicircles. In this embodiment, cutoutsandopen towards bottom edge, with cutoutsandopening to top edge. Cutoutserves a same purpose as cutoutwhich is the starting point of the process of forming a loop. A slotis formed at a top center portion of the semicircle ofextending at an angle towards a center point of card. Slotalso includes two parallel edges extending from the semicircle at a similar overall angle similar to that of.

show the step-by-step process of creating a starting crochet loop for creating an article. The process begins at cutoutofwherein the cardis held by a left hand in this embodiment. For left-handed users, the card need only be turned around so the cutout with the additional slot would be right of center near the lower right corner of the card. The yarn end is held in the slot of(not shown). The yarn is then wound fromacross the front of the card across the cutout() forming yard portion. The yarn then goes straight down from() on the back side of the card to() (not shown) where the yarn is crossed toon the front of the card forming yard portion., wherelays on top ofwithin cutout. In this manner the yarn forms an “x” within the cutout. A benefit of having the yarn cross within the cutout is that it may be gripped and held by the left hand.

Next,shows a crochet hookgrabbing yarn portionand pulling it under yarn portionand then grabs yarn portion, again, and pulls it under itself as seen in. At this point, the yarn is removed from cutoutandand a loopis formed as shown in. From this point there are two options. One option is to leave the loop on the card, as seen inwith the loop on the card between cutoutsand. In this embodiment, the crochet hook may grab yarn portionabove the knot area and pull it through looparound the crochet hookand repeat that move forming a first row of the crochet article.

A second option is to grab loopwith a left hand and string, with the right hand use crochet hookto grab yarn portionand pull it through loopon the hook and repeat that process forming the first row of a crochet article. The card may be larger or smaller than that shown, for example the card may be between 4 inches by 2.5 inches, 6 inches by 3 inches, etc. The important aspect of size is maintaining the cutout positions and the cutout with the slot being in the left lower corner for a right-handed user and the upper edge cutouts on a given card being positioned opposite lower edge cutouts. Relational sizes, types of crochet hooks and yarn are not intended to be limited by the teachings of this specification. One embodiment of the invention is defined in the following claims.