Boye Crochet Hooks

Shop Boye crochet hooks at Paradise Fibers, the classic American tapered hooks trusted by generations of crocheters since 1906. The collection includes color-coded 6-inch aluminum hooks, fine steel hooks for thread work, jumbo plastic hooks for super bulky yarn, and the CrochetMaster Set. See the Boye buying guide below.

Looking for a different style or size? Browse all crochet hooks, including our mm-to-US size chart, ergonomic hooks, Tunisian hooks, and sets.

Why Crocheters Love Boye Crochet Hooks

For a lot of American crocheters, a Boye crochet hook was the very first hook they ever held. We've been helping crafters since 1997, and we have a real soft spot for a brand with this kind of history. Boye has been making hooks since 1906, and the signature design is a tapered hook, where the throat is narrower than the shaft, which grabs yarn cleanly, prevents splitting, and helps speed your stitches along. Boye crochet hooks are durable, consistently sized, affordable, and built to outlast decades of daily use. In fact, many crocheters still stitch with the colorful aluminum Boye hooks their mothers and grandmothers handed down to them, and that longevity is exactly why we're glad to carry them.

We're family owned and operated, so we appreciate tools with staying power over cheap, disposable gear. Boye fits right in.

The Boye Crochet Hook Lineup

Part of the appeal of Boye hooks is that there's a right tool for every kind of crochet, from delicate thread lace to arm-knit-scale blankets. Here's a tour of the ones we carry:

  • The Boye 6-inch Aluminum Crochet Hook is the classic American workhorse, with a smooth aluminum shaft, tapered head, and color-coding by size, running from B/1 (2.25 mm) up through the worsted and bulky range. It's the do-everything pick for hats, blankets, scarves, granny squares, and amigurumi, starting around $2.49.
  • The Boye 5-inch Steel Crochet Hook is built for thread crochet: doilies, filet lace, Irish crochet, and fine cotton thread work down to sizes 10, 20, 30 and beyond, from about $1.89.
  • The Boye Jumbo Plastic Crochet Hook is lightweight for comfort at large diameters, handling roving yarn, ultra-chunky novelty yarns, and arm-knit-style blankets, starting around $7.59.
  • The Boye CrochetMaster Set is the complete toolkit in one organized case, with aluminum hooks across the everyday range plus fine steel hooks, a serious value around $59.99 when in stock.
  • The Boye Aluminum Crochet Hook Set bundles the most-used 6-inch aluminum sizes together, around $16.99 when in stock, an easy way to round out a beginner kit.

Those jumbo hooks pair perfectly with a plush skein from our super bulky yarn collection when you want a blanket to grow in an afternoon. A few reasons crocheters buy their Boye hooks from us:

  • Trusted quality since 1997, from a shop run by people who actually crochet.
  • Family owned and operated, not bought up by a private equity firm like so many of our competitors have been lately.
  • Fast same-day shipping on most orders, with free U.S. shipping when you spend $99 or more, plus 5% back in Paradise Points on every order.

Every purchase also helps us support local farms and Freddy's Dog Rescue, so a little extra good rides along with your order.

Boye Crochet Hook Sizes

Boye hooks are sized in both US letters and millimeters, which makes matching them to your yarn simple once you know the ranges. Here's a quick reference to the most common sizes:

  • Thread/steel sizes (10 through 00): 0.75 mm through 3.5 mm, for thread crochet, doilies, and fine lace.
  • B/1 (2.25 mm) through D/3 (3.25 mm): lace weight, fine cotton, and detail work.
  • E/4 (3.5 mm) through G/7 (4.5 mm): DK weight, sock yarn, and amigurumi.
  • H/8 (5 mm) through I/9 (5.5 mm): worsted weight, the everyday sweet spot.
  • J/10 (6 mm) through K/10.5 (6.5 mm): heavy worsted and aran.
  • L/11 (8 mm) through N/15 (10 mm): bulky and chunky yarns.
  • P/15 (11.5 mm) and jumbo sizes: super bulky, roving, and novelty yarns, where the Jumbo Plastic hooks shine.

Tapered Boye Hooks vs. Inline Hooks

Boye hooks are tapered, meaning the throat narrows gradually from the shaft to the point, while the main alternative style is inline (like Susan Bates and ChiaoGoo), where the hook and shaft share the same diameter. Tapered hooks tend to grab yarn quickly and prevent splitting, because the narrower throat forces the yarn off the hook cleanly, whereas inline hooks tend to produce very even stitches since every loop hits the same diameter. Neither is right or wrong, and most crocheters develop a personal preference over time. If you learned to crochet from a grandparent, there's a good chance you started on a tapered Boye and it just felt natural.

Which Boye Crochet Hook Should You Choose?

With so many options, here's the simple way we help customers decide:

  • Choose the 6-inch Aluminum Hook for everyday crochet in US yarn weights from DK through bulky. This is the do-everything pick and your first purchase if you're new.
  • Choose the 5-inch Steel Hook for thread crochet, doilies, and heirloom lace.
  • Choose the Jumbo Plastic Hook for chunky blankets, roving yarn, and fast-finish projects.
  • Choose the Aluminum Hook Set if you want the main everyday sizes in one affordable bundle.
  • Choose the CrochetMaster Set if you want the complete Boye collection, aluminum and steel, in a carrying case.

A Short History of Boye Crochet Hooks

Boye has one of the richest histories in the American crochet world, and a few facts are worth knowing while you stitch. The company was founded in 1906 in Chicago by James H. Boye, originally making drapery hardware, sewing machine parts, and notions before pivoting to needles and hooks. In 1917 Boye introduced the first complete line of steel crochet hooks made in America, ending US crocheters' reliance on imports from England and Germany, and those hooks sold for five cents each. Boye hooks even went to war: in 1942 the government halted steel hook production and banned nickel plating to conserve material, giving wartime hooks a distinctive black oxide finish, so a black Boye hook in a family collection is likely from 1942 through 1945. The colorful aluminum hooks most of us grew up with arrived in January 1949 in four colors (dubonnet, starlight blue, aqua, and silver), and that color-coded sizing system is still in use today. Boye also pioneered the interchangeable crochet hook cabinet in 1924, and those merchant display cabinets were so well-built that many outlasted the stores they lived in. This is why the phrase "vintage Boye crochet hooks" carries such affection among crafters.

Complete Your Boye Crochet Kit

A great hook deserves a few trusted companions, from stitch markers to keep your rows and repeats straight to a yarn swift for winding hanks tangle-free, plus scissors, tape measures, and notion cases. Our shop lives in a restored historic bakery in Spokane, four floors and 27,500 square feet of fiber heaven where you can handle the hooks in person, or shop the full range of Boye crochet hooks online from anywhere. We ship worldwide, and our team has been helping crocheters find the right tools since 1997. Call us at (509) 536-7746, email [email protected], or reach out through our online chat anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

The core difference is the hook style, since Boye hooks are tapered with a throat narrower than the shaft, while Susan Bates hooks are inline with the throat and shaft at the same diameter. Tapered Boye hooks tend to work faster and resist splitting because the narrowing throat pushes yarn off cleanly, whereas inline hooks tend to produce very even stitches since every loop meets the same diameter. Neither is better across the board, and most crocheters simply settle on a personal preference after trying both.

Yes, Boye aluminum hooks are one of the most beginner-friendly choices available, because they're affordable, widely available, consistently sized, and color-coded so you can always grab the right one. Starting with a Boye 6-inch aluminum hook in size H/8 (5 mm) paired with a worsted weight yarn is a classic beginner setup that thousands of crocheters have learned on. If you're just starting out, this combination is hard to beat for ease and value.

An H/8 (5 mm) or I/9 (5.5 mm) Boye aluminum hook is the standard pairing for worsted weight yarn, which covers a huge range of everyday projects. That said, you should always check the recommended hook size printed on your pattern and your yarn label, since your personal tension can affect which size gives you the correct gauge. If your stitches come out too tight or too loose, adjusting up or down a size usually solves it.

No, the Boye steel hooks are designed specifically for thread crochet and are sized much smaller than standard hooks, so they're not suited to regular yarn. For sport, DK, worsted, and bulky yarns, you'll want the 6-inch aluminum line, and for very chunky or roving yarns, reach for the Jumbo Plastic hooks. Matching the hook type to your yarn weight is the key to comfortable stitching and even results.

Boye was founded in Chicago in 1906 and was historically a fully American manufacturer, though the brand is now owned by IG Design Group and production sources have shifted over the decades. Because country of origin can vary by product and production run, the best way to confirm where a specific hook was made is to check the packaging or reach out to us directly. We're always happy to share the most current information we have on any Boye product we stock.