Which crochet needle is best for dreadlocks?

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A crochet hook can be very helpful for both starting dreads and keeping them. This tool is the most useful of any because of how tight you can make your dreads with it

It has a hook on the end so that you can insert it into the dread without having any resistance. But upon removal, it grabs and pulls hairs with it.

This pulls strands of hair more tightly into the dread.

It should be passed through the dread on the side with a slight angle toward your head. Then apply short, rapid “jabbing” movements to pull the hair in and tangle it up.

If you choose to use a crochet hook, you must be gentle with it or it can be the cause of hair breakage. You should have no problem if you do it correctly as long as your hair isn’t too brittle and thin. That said, here are some of the best crochet hooks for dreads that you can find:

• Clover “Soft Touch” Steel Crochet Hooks
• Dread Head HQ Lock by Sculpta
• Which One Do I Need?
  • For Extending Dreadlocks
  • For Maintaining Real Dreads
  • A Single Hook, a Double Hook, or a Triple Hook?
• How to Use a Crochet Hook on Dreads
• How to Crochet Dreads
  • Choose a 1.5 mm crochet hook to use on your hair
  • Divide your hair into 4 or more sections depending on the thickness
  • Take out 2.5 cm section from the back of your head
  • Backcomb the section of hair from ends to roots
• Final Thoughts

Clover “Soft Touch” Steel Crochet Hooks

These crochet hooks are built with dreading in mind. They have a fine plastic handle that enables you to hold onto the hook without it constantly slipping out of place. They also come with a cover to keep them protected.

You’ll also get a lot of choices in terms of hook size, so try to look for the one that works best for you. However, we recommended using somewhere between 0.75mm to 0.5mm. If you opt for the larger ones, you will not be able to tighten the dread as much as you wanted.

Most people with dreadlocks use a crochet with a head size of 0.6mm because it is still tiny enough to slip inside dreadlocks and tighten them without making a big hole upon insertion, making it counterproductive. Plus, it grabs more excess hair than the smaller 0.5mm head.

Dread Head HQ Lock by Sculpta

The lock sculpta is one of the most beneficial crochet hooks you can have for dreading.

One of its most significant features is the hook. It’s formed to a round shape, instead of the metal being folded over to form the hook. Thus, when it grabs your hair, it does not put a lot of pressure on it. That’s because of the smooth rounded inner side of the hook. 

It does not show the size of the hook but by comparison, most users say that it is about 0.5mm.. It is small enough that it can fit easily into the dread without creating a big opening, allowing you to tighten the hair up. 

The bamboo handle is also a great plus. Although it is not a significant feature, it still does help you hold the hook better with its three grooves for your fingers.

Which One Do I Need?

There’s always a specific crochet hook size for different uses. For example, the hook sizes may be different, but some crochet heads may have two or three hooks.

In this section, we would like to clarify more about these crochet hooks and what you can use for specific tasks:

For Extending Dreadlocks

The 1.25 mm crochet hook is perfect for extending Real Dreads. Because the hook is a bit larger, you can easily pull some strands of hair through the existing dread.

You can then use this crochet hook when you like to extend your Real Dreads with Human Hair or with Synthetic Hair.

For Maintaining Real Dreads

The 0.75 mm crochet hook is excellent for maintaining Real Dreadlocks. The hook enables you to maintain the growth of your dreads very thoroughly. It also works very well for hooking loose bits of hair in your dreads.

A Single Hook, a Double Hook, or a Triple Hook?

The single crochet hook is very helpful for maintaining your Real Dreads, particularly for the outgrowth.

As for the double and triple crochet hooks, it is best used for connecting Real Dreadlocks. Working with multiple hooks makes installing Dreadlocks work a lot faster!

By using these crochet hooks. you are now able to tangle the Dreadlocks from the inside, making the Dreads a lot firmer quickly.

How to Use a Crochet Hook on Dreads

What crochet hook size is most suitable for dreads? Generally speaking, most people prefer using very small hook sizes that range between 0.6mm and 0.75mm.

1. Insert the crochet hook through the center of the dread where maintenance is needed.
2. Place the hook at a good angle so that when it is pulled back into the dread, it will clutch different hair and not simply move back through the same hole.
3. Pull the hook back gently, halfway through the dreadlock. This movement should clutch some of the desired hair and pull it towards the center of the dread.
4. Push the hook passing through the dread again and repeat from step 2.

How to Crochet Dreads

Crocheting is a popular way to start new dreadlocks, keep existing dreadlocks, and blunt the ends. It’s a simple technique that anyone can learn, and it can ensure that your dreadlocks are soft and attractive. 

When you can work on your dreadlocks, get a crochet hook in the smallest size you can find. Here is a more comprehensive way when you are about to start your dreadlocks journey with the use of a specific crochet hook size:

Choose a 1.5 mm crochet hook to use on your hair

This is the smallest size crochet hook available, so it is your best option for crocheting hair. If you are unable to obtain this, then go up to the next available size, such as 1.75 mm or 2.0 mm. Don’t use crochet with hook size any bigger than 2.25 mm.

If you have never crocheted dreads before, practice on an extension first. This will help you ensure that you don’t hurt your hair.

Divide your hair into 4 or more sections depending on the thickness

Use a comb to section your hair down the center of your head going from front to back. Press one end of the comb against your scalp at the middle of your forehead where your hairline starts. Then, run one end of the comb across these sections, running from ear to ear.

Place a clip on each section to keep the hair out of your way.

The number of hair sections you will need will depend on the thickness and texture of your hair. If you possess fine hair, then 4 sections will be enough. If your hair is thick or coarse, then you may require yourself to divide it into 8 sections.

Take out 2.5 cm section from the back of your head

Unclip one of the sections that you made near the back of your head, and brush or comb through it if it is tangled. Use your comb to take out the 2.5 cm section of hair from this part and clip the rest of the hair again.

Backcomb the section of hair from ends to roots

Take and hold the section near the ends and comb it backward by about 2.5 cm from the ends to the roots. Lift the comb out of the hair then move it about 1.3 cm up the hair shaft, and comb it backward again. Do this until you get to the scalp.

Backcombing generates texture in a section of hair, so you will need to backcomb every section before you crochet it into a dreadlock. The section of hair should look fluffy when you’re done.

Final Thoughts

Crocheting has become a popular trend in the dreadlock community as a means to tighten up all your dreads and pull in most of the loose hairs.

To the inexperienced eye, crocheted dreads have the impression of being mature. So dreads that are only weeks old may look years older. But no matter how long or short the crochet you are using, or even how careful you are, you may still be breaking hairs when you use this technique.

Your knowledge and expertise of the technique will certainly affect how badly it breaks, if at all though. 

The second most critical factor is to make sure that you are doing this technique with a very small crochet hook – 1mm or smaller. Hooks this small can be challenging to find in any ordinary craft store, so look online if you need to. 

Generally speaking, larger hooks are good if you are about to start your dreadlocks journey, but small hooks seem to work better and they don’t do a lot of damage to your hair once you become more experienced.

Moreover, no matter what style of maintenance you choose and prefer you will still get some relapse and fuzziness after a little while (usually as soon as you first wash your dreads after doing some maintenance). The trouble appears when people started to use crochet to fix the issues caused by the crochet hook in the first place. 

Too much crocheting, particularly if performed incorrectly, can break dreads so badly that you could seriously jeopardize the strength of the entire dread. If it starts breaking the fibers, it might compromise its overall tensile strength as well. Also, crocheted dreadlocks tend to obtain a velcro-like texture and be stiff, but this usually eases within the first few washes.

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