Going through my mother's/grandmother's sewing stuff, we found this little gizmo. Sorry that the tip is so fuzzy in the picture.

Its business end has a hook with a hinged bit that would allow the user to pull something out without snagging. The whole thing is less than 3" long. We are baffled.

I've just bought something similar for rag rugging called a latch hook could be that maybe x

It looks like a gadget for picking up dropped stitches in knitting!! IMO!

It reminds me of a hook for making a latch hook rug.

It could be a latch hook , but more likely at that size, it is a snag fixer for knits like sweaters. You pulled the snagged loop to the underside where it wasn't seen.

I'm thinking one of those things they used to use to button up the high shoes from back in the late 1800's early 1900's...

That is the first thing I thought, too.

I agree! But it is only 3" long!

This is my thought too. A latched rug hook would have a bigger handle, no?

Looks like a latch hook to me. I think it was used in knitting, not the kind for rug making.

I'm thinking for dropped stitches also. I had similar tools for my knitting machine years ago

Would it be a knitting machine needle.

Nope, it's not that. I have a collection of shoe button and glove button hooks. They aren't made anything like this odd-looking gizmo. I think I'm of the same mindset as several others. It looks like something for hooking rugs or for fixing snags in sweaters. ;-)

Well, I tried :roll:

She crocheted and tatted a lot. Here is a better pic.

used for sweater pulls, used to fix them with same yarn, hook rugs but light ones , I have same from my grandmother days , on the other end is a gadget pull though helper..

Kandi! That makes sense!!! I'm just glad it stayed in my pile of stuff instead of going into the garbage. I'm all about fixing clothing instead of tossing it. Thank you! :-)

You are very welcome, good thing I have a lot of thoughs I do a lot of knitting and crochet, hate tatting , but very useful for that ..

WOW!!! That is teeny!! Yep, it's gotta be for fixing snags in sweaters! :thumbup: It's a handy little gizmo!!

Not a button hook I have those...my guess is latch hook or for knitting .....

It's a gizmo that pulls double knit thread back into the fabric when it snags. You can still buy them in the notions department but they are smaller now and have plastic handles. They are in the same section as seam rippers. They work really good too!

I have a knitting machine and the end looks just like the needles used for it. So I would say it is used for picking up dropped stitches in knitting.

Yep, that's it!

Jan in VA

I think this is the right answer. Too small for a latch hook for wool rug hooking.

Why does it have a spring on it?

That's what I thought! That piece that sticks up may just be handy for positioning the hook end. Still think it's an odd little gizmo...

I think it is for when you get a snag in a sweater you use that to pull it through so the snag isnt there anymore.
But at first look, I thought it was for a latch rug hook, but it has that spring looking thing and I don't think that the latch hooks have those at least none that I have ever seen.

The small ones are for pulling snags through to the inside of knitted cardigans and jumpers and for pulling the final threads through the back of the stitches in tapestry and embroidery. The big ones are used for making rugs - to pull the wool through the canvas and knot it. They are called latch hooks and I have a variety of them and have use them for all of the above. My mum made all of the rugs in our house using the tools - I got bored after one!

It is a nit-picker, used for pulling snagged stitches to the back in a sweater

It is for catching the dropped knit stitches. I use my great grandmothers when I knit on the machine.

It is for catching the dropped knit stitches. I use my great grandmothers when I knit on the machine.

latch hook for rugs ?

I have a thingy for pulling elastic thru casing that looks a lot like that, only it is a good deal longer (about 12")

I'm going with the snag puller ...its a nifty looking little gizmo though isn't it?

Thread Catcher???

That would be my guess.

I think it may have been used as a bodkin too.

back in the day people need something to pull elastic through small areas and I believe that is what it was used for? Hope it helps

I think you are right. I googled knitting machine needle. looks alot alike. still not sure about the spring. but betting on knitting machine needle.

I agree w/ Sandpat. I think it is to pull loose threads/snags back into sweaters, needlepoint items, etc. Does this make sense?