Clover Amour small hooks
Well I've finally gotten around to writing part 2 of my Clover hooks etc review. It's taken a while but we went to lovely Tuscany for a week and I was recovering from an operation etc etc (to be covered in another post). Actually some of the hooks I tested whilst in hospital or Tuscany. I'm such a workaholic!! (Insert winking/sarcastic emoticon here).
After my last post about these Clover Amour hooks I got a little bored of coasters and then had to try and make something of them as we had too many cluttering up our coffee table and every available surface. I am still attempting to alter some and make them into, at least part of, a blanket. Who knows if my hair brained scheme will work and it's so long now since I've looked at them that I'm not sure I've written enough details down so it's probably going to go hideously wrong. Don't worry, if it does I'll show you the pictures. Crochet gone wrong is always funny, frustrating too, but when it's a nothing project it doesn't really matter. This time I used the hooks as I do in life - for various different projects. Actually this helped me compare them in a better way but I didn't realise I had so much I wanted to hook when I was trying out the bigger hooks.
So let's start at the top and work our way down....as it were. The size 6mm hook, or the transition hook as I strangely call it, and the 5.5mm hook we can pair up. I used the 5.5mm to attempt to tangle myself in some ribbon yarn that I was given a couple of years ago. I'd never really known how to use the yarn itself so after a quick search on YouTube and finding a few videos (yet another blog post) I attempted a scarf. I managed this simple one with the 5.5mm as it is slightly thinner in its finished product. For the slightly more complex one I am using the 6mm hook. This is still a work in progress. To be honest I didn't really notice the hook either time, but that's a good thing right? Surely that's like not noticing a pair of shoes on your feet because they're so comfortable they feel like they ARE your feet, not just being worn. Well, that's how this hook was - so comfortable it became part of my hand. I could concentrate on the pattern and the way the yarn worked which was all new to me. The hook sat quietly in my hand and did what I wanted it do. Good little hook...both of you.
Now that's such a massive compliment for the 6mm and 5.5mm hooks I worry - can the others compare? Actually yes. (Admit it, you're surprised aren't you!) At this point I feel I should say that testing every size, whilst it might seem like overkill, is necessary. Each hook is ever so slightly different in how it's made up. The hook, shaft, throat and groove are all a little different to reflect the different sizes. This reflects how you use them. Using a crochet hook with too small a shaft means using patterns with relatively short stitches as you can't get enough loops on the hook shaft. That being said...onward.
Next was the 5mm and I used this for my holiday sun hat. Last year I had a disaster with my holiday hat and was determined it wouldn't happen this year, that I would get my sun hat. Well I unpicked the disaster hat which I'd left in my drawer for months and used the yarn from it. It's wasn't the yarn's fault the hat went wrong so it should be used. It was a lovely dark blue cotton yarn. I bought it so long ago I've no idea what the brand is as the ball band is long gone but I know it was cotton. I made the main body (or should that be head?) of my hat with it. The yarn, whilst feeling nice, had a tendency to split. This may have been because I had unraveled it or just its natural tendency. I don't honestly know. This really tested the hook so what did it do? Well the hook performed admirably. When I get annoyed with a yarn I have a tendency to clench my fists or at least clamp my hands rather than relaxing them into my work. Also, because I wanted it done for my holiday, I got a little stressed. The splitting wasn't that bad but it meant the job took longer. The hook still didn't hurt my hand despite my tension. Sometimes, and especially when I work on a commission, I can get a little annoyed especially if it's late. This hook had a lovely calming affect on me. Because my hand didn't hurt I could keep working. Also, the rim of the hat is made in raffia with the already tested 6mm hook. This was hard too as it was tight and a little awkward to use the raffia as it was my first experience with it. In a situation where my hand would normally hurt and therefore stop me hooking, it was fine and I could keep going. It made the whole hat a much easier and more enjoyable project. And it turn d out really well and was great on holiday. I could've got really stressed but the magic hooks brought me gently down to earth. Are they magic? Let's see...
Any regular readers or followers will know I recently completed a pixie hoodie for my daughter. Well the majority of this work was done with the Clover Amour hook size 4.5mm. This was a long project, not laborious but in fact quite enjoyable, just long. I loved making this hoodie and again I didn't even have to think about the hook. I put hours into this garment and not once did I stop because my hand was hurting. When you have a tendency towards tendinitis this is vital to hooking time. Again it was comfy and I could just enjoy the project and concentrate on the pattern.
The 4 and 3mm hooks we shall also pair up. I didn't have anything in the pipeline for these two so went for a couple of extra motifs....ok coasters. Well one worked as a coaster, the other was too big but that can be added to my random blanket. These were my hospital waiting projects. It was nice to do them whilst waiting to take my mind off the impending op.
The 4mm was fine and, as before, I didn't really notice it in terms of comfort. When starting the motif I notice some double-triple-stitches. I thought "these will never fit on this little hook". I was wrong.
That's 9 loops on that hook! The shaft of the hook was nice and long so that works such as this could be easily completed. I'll repeat what I said last time: someone has really thought about the design of these hooks. They've been made by people who actually crochet...at least I think they have.
The 3mm is where I start getting nervous. I don't normally go smaller than 3.5mm and then that's mainly amigurumi. That's one reason I went for a coaster on this one, that and being in hospital. Again the hook worked well and my nerves were completely unfounded. Plus I really like the effect of this DK yarn with this hook. I'm pleased with this pretty little coaster.
Now the 3.5mm is a hook I put through a lot. As mentioned I use it lots to do amigurumi so it goes through a lot of tension. I tested it on some of my candle jar covers because it was the closest thing to amigurumi I wanted to do! The size worked well with the DK yarn and again I could concentrate on the pattern and not worry about the hook or yarn working nicely together. I can't wait to use this in amigurumi. What to make?
The final hook I tested had a special job. As many who follow crochet social media will know the death of Jenny (Amanda from Little Box of Crochet's daughter) affected many within the community. One of Jenny's last requests was for crochet flowers to be made to decorate her coffin. (More in that here). The 2.5mm hook (which I don't often use) had this task. One thing that struck me whilst I was making Jenny's daffodils was that the hook handle matched the daffodil colour. It made a potentially sad situation a little happier and helped me see I was doing it for positive reasons.
The poor 2mm hook is feeling unloved as I haven't done anything with that yet. Truth be told I don't normally crochet anything that fine! As I've loved all the other hooks I can't see me not liking this one so any suggestions of a small hook pattern? Preferably a quick or small project to ease me in.
To sum up: these hooks are awesome and they're not even the most expensive on the market. They are within most people's budget and I would urge you to get them if you're developing a taste for crochet. In fact these hooks have now spoilt me for all other hooks. I'm seriously considering rehoming the others! Anyone for some previously loved hooks or have I spoilt you too?
Happy hooking!
Josie.
After my last post about these Clover Amour hooks I got a little bored of coasters and then had to try and make something of them as we had too many cluttering up our coffee table and every available surface. I am still attempting to alter some and make them into, at least part of, a blanket. Who knows if my hair brained scheme will work and it's so long now since I've looked at them that I'm not sure I've written enough details down so it's probably going to go hideously wrong. Don't worry, if it does I'll show you the pictures. Crochet gone wrong is always funny, frustrating too, but when it's a nothing project it doesn't really matter. This time I used the hooks as I do in life - for various different projects. Actually this helped me compare them in a better way but I didn't realise I had so much I wanted to hook when I was trying out the bigger hooks.
So let's start at the top and work our way down....as it were. The size 6mm hook, or the transition hook as I strangely call it, and the 5.5mm hook we can pair up. I used the 5.5mm to attempt to tangle myself in some ribbon yarn that I was given a couple of years ago. I'd never really known how to use the yarn itself so after a quick search on YouTube and finding a few videos (yet another blog post) I attempted a scarf. I managed this simple one with the 5.5mm as it is slightly thinner in its finished product. For the slightly more complex one I am using the 6mm hook. This is still a work in progress. To be honest I didn't really notice the hook either time, but that's a good thing right? Surely that's like not noticing a pair of shoes on your feet because they're so comfortable they feel like they ARE your feet, not just being worn. Well, that's how this hook was - so comfortable it became part of my hand. I could concentrate on the pattern and the way the yarn worked which was all new to me. The hook sat quietly in my hand and did what I wanted it do. Good little hook...both of you.
Now that's such a massive compliment for the 6mm and 5.5mm hooks I worry - can the others compare? Actually yes. (Admit it, you're surprised aren't you!) At this point I feel I should say that testing every size, whilst it might seem like overkill, is necessary. Each hook is ever so slightly different in how it's made up. The hook, shaft, throat and groove are all a little different to reflect the different sizes. This reflects how you use them. Using a crochet hook with too small a shaft means using patterns with relatively short stitches as you can't get enough loops on the hook shaft. That being said...onward.
Next was the 5mm and I used this for my holiday sun hat. Last year I had a disaster with my holiday hat and was determined it wouldn't happen this year, that I would get my sun hat. Well I unpicked the disaster hat which I'd left in my drawer for months and used the yarn from it. It's wasn't the yarn's fault the hat went wrong so it should be used. It was a lovely dark blue cotton yarn. I bought it so long ago I've no idea what the brand is as the ball band is long gone but I know it was cotton. I made the main body (or should that be head?) of my hat with it. The yarn, whilst feeling nice, had a tendency to split. This may have been because I had unraveled it or just its natural tendency. I don't honestly know. This really tested the hook so what did it do? Well the hook performed admirably. When I get annoyed with a yarn I have a tendency to clench my fists or at least clamp my hands rather than relaxing them into my work. Also, because I wanted it done for my holiday, I got a little stressed. The splitting wasn't that bad but it meant the job took longer. The hook still didn't hurt my hand despite my tension. Sometimes, and especially when I work on a commission, I can get a little annoyed especially if it's late. This hook had a lovely calming affect on me. Because my hand didn't hurt I could keep working. Also, the rim of the hat is made in raffia with the already tested 6mm hook. This was hard too as it was tight and a little awkward to use the raffia as it was my first experience with it. In a situation where my hand would normally hurt and therefore stop me hooking, it was fine and I could keep going. It made the whole hat a much easier and more enjoyable project. And it turn d out really well and was great on holiday. I could've got really stressed but the magic hooks brought me gently down to earth. Are they magic? Let's see...
Any regular readers or followers will know I recently completed a pixie hoodie for my daughter. Well the majority of this work was done with the Clover Amour hook size 4.5mm. This was a long project, not laborious but in fact quite enjoyable, just long. I loved making this hoodie and again I didn't even have to think about the hook. I put hours into this garment and not once did I stop because my hand was hurting. When you have a tendency towards tendinitis this is vital to hooking time. Again it was comfy and I could just enjoy the project and concentrate on the pattern.
The 4 and 3mm hooks we shall also pair up. I didn't have anything in the pipeline for these two so went for a couple of extra motifs....ok coasters. Well one worked as a coaster, the other was too big but that can be added to my random blanket. These were my hospital waiting projects. It was nice to do them whilst waiting to take my mind off the impending op.
The 4mm was fine and, as before, I didn't really notice it in terms of comfort. When starting the motif I notice some double-triple-stitches. I thought "these will never fit on this little hook". I was wrong.
That's 9 loops on that hook! The shaft of the hook was nice and long so that works such as this could be easily completed. I'll repeat what I said last time: someone has really thought about the design of these hooks. They've been made by people who actually crochet...at least I think they have.
The 3mm is where I start getting nervous. I don't normally go smaller than 3.5mm and then that's mainly amigurumi. That's one reason I went for a coaster on this one, that and being in hospital. Again the hook worked well and my nerves were completely unfounded. Plus I really like the effect of this DK yarn with this hook. I'm pleased with this pretty little coaster.
Now the 3.5mm is a hook I put through a lot. As mentioned I use it lots to do amigurumi so it goes through a lot of tension. I tested it on some of my candle jar covers because it was the closest thing to amigurumi I wanted to do! The size worked well with the DK yarn and again I could concentrate on the pattern and not worry about the hook or yarn working nicely together. I can't wait to use this in amigurumi. What to make?
The final hook I tested had a special job. As many who follow crochet social media will know the death of Jenny (Amanda from Little Box of Crochet's daughter) affected many within the community. One of Jenny's last requests was for crochet flowers to be made to decorate her coffin. (More in that here). The 2.5mm hook (which I don't often use) had this task. One thing that struck me whilst I was making Jenny's daffodils was that the hook handle matched the daffodil colour. It made a potentially sad situation a little happier and helped me see I was doing it for positive reasons.
The poor 2mm hook is feeling unloved as I haven't done anything with that yet. Truth be told I don't normally crochet anything that fine! As I've loved all the other hooks I can't see me not liking this one so any suggestions of a small hook pattern? Preferably a quick or small project to ease me in.
To sum up: these hooks are awesome and they're not even the most expensive on the market. They are within most people's budget and I would urge you to get them if you're developing a taste for crochet. In fact these hooks have now spoilt me for all other hooks. I'm seriously considering rehoming the others! Anyone for some previously loved hooks or have I spoilt you too?
Happy hooking!
Josie.
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