Clover Hooks Set of 9

Product Information

First, I want to say that these are both excellent quality hooks. I genuinely don’t think you can go wrong either way. But they’re also not the only hooks out there, and I encourage you to try as many as you can!

Beginners, I want you to know that having an expensive or “fancy” hook is not going to help you nearly as much as practice and gaining muscle memory. Don’t buy into the hype that you have to have the prettiest or most expensive hook to create beautiful pieces. It’s just not true. The length of the Clover Amour is longer than the Soft Touch, both in handle and overall length. I can’t say which is better. It really comes down to personal preference. I will say the longer handle on the Amour felt strange at first, but that’s likely because I’m just used to a shorter hook. After using them a bit, I don’t notice it nearly as much.The handle isn’t ergonomic per se, it’s just built up with polymer clay to give it a handle. I think this is a plus though because it’s inclusive of all crocheters. Both pen and knife grips can use them. Many experienced crocheters will agree that choosing the best-suited hook is essential. With a variety of sizes, shapes and materials available, there is something to suit everyone - you just have to find it. Since the Soft Touch are all the same color, you have to pull them all out of your bag to find the right hook. However since they’re clearly marked, you can easily see what size they are. I personally don’t rotate my hook very much, so I have no issues with the shallower bowl of the Soft Touch. One caveat though: I do find I drop more stitches with the Soft Touch than the Amour when I’m using a chunkier weight yarn. So which is better depending on the grip you use? I personally think the Amour hook would be a bit better for the pencil grip. Keep in mind, I hold my hook like a knife, so I’m no expert on the pencil hold. However, I personally found it easier to use the pencil grip with the Amour hook.

Clover is known for its quality, affordability and vibrant colours and their hooks are designed with comfort in mind. A reliable, trusted brand - it is easy to see why Clover has many loyal fans in Australia and around the world. Grab a hook and some scrap yarn, and make a few double crochets in super slow motion. Pay attention to the way you move your hook. Do you find that your hook is often facing down (for example, when you pull through the loops on your hook)? Do you rotate your hook to grab a yarn over? If so, you might benefit from the deeper bowl. For both beginners and experts, Clover crochet hooks are a popular choice. Known for their quality, affordability and bright colours, it is easy to see why Clover has many loyal fans around the world. For a selection of Clover hooks, look no further than Knitting Co. Another little note, the aluminum shaft of the Amour does not go all the way to the end of the handle. The tip has a small amount of flex to it, but it’s not floppy. I’m applying some pressure in the photo below. To be completely honest, I don’t know if there is a particular advantage/disadvantage to this, or if it’s simply to save on weight or cost. Pencil Grip vs. Knife Grip They’re not ideal for tight crocheters because the tapered throat allows the working loop to slip even smaller and tighter as you’re crochetingThe Soft touch handle is made from ABS resin, which is a strong plastic. The handle has a very slight texture to it, but not something you will noticeably feel in your hand. It just provides a bit more grip than a smooth plastic. While the Soft Touch is less grippy than the Amour, I still find they have excellent control. Top: Clover Amour, Bottom: Clover Soft Touch Markings You’ve probably noticed I keep saying “It depends”, or “It comes down to personal preference”. And that’s because it does. Only you can truly decide which hook is best for your specific style of crochet. If you’re able, I would encourage you to try one of each before you jump in to purchasing a whole set. I can’t speak to the longevity of the Amour hooks, as I’ve only been using them for a couple of weeks, however Clover is known for making quality hooks. There isn’t anything that immediately stands out to me as an area of concern. I also haven’t heard of any complaints in the crochet community about the quality. Materials

That’s not to say the Soft Touch is by any means uncomfortable, or should only be used if you’re a more experienced crocheter. I learned on the Soft Touch, and there’s a reason I’ve used them for so long. They look like toothbrushes to me. I know I’m fussy but I look at crochet hooks for about 8 hours a day and I like them to look nice. I don’t think these are the worst looking ergonomic crochet hooks by a long shot (the earwax coloured Clover Soft Touches are pretty hard on the eye) but there’s something very medical about the way they look. That being said, if you’re considering upgrading from a standard plastic or steel hook, these are absolutely worth the investment. The ergonomic handles will save you so much hand and wrist pain in the future. Not to mention, they will both last a very long time. I’ve been using the same Soft Touch hooks for a literal decade, and they show almost no signs of wear.They’re better for wrist pain as the inline hooks require more movement to get yarn loops on and off them. The taper in tapered hooks means slightly less yarn wrangling because it’s meeting you half way. However, there is one important difference between the hooks themselves! The Amour has a slightly deeper bowl (the groove of the hook itself) than the Soft Touch. But what does that mean for you? Well, it depends on exactly how you crochet. Left: Amour with deeper bowl, Right: Soft Touch with shallow bowl To cover a range of designs, choose the Clover soft touch steel crochet hook set. Providing customers with a variety of sizes, this product ensures maximum productivity and gives customers the support required to bring each and every idea to life. I’m part of their referral program so if you want 20% off your first Happy Hook you can use this link here. They’re so worth it I love mine even though it’s a Bates. My personal preference shouldn’t really come into anyone else’s crochet hook experiences but I’m a Clover Amour gal through and through. I use and love a variety of crochet hooks but if I have the choice, I generally reach for a Clover every time!

In fact, you can see in the picture below the only difference between my most used (left) and least used (right) Soft Touch hooks is a very slight fading of the gold shaft. I have had no issues with handles splitting, size markings wearing off, or decrease in smoothness. I will do a full post on the whole shebang of hooks but for now you just need to know that there are basically two kinds of hooks and most brands are based on these kinds of hooks.I personally think the handles are the biggest difference between these hooks, and for lots of reasons! Will I be switching? Truthfully, I’m not sure yet. There is still much playing to be done, and I encourage you to do the same. Video Review