Etimo Tulip Crochet Hook Set ~ By Tulip Japan ~ $79.95
I like em! But the hook shape is definitely something I’m not used to. I crochet on Boye Aluminum Hooks. I love em. But for long or large crochet projects I really start to feel it in my fingers and elbows! Yup, I have major carpal tunnel since I also work on a computer all day. Anyway, so I thought I’d try these ergo soft-grips out. I also lost my trusty G Hook and was looking for a replacement, so decided to shop around.
Pros:
I love the shape of the handle, the materials, and the feel. It has a soft yet firm rubbery feel, great grip, and a pencil shape which I like. The ergo grooves are nice. Subtle but perfect. As opposed to the Clover Soft Touch which has a flat paddle-shaped handle. The tip is very smooth and Addi Turbo-like in the smoothness. The neck is also a generous length so the finger grips do not choke up too far on the hook. I did not like any of the Skacel Crochet Hooks the handle shapes (Addi Swing) or the materials. The neck shaft was also very short.
I loved the pouch! Ha. It’s super cute and very handy. I didn’t think I’d use the little extras it came with but now I love it. It’s great to have all the little tools and notions at hand. Plus I throw in a bunch of stitch markers into the zip portion of the pouch. Great!
Even the freebies are high quality materials and well made. The scissors it came with, which were really nice, were made in Italy. The yarn needles were made in Japan. Both are steel and nickel coated. The pouch is lovely woven synthetic wool with some sparklies in it!
Cons:
Hook Shape. It’s kind of shallow and not “hooky” enough. It’s not quite like any hook shape I’ve seen in US crochet hooks but it’s closest to a Boye hook shape. Kind of a hybrid of Boye and Clover Takumi. I find my yarns slipping all the time when I pull! Not good. So I’m going to give it a few more tries. But aside from that major flaw for me, I don’t feel any fatigue when crocheting for the long haul.
Unusual Sizes. My G Hook (made by Boye) is 4.25mm. Their G Hook is 4.00mm. The next size up is 4.50mm. They do not offer a 4.25mm sized hook.
Individual hooks usually sell for about $9.99 each.
What’s in the Set?
8 Crochet Hooks
2 Yarn Needles
High Quality Thread Scissors
4 1/2″ Plastic Ruler
A Hook Pouch
Hook Sizes:
D/3 [3.25mm]
E/4 [3.50mm]
F/5 [3.75mm]
G/8 [4.00mm]
7 [4.5mm]
H/8 [5.00mm]
I/9 [5.50mm]
J/10 [6.00mm]
The above set is the “Regular USA Set”. They re-marked the hooks to follow US Sizing Conventions as much as possible. Their original set comes in Japanese Sizes (with weird sizing) and they also make a Steel Set. Hook tips are Aluminum. Handle grips are Elastomer.
Made by Tulip Co. Ltd, Made in Japan
Distributed by Caron International Yarn, USA
Where To Buy
Etimo Tulip Crochet Hook Set, $79.95 – Caron.com
Etimo Tulip Crochet Hook, Individual, $9.95 – Caron.com
Etimo Pink Set – 10 Crochet Hooks in sizes: 2 [2mm], 3 [2.20mm], 4 [2.5mm], 5 [3mm], 6 [3.5mm], 7 [4mm], 7.5 [4.5mm], 8 [5mm], 9 [5.5mm] and 10 [6mm]. $109.99 – Caron.com
Etimo Steel Set – 8 Crochet Hooks in sizes 14-0 for thread or lace crochet. $69.99 – Caron.com
*This hook set was sold out everywhere I checked online. But I was able to find it at Knitty City, a local yarn shop here in NYC.