Last week I purchased a set of Athena’s Elements crochet hooks from Amazon. I’ve read a lot of positive reviews in regards to their hooks and have been dying to try them! I must say I absolutely fell in love. 
So anyone that knows me knows I generally hold off on buying tons of crochet hooks. First of all, they can get pricey after a while. Secondly, while a lot of us hookers love to build collections of yarns and hooks, the truth is that once you find a brand you like.. you just stick to it. I’ve tried Boye hooks – not my thing. I absolutely adore Susan Bates hook -and here comes the but… a really big BUT, my fingers and joints ACHE after prolonged usage. With the ache comes swelling, and after that I have no choice but to take a break from crocheting. So, after the Bates hooks, I fell in love with Clover Amour hooks. For anyone that uses and/or owns those specific hooks, you know that they’re comfortable. The achiness and swelling is definitely reduced by a lot, plus I can crochet for longer periods of time before my fingers are telling me to stop. However, the downfall to these hooks are the price – they are EXPENSIVE. Being a stay at home mom with a part time job, I don’t necessarily want to spend a ton of money on a set of hooks. Sure, I love to crochet but I don’t want to break the bank.
While I have been using mostly Clover hooks these days, I’ve been keeping an eye on Athena’s Elements. I actually found myself needing to purchase an ergonomic 6.5mm hook for an afghan I’ve been working on. The set from Clover that I have did not come with it. Sure, I was making due with my Bates hook, but it was killing my fingers and hands.
This is where Athena’s Elements came in to play: I purchased this set from Amazon for $14.99. It includes 10 crochet hooks and 10 stitch markers as well as a nifty little case for your hooks – I chose the purple case. 
The handles on the hooks are vibrant and soft. The ergonomic design definitely eases the ache in my joints from crocheting. Now, the hook itself it a little longer than usual and it is tapered. At first, I wasn’t sure how I would like it, but it definitely comes in handy for projects that require stitches with lots of loops. I also crochet very tightly, I’ve found that the slightly pointed end helps get the hook into the yarn also. The set that I purchased comes with sizes 2 mm, 2.5mm, 3 mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, and 6.5mm hooks. It’s a great variety as far as a hook set goes and covers most of the basic sizes. They have another set that includes a 7mm and 8mm hook – I definitely recommend purchasing that one. It’s a little pricier, but you get a whole lot more and it’s definitely worth it!
Now, I just need to take a moment to *rave* about the case! It feels like it’s a sort of canvas-like material with adorable little floral patterns on the outside. The case shuts with a Velcro and it actually stays shut rather well. Yes, the outside is beautiful, but the inside is what I love the most! The slots fit the hooks really well. My favorite part is the plastic flap at the top that keeps the hooks from falling out. It makes it a great travel case and it can certainly withstand being juggled around in your bag while you go about your day. How do I know? I’m the crazy yarn lady that walks around with a small skein of yarn and a few crochet hooks – just in case, y’know.
Now if there are any cons to this product, my only comment would be that to me the handle feels a little sticky. I can’t say that it’s a big issue for me; it just surprised me when I first used it but then got used to the feel. If you can get past the stickiness of the first use, you’ll realize it has a great grip.
*Overall recommendation: Totally worth the buy. You get more than what you pay for. If you’re looking for a durable ergonomic set of hooks without spending a small fortune, definitely give Athena’s Elements a try! Trust me, after being a die-hard Clover fan, I have to say Athena’s Elements is a great investment.
Sugarplum Yarn Crafts 