Denise Interchangeable Crochet Hook Set

Got these just today, and immediately had to try them! After a mere 43 years of crocheting, I recently developed a burning desire to try Tunisian crochet, which oddly I never had. I love the look, and for someone experienced how hard could it be? Well...finding a good hook compatible with my personal needs proved to be far more challenging than learning new stitch work! It's too niche for supplies to be very available at the regular craft stores, I quickly discovered. After much searching locally, I managed to pick up some Susan Bates silverlumes (aluminum, one straight single hook, one cabled, one double-ended), a couple of KAs (bamboo, one straight single hook, one cabled), an Addy (plastic, straight single hook) and one Clover double hook (also bamboo). The Bates all sported tips that were too blunt and hooks that were just a tad too shallow; the KAs were either too pointed or too rough for the yarn to slide well, the Addy was kind of sticky too, and the Clover way too small (but to be fair, it is designed for double-ended crochet, not regular Tunisian work).After spending so much (cumulatively) on the others, and being frustrated by them all, I gave up looking local and instead spent a lot of time on Amazon evaluating what else was on offer before taking another plunge. Crochet Dude? Boye? Deborah Norville? But, those had limited options in sizes/styles available--a big downside to investing in them. And I HAD at least figured out that I preferred a cabled hook over a straight one, and also an inline style hook construction. Also, there are many different yarns I want to make projects with, and so wanted lots of size options at my fingertips. Ultimately, with days of mental debating between the Denise and the Knitter's Pride (seemingly the two best bets to consider), I made a decision to ante up for the Denise. Why? Because they appeared to be the style I'd decided worked best for me, and the final tipping point was the larger sizes included in the set--I'm very fond of bulky yarns. :PAs soon as the mailman delivered them (you bet I was watching for him!) I opened up my new prize and headed straight for my stash. I pulled out some swatches I'd been building while learning stitches/experimenting, and tried out a few more rows using my new Denise hooks. I used the L size on a thick worsted weight acrylic yarn, the H size on a light sport weight cotton/acrylic yarn, and (unlike all my other hooks) felt soooo comfortable right from the first stitch! So I decided to move on to a bigger challenge: an actual project! I opted to try making a Tunisian dishcloth that I'd already tried to make using a silverlume, and ended up cutting short because between the hook and the yarns I chose (Lily Sugar & Cream + Red Heart Scrubby) it was just too difficult and exhausting a combination. With these Denise hooks, however, I am having no problem at all!What I like about the Denise hooks:--the plastic is very smooth and the yarns are gliding right along, even the Sugar & Creme (a rather coarse, heavy cotton);--the tip is well tapered and works into the stitches quite easily & smoothly (without being so pointed it splits into the yarn or pokes your finger-!);--the hook is deep enough to hang onto the thread yet I'm not having any trouble with it catching on adjoining stitches;--yes, the hooks are short but with the extension attached it is easy to hold (for the way I hold it, anyway--a knife hold) and actually, because the plastic is bendy I find it is more comfortable as I'm not getting constantly rubbed at the edge of my hand by an unyielding shaft--it just kinda moves with my hand motions and is soft against my skin;--the hook has a slight flat spot (thumb rest) and it is either that or the composition of the plastic that is allowing me to have much less trouble keeping the hook from twisting around constantly as I'm stitching (with the other needles--particularly the slippery aluminum ones--I found I was using my pinkie to "steer" the thing, which after awhile would hurt like heck!)--snapping the hook/extention(s)/end button together is simple, and the options for configuring/re-configuring are amazingI am a VERY happy camper at this point, and no longer frustrated trying to create Tunisian stitch items. Of course, I have not tried using these crocheting in the round, or on a very wide project yet. If I run into problematic issues I will certainly update. So far, however, I'm sailing crazy smooth and much faster than before!

These are nice starter set of hooks but I'll be replacing them as my skills improve. I have long fingers & these hooks are just too short for me, they make my hands cramp up when I work with them for long periods of time. I primarily use them for tunisian but also do some "regular" crochet with them too. They serve the purpose but they are not very comfortable to work with.

I love these! I ordered this kit while in the middle of a large afghan with Tunisian stitch and worsted weight yarn. They are better then I expected. With the cables and extenders I can now easily check for missed, dropped and decreased stitches. My project at time of me starting using this project is 270 stitches in width and 125 stitches in length. I am using size J/10/6MM hook. The cables are better then I thought they would be. The cables hold the weight of the project well. I have two complaints: 1. I don't like plastic hooks. Plastic hooks are a little too flexible. 2. The extenders are tricky to ensure that they are secured. So beware of being careless! The case is nice too. Every thing fits in well. I have packed away my numerous other afghan hooks. That is a relief. {edited Sept 20, 2014}; I completed my blanket quickly and with no problems and a dramatic decrease in lost, missed, decreased and dropped stitches. I noticed that I have a few crochet habits that one can get away with using a long hook (such as allowing project and/or hook to twist) that I need to stop. I love these so well that I ordered a second set to have double ended hooks. I discovered placing a rubber band on end of crochet hooks can allow them to be used for regular crochet. It also nice to be able to replace the 'button' at end of cable. I have several hooks long and cable that have lost ends for a variety of reasons.

Like the concept but the hooks are not long enough for my hands to find them comfortable. I am 5"3" and don't have large hands so I can imagine that they would be uncomfortable for others as well. The set is well made but I think if you want to do tunisian crochet you are better off buying the traditional long solid tunisian crochet hooks.

I have been using the Denise interchangeable hooks for a month. I absolutely love them. I have made 2 sweaters in Tunisian knit stitch and currently working on a fair isle afghan. The hooks are lightweight, glide smoothly with any type of yarn and I have noticed that I have less yarn splitting with the hooks when stitching. The cords are fantastic. While working a sleeve with only 34 stitches, I was able to bend the cord so that there was no stretching of the stitches and kept the tension even. The cord went right back into shape with the warmth of my hand straightening it out. When doing regular crochet I do use a small cord on it as that is more comfortable for me than the hook without it. I love having the whole set in one container. I am no longer searching for where I left my hooks and I have used just about every type of hook on the market. I have arthritis in my hands, I noticed less cramping and aching while using these for 2 to 3 hours at a time.

My favorite set of interchangeable hooks. I've bought Knitters Pride and Knit Picks, but I always come back to the Denise set. The tips are pointed enough to make an easy job of even fine yarn. I like the hard plastic and its ability to slide yarn easily. My only complaint is that I wish the hook sections were a couple of inches longer. The only other minor thing is that when they're new, it's a little hard to snap the cable in on some needles. I looked at the Denise website FAQ section for help with this and they have a suggestion involving rubber bands and some such. I just wrapped a cloth around it and twisted with needle nosed pliers. After a few connects and disconnects, they go right in with only fingers. It's like they just needed broken in or something.I highly recommend this set for any Tunisian crochet project. You can't beat the price and if they would just make them a bit longer, I would consider this the best set.