As I always say to my crochet students, crochet is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It’s a great way to relax and de-stress, and it’s also a great way to create beautiful and useful items. If you’re new to crochet, or if you’re looking to improve your skills, then you’ll need to invest a little bit in some essential crochet tools, but, don’t worry, luckily you won’t need much money to start crocheting!
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the most important crochet tools and yarn that you’ll need to get started.
Table of Contents
CROCHET TOOLS
Complete SET
It’s important to choose tools that are comfortable to use. You’ll be spending a lot of time using your crochet tools, so it’s crucial to find ones that feel good in your hands.
Finally, it’s important to choose tools that are durable. Crochet tools can take a lot of wear and tear, so you’ll want to invest in tools that will last.
Sometimes searching for all the tools you need can be frustrating, that’s why I recommend to buy a complete set, especially if you are a beginner, because you can find everything you need in one go.
You can find my recommended complete set at this link
In this set, that comes with a very useful pouch, you will have:
- n. 11 Crochet hooks: from 2mm to 8mm
- Stitch Markers
- Thread Snippers
- Darning Needles of various sizes
- Measuring Tape
- Row and Stitch Counter
- Thread cutting ring, perfect for travelling (since scissors are not allowed on planes!)
Crochet Hooks
The most important crochet tool is the crochet hook. Crochet hooks come in a variety of sizes, so it’s important to choose the right size for the yarn that you’re using. The size of the hook is usually indicated by a millimetres (mm), with larger hooks being used for thicker yarn and smaller hooks being
used for thinner yarn.
Sometimes you could find the size indicate by a number or a letter: online you’ll find tons of conversion charts to mm in case the mm are not indicated on the hook.
There are also a variety of different materials that crochet hooks can be made from, including wood, metal, and plastic. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose a hook that feels comfortable to you.
My favourite ones are the ergonomic crochet hooks like the ones you can find in the complete set I recommended above…those are the same crochet hooks I use every day, and I usually crochet at least a couple of hours a day!
In case you would like to buy only the crochet hooks, without the other tools, you can find them at this link.
Stitch Markers
In addition to a crochet hook, there are a few other tools that can be helpful for crocheters. These include stitch markers and the following tools.
Stitch markers are small, colourful pieces of plastic or metal that are used to mark or count stitches in a project. This can be helpful for keeping track of where you are in your pattern, or for marking the beginning and end of a row.
You can find some stitch markers included in the complete set I mentioned above, but, in case you’d like to have more, you can buy them at his link.
Scissors or Thread Snippers
Scissors or Thread Snippers are essential for cutting yarn. It’s important to have a pair of sharp scissors that will make clean cuts.
You can find a thread snippers included in the complete set I mentioned above, but, in case you’d like to have another one, you can buy it at his link.
Darning Needle
A yarn or darning needle is a long, blunt needle that is used to weave in ends. This is an essential took for any crocheter, as it will make your projects look neat and tidy.
You can find some darning needle included in the complete set I mentioned above, but, in case you’d like to have more, you can buy them at his link.
Measuring Tape
A measuring tape is helpful for measuring stitches and rows. This can be especially helpful when you’re following a pattern tat requires you to make specific measurements.
You can find a measuring tape included in the complete set I mentioned above, but, in case you’d like to have more, you can buy them at his link.
Row / Stitch Counter
A row counter is a small device that keeps track of the number of stitches and/or rows that you’ve crocheted. This can be helpful for keeping track of your progress, or for making sure that you’re following a pattern correctly.
You can find a row/stitch counter included in the complete set I mentioned above, but, in case you’d like to have others, you can buy a manual version his link or a digital version at this link.
Blocking Mat
Blocking mats are a type of mats that is used to shape and hold crochet projects. Blocking mats are usually made of foam or plastic, and they come in a variety of sizes.
Usually they are sold in sets so you can join them together for bigger crochet projects.
Blocking pins are small, sharp pins that are used to hold crochet projects in place on blocking mats and they are usually rust-proof.
You can find a set of blocking mats with blocking pins at this link.
YARN
Yarn is the other essential crochet tool after the crochet hooks. Yarn comes in a variety of weights, fibres, and colours, so you can choose the perfect yarn for your project.
We could write a book about yarns, but, for now, let’s say that there are three main categories: cotton yarn, wool yarn and acrylic yarn.
- Cotton is thin and it can be used for delicate projects (like a baby blanket) and it’s often used for Amigurumi.
- Wool is usually used for wearables like cardigans, hats, scarves, etc.
- Acrylic can be used for everything and it’s usually thicker than cotton. I would recommend acrylic at the beginning for two main reasons: 1. It’s cheaper than the other two, so it’s perfect for practice and 2. It’s hypoallergenic, while wool can give allergies for both adults and kids.
It really depends on your project; in each pattern it is written what you should use; the pattern will tell you also how much yarn you will need and usually also which crochet hook to use with that specific yarn.
In order to practice, if you are a beginner, I would recommend to use thick yarn, that asks for a 5mm crochet hook size onwards.
If you are following a pattern, please follow the yarn recommendation indicated in the pattern.
If you are a beginner, avoid dark colours and also plush/fluff yarn like velvet and chenille: it’s very hard to see the stitches with those types of yarn.
In order to practice, you can choose among these:
- Hobby Amigo Chunky (link) which is the one that my crochet students use in my in-person classes – if you want more info about my in-person and online crochet classes, click here.
But if you don’t want to wait for the delivery (which in the UK is about 3-4 working days), you could look at these other options on Amazon that you can use with a 6mm crochet hook:
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Emerald) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Teal) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Deep Rose) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Red) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (White) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Light Blue) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Zest) – link
- Hayfield Bonus Chunky (Lime Green) – link
- SleepyNights Chunky Yarn (Dusty Pink) – link
- SleepyNights Chunky Yarn (Wine) – link
- SleepyNights Chunky Yarn (White) – link
CONCLUSION
Crochet tools are an essential part of any crocheter’s toolkit. With the right tools, you’ll be able to create beautiful and useful crochet projects. So what are you waiting for? Start crocheting today!
If you’d like some ideas for your next project, have a look at my free patterns at this link!
Happy Crocheting!