I have been wanting to put this together for a while now, and the opportunity has finally presented itself! I’m going to be teaching crochet to a few different groups and I wanted to have a consistent resource to share, so I’ll be giving some pre-crochet advice for people wanting to learn.
A lot of the information in this post/guide will be based on personal experience and heavily influenced by my opinions, so you may find different information about the same topic elsewhere. I don’t want to say “my information isn’t wrong,” because I’m only human! But if there are places where I’m simply wrong or misinformed, I will enthusiastically be updating this with the new information and correcting previous misunderstandings.
With that out of the way, let’s look at crochet materials, tools, and helpful tips for getting into this hobby.
Crochet vs. Knitting: what’s the difference
The differences between crochet and knitting are rather simple. Crochet is done using one single hook, and knitting is done with two (or more) needles. I was told years ago that crochet uses four times the amount of yarn that knitting does, and I’m inclined to believe it since crochet usually involves yarning over multiple times per stitch, while knitting usually involves a single pass of yarn over the stitch in the previous row.
It gets more complicated than that, of course, but the simplest different is one hook versus multiple needles.
What hooks are available for crochet?
Crochet has a wide variety of hooks available, and everything comes down to personal preference. I personally use Ophire hooks, which are a somewhat pricey brand that has an inline hook and a pointed end. I find them useful for my tighter projects, like plushies, when I sometimes need to forcefully insert my hook into tiny stitches. I also like the inline hook for consistent stitch sizes and the ability to quickly go from stitch to stitch without tightening my yarn too much, which I find happens more with a tapered hook end.
For beginner purposes, I highly recommend using an inline crochet hook so that you don’t run into tension issues because of the size differences of the hook and handle of tapered hooks. It all comes down to personal preference (I used to hate inline hooks), but I think that gauge issues for beginners can be helped slightly with the consistent hook width.
When you’re starting out, good hooks can be found in craft stores such as Michael’s or Herrschner’s. I recently went to Michael’s to purchase both a tapered and an inline hook for comparison purposes, and the options were more than affordable. The inline Susan Bates Silvalume crochet hook (which comes with a rubber handle cover for comfort purposes) cost only $3.99 USD, and for a dollar less, you could get the store brand tapered-end hook.
While Ophire and Furls hooks are attractive, they’re also very expensive, and I think spending less and trying out the available options for under $5 are the best way to get started in crochet. If you find that you’re having problems with hand discomfort, you can try out some inexpensive options, such as handle attachments, to make the hooks more comfortable to hold.
What about your first yarn?
While I’d love to say “use my affiliate code,” what I’m going to actually say is check out Michael’s or Walmart and pick up some acrylic. Acrylic, if you’re not allergic or sensitive to it, is an inexpensive and flexible option for crochet projects. From plushies to blankets, it is a user-friendly option for many projects, and unlike materials like wool, you can generally toss it in your washing machine once it’s dirty and you won’t have to worry about it shrinking and felting.
Acrylic also comes in a variety of weights and textures, so you can find an acrylic option for most, if not all, of the projects you may want to pick up. Red Heart Super Saver is a good option for beginner crocheters, and if it feels too rough to you, you can try out an alternative like Caron Simply Soft or Loops & Threads’s Impeccable. I’d recommend against novelty yarns, or blanket yarns, because they’re not the most user friendly experience. I’d also recommend against choosing black yarn, as it can be difficult for some people to pick out the individual stitches when counting them or making a new stitch.
If you’re going to be going somewhere like Michael’s, make sure to check out their website or mobile app. They usually have coupons of up to 40% off a single regular price item, so if their yarn isn’t currently on sale, you can get a decent deal.
Accessories. What do I get?
If you’re learning from me in person, I’m more than happy to supply you with a small starter kit of crochet accessories. For most projects, you’ll want a few items:
- Stitch Markers
- Yarn needles (large eye – plastic is fine, but if you’re doing smaller items, you may want to get a metal needle)
- Measuring tape
- An appropriately sized hook
- Yarn appropriate for your pattern
One thing to note when it comes to stitch markers is that there are stitch markers specifically for knitting, and then there are all the other stitch markers. If you’re getting into crochet, you want to have stitch markers that have an opening, or an option to open the stitch marker. The reason for this is that when you use a stitch marker in crochet, you’re attaching it to the project that you are making. In knitting, the stitch markers generally go on your needles instead of on the project. Because of this, they offer adorable stitch markers that are on O-rings or other close loops because they don’t need to be removed from the project, they can just slide off the loop.
If you’re just learning, you can also just skip the stitch markers and use a piece of yarn to mark your stitch. It’s easy and cheap, and it’s also reusable! A bonus is that when you inevitably lose your yarn piece, you can just cut out another one. I have dozens of plastic stitch markers, and my cats love to carry them off (or they love to escape my project bags). A piece of yarn just works sometimes.
Okay, so I’m starting my first project. What do I get?
This one is specifically for the people that will be following along with my Learn to Crochet [a Bag] series in the coming weeks. I’ll be teaching people how to crochet a granny stitch market bag, and I do have some suggestions for materials to bring along.
The basic list is simple:
- A hook (preferably 6mm. This may also be called a size J, or a US10)
- Yarn
For a more in-depth look at options, I’m going to explain a couple choices that I suggest.
Hook size – I’m suggesting a 6mm hook because new crocheters tend to have a very tight tension. I started with a tight tension, I’ve heard from numerous friends that their tension started (and for some, remains) very tight, and it can make things difficult. For the yarn I’m recommending, 6mm is on the larger size, but it’s not huge. It’s about 1mm larger than I would generally use for this weight of yarn, and as a result should give you more room to play with. If your tension is looser than it should be, it should still be within a manageable range. I also recommend an inline hook, as I explained in one of the above paragraphs. My local Michael’s has 2 options for inline hooks:
Michael’s does offer their Loops & Threads branded aluminum hook, but if you look at the top of the hook, you can see that it tapers slightly. I personally like the taper on these hooks, but I think newer crocheters (especially those with tighter tensions) could run into issues with getting the yarn off the actual hook. I think it could contribute to a tighter tension, and would be better for someone that has a looser or more consistent tension, both things that may come from experience (everyone is different, and I don’t want to make assumptions!).
Yarn type – Because we’re going to be working on a market bag, we have a couple things to take into consideration. Yarn stretches. When you make a bag with acrylic yarn, there will definitely be some stretch. The best way to combat this is to make things slightly smaller than you think you will need in order to accommodate the stretch, or, my preference, to use a cotton. Cotton will still stretch, but I find it more stable and less stretchy than acrylic options.
That’s not to say that you can’t use acrylic! I have more than a few handmade acrylic bags, and they all suit my purposes and the stretch with my usage has been minimal (I usually carry a couple drinks or a couple skeins of yarn in them). Acrylic is cheap, accessible, and when you’re learning, it has a LOT of yardage, so you can keep making more projects. Cotton tends to come in smaller skeins, costs a little bit more, and doesn’t make as many projects as a single skein of, say, Red Heart Super Saver.
Taking a walk through the aisles of my local Michael’s, I have a few recommendations for this project. We’re going to go with a medium weight yarn (4 on the numeric scale on the label. Worsted weight also works).
Loops & Threads Classic Cotton is fine, but you would need 2-3 balls for a single project. I’m a huge fan of Lion Brand’s 24/7 Cotton, I use it in most of my bags, but again you’ll likely run into yardage issues and need at least two skeins for one project. I’ll be using Loops & Threads’ Cotton Colors, but I’m unsure if it’s been discontinued. I couldn’t find it in the store or on the website, but I bought 3 balls of it a few years ago that I have yet to use, and this is a good opportunity to start using it up.
What else do I need?
Scissors and a yarn needle. You probably have a pair of scissors at home already, and you’ll want a needle to weave in your ends once you’re finished.
Plastic needles are fine, but if you have a very tight tension, steel needles are good at getting in between stitches for weaving. Because we’re using a 6mm hook, you should have no issue with the plastic needles.
I said above that you can use a spare piece of yarn for a stitch marker, but if you want actual stitch markers, locking is probably the best option so that it doesn’t fall out of your work accidentally while you’re tossing it around.
There are comparable options for all of these on Amazon, and honestly, anything not Loops & Threads branded is probably on Amazon as well, and they’re likely a similar price.
