How to Crochet: Tools

Alright so you want to know how to crochet! I might be able to help with that.

This tutorial will be written in several different parts to make it more easy for you to learn, and for me to write them out.

This one is for tools!

Lets dive right in shall we?

I messed up my alphabet, pay no attention to the GFE...Imagine it backwards.

• A: A basic pair of scissors, you don't need anything fancy for cutting in crochet, all you'll be doing with these is cutting the ends of your projects. 
• B: Ergonomic Grip Crochet hooks, I suggest these for anyone who crochets a lot or someone who plans on doing large projects. Don't buy them if you're just going to crochet for just an hour at a time, or for learning. They get expensive at roughly $8 each.
• C: Aluminum Crochet Hooks, These are the cheapest ones that are worth using (please do not go get plastic crochet hooks, when you first start I know a lot of people have problems with tension, and they break very easily.) and are the best to learn on. You can find these in just about any craft store you come across.
• D: Steel Crochet Hooks, these typically only come in smaller sizes, from 3.25mm and lower as far as I've found. 
• E: Measuring Tape, You'll need this for measuring your work, you'll be questioning your gauge quite a bit, one of these will become invaluable very quickly.
• F: Stitch markers, These are for marking your stitch (great for when you have lots of rows to do, or your crocheting in the round and you need to know the first stitch in the round) they're also used for when you want to stop working on a project and come back to them later. 
• G: Darning Needles, These are blunt needles that have large eyes for you to feed yarn through, you use them to sew bits on or to weave in your ends. 

Now you won't need all this to start with, Most of this you'll need to get only after you begin projects, but when you do get all this stuff you'll need something to keep them in won't you? Why yes. Yes you will.

Now you'll find expensive crochet hook holders in stores, and they'll run you anywhere between 8 and 12 USD. Do not buy these unless you just really want to. I did and I regret wasting the money.

I now use something much cheaper, and much easier to replace should it break!

What is it? A standard, run of the mill pencil case. 

Thats right. A pencil case. Cost me less than a dollar.

Aint it pretty? Just a slightly transparent Pencil box.

Now then we come to yarn. There are tons of different types of yarns and they come in a variety of weights, colors, and materials.

Now I'll try to cut this down for you so that it'll be easier to understand.

First you'll find a few different ways that yarn is wrapped. There's the ball (I can show you how to make a ball with your hand in a later tutorial) a Skein and a hank. In the majority of craft stores and chains like walmart you'll find yarn in Skein's mostly.

In yarn specific shops you'll be likely to find it in hanks as well, which is basically the yarn in one large loop, folded in half, and wrapped round itself.

I typically put my yarn into balls after I've used a good deal of it to keep it from knotting when I'm not using it.

Weight: Every yarn has a weight, it goes from Lace, Fingering, DK, Sport, Worsted, Bulky and Super Bulky. Now the weight of the yarn is basically just the thickness of the yarn.

Look I did my ABC's backwards again.

A is a standard worsted weight acrylic yarn in a skein. You can find this brand at walmart, and is great for beginners.
B is a DK weight yarn, I've had it for a while and have since lost the label, so I'm not exactly sure what its made of. Its been put into a loose ball.
C is a fingering weight yarn and is wrapped in a ball as well.


Most patterns for beginners that you come across will be for Worsted weight yarn, which is the little 4 on the back of the label inside the picture of a skien.

You'll find yarn in more materials than I can count, from cotton to silk to acrylic to alpaca wool. What you use greatly depends on what kind of project you're doing and what level of softness, stretchiness and warmth you want.


Now. Thats a whole lot of stuff to know and think about, and if you're like me I got a little confused when I first heard all that.

What do you really need to start crocheting?

yes lovely blurry picture for everyone. Very sorry for the craptastic phone pictures I'll try to take some better ones for when I revise this tutorial later.

All you really need to start is some cheap acrylic worsted weight yarn (remember size 4 on the label), a 6mm aluminum crochet hook (its easier to use a slightly larger hook when you begin, your tension will be tight, everyone's is so don't worry. Mine still comes out tight pretty often). and a pair of scissors. Thats all you need to start learning crochet.

So go get your materials, they shouldn't cost you more than $10 usd and you should be able to find them all at walmart if you don't want to get lost in a craft store.

 I'll see you next week with a tutorial on basic stitches.