The bare minimum you need to crochet is a hook and yarn, but adding some other supplies to your kit will make your work much easier.
Basic Crochet Supplies
Crochet hooks
- Crochet hooks, like yarn, come in varying sizes to meet your project needs.
- Each yarn weight has recommended corresponding sizes of crochet hooks.
- When you pair a larger crochet hook with a finer yarn, your stitching will be more open.
- Unlike knitting needles, crochet hooks are used one at a time to loop the yarn around itself in knots that form the crochet stitches.
- There are three main systems for categorizing crochet hook sizes: metric, U.S., and UK/Canada.
Conversion of crochet hooks:
| Metric sizes (in mm) |
U.S. sizes |
UK/Canadian sizes
|
| 2.0 |
- |
14 |
| 2.25 |
B/1 |
13 |
| 2.5 |
- |
12 |
| 2.75 |
C/2 |
- |
| 3.0 |
- |
11 |
| 3.25 |
D/3 |
10 |
| 3.5 |
E/4 |
9 |
| 3.75 |
F/5 |
- |
| 4.0 |
G/6 |
8 |
| 4.5 |
7 |
7 |
| 5.0 |
H/8 |
6 |
| 5.5 |
I/9 |
5 |
| 6.0 |
J/10 |
4 |
| 6.5 |
K/10-1/2 |
3 |
| 7.0 |
- |
2 |
| 8.0 |
L/11 |
0 |
| 9.0 |
M/13 |
00 |
| 10.0 |
N/15 |
000 |
taken from http://www.yarnforward.com/crochetconv.html
Crochet hook size to yarn weight correspondence chart:
| Yarn Weight |
Hook Size |
|
|
| |
Metric |
U.S. |
UK/Canada |
| 0/Lace |
Special steel hook, 1.6 to 1.4 mm |
Special steel hook, 6, 7, 8; or regular hook, B/1 |
14 to 13 |
| 1/Super Fine |
2.25 to 3.5 mm |
B/1 to E/4 |
13 to 9 |
| 2/Fine |
3.5 to 4.5 mm |
E/4 to 7 |
9 to 7 |
| 3/Light |
4.5 to 5.5 mm |
7 to I/9 |
7 to 5 |
| 4/Medium |
5.5 to 6.5 mm |
I/9 to K/10-1/2 |
5 to 3 |
| 5/Bulky |
6.5 to 9 mm |
K/10-1/2 to M/13 |
3 to 00 |
| 6/Super Bulky |
9 mm and larger |
M/13 and larger |
00 and larger |
taken from http://www.yarnstandards.com/weight.html
Scissors
You'll need scissors to cut the yarn when you've finished your project or when you're switching colors.
Ruler or measuring tape
You'll need a ruler to check gauge before starting a project. Sometimes you'll also be asked to continue a certain part of the pattern for a certain number of centimeters or inches, so you'll need a ruler to check your distance.
Patterns
Patterns are essential for any beginning crocheter. They describe how many of each type of stitch is needed to complete a project. They also give information on gauge. Once you learn the basics of crocheting, you can design your own patterns, too.
Additional Crochet Supplies
Yarn needle
Yarn needles are thick, blunt-ended needles (often plastic) with large eyes that are used for weaving in the yarn ends when you've finished your project.
Stitch markers
- Stitch markers are small spirals (usually of plastic or wire) that are slipped onto important stitches.
- They differ from knitting stitch markers in that they are spiral-shaped rather than being closed circles.
- When crocheting in the round, they may be used to mark the beginning of each round. They can also be used to mark increases, decreases, or any other stitch you want to remember.
- Making DIY stitch markers is a developing trend. Rather than using plain stitch markers, many crocheters are making their own personalized, decorative stitch markers.
Needle
You'll need a needle if you're sewing any embellishments onto your finished crochet work.