Jun
Hooks First Because Nothing Else Matters Without Them
So you’re gonna need hooks and honestly this is where people get weird about it but I’m just gonna tell you what actually works. I bought like fifteen different hooks when I started and most of them sucked. The Clover Amour hooks are the ones everyone talks about and yeah they’re good but they’re expensive if you’re buying the whole set on Amazon. I got mine individually over like six months in 2022 which was dumb because the set would’ve been cheaper but whatever.
The thing is you want ergonomic handles if you’re doing anything for more than twenty minutes. I made this huge blanket in summer 2024 while binge-watching The Bear and my hands were DYING with these cheap aluminum hooks I had. Switched to the Clover ones and it was like night and day. The rubber grip actually matters even though it looks gimmicky.
For size you need to think about what you’re making. Worsted weight yarn uses a 5mm or 5.5mm hook most of the time. That’s your H/8 or I/9 in US sizes which is confusing because why do we need letters AND numbers but anyway. If you’re doing amigurumi or smaller stuff you want 3.5mm to 4.5mm range. Chunky blankets need those big boys like 10mm or 12mm hooks.
The brands that don’t suck
Clover Amour like I said but also the Boye hooks are fine honestly. They’re cheap and they work. The ergonomic ones have that flat thumb rest that some people love but it annoyed me because I hold my hook weird apparently. Furls hooks are beautiful and expensive and I don’t own any because I can’t justify forty dollars for one hook but people obsess over them on Amazon.
Avoid the random Chinese sets with like 100 pieces for twelve dollars. I bought one and half the hooks had rough spots that caught on the yarn. One actually broke while I was working on a simple scarf which shouldn’t even be possible.
Yarn Is Where You’ll Spend All Your Money Forever
Okay so Amazon actually has decent yarn selection but you gotta know what you’re looking for. Big Twist from Joann’s isn’t on Amazon but Lion Brand is everywhere and that’s gonna be your baseline. Lion Brand Wool-Ease is like the standard everyone uses. It’s acrylic and wool blend so it’s soft enough but also durable and machine washable.
I used Wool-Ease in Fisherman (that’s the off-white color) for a baby blanket spring 2022 and it held up really well. The mom told me she’s washed it like a million times and it still looks good. For pure acrylic Red Heart Super Saver is the classic but it’s kinda scratchy. People say it softens after washing and yeah it does a little but not enough if you’re making something that goes against skin.
Actual yarn I buy regularly
Lion Brand Heartland is really nice for blankets. It’s got this tweedy look with little flecks of color. I made a lap blanket during a really bad breakup in fall 2023 and just kept buying more Heartland in different colors because I couldn’t decide what I wanted and also I was avoiding my feelings by crocheting constantly but that’s not relevant here.
Bernat Blanket yarn is the chunky stuff that works up super fast. It’s puffy and soft and perfect for those thick blankets everyone makes. Comes in a ton of colors on Amazon. The thing that annoyed me about Bernat Blanket is that it sheds like crazy when you’re working with it. Like I’d have little fibers all over my clothes and my cat would try to eat them which was a whole thing.
For cotton I use Lily Sugar’n Cream which sounds like a weird name but it’s good for dishcloths and stuff that needs to be absorbent. Also comes in fun colors. Hobbii has some lines on Amazon now too and their cotton is really nice quality but more expensive.
Weight categories because this confused me forever
Yarn comes in numbered weights from 0 to 7 basically. Weight 4 is worsted weight and that’s your standard. Most patterns use it. Weight 3 is DK or light worsted and it’s a little thinner. Weight 5 is bulky and weight 6 is super bulky which is what Bernat Blanket is.
The weird thing is different brands call the same weight different names so you gotta look at the actual number on the label. I spent way too long trying to figure out why my project looked wrong before I realized I grabbed the wrong weight yarn because the name on the package was confusing.
Scissors And Other Random Tools You Actually Need
You need small sharp scissors dedicated to yarn. Don’t use your kitchen scissors because yarn dulls them and also you need precision. I have these Fiskars micro-tip scissors from Amazon that are like six dollars and they’re perfect. They cut yarn clean which matters more than you’d think for weaving in ends.
Stitch markers are essential and you can get a million of them for like five bucks. The locking ones are better than the open rings in my opinion because they don’t fall out. I use them to mark the beginning of rounds when I’m doing amigurumi or hats because otherwise I lose track immediately.
Tapestry needles for weaving in ends and you want the bent tip ones with big eyes. The straight ones are fine but the bent ones make it easier to get under stitches. Get a variety pack because you’ll lose them constantly. I probably have twenty tapestry needles scattered around my apartment and can never find one when I need it.
Measuring tape and row counter
Soft measuring tape is necessary for checking gauge and measuring projects. The ones that retract are convenient but the basic cloth ones work fine. I have one that’s like 100 years old from my grandmother that still works perfectly.
Row counters are those little clicky things and honestly I never use mine. I just use a notepad or my phone to track rows because the physical counter always falls off my hook or I forget to click it. But some people swear by them so maybe you’ll be better at it than me.
Storage Stuff Because Yarn Takes Over Your Life
You’re gonna accumulate yarn faster than you can use it this is just a fact. Those clear plastic bins from Amazon are good for keeping everything organized. I sort mine by weight and color which works okay until I get lazy and just throw new yarn wherever it fits.
Project bags are useful if you’re working on multiple things. I like the ones with drawstring tops and a flat bottom so they stand up. You can find sets of them on Amazon in different sizes. Keeps your works in progress from getting tangled with each other.
Yarn bowls are pretty but not necessary. They’re supposed to keep your yarn from rolling away while you work but I just use a regular bowl or let the skein sit in my lap or… actually I usually pull from the center of the skein which keeps it from rolling anyway so yeah you probably don’t need a yarn bowl.
Books And Pattern Resources
There are crochet books on Amazon but honestly most patterns are online now. I have a few stitch dictionaries that are helpful for reference. The Crochet Stitch Dictionary by Sarah Hazell is good if you want a physical book with tons of different stitches to try.
For learning I watched YouTube videos more than reading books because seeing the stitches in motion made way more sense to my brain. But some people are book learners so the visual guides with step by step photos work better for them.
Pattern reading is its own skill
Patterns use abbreviations that are confusing at first. SC is single crochet, DC is double crochet, HDC is half double crochet. Ch is chain, sl st is slip stitch. You get used to it but I still have to look up the weird ones sometimes. What even is a extended half double crochet and why do patterns assume I know.
Keeping a printed abbreviation guide near your workspace helps when you’re starting out. Amazon has laminated reference cards that are waterproof and have all the common stitches listed.
Kits For Specific Projects
Amazon has those all-in-one kits with yarn and pattern included and they’re okay for beginners. The quality varies a lot though. I bought an amigurumi kit that came with the worst yarn I’ve ever felt but the pattern was cute so I just bought better yarn and used that instead.
The Woobles kits are popular right now and they’re actually pretty good quality. They include everything and the instructions are beginner-friendly. More expensive than buying supplies separately but convenient if you want to try a specific project without hunting for materials.
Things I Wasted Money On
Blocking mats seemed important based on what I read online but I’ve used mine like twice. Blocking is when you wet your finished project and pin it to shape but most of my stuff doesn’t need it. If you’re making lace doilies or garments yeah maybe but for blankets and amigurumi it’s not necessary.
Fancy yarn winders looked cool and I thought winding yarn into cakes would be satisfying but the manual ones hurt your wrist after a while and the electric ones are expensive. Most yarn comes ready to use anyway unless you’re buying hanks which I usually don’t.
Those ergonomic handle attachments that slide onto regular hooks seemed like a cheap alternative to buying nice hooks but they just fell off constantly and were annoying. Just save up for decent hooks instead.
Tension And Gauge Tools
Gauge rulers help you check if your stitches are the right size for a pattern. They’re those flat things with holes cut out in different sizes. Useful for garments where fit matters but for blankets and scarves I don’t usually bother checking gauge that carefully.
The thing that annoyed me most about learning crochet was tension consistency. My stitches would be tight at the beginning of a project and loose by the end because my hands would relax. There’s no tool that fixes this you just have to practice until your muscle memory figures it out. Took me like six months before my tension stayed consistent throughout a whole project.
Lighting And Comfort Stuff
Good lighting matters way more than I expected. Crocheting with dark yarn in bad lighting is miserable because you can’t see your stitches. I got a daylight lamp from Amazon that clamps onto my couch and it made evening crocheting so much easier.
Lap desks or trays are nice if you crochet on the couch. Gives you a flat surface for your pattern and keeps your yarn organized. Not essential but convenient.
What To Actually Buy First
If you’re starting from nothing get a set of ergonomic hooks in common sizes like 4mm through 6mm. Get three or four skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease in colors you like. Get small scissors, a pack of stitch markers, and tapestry needles. That’s really it to start.
You can add specialty stuff later once you know what kind of projects you actually enjoy making. I thought I’d make tons of clothing but turns out I mostly make blankets and amigurumi so I didn’t need half the stuff I bought initially.
Amazon Prime is helpful for trying supplies quickly because free returns if something doesn’t work out. I’ve returned yarn that felt weird in person or hooks that had defects and it was pretty easy.
Watch for sales because yarn goes on discount randomly. Subscribe and Save can save you money if you use the same yarn repeatedly. I have Lion Brand Heartland on subscription because I always need more for blankets apparently.
