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Your Crochet Tool Kit: Everything You Need to Get Started

You don't need much to start crocheting. Here's every tool a beginner should have, from crochet hooks to stitch markers, and what each one actually does.

March 2025·5 min read

The Good News About Crochet Equipment

Unlike knitting, crochet only requires one hook rather than two needles. The basic tool kit is small, affordable, and easy to put together. Once you have the essentials, you can start making real projects on your very first day.

Crochet Hooks

The crochet hook is the only truly essential tool. Hooks are most commonly made from aluminum, steel, or plastic, though you will also find beautiful versions in wood and bamboo. What matters most is the diameter — this determines what yarn weight you can use with it.

Hook sizes are measured in millimeters and also carry letter designations in US sizing. Common beginner hooks include:

  • •5 mm (US H-8): Perfect for worsted weight yarn. The ideal starting point.
  • •5.5 mm (US I-9): Slightly larger, also great for worsted weight.
  • •6 mm (US J-10): Used for bulkier yarns and projects like hats and scarves.

The size printed on the hook should match — or be close to — the recommended hook size on your yarn's ball band. That said, hooks are a suggestion, not a rule. If you are crocheting too tightly or too loosely, switching hook size is the first and easiest fix.

🪝 Hook Material Matters: If you find the yarn keeps slipping off your hook or grabbing and sticking, try a different hook material. Some crafters find aluminum hooks smoother; others prefer the grip of wood or bamboo. There is no single right answer — it is about what feels comfortable in your hand.

Other Tools You Will Be Glad You Have

Beyond a hook and yarn, a handful of small accessories will make your crochet life much easier:

  • •Yarn needles (tapestry needles): Blunt-tipped needles for weaving in yarn ends and sewing pieces together. The rounded point will not split your yarn. Have several on hand.
  • •Stitch markers: Small split-ring markers you clip onto a stitch to mark your place in a pattern or the beginning of a round. Invaluable when working in circles.
  • •Measuring tape: For checking your gauge swatch and measuring finished pieces to ensure they are the right size.
  • •Sharp scissors: A small pair dedicated to your yarn bag. You need clean cuts when fastening off.
  • •Sticky notes: Invaluable for marking your place in a written pattern and jotting notes as you work.
  • •Zip-close bags: For storing projects in progress and keeping yarn, ball bands, and spare buttons together.

What You Do Not Need as a Beginner

You do not need a full set of every hook size on day one. Start with one or two hooks that match the yarn you are using. You do not need a yarn winder, swift, or blocking mats right away either — those are wonderful tools that you will want eventually, but they are not required for your first projects.

The best approach is to buy what you need for your current project and build your tool collection gradually. Your first two projects will tell you more about what you personally like in a hook than any guide can.

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