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Tools

You don’t need much equipment to get started. The essentials are a hook, some yarn and a pair of sharp scissors. Other equipment can simply be added to your collection along the way.

Hooks There are a wide variety of hooks to choose from and it is a matter of personal choice as to the type of hook you prefer to use. The most commonly used hook is either aluminium or plastic. Smaller steel sizes are used for working with fine crochet threads and other aluminium hooks have plastic or soft-touch handles to give a better grip, making it a bit easier on the fingers. Bamboo and birchwood hooks have a very smooth finish and often have pretty decorative handles, which add to their appeal.

Hooks also come in a range of sizes from very thin to very thick. It tends to be the rule that thinner hooks are used for finer yarns and thicker hooks are used for thicker yarns, but you can have fun playing about with this once you know what you are doing.

Hooks are sized according to their thickness, either in a number or letter system depending on the brand. The different parts that make up the hook – the point, the throat, the thumb rest and the handle – can vary from brand to brand so try different types to see which one suits you best.

Whichever hook you choose, it’s important to look after your tools. It’s a good idea to invest in a hook roll with pockets or, alternatively, loops to keep everything in place. Or you could simply use a pencil case or make up bag to keep things tidy.

Pins The glass-headed pin is a good all rounder to have. They are the best type to use when blocking and pressing as plastic and pearl-headed pins can melt with the heat. Quilter’s long pins can also be useful when pinning pieces together as they tend not to fall out so easily, but generally I find that you can’t go wrong with plain-old safety pins.

Scissors Small pointed scissors are good for cutting and trimming ends and you may find that they also fit snugly in your hook case.

Sewing needles The main type of needle needed is a tapestry or yarn needle, which will have a blunt point and a long eye for threading thicker yarns through. They come in a variety of sizes and are the best type of needle for weaving in ends and sewing up crochet fabrics. You may find that you also need sewing needles with sharp points for certain projects such as applique motifs or adding lacy trims to woven fabric.

Stitch markers These are very useful to have in your kit. They are usually brightly coloured plastic split rings or shaped loops that easily slip into and around your crochet stitches without splitting the yarn. They are usually used to highlight the beginning of a repeat or indicate the end of a round.

Tape measure Choose one that shows both inches and centimetres on the same side. A 30 cm (12 in) metal or plastic ruler is also good for measuring your tension.

Yarns

There are so many different yarns on the market, from shiny mercerised cottons to hairy eyelash yarns, making everything from rough, bumpy textures to smooth, evenly spun strands. In theory you can crochet with any continuous length of fibre, but it is important to understand the fibre content and texture of the yarn as this will affect the finished look and quality of the fabric.

Yarns are created by spinning fibres together. These can be natural fibres, from plants and animals such as wool and cotton, or they can be manmade or synthetic fibres such as nylon or acrylic. Yarns can also be made up of a single fibre or by a blend of different fibres. The various thicknesses of yarns or plies are made up of finer strands twisted together to form the different weights used. Textured and tweedy yarns are often created by twisting several strands of different thicknesses and colours together giving a whole new look. Other yarns are formed slightly differently; ribbon yarns are constructed by knitting a very fine yarn into a tube, giving a rounded or flat appearance on the ball. However, when starting out with crochet it is best to go for a yarn that has a smooth surface and a tight twist.

Generally yarn is purchased by weight rather than length and is packaged in balls, hanks or skeins. The length of the yarn is an important piece of information, especially when you need to substitute one for another, and most brands will give you this information on the ball band. The way in which a yarn is spun can also affect the length. When using hanks or skeins they need to be wound up into balls before they are used to crochet.

Animal fibres Wool is the most commonly used animal fibre and although all wool comes from sheep, there are still a variety of qualities. Merino wool is made from superfine fibres and is very soft and robust, whereas scratchier wools tend to come from sheep that have longer, shaggier coats. Other animal fibres also include mohair and cashmere, which comes from goats, and angora from rabbits and alpacas. Silk is also classed as a natural fibre; it comes from the unwound cocoons of silk worms spun to make a yarn that has a soft shiny lustre. It is also a very strong and light yarn but can be an expensive choice.

Plant fibres Cotton and linen are the most commonly used plant fibres. Cotton really lends itself to crochet and, like wool, it comes in different forms. Different plants produce different types of fibres: cotton can be matte and soft or if you want a bit of a shine, mercerised cotton has a similar appearance to silk. Linen, bamboo and hemp are among the other yarns spun from plant fibres. Linen has a crisp feel and is spun from the fibres of the flax plant. It has a slightly waxy feel on the ball, but drapes beautifully and feels cool to wear. It’s also environmentally friendly – as is hemp.

Synthetic fibres Acrylic, nylon and polyester are all made from synthetic fibres. They are processed from coal and petroleum based products, so are essentially the same thing as plastic. Yarns made from 100% synthetic fibres are a lot less expensive, making them a good choice if you are on a budget, but it’s best to use one that has at least some natural fibre mixed in if possible. This makes the yarn much nicer to work with and will also give the fabric a more elastic property, helping it to keep its shape.

Getting started

Learning a new skill is great fun, but it is important to understand the basics before starting a project. Work your way through the techniques here, making practice swatches of each of the different stitches. When you come across a new technique in a project, it’s a good idea to give it a quick practice first on some spare yarn.

Holding the hook

There are a couple of different methods of holding the hook. There is no real right or wrong way but the most important thing is to use the method that’s the most comfortable and works best for you. The hook is usually held in the right hand.

Method 1: Hold the hook as if it were a pencil. The tips of your right thumb and forefinger should rest over the flat section of the hook.

Method 2: Hold the hook as if it were a knife, grasping the flat section of the hook between your thumb and forefinger.

Holding the yarn

Again there is no definitive way to hold the yarn, but it should easily feed through your fingers allowing you to create a slight tension that helps keep your stitches nice and even.

Method 1: Loop the short end of the yarn over the left forefinger. The end of the yarn coming from the ball should be under the next finger. Grip the length of yarn towards the ball of yarn gently with your fingers.

Method 2: As before, the short end of the yarn should be over your left forefinger. The end of the yarn coming from the ball should be under your next finger, but then also over the next. Some people also like to wrap the yarn around their little finger in this technique.