Hooked! The best beginner crochet kit to get you crafting

Crochet has undergone something of a rebrand. From its cottagecore-blanket and tea-cosy roots, it now regularly graces the pages of Vogue. And the craft itself is hugely popular – particularly among gen Z – thanks, in part, to the meditative sense of flow that comes as the hands perform the rhythmic, repetitive actions.

The good news for novices is that it’s super easy to get into crocheting. Knowing the basic kit you need, though, is helpful, so we asked the experts for their advice. These are the tools they recommend if you are starting out, and the stuff they say you don’t need.

Yarn

Yarn comes in varying thicknesses, or weights, for different types of projects. But the only one those just starting out in crochet need worry about is medium-weight double knit (DK). This yarn weight is best for beginners because it’s big enough to clearly see each stitch, but not chunky to the point of being unwieldy.

Where you should buy from depends on what you plan to create. Yarn Loft , for example, is good for quality and designer yarns, while Crochet UK has an inspiring range of colours. Other retailers include WoolBox , which offers solid all-rounders, lovecrafts.com has a good value section and Etsy is brilliant as a crochet superstore for small, independent brands.

Our experts advise, however, that there are certain yarns beginners should avoid at first. Young crocheter Nai Onitolo says: “Novelty yarn with sequins, metallic strands or anything super fluffy is often used by beginners and children. But it can be difficult to work with, so I would recommend waiting until you are comfortable with regular yarn before progressing.”

Paintbox Yarns cotton DK , £2.75 a ball, lovecrafts.com
West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab DK , £6.46 a ball, woolbox.co.uk
Rowan Summerlite DK , £6.30 a ball, yarnloft.co.uk

Hooks

Another crocheting non-negotiable is the hook. A label on the yarn you have chosen will tell you what size hook to use, but Gabriella Perkins of Bella Craft , who has been crocheting for about a decade, says: “Size 4 is a good general size to have in your crafting bag, or a 3.5 or 4.5.”

Most people begin with an all-aluminium hook like the 4mm KnitPro aluminium crochet hook (from £1.50, hobbii.co.uk) but spend a little more and you’ll get an ergonomic soft-grip handle. Other types of hook are available, including wooden (from £15, furlscrochet.com) and bamboo (from £4.55, littleconkers.co.uk) versions, but the ergonomic Clover amour crochet hook (£5.99, theneedlestore.com) is the go-to for many dedicated crocheters. “They’re a bit more expensive, but they slide right through the yarn helping you to crochet faster,” says Cilla Richards , an enthusiastic crocheter whose website is a mine of useful information.

Tapestry needle

Crochet beginners may also find they need tapestry needles (£1.75 for six, sconch.com) – blunt needles with a large eye. These can be used to finish off most crochet projects neatly and when switching yarn colours.

Scissors

Any small, sharp scissors will do for your first crochet projects, but it’s worth investing in specialist scissors (from £5.99, yarnworx.com), yarn snips (£13.99, yarnworx.com) or folding scissors (£6.29, amazon.co.uk) if you plan to keep going.

Stitch markers

These will help you keep track of rows and stitches as you go along, but Richards says using hair pins or paperclips instead of stitch markers (£4 for 15, johnlewis.com) is fine when you first start crocheting.

If you’re committed to the hobby, stitch markers are a smart investment. Perkins uses hers to keep track of the hook size she’s using because she likes to flit between crochet projects. “I just write the hook size on the stitch marker with a Sharpie,” she says.

Things you don’t need

For the more advanced crocheter, there is other useful kit, including blocking mats and row counters , but these aren’t necessary until the projects become more complex. As Richards says: “Start small, buy the materials for that particular project, if you love it, you can invest more time and money.”

What to make

Simple crochet squares can be ideal for practising stitches, but Richards advises looking for a fun starter project. The craze for amigurumi – the Japanese art of crocheting and knitting small stuffed animals – for example, is central to the current crochet revival.

“I started by trying to crochet a blanket, got very bored, failed miserably and gave up,” Richards says. “Then I came across cute amigurumi toys and became hooked. I would start small with something like a tiny amigurumi pineapple or little face scrubber .”

Online crochet communities, such as Ravelry and Ribblr , are an excellent source of free patterns and advice, including lots of beginner projects. YouTube is a treasure trove of video tutorials for mastering new stitches and other techniques, but you may want a book to guide you through the process too; You Will Be Able to Crochet by the End of This Book by Zoe Bateman (£14.99, wildandwoollyshop.co.uk) is great. Once you’ve chosen a pattern, the instructions will advise on the yarn to get.

Keep in mind that many English language crochet resources come from the US where they use different terms for the various stitches and yarn weights. Confusingly, the UK’s double crochet stitch is know as single crochet in the US, while the US’s double stitch is the UK’s treble. But most patterns specify the terms they’re using, and there are lots of helpful conversion charts online.

Kate Jacobs is a freelance writer, specialising in design, interiors and gardens