In need of a good DYI project or want to brush up on you crochet knowledge, well my dears, you have come to the right place.
Tools of the Trade
Like any good craftsmen or hobbyist the right tools are a must. There are a few variations on what people like to use or what is available to them, but mostly you'll need: yarn (of course), crochet hook, scissors, yarn needle, measuring tape, & stitch markers.
There are a few other tools that are not a 'must have', but can make some crocheters lives a little easier, like a stitch counter or a gauge meter (helps you gauge the correct size of your stitches).
Tools, Tools, where are the Tools?
This is going to be a quick blurb. The tools you need aren't too hard to find. If you're a web suffer then you can get all of your tools online, just make sure it's a safe reputable site like Amazon, Etsy, or Ebay.
If you're a physical location kind of gal because you love browsing through all the arts and crafts at the store you can find what you're looking for at places like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or Joanne's (or whatever full service craft store is closest to you). A few good secondary stores, or if you're in a bind store, would be Walmart or Target. They have a few odds and ends on hand.
If you can't find what you're looking for at the physical locations most of these craft stores have a website that offers more of a selection and sometimes they run 'online' promotions that give you a good discount.
You have them, now what?
We'll start off easy...scissors and yarn needle. Scissors are pretty straight forward. Like sewing you want to a good pair of fabric scissors that won't fray your yarn when you cut it.
In addition to my fabric scissors (that my kids have been warned with their life NOT to touch!), I also have a pair of yarn snippers just like the one featured in the pic. I love the cap that comes with it for added protection, for yourself and your projects, when you're not using it.
Yarn Needle helps finish off work by weaving in all the leftover tails hanging about. Even when I crochet the tails into my piece as I am working, I still like to weave the last little bit into the back of the piece for extra durability. I feel it holds the loose ends tighter so they do not slip out of your
project and it comes unraveled when you wear it, use it, or wash it. To weave your tails in, pick the appropriate size needle for your yarn, thread the tail on the needle and weave it through a section of the loops on the back of the piece....easy peasy!
Next we'll move on to the measuring tape and the stitch markers. The measuring tape, plain and
simple, is used to measure your project when you need to make a certain size. You can get them at any craft store for around a dollar and they come in a variety of colors.
Stitch marker is any object that allows you to keep track of a specific spot while you are crocheting. For example, sometimes when you crochet a circular pattern you don't always fasten the two ends of the row together before you start the next one. You crochet more in a spiral that does not have a clear stopping or starting point. The stitch marker can keep track of your starting point for you. They can also be used to help you keep track of how many rows you have crocheted by fastening the marker to the edge around the first stitch of the row. I usually mark my rows in sections of '10' for easy counting. Like the measuring tape, the stitch markers are plastic and come in several different colors. However, my preference is using actual safety pins in varying sizes for different projects. I like the safety pins better because they have a point, which I feel makes it easier to fasten to your projects especially if it's a tight weave or a small project with fine yarn; and it allows me to poke it in my pant leg or arm of my chair until I need it again :)
Now to the heavy hitters, so to speak. The most important items that you'll need to even begin your project. Let's start with yarn. In recents posts I have gone over how to pick your yarn based on what you're making so if some of this sounds familiar that's why. But it never hurts to do a bit of a refresher.
The first thing we did was pick our pattern and at the top right before the instructions begin you should see a section that list your materials and what type and size of yarn you need. If the exact brand of yarn is not available to you or you have a preferred brand you like using, you can choose a similar yarn that matches the color you need and the size number that is listed with it (ex: 6 or 7 as shown below).
Super Fine 1: Super fine yarn is lightweight and typically used for baby items, sock patterns, or shawls. Lacy items often fall under this category, as this type of yarn works best for creating delicate pieces.
Fine 2: Sport weight yarn works best for items such as socks, wraps, heirloom sweaters, and other delicate accessories. It is also used for lightweight afghans.
Light 3: Slightly heavier than a fine weight yarn, this weight is used for items such as garments and heavier baby items.
Medium 4: Worsted weight yarn is the most frequently used. It is easy to work with (making it great for beginners), approximately double the weight of DK or sport yarn, and ideal for working up afghans.
Bulky 5: Bulky yarn is about twice as thick as worsted weight. It usually works up quickly when using large needles/hooks, and it’s great to use when making sweaters, scarves, rugs, and throws.
Super Bulky 6: Super bulky yarn is a thick yarn that works up quickly. It is most commonly used for cowls, scarves, and hats.
Jumbo 7: Jumbo yarn is the thickest yarn weight, added in 2014 to classify the super thick yarns that began to appear on the market. Jumbo yarns are great for arm knitting and work up quickly.
The materials will also list how many balls of yarn or skeins you need for the project. If you look under the yarn listed as 6....it stats you need 2 balls of yarn. To your right I have included a chart that shows different items you can crochet and how much yarn you would need based on the thickness of the yarn.
Now that you have selected the right yarn, you will need a tool to use it with.
And since you all are very smart, I know, you know, you need a hook! There are as many varieties of crochet hooks as there are grains of sand and picking a fun design to match your own personal style is half the fun of crocheting!
However, I am only going to quickly cover the basics of choosing your crochet hook because earlier last year I posted a blog about crochet hooks with more details. I will add the link to that blog along with a few others at the end of this post.
So, in my opinion some of the most important decisions about choosing your hook is the size you need and comfort while crocheting.
Back to our example pattern...once again under materials you can find the size of hook you need for your project and in this case you would need a 8mm hook or a 'L' hook. Hook sizes can be referred to by millimeters or a letter reference. A 'L' hook is 8mm and the most common size of hook is a 'H' hook that is 5mm. The quickest and easiest way to match the letter reference with its size is to simply look it up on Google.....OR..............
You can take a gander at the hook conversion chart below:
Real quick before we move on, another place that will show the size of hook needed, is on the yarn label itself. When you buy yarn it comes with a label that has a ton of great info about how to best use it.
This label shows a 5mm hook is recommended for a medium weight (4) yarn. Now, that doesn't mean you have to use a 5mm hook with this weight of yarn. When you become familiar with hook sizes and yarn weights you can experiment using different sizes to give you a tighter or looser weave to your project.
Ok, now to the comfort portion!
And yes, like a good pair of shoes, comfort does make a big difference. No matter what size of hook you're using, the type of tip, or your grip...if you love to crochet you must do it in style and comfort. The motion of crocheting after a while can unfortunately start to cause joint pain. So, my husband, being the wonderful guy he is, did some research and found these ergonomic hooks with special handles that help alleviate soreness from repetitive action.
And you must believe they did exactly what they claimed, so much better than the simple steel hooks. But they too have their merits. You can find them at just about any store with a craft section and they are a good price range especially for beginner crocheters.
Alright, I am hoping you did not just use this post to fall asleep with ;), but before you log off, check out the related links to choosing your crochet hooks, yarn weights, and few others that will help you understand the tools of the trade better.