Beginner Crochet Supplies: Yarn, Hook and Notions

Yarn weight and hook size

Yarn weight means thickness, not mass. The Craft Yarn Council groups yarn into numbered categories, and for each one it gives a typical gauge in single crochet (sc, called double crochet or dc in UK terms) over 4" and a hook range. A medium (4) yarn, for example, typically gives 11–14 sc per 4" on a 5.5–6.5 mm (I-9 to K-10 1/2) hook. The council notes that these figures are guidelines only.

Because the ranges overlap, a gauge of 14 sc per 4" fits both light (3) and medium (4). That is why the swatch matters more than the label: make a small square in the pattern's stitch and count.

Buy from one dye lot

A dye lot is the batch the yarn was dyed in. Lion Brand explains that yarn from a different batch may vary in color, and suggests buying all you need of one dye lot at one time. The dye lot number is printed on the label next to the color name; check that it matches on every skein.

Markers, needle and tape

A stitch marker (a small clip or ring) shows where a round starts. Lion Brand's amigurumi guide puts it simply: place a marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. On flat rows, a marker on the last stitch helps you spot a dropped stitch.

A blunt yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle) weaves in the tails when you fasten off and sews pieces together. A tape measure checks the gauge swatch: count the stitches across 4" and compare with the pattern before the first row.

• Example: the pattern says 14 sts per 4". You count 16, so your stitches are smaller: try a larger hook.
• You count 12: your stitches are larger, so try a smaller hook.

Putting the list together

Pick a yarn whose label weight suits the pattern, take the hook the label suggests, and make a swatch. If your count matches the pattern, buy the rest of the yarn from the same dye lot. The crochet generator writes the pattern from your gauge, so a different gauge still gives a pattern that fits: it simply changes the stitch counts.

Common questions

What yarn weight is best for a first project?

Any weight works, because the crochet generator writes the pattern from the gauge you measure. As one example, the Craft Yarn Council pairs medium (4) yarn with a 5.5–6.5 mm hook. Your swatch decides the final hook.

How much yarn should I buy?

Check the pattern and the yardage on the label. Buy it all from one dye lot, because a later batch may differ in color.

Are US and UK hooks sized differently?

Metric sizes in millimeters are the same everywhere; US letters and numbers are a separate naming. Compare by the millimeter size printed on the hook.