What you need to get started
crochet requires one hook and yarn. the starter kit is small. resist the urge to buy a full set of hooks and twelve balls of yarn before you've made anything: one hook, one ball, one project.
Crochet hook: 5mm aluminium or bamboo
£5–12 for a Clover Amour; £2–4 for a plain metal hook5mm is the right hook size for Aran/worsted weight yarn, the standard beginner yarn weight. the Clover Amour is the most consistently recommended beginner hook: the soft rubber handle reduces hand fatigue significantly compared to a plain metal hook. bamboo hooks also work well. avoid very cheap hooks with a rough seam at the throat: they catch the yarn and slow you down.
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Aran or worsted weight yarn in a light, plain colour
£5–12 for 100–200glight, plain colours let you see each stitch clearly. dark yarn hides where one stitch ends and the next begins, which is hard work when you're still learning the structure of crochet. fluffy or textured yarn is equally hard to read. 100–200g of smooth Aran weight in cream, pale grey, or oatmeal is ideal. enough for a dishcloth or small bag.
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Scissors
Already ownedany sharp pair works. you cut yarn at the end of every project and when joining a new ball. if you own scissors, use those.
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Tapestry needle (blunt, large eye)
£1–3 for a packfor weaving in the yarn ends that remain after fastening off. the needle needs a large enough eye to accommodate yarn: a sewing needle will not do. blunt tip prevents splitting stitches when weaving through. buy a pack of mixed sizes; they are inexpensive and last indefinitely.
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Stitch markers (small plastic locking markers)
£2–5 for a setoptional, but helpful for beginners. clip one into the first or last stitch of a row to make counting easier and to mark where a round begins. locking stitch markers (the kind that open and close like a safety pin) stay put without falling off. a set of ten is more than enough.
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Where to buy (UK)
- Wool Warehouse: excellent yarn range, good hook selection, fast delivery
- Hobbycraft: physical stores across the UK; good for checking yarn colour and feel in person before buying
- Amazon UK: convenient for hooks, stitch markers, and tapestry needles; check hook brand before buying
- LoveCrafts: strong yarn range alongside a large pattern library; beginner starter kits available
for a first project you need nothing more than one hook, one ball of yarn, scissors, and a tapestry needle. a starter kit is a perfectly reasonable option, just check the hook size is 5mm.
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Hook size matters
the label on your yarn ball tells you the recommended hook size. start with what the label says: this gives you a standard tension. if your work is too tight (difficult to insert the hook into stitches), go up one hook size. too loose, go down one size. this is the first adjustment every new crocheter makes.
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