Beginner Crochet Supplies: Everything You Actually Need to Start Crocheting

I have been crocheting for what feels like my whole life. My mom taught me and my sister how to crochet with just a couple of supplies and a lot of patience. Ever since then, it has been one of my favorite hobbies, and the main way I relax after a long day. I get so excited when people around me also want to learn because it has been such a huge part of my life for so long. Luckily, there are only three beginner crochet supplies that I always recommend you need in order to get started!

One of the reasons I love crocheting so much is not only the therapeutic and meditative quality of it but also the beautiful product you get in the end. It feels like there is an endless amount of crochet patterns out there. I don’t have enough time in my life to make all the sweaters, plushies, blankets, and more. There are endless possibilities!

I have tried a lot of calming crafts in my life, but crochet will always remain supreme, and I am not one to gatekeep. So, for anyone also looking to start up crochet, I am going to talk about some of the beginner crochet supplies that you need in order to start this hobby.

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Why Learn How to Crochet

There are so many benefits to finding a hobby that you love. If there is one thing I will always advocate for, it is for people to find an activity, one that is outside of work and family, that brings them joy. But if you are still a little iffy on if you want to choose this as that hobby, here are a couple of the benefits of crochet:

• Meditative and Repetitive Activity: Once you learn and understand the basics of crochet, it becomes an incredibly therapeutic activity. Following a pattern becomes like reading a second language, the more you do it the easier it gets. You just have to get past the beginning phases, which I’ll admit can be frustrating at times. But after that, crocheting becomes the type of activity you can do while watching a tv show or listening to a podcast.
• You get Beautiful Products out of it: Once you get past the basic stitches, you can make some incredible things with crochet. Whatever your aesthetic is, there will be a crochet pattern to match. So not only do you get the benefit of a relaxing craft, but you also get something out of it!
• Relieves Stress and Anxiety: As I mentioned, crochet is well-known as a calming craft. Spending time focused on a repetitive activity helps quiet the mind. Learning a new skill is also a great way to avoid the stressors of everyday life. Plus, it’s fun!
• It’s good for your brain: It is pretty well-known that learning new skills is good for your brain’s health! Why not choose crochet as that skill?

Beginner Crochet Supplies

One thing I will always stand by is there are only three things you need to start crocheting, a hook, some yarn, and a pair of scissors. Often, people will come at you with a list of 20 different things you need to be a pro crocheter, but I am here to tell you that I started with these three simple things. That is all you need.

However, as you get more advanced, there are other items you can use to make your life easier. But for now, I only want to focus on the most basic items you need to start crocheting. It doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby at first! Of course, the more you get into it, the more accessories and fancy yarn you’ll want! But that’s how it is with every new hobby!

1. A Crochet Hook

Of course, the very first thing you need to start crocheting is a hook. You don’t need a fancy, ergonomic hook. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend spending that much money on a hobby without knowing whether you will enjoy it. I am talking about the cheapest crochet hook you can find.

I started out with an aluminum crochet hook. One single crochet hook in the size 7.0 mm. You can find these at any craft store near you, like Michaels or Joann’s. You can also find aluminum crochet hook sets like the one shown below on Amazon for pretty cheap.

When you are just starting out, I wouldn’t worry too much about which size you choose. Your first couple of projects are going to be a learning process. While you figure out the tension you need to hold the yarn, and the basic stitches, the size of the hook won’t matter. But I would stick in the 6.0-10.0 mm range. The bigger the better, as it will be easier to see stitches while working.

Once you get further into your crochet journey, you can worry about the size of the hook, which will matter when working from patterns. You can also look into getting all the fancy and pretty hooks with hand grips and cute patterns. But for now, one aluminum crochet hook is perfect!

2. One Ball of Yarn

Just like when choosing the hook, avoid the urge to buy the softest, fanciest, more exciting yarn you can find. You can get to that yarn once you learn the basic stitches and understand tension and gauge. For now, all you need is a basic, cheap yarn.

The cheapest yarn you are going to find at craft stores is your basic acrylic medium-weight yarn. The most popular brand is going to be Red Heart, but many stores like Micheals and Joann’s also have name brands that are even cheaper. You can even find some medium-weight yarn at dollar stores as well!

For yarn, I wouldn’t recommend looking online, as they will be more expensive. You can find packs of mini skeins of acrylic yarn on Amazon, however, when you are just starting out, I would recommend going to a craft store and buying one single skein of the cheapest yarn, in whatever color you want. The store-brand medium-weight yarn often goes for 3-4 dollars and includes enough yarn for plenty of practice and tons of mistakes.

But don’t worry, you still get a lovely choice of color! Most craft stores will have at least 20 different colors you can choose from. Pick your favorite color, you’ll be looking at it for a long time as you get used to crocheting.

You can also find some thrifted yarn as well to save even more money! It is rare, but I sometimes find some yarn at my local thrift store for only a couple of bucks! Never hurts to check.

3. Scissors

And you probably already have this one! Most people have a pair of scissors laying around, as long as they are good enough to cut through yarn (most are) then you are good to go!

If you don’t have scissors, you can even use a knife or some other sharp object to chop the yarn. I promise, your first couple of projects will not be perfect, so the ends won’t matter as much!

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That’s it. There are only three items you need to learn to crochet. With these three items and a great first project like a scarf, you will be ready to tackle your new hobby!

After you have mastered the basics of crochet and have made your first scarf, you can start looking at some of the other crocheting tools like a yarn winder, stitch markers, pattern books, and more. But until then, these three beginner crochet supplies will get you started on this relaxing and exciting activity!