crochetCrochet supplies for beginners
Buy enough to learn comfortably. Add specialist tools when a project gives them a job.
In this guide
One suitable hook before a full setSmooth and light-colored is easier to readKeep edges visible and ends secureLet the first project decide the extrasCheck a starter kit item by itemOne suitable hook before a full set
Start with the size required by your yarn or beginner pattern, in millimeters. Clover Amour has a rounded cushion grip; Clover Soft Touch has a flatter, wider handle. Neither shape is universally more comfortable. Buy one hook in the needed size to learn how your hand rests on it before choosing a set.
A Tulip ETIMO set gives you several diameters, but yarn is not automatically included. A hook kit is not a complete project kit. Check the included sizes against the projects you actually want to make.
See the Clover Amour 4 mm hook →
Smooth and light-colored is easier to read
A simple light yarn lets you see the top V of each stitch. Fuzzy, very dark and plush chenille yarns make loop placement harder to check. Save those textures until you can count rows and recognize an accidentally skipped stitch.
Acrylic and cotton are both useful, but they do not make the same fabric. Choose care instructions that suit the finished object. For a practice strip, clearly visible stitches and one small ball are enough to get started.
Keep edges visible and ends secure
Use two removable markers for the first and last stitch in a row. Closed knitting rings cannot be removed from crochet fabric without working back to them; a locking marker opens wherever you need it.
A blunt yarn needle helps weave tails through finished stitches. Choose an eye large enough for your yarn. Scissors should cut cleanly without making you pull hard on the last stitch. A tape or ruler is useful when a project needs a particular size.
Let the first project decide the extras
A ball winder is useful for hanks or reorganizing yarn, but many retail balls are ready to use. A hank needs a swift or another support to keep its large loop open during winding. Do not pull yarn straight from a loose hank.
Blocking tools become useful when you need straight edges, matching square dimensions or open lace. The yarn care label determines the method. Start by finishing a swatch before buying a large board or using steam.
Check a starter kit item by item
Look for the hook diameter, yarn fiber and amount, written stitch terminology, instructions and finishing needle. If the picture shows a project, confirm that the required yarn is actually included. A set of ten hooks and a case can still leave you needing all the yarn.
For example, the Tulip ETIMO Rose TER-001e is a hook-and-tool set with ten hooks, needles, scissors and a case. Treat it as a collection of tools, then select yarn separately.