If you’re ready to learn how to crochet, you might be wondering what supplies you actually need. Walk into a craft store or browse online, and you’ll quickly discover hundreds of different hooks, yarns, accessories, and gadgets. It can feel overwhelming before you’ve even made your first stitch.

The good news? You don’t need a room full of supplies to begin – and 2 of them you will have lying around the house already!

In fact, you only need five basic crochet supplies to get started:

• Yarn
• A crochet hook
• Scissors
• A tapestry needle
• Stitch markers

Let’s take a closer look at each one and why it’s useful.

1. Yarn

Yarn is the foundation of every crochet project, and choosing the right one can make learning much easier.

As a beginner, I recommend starting with a smooth, light-colored worsted weight (#4) yarn. This weight is comfortable to work with, and lighter colors make it much easier to see your stitches while you’re learning.

Try to avoid:

• Fuzzy yarn
• Eyelash yarn
• Very dark colors
• Novelty or textured yarns

These specialty yarns are beautiful, but they can make it difficult to recognize your stitches when you’re just starting out.

Don’t worry too much about finding the “perfect” yarn. Right now, your goal is simply to practice.

We’ll dive much deeper into choosing yarn in the next lesson.

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2. Crochet Hook

The crochet hook is the tool you’ll use to create every stitch.

Hooks come in different sizes and materials, including aluminum, bamboo, wood, and plastic. While every crocheter develops personal preferences over time, a crochet hook with an aluminum head is an excellent place to start because it’s affordable, durable, and glides smoothly through yarn.

A hook size 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm or 6.0 mm crochet hook are a great beginner choices.

We’ll explore hook sizes, materials, and how to choose the right hook in an upcoming lesson.

3. Scissors

Any scissors will do, but just make sure they’re sharp! I recommend a pair of small scissors that are designed for fiber or sewing. I love these detail scissors by Singer. I also use these Fiskars scissor snips which are amazing and quick because you can just grab them and snip your yarn – you don’t even have to poke your fingers through any holes! Of course, feel free just to start with the scissors you have laying around at home. Any scissor will work, but as you crochet more you will be super thankful for a small, SUPER SHARP pair of scissors.

4. Tapestry Needle/Yarn Needle

You will need a tapestry needle for weaving any yarn tails into your project. These needles come in plastic and steel. I like steel because they’re sturdy and don’t bend. These are the ones I use but it really doesn’t matter. A yarn needle is not a standard sewing needle – they are much larger and have a large eye opening for threading yarn through and a blunt tip for weaving easily through your stitches.

5. Stitch Markers

Finally, the last essential crochet tool is stitch markers! Stitch markers will keep the place you left off at when you set your project down for the day. They will mark the beginning and end of rounds and rows. They will keep your place as you count stitches by tens or twenties or whatnot. You must have stitch markers.

There are two main types of stitch markers: locking and non-locking. If you choose just one to start, I’d recommend the locking style because they’re sure to stay locked onto your stitch.

Stitch markers are one of the two items I referred to as a tool you may have lying around your house because you absolutely don’t have to buy special stitch markers. You can use: safety pins, paper clips, or a small strand of scrap thread that you can thread through your project using your crochet hook.

Watch the Video Lesson

What You Don’t Need

Try not to get sucked into the idea that you need lots of expensive supplies before you can begin.

The truth is, you don’t.

Right now, you can safely skip things like:

• Large hook sets
• Fancy yarn bowls
• Blocking mats
• Tension rings
• Project bags
• Row counters
• Expensive specialty tools

Those accessories can be fun additions later, but they’re not necessary for learning the basics.

Focus on building your skills first. As you crochet more projects, you’ll naturally discover which tools are worth adding to your collection.

Keep It Simple

One of the things I love most about crochet is how accessible it is.

With just a handful of affordable supplies, you can begin creating gifts, home décor, clothing, stuffed animals, blankets, and so much more.

Don’t feel like you need to buy everything all at once. Every experienced crocheter started exactly where you are now—with one hook, one ball of yarn, and a willingness to learn.

Progress over perfection applies to your supplies, too.

Start simple, enjoy the process, and let your collection grow alongside your skills.

Beginner Tip

You don’t have to buy everything today. A ball of yarn, one crochet hook, some scissors, a yarn needle and a willingness to practice are enough to begin. You can always grow your toolkit as your confidence grows.

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FAQs

What’s Next?

Now that you know what supplies you’ll need, it’s time to take a closer look at the most important one: yarn.

In the next lesson, we’ll explore the different yarn weights, fibers, and textures so you can confidently choose the best yarn for your first crochet projects.

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