Crochet is a fun hobby and a great way to spend your free time. It’s also incredibly easy to learn with just a few simple tools and online tutorials, and after some practice, you can enjoy making your own accessories and clothes.
What are some accessories and tools that crocheters need? Besides the necessary tools like crochet hooks, stitch markers, and scissors, there are also quite a few tools that can make crocheting much more fun and convenient.
In this blog post, we will tell you about every tool and accessory that a crocheter needs in their project bag.
1. Crochet Hooks
Of course, you cannot crochet without a crochet hook!
Crochet hook comes in quite a few designs and a few sizes, but if you are a beginner at crocheting, you only need to have a few hooks in your tool kit to get started.
Crochet Hook Sizes
Crochet hook comes in sizes ranging from 2 mm (US Size A) to 19 mm (US Size S). However, you don’t need to have 20 different crochet hook sizes in your kit to start a project.
The size of the crochet hook really depends on the size of the yarn you are using and the hook size that your pattern (should you choose to use a pattern) recommend.
For beginners, double knitting (DK) yarn or any other medium-weight yarn would be versatile enough for most projects.
This type of yarn usually works well with 3.5 mm (US Size E-4) to 5 mm (US Size H-8) crochet hooks, so you really only need these 3 or 4 sizes in your kit to crochet most projects.
For example, this Prym Ergonomics Value Pack comes in 5 sizes that work with all medium weight yarn.
Crochet Hook Material
Crochet hooks are made of various materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, bamboo, or even plastic.
Each of these materials has its own pros and cons. However, for beginners, we recommend getting an aluminum or stainless steel hook. These metals allow the yarn to glide seamlessly on and off the hook, and they are also lightweight and won’t cause hand fatigue.
You should also opt for a crochet hook that comes with an ergonomic rubber handle, which minimizes hand cramps and wrist pain because they are easier to hold. This set of crochet hooks from BeCraftee is perfect for beginners.
Crochet Hook Style
There are also quite a few crochet hook styles available. For traditional crocheting, you can get inline hooks or tapered crochet hooks.
Inline hooks have one long shaft with the same diameter, which is suitable for beginners because it allows you to keep your stitches even when you first get started with crocheting. Inline hooks are also suitable for Tunisian crochet.
Tapered crochet hooks are preferred by more experienced crocheters because the hook is designed to make the stitches slide on and off more seamlessly.
However, since the shaft is tapered towards the hook, the size of your stitches may be uneven if you don’t keep an even tension on the yarn.
2. Hook Case
If you want to crochet a lot of projects with a lot of different yarn sizes, you will inevitably collect quite a few crochet hooks.
A hook case can be a useful accessory to have so that you can keep all of your crochet hooks organized and easily accessible when you need to start a new project.
Alternatively, if you are starting your crochet hook collection from scratch, you can also get a set of crochet hooks that comes with a crochet hook case to organize the entire collection.
3. Yarn Needles
Yarn needles are necessary tools to have when you work with yarn. You will need to weave in loose ends or sew pieces of a garment together, which is where yarn needles will come in handy.
Yarn needles are big, blunt tip needles with eyelets big enough for your yarn. Depending on the size of the yarn that you work with regularly, you may need to get yarn needles in a few different sizes.
Yarn needles can be made of plastic or metal, like aluminum or stainless steel.
Plastic needles can work fine with big, chunky yarn, but for smaller yarn and tightly crocheted projects, metal needles are much more dependable. They can get into smaller stitches and are generally sharper than plastic needles.
We recommend getting a set of metal yarn needles in different sizes so that you can always have the right size for the yarn that you are using.
4. Stitch Markers
If you are crocheting clothes or working with a pattern, then having stitch markers will be quite useful.
Stitch markers are plastic rings that you can slide between your stitches to mark the beginning of the row or where you should increase or decrease your stitches to shape the garment. This is especially useful for form-hugging garments since you will need to be quite precise about where to place your increases or decreases.
There are two types of stitch markers, a split-ring, and a locking marker.
A split ring is simple to use; you only have to slide one into the stitch. However, it is not very secure. A locking marker works like a safety pin, where you can slide the marker into the stitch and lock it in place.
Some crocheters get very creative with stitch markers. You can use everyday things like safety pins, hair ties, or scrap yarn to work as stitch markers. However, if you want something simple and dependable, we recommend getting a set of stitch markers to make your life easier.
5. Scissors
Scissors may seem like a simple thing that every household will have, so why do we recommend getting scissors just for yarn?
That’s because, with crocheting, you will probably need to snip your yarn very often – especially with colorful projects where a lot of color changes are required.
Using a bulky pair of scissors will simply be quite impractical, and scissors that are used to cut paper or other craft materials may be dulled by cutting yarn.
That’s why we recommend getting a smaller pair of scissors just for your yarn and threads. Not only is it much safer and more convenient to carry in your project bag, but it’s also more accessible if you need to make frequent snips.
6. Retractable Measuring Tape
A retractable measuring tape has plenty of uses in your crochet project. You can measure your body if you want to make a form-fitting garment, or you can use it to measure your gauge swatch or even your garment to make sure that everything is the size that you want it to be.
While there are quite a few types of measuring tapes, we recommend a retractable measuring tape because it’s the easiest to use and the simplest to keep organized.
7. Gauge Swatch Ruler
Measuring gauge is the essential step in every knitting or crocheting project. This is where you crochet a 4” x 4” square using the crochet hook size and the yarn that you want to use, and see how many stitches and rows are required to make this swatch size.
Using the correct gauge will help you determine how many stitches and rows you will need to make the final size that you want. If you are using a pattern, most patterns will tell you the correct gauge you need to achieve in order for the final garment to be the correct size.
That’s why having a gauge swatch ruler is important. This is usually a 4” x 4” square ruler that you can use to measure your swatch to make sure that it’s the correct size on all the sides.
Some gauge swatch rulers also have round holes that allow you to measure your knitting needles or crochet hooks to make sure you’re using the right size, especially if the needles are not correctly marked.
8. Blocking Mats And Pins
Blocking is the last step of the crocheting or knitting process. Knitted or crocheted swatches need to be wet-blocked to attain the correct final shapes. Otherwise, the stitches can look a bit distorted. If you are making a garment, the garment may not fit well without blocking.
Blocking mats can really help in this process. These are dense foam mats that you can use to place your wet garment and use pins to keep the garment in the right shape as it dries. Once the garment dries, it will take the correct final shape.
If you need to get fabric pins separately, make sure to get stainless steel pins that are rust-proof. That’s because the pins will regularly work with wet garments, so it’s quite prone to oxidization. If you use regular metal pins, the pins may become rusted after just a single use.
9. Granny Square Blocking Board
Granny squares are the easiest things to make when you first start crocheting. You can also make so many things from granny squares, from a cute summer top to cozy afghans and blankets. They’re super quick, and there are thousands of granny square designs for you to experiment with.
If you love making granny squares, then you’ll love using these blocking boards designed just for granny squares. They’re blocking boards with pre-drilled holes for you to use with wooden pins or steel pins. The holes are spaced evenly, and you can achieve a perfect square with the pins.
With granny squares, you can stack the squares together and use the pins to hold all of the squares in place. This way, you can block multiple granny squares at once, get them to achieve a uniform shape, and have a place to house all of your granny squares at the same time!
10. Yarn Bowl
A yarn bowl is just the place to house your yarn ball(s) as you crochet. If you don’t pull from the center of the yarn, then your yarn ball will jump all over the place on the ground and collect dust and dirt as you pull from it.
That’s why having a yarn bowl is quite useful while you knit or crochet. It’s not only a handy little holder for your yarn but there’s also a small eyelet in the bowl itself to guide the yarn as you pull and make sure that the yarn doesn’t ‘jump’ out of the ball as you crochet.
11. Ball Winder
Yarn enthusiasts will appreciate having a ball winder. This is mainly for those who regularly purchase hand-dyed yarn that comes in a hank, and you’ll need to wind the yarn ball yourself.
That’s where the ball winder comes in. This is a handy little machine that you can use to wind up your own ball of yarn, and your new yarn ball will be center-pull too!
You can secure one end of the yarn to the center of the yarn winder, loop the yarn through the guides, and use the hand crank to roll up your yarn ball. Compared to rolling the yarn with just your hands, this method is much faster, and it will also save you a ton of wrist pain.
When you get a ball winder, make sure to get one with a sturdy clamp that you can secure in place by clamping it onto a table or chair, as well as multiple guides to reduce the efforts needed to wind up the yarn. This heavy-duty ball winder is a great option.
A ball winder is not only useful when you work with hand-dyed yarn. Sometimes, you want to salvage the yarn from an old crochet project or have to undo your project because of a mistake. Using a ball winder can make that process a lot faster and easier!
12. Row counter
For those who don’t love counting rows (especially when the project calls for a specific number of rows), then having a row counter will be a huge life saver.
You can get a digital row counter or a row counter that you can adjust manually. Typically, you would wear the row counter on your finger or around the crochet hook and adjust the counter when you have completed the row.
That way, you don’t have to manually count your rows, which makes completing a pattern much faster and easier.
13. Mirror Glasses
This is technically not a crochet accessory, but it’s definitely a great assistant when it comes to crocheting for long hours.
That’s because crocheting puts a lot of strain on your back and neck – you are constantly looking down for hours. That’s why having mirror glasses while crocheting can help with pain relief and keep your postures in check.
If you wear mirror glasses, you can hold your head straight while still being able to see your stitches down below. It’s definitely a huge help for those with back and neck pain.
14. Project Bag
Once you have collected all of these tools and accessories, it can be difficult to organize all of them and keep them in one place, especially if you want to take your crochet project on the go.
That’s why having a project bag can really come in handy. A project bag is quite convenient because it has enough space for all of your yarn, plus multiple pockets for you to hold all of your crochet hooks, stitch markers, yarn needles, scissors, measuring tape, etc.
You can house everything in one place and have them accessible when you want to move around the house, or even crochet while you’re in the car or on public transportation. It’s definitely a must-have for keeping things organized.
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