7 Essential Crochet Supplies That Aren’t Crochet Hooks

If you’re just starting out in the wonderful world of crocheting, trying to figure out what crochet supplies you need can be really hard. When I first started crocheting, I almost bought a tatting tool thinking it was just a very tiny and weird shaped crochet hook. Craft stores can be incredibly overwhelming, especially when you’re a beginner. You’re wandering around in the crochet supplies section trying to figure out what yarn goes with what hook, sometimes you forget to buy some of the other essentials you need for your beloved yarn craft.

When you first start crocheting, you pretty much only need some double knitting yarn and a size 4mm hook. Those two things will keep you out of trouble for a while but if crocheting is starting to become a bigger part of your life, you might want to think about investing in a few of these essential crochet supplies…

1. Hook Kit

Okay so I know I said the things in this list aren’t hooks but this is a hook kit so it doesn’t really count. Some crocheters like to build their collection slowly over time and others like to take the plunge and buy a set early on. Not only are hook kits cheaper than buying your hooks individually but you’ll almost always have the exact hook you need for any project. I have a set of Clover Amour hooks (pictured above) and they are easily the best thing I’ve ever bought. I’m tempted to buy another full set just to keep in my travel crochet kit. Any set of ergonomic hooks will set you on the right track though. Tip: Buy one hook of the set you’re thinking of buying just to try it out. You don’t want to be stuck with a set of 10 hooks you totally hate.

2. Blocking Mat

When I first started crocheting I saw a lot of designers saying that some things don’t need blocking, which is totally true but I’ve been working on lots of open work and lace pieces recently and I’ve well and truly fallen in love with blocking. I have blocking mats that are similar to these ones. The best bit about this style of blocking mat is that you can use lots of them all clicked together like puzzle pieces or you can just use one of you’re blocking a smaller project. I put off buying blocking mats for years and now I don’t know how I lived without them. They live on my balcony, ready for me to pin a shawl to at a moments notice.

3. Yarn Cutter

I used to use manicure scissors to cut the ends of my yarn, but sideways cutters just seem to get a cleaner cut, particularly for finer work. I have these ones – they’re also much safer to carry around than scissors that have their points out ready to accidentally stab you. I carry my projects in those delicates bags you’re supposed to wash bras in so they can squish easily in to bags. It’s not fun grabbing one of project bags to find my manicure scissors have work their way through the mesh and are now stabbing me in my palm. It’s all about scissor safety, my crochet friends.

4. Yarn Organiser

I honestly don’t think these are the most stylish yarn organisers around they’re dead useful if you’re doing colour work or need to carry around several skeins with you at once. I quite like this one though because it has a working thread hole for each skien if you happen to be working on tapestry or intarsia crochet projects. This would also be good for tapestry or intarsia full stop to prevent your skeins from rolling around together and getting all tangled up.

5. Plane Friendly Yarn Cutter

I have lost so many pairs of TSA approved scissors on flights it’s not even funny. The easiest thing to do is to avoid anything pointy and scissor-like at all. I have one of these attached to my keys so it’s always with me, even if I’m just out about for the day. It’s not amazing for trimming final ends but it does the job of cutting off your yarn so you can start a new colour.

6. Stitch Markers

When you start really advancing your crochet skills, stitch markers become very necessary. Just remember stitch markers are like bobby pins. A pack of 100 can disappear before you know it, so make sure you always have enough on hand. Try to get stitch markers that are very smooth, without any plastic tags on them. It’s worth it to spend a bit more money on well made stitch markers because the cheap and nasty ones are actually really frustrating because they get caught on the yarn and slow you down.

7. Yarn Bowl

This is a ‘nice to have’ but not a total must as a mixing bowl on the floor will suffice. I do have a yarn bowl similar to this one though and it really does make it easy for your yarn to ‘feed’ off the ball. I used to crochet with my yarn ball bouncing around on the floor which made it harder for the yarn to free itself from the ball and also made the ball collect whatever fluff and dust was on the floor. I really couldn’t live without my yarn bowl now – I use it every day.

Most of the time if you are going to do a craft project, spending the money to get properly set up is well worth the cost. I can also recommend keeping a few things in your kit like lipgloss, hand cream and a nail file so you don’t have to stop your crocheting to rummage around for your chap stick.

What stuff you do you keep in your crochet kit? Did I miss anything that should be added to the list?