Recommendations for Crochet Tools and Resources
Do you often find yourself wondering where to start when trying to find crochet tools, supplies, patterns, or other resources? If that's you, then look no further than this page! Here I am posting my favorites and recommendations for everything crochet!
Crochet Hooks
For beginners, it is generally recommended that you start with a Susan Bates and a Boye crochet hook. Each of these brands has a different head type, which means that most crocheters end up having a preference for one over the other. The head of Susan Bates hooks are an inline style, while the Boye have a tapered head and neck. When it comes down to it, it is more about preference and which one you are more comfortable with.
For a more advanced crocheter, who cares about long lasting, comfortable hooks to work with, there are a lot of options out there. A couple of my favorite are Clover hooks. I have some of their Soft Touch line and their Amour line, and I love both of them! They are comfortable, with a soft handle and aluminum heads, so I can crochet for extended periods without too much discomfort. One of the best things about them, is you can be individual sizes or sets, which is great if you are unsure if you would like working with them.
There are also handmade crochet hooks. Some makers use wood, some a wood/metal combination, others polymer clay, and still others resin. Each designer has their own unique style. A couple of my favorites are LettoWorkshop and The Speckled Clay.
Yarn
There are several different yarn weights and compositions, and each crocheter and knitter has their own preference for both (personally, I prefer DK weight and a wool blend). Like crochet hooks, there are the basics that every crafter knows for yarn and then the specialty types.
One of the standards of the yarn world is Red Heart, which is owned by Yarnspirations. It is a cheap option, especially for beginners or for bulk makes. You can find it in most stores that carry yarn (Walmart, Joann's, et.c.,) and they mostly use acrylic for their yarns. Yarnspirations also has other yarn brands under their name, so check out their entire selection to see what you find!
Another yarn staple is Lion Brand. They are also found in most yarn retailers and fairly easy on the budget. Unlike Red Heart, Lion Brand has several different compositions for their yarns, from acrylic to wool blends. They are constantly putting out seasonal yarns or new yarns, and if you check their website, there is always some sort of sale running!
Now most craft stores will have an in-house yarn brand that they produce. These yarns are comparable in price to many of the Yarnspiration yarns, sometimes even cheaper! It is always worth looking at those yarns to see if it is a decent substitute to a more expensive yarn.
In addition to big box brands, there are also the indie yarn dyers. If you search "indie yarn dyers" on Instagram, you may be surprised at just how many show up! Now, I'm not going to overwhelm you with a long list here, but I will link a few of my personal favorites.
These dyers are constantly creating new colorways. Some do it seasonally, some monthly, some even do holiday collections (Advent Calendars are always a big hit!).
Patterns
Something that can be intimidating for new crocheters is finding patterns to make. What took me a while to learn was where to find patterns online and not having to buy books from craft stores.
Most yarn distributor websites will have a page on their site that has patterns from their own collections. They usually have both free and paid patterns. There are also tons of YouTube videos of creators showing how to make their patterns. There are also patterns for sale on Etsy.
To websites I personally use are Ravelry and Ribblr. Both have patterns for many crafts from independent designers. I have patterns on both, but I find that Ribblr is more accessible as they have an app version and you can easily mark which rows have been done so you don't accidentally repeat a row.
Let me know what your favorites are and if I left anything out!