Yarn and Hooks: A Beginner's Guide

Every crochet pattern assumes you have the right yarn and the right hook, and nobody tells you what that actually means the first time. This is the quick answer.

Yarn weight, not the colour

Yarn is categorised by weight, which is roughly how thick it is — lace, sock, sport, DK (double knitting), worsted, bulky, and super bulky. Worsted and DK are the two you will see most in beginner patterns. The weight is on the ball band, a numbered picture of a skein, and a recommended hook size next to it.

Match the gauge, not the label

The pattern names a yarn weight and a hook. If you use that weight, most hooks will work; the pattern gives you a 'gauge' — the number of stitches and rows you should get over a set width. Work a little test square, measure it, and if it comes out wrong, change the hook size. A bigger hook makes loose, bigger stitches; a smaller hook makes tight, smaller ones. That is the whole relationship.

Buy the hook, not the set

Beginners over-buy. One comfortable hook in the size your first pattern calls for (usually 5 mm for worsted) is enough for a scarf, a washcloth, a granny square and a hat. Add hooks as patterns need them. Aluminium hooks are slippery and fast; bamboo or plastic hooks grip the yarn and are slower but forgiving when you are still learning tension.

Two quick tips

• A stitch marker (a paperclip works) keeps the first and last stitch of a row visible.
• Crochet is very forgiving. Undo a row and re-work it as many times as you like — the yarn does not mind.