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You can start crocheting for under ten pounds. Forty buys you everything you will need for the first six months, and past that you are buying yarn rather than equipment.
The list below is in the order you will actually want things, not the order a shop would sell them to you.
The essentials, about 12 pounds
| Item | Spend | Why now |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0 mm soft-grip hook | 5 to 9 pounds | The size most patterns assume |
| Worsted acrylic, light colour, 100 g | 3 to 5 pounds | Cheap, smooth, and you can see the stitches |
| Blunt yarn needle | 2 pounds | You cannot finish anything without one |
That is genuinely it for the first fortnight. A light colour matters more than people expect: dark and fluffy yarns hide the stitch, and at the start you need to see exactly where the hook goes.
The next tier, about 18 pounds
| Item | Spend | When you will want it |
|---|---|---|
| Stitch markers | 3 to 5 pounds | Week three, once you work in the round |
| 3.5 mm hook | 5 to 9 pounds | When you try amigurumi |
| 6.0 mm hook | 5 to 9 pounds | When you want better drape on a blanket |
| Tape measure | 2 pounds | Your first project that has to be a size |
| Small sharp scissors | 3 pounds | Kitchen scissors chew acrylic |
Worth having eventually, about 10 pounds
- Row counter, or a note on your phone, which is free and works as well
- Blocking mats and rustproof pins, once you make anything lacy
- A project bag, so the yarn stops collecting cat hair
- A second colour, for borders and stripes
What to skip
- Twelve-piece hook sets. Mostly sizes you will never use, and usually poorly finished.
- Yarn bowls. Decorative. A mug works.
- Yarn winders and swifts. Only needed for hanks, and most shop yarn comes ready to use.
- Expensive novelty yarn. Learn on smooth worsted. Save the good stuff for when you can already crochet.
Buy the second and third hook sizes only when a pattern actually asks for them. Most crocheters use three or four sizes for years, and which three depends entirely on what you turn out to enjoy making.
Questions
How much does it cost to start crocheting?
About ten pounds for a hook, a ball of yarn and a needle. Forty covers everything for the first six months.
What is the absolute minimum I need?
A 5.0 mm hook, one ball of smooth light worsted yarn, and a blunt needle for weaving in ends.
Should I buy a hook set or single hooks?
Single hooks, in the sizes patterns ask for. Cheap sets are usually poorly finished and most of the sizes go unused.
What yarn should a beginner buy?
Smooth worsted acrylic in a light colour. Not dark, not fluffy, not textured. You need to see the stitches.
Do I need stitch markers straight away?
No. They become useful around week three when you start working in the round. A safety pin does the same job.
Is expensive yarn worth it for a beginner?
No. Learn on cheap acrylic and save the good yarn for when your tension is even, which takes a few projects.