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If you want to start crocheting but feel overwhelmed by all the options for yarn and fancy hooks, don’t fret. This post will help break down what’s essential for beginner crocheters so you can grab what you need to get started. No need to get lost – here are the must-have crochet supplies for beginners.

Hooks

One of the most important crochet supplies for beginners you’re going to need are some crochet hooks. Technically, you could probably start off with just one or two if you wanted, but it will limit what yarns you can use and what projects you can make. I’d recommend getting an inexpensive pack of them.

My personal recommendation for beginner crocheters is the Susan Bates hooks. They are what’s called an inline crochet hook which creates a deeper throat on the hook and, in my opinion, makes it a lot easier as a beginner to grab the yarn without it sliding off your hook. The ones I linked also have an ergonomic handle which should help stop your hand from immediately cramping up.

Although the Susan Bates hooks are what I recommend, you are, of course, free to choose whatever hooks you’d like! You will see some out there that are really expensive. Please don’t feel obligated to buy those. While they’re nice if you’re an avid crocheter, the cheaper hooks work perfectly fine.

Yarn

Arguably the most fun to shop for is yarn! Fiber artists tend to have a lot of opinions when it comes to yarn. Like, a lot a lot. Don’t let that confuse you when you’re looking for your beginner supplies. A cheap acrylic yarn will be great to get started with.

While it’s not my favorite to work with as a more experienced crocheter, Red Heart Super Saver is what I generally recommend for beginner crocheters. It’s inexpensive, readily available (at least in the US), has a huge variety of colors, and doesn’t split easily. That last part will be very important as a beginner. You really want to avoid starting off with a yarn that splits and unravels easily – it makes learning to crochet way, way harder than it needs to be. I would also recommend starting off with solid, bright colors as variegated yarns or darker colors can be hard to see as a beginner.

Red Heart is available pretty much anywhere that sells yarn and seems to often be cheaper in-person than online. However, if you want to order it, you can find it on Amazon and pretty much any other retailer’s website that sells yarn. If you get it from Amazon, it’s usually more cost-effective to get a pack of 3 than a single skein of it.

Yarn Needles

If you plan to ever complete a project, you will eventually need to weave in your ends. For that, you’ll need needles. Typical sewing needles are not going to have a big enough eye for yarn so you’ll need to get needles specifically made for yarn. You’ll see these called a variety of names – yarn needles, darning needles, wool needles, and tapestry needles are all common names. Most crocheters prefer ones with a bent tip like the dark blue in the picture. You can get them in packs like these.

If you find yourself really struggling to get the yarn through the eye, Susan Bates makes these finishing needles which many people swear by and which you may like better. I personally prefer either the bent tip or straight metal needles like the dark blue or silver in the picture.

Scissors

The last thing on our list of crochet supplies for beginners is something you probably already have: scissors. If you decide you really like crochet and plan to continue with it, you may want to have a dedicated pair that you can keep with your crochet supplies, but as a beginner, grabbing the ones you have in your junk drawer is perfectly fine.

If you’re looking to get a dedicated pair right off the bat, I recommend searching for embroidery scissors like these. They’re inexpensive, small, and quite sharp. Perfect for cutting yarn without creating badly frayed ends!

Is buying a kit worth it?

If you’ve been looking into crochet supplies for beginners, you’ve probably come across the crochet kits that come with a set of hooks and various other tools and you may be wondering if it’s worth it to grab one of those instead of searching for the individual items on your own.

My personal advice would be to skip those kits. I honestly think a lot of people give up on crochet quickly because they buy one of those kits and it doesn’t always come with beginner-friendly tools. I almost did it myself because I bought one as a beginner and had an incredibly difficult time using the style of hooks it came with.

Another thing to be aware of with those is that they often throw in some tools that are only used in knitting like stitch stoppers or closed stitch markers. That can cause a lot of confusion for someone just getting started. If you really want to use one of those kits, that’s totally your choice. They can be quite inexpensive so I completely understand if you’d rather try one of them instead of buying your tools separately. Just keep in mind that if you’re getting easily frustrated, that may be why. The one I linked above seems to only come with actual crochet supplies and has really good reviews, so that may be a good one to try.

That’s a wrap! Those are the only truly essential crochet supplies for beginners. There are, of course, lots of other things that you may see more experienced crocheters using but those are generally going to be “nice to have” items rather than necessities. Get started with the tools above and if you fall in love with crochet like so many of us do, then you can branch out and try more things!

Key Takeaways

• You only need four basics to start: hooks, yarn, yarn needles, and scissors. That’s it!
• Don’t go all-out with expensive supplies right away.
• Inline hooks (like Susan Bates hooks) can feel easier for beginners because the yarn stays on the hook better. Ergonomic handles help with hand cramps.
• Start with cheap acrylic yarn while you learn. It’s forgiving and budget-friendly.
• Red Heart Super Saver is a solid beginner pick because it’s easy to find, comes in tons of colors, and doesn’t split as much (which makes learning way harder).
• Choose solid, bright colors at first. Dark or variegated (multicolor) yarn can be tough to see.
• Get yarn needles (tapestry, darning, or wool needles) for weaving in ends. Yarn won’t fit through normal sewing needles.
• Any scissors work to start, but small embroidery scissors are a nice upgrade for clean cuts.
• Skip most crochet kits. They often include awkward hooks or extra tools that confuse beginners. If you do buy one, make sure it’s crochet-only and well-reviewed.

If you’re getting started with crochet and don’t yet know how to read written crochet patterns, be sure to download my beginner’s guide to written crochet patterns which you can get here. For your first few projects, you’ll probably want to stick with videos, but once you know how to read patterns, a whole new world of possibilities opens for you! If you’re ready to dive into the world of written patterns, check out my posts on where to find free crochet patterns and things to know about patterns online.

Last modified on 6/28/26