Starting Out with Crochet or Knitting?
We receive lots of questions about how to get started with crochet and knitting.
People either say "I want to start knitting" or ask "What do I need to learn to crochet?” Therefore, I thought I would create this blog post so you can have the same information and advice we give to those who come into the store and help you all get started with knitting and crochet with suggestions for yarn, tools and beginner crochet kits.
You can find the post about beginner knitting kits here →
Hopefully, this simple guide will help you to get started in your new hobby!
Choosing the Tools to Start
Most people come into the shop asking what the best yarn and tools are to get started. I always say that crochet is a very personal experience, and really, you should choose the yarn you like the feel and colour of, and then the needles you need for the yarn you pick.
What is a Beginner Yarn?
A beginner yarn is typically something that behaves well when messing around with it. We have a few recommendations from our range as good starter yarns.
We recommend yarn that is not too thin or too thick. Too thin, and it will take you a long time to make something, and you want that hit of dopamine of finishing something when it comes to your first project. Too thick, and it can become tough working with really big needles that can make your hands hurt, so the experience becomes less enjoyable.
So, what are the Goldilocks yarns we recommend?
Our Best Starter Yarns
Our Picks for the right beginner yarn for crochet or knitting.
Como Grande
This superlight merino yarn feels soft, airy, and comfortable while still being warm and cosy. It is easy to knit with and gentle enough for children’s clothes, creating lightweight projects that feel comfortable without being heavy.
Gilliatt
This airy merino yarn feels soft, round, and light in the hands, making it easy and enjoyable to knit. It shows stitch structure beautifully, forgives small mistakes, and stays secure on the needles, giving beginners confidence with every project
KFO Heavy Merino
This is an affordable lightly spun 100% merino which comes in a glorious selection of colours including some great brights. This yarn is anti-pill and hardwearing.
Maxima
This super soft single ply merino yarn feels super soft and squishy. It is very easy to knit with as its single ply and doesn’t split; it is what we use in our beginner lessons. It's beautiful, hand-dyed colours and unique skeins add personality to every project, while supporting skilled women and their traditions in Uruguay.
Best Beginner Crochet Hooks
Good news, choosing a crochet hook for a beginner project can be easier than choosing knitting needles as there are less things to consider. We love Etimo ergonomic crochet hooks as they have a super smooth hook with a comfort grip handle. You choose your crochet hook mm size to match the yarn you have chosen.
All our suggested yarns above would work great with a 5mm. A smaller-sized crochet hooks such as a 4mm would create a denser, tighter fabric and a larger hook, say a 6mm would create a looser and more open fabric.
What can a Beginner Make?
Now you have the yarn and tools, what is the best (or perhaps easiest) thing to make?
We recommend that most people start by making something flat and small. Think bookmark, headband, fingerless wrist warmers or a cowl. This allows you to finish something quickly and learn the basics easily. If following a pattern, it will suggest a yarn and needle size, but with things like a bookmark or cowl you can just cast on the number of stitches you want for the width of the fabric and knit until it's long enough for what you want. We recommend avoiding long scarfs, as these can take a long time and you don’t want to get bored during your first project.
You could even just make some squares in different colours and different patterns and sew a few together for a small lap blanket.
Need a pattern? Then we recommend going to a website called Ravelry. It's free to sign up, and some of the patterns are free too. Others you can pay for individually and download them as a PDF. Sign in and search for patterns using all the filters so you can choose between knitting, crochet, adult, child, scarf, bag, jumper, hat etc. You can also choose difficulty level, so as a beginner you could choose “piece of cake”.
Adventurous Beginners Crochet Kits
If you're a beginner crocheter, we have some amigurumi kits (small, stuffed yarn creatures, dolls, or objects) from Toft.
These crochet kits come with everything you need for the project including a crochet hook, yarn, stuffing and darning needle. Along with the pattern you get video links to show you the basic techniques. These kits do come in different levels, so if starting out as a beginner crocheter try a Level 1 kit. Then you can move on to higher level kits and learn more techniques as you go along.
If you have never crocheted before we recommend you look at some basic youtube videos and use the yarn and hook to do some basic back and forth crochet stitches to get used to how to hold the hook, then unravel before starting the Amigurumi instructions
Beginner Lessons
Prefer to learn alongside others? Our beginner knitting and crochet classes are the perfect way to get started. With small groups of just 4–5 people, you'll receive plenty of individual support from our experienced tutors in a friendly, relaxed setting.
All yarn, needles, hooks and tools are included, so you can simply come along, learn new skills and enjoy your first project with confidence.
