Tools of the Trade: Top 10 Must Have Crochet Tools
Crochet Smarter not Harder
1. Ergonomic Crochet Hooks
“Plastic is cheap
Metal is Sturdy
Ergonomic Hooks are actually worthy”
-HookedOnCozy Proverb
Okay, okay, so poetry isn’t my strong suit, but you get the gist. When I started my crochet journey in my youth, I had plastic hooks that broke and I would try to repair them with superglue (spoiler alert: it doesn’t work). I bought metal hooks here and there, but crocheting for hours at a time would cause my hands to cramp horribly. I originally got into ergonomic hooks when I pre-ordered Furl’s Odyssey hooks. I was skeptical of their efficacy, but determined to improve my crochet experience and my hand health. The weight of the hooks were hard to get used to, but I immediately fell in love. As great as those hooks are however, they’re not cost effective (the Odyssey hooks I pre-ordered at $25, and now they’re over $30). I’m a big fan of the Clover ergonomic hooks, as well as Boye ergonomic hooks (pictured here). They’re colorful, cost effective ($40 for a whole set). and get the job done.
2. Thread Cutters
I was never terribly picky about what I used to cut off my yarn. I usually found whatever scissors I had in my house. But while visiting a fellow crocheter’s house, I was introduced to some vintage thread cutters and it improved my crocheting. Household scissors don’t always cut close enough to your work, or are often too bulky to maneuver. Thread cutters (also known as Thread Snips) can really get in close and clean. The Fiskars brand is something that really worked well for me.
3. T-Pins
When I first started selling amigurumi in 2016, I held the limbs of my creations in place. Since using T-Pins, Amigurumi is now a fun game of Mr. Potatohead! I can plan ahead on how I want my creations to work and while I’m sewing; limbs don’t wiggle!
4. Carrying Case
I’ve made my own carrying cases, but as I never added a lining, yarn needles, T-Pins, and crochet hooks would slip out. Now I use a Mead pencil case that I got at Walmart that holds all of my tools.
5. Yarn Bag
There are official yarn bags complete with compartments for hooks and yarn (I own two!), but any deep shoulder bag is a yarn bag if you put your mind to it.
6. Polyester Fiberfill
You would think cotton is what you’d use, but Fiberfill makes creations squishy!
7. Tapestry Needles
I found out the hard way that needles are a spectrum. There are such a thing as yarn needles, but I often crochet in worsted weight yarn which is usually too thick for a lot of yarn needles. I ensure when shopping for yarn needles that I get tapestry needles specifically. The difference is night and day sometimes!
8. Stitch Markers
Second to patterns themselves, stitch markers are like the map markers of crochet. They let you know where you are in your piece. There are many different stitch markers available, but often I just use a contrasting piece of yarn as it’s quicker to deal with.
9. Pen & Paper
A lot of crochet pieces are worked in rows and rounds, and often times you can put down your work and forget where you are in the pattern. I use a piece of scratch paper to keep track of what rows/rounds I’ve finished.
10. Safety Eyes
I haven’t quite mastered the French Knot embroidery technique , so safety eyes are a good way to help my work stay polished.
Dis I miss anything? sound off in the comments!