When I was new in crochet, I used to wonder what type of crochet hook is best for beginners to start with. I tried many different types of crochet hooks and finally, I found a hook that was both comfortable as well as easy to work within and producing good results. In this post, I want to share some tips so that you can find the one that you like best!!!
So What type of crochet hook is best for beginners? For complete beginners, I suggest the best crochet hook to start with is 5mm-Size H hook which is medium in size and is a good option to get started with crochet. This hook is perfect in size as it is good to work with standard crochet yarn and also you can individually see each crochet stitch that you are making.
This is medium size hook, if you will start with larger hooks it can tend to loosen your stitches and you may find it difficult to continue with these loose stitches. It can look uneven which can also ruin your design. In case if you start with smaller hooks, it can be difficult for you to find the stitches as it creates narrow stitches, hence you can struggle with finding the gap between the stitches to work with.
Table of Contents
Understanding Crochet hook parts
Selecting a crochet hook is an important part of crochet, I suggest the best crochet hook to start with is a 5mm-Size H hook which is medium in size and is a good option to get started with crochet. A crochet hook is a long tool with a hook at the end, this tool has 5 important parts. It is good to know what each part is used for.
Part A is the hook end, this is used to hook the yarn and draw it through the loops to make stitches.
Part B is the throat which is shaped in such a way that helps to slide the loop up into the next part of the working area that is part C.
Part D is the thumb resting area, this p
art is flattened which helps to hold the hook comfortably and firmly.
Part E is the handle of the which provides balance for easy, smooth work.
How to hold Crochet hook
There are two basic styles of holding crochet hooks, one is Knife like holding, this is the Under-The-Hook position, the hook is placed above the hand, and your thumb and forefinger resting on the thumb rest. Another style is pencil like holding it is Over- the hook position, the hook is placed below the hand so that the handle rests against your palm and the hook being grasped just over your thumb and index finger grip.
Ways to find out What type of crochet hook is best for beginners
Once you are hands-on with crochet, you can find all the crochet hooks useful depending on the yarn and project you want to make.
You will get many varieties of crochet hooks, all you need is to find one best hook with whom you can work with. Finding a perfect hook can be complicated, I would suggest you understand the difference between them as it will help you to find the best one that fits you well. I have shared some information on them below in this article to check out before you get started with the beautiful journey of crochet.
If you are a beginner, then you must start with the right hook and yarn to make sure that your kick start is smooth and hustle free. If you start with the wrong material you can experience difficulty and can demotivate you. To choose the right materials you need a proper idea of them, for example, crochet hooks are available in various sizes, types, and materials. To get started check out the difference between materials, which we have covered in this article.
Starter Guide to select best crochet hook
Crochet hooks come in many different sizes and shapes. The size of the hook depends upon the project and material used for the project. For example, small size is used to create thin crochet lace whereas large hooks are used for chunky projects.
Also, the size of the hook allows us to create clear visible stitches, it basically depends upon the thickness of the yarn you are using for the project.
How are crochet hooks sizes?
Hooks are labeled in the following ways; this makes us easy to select the best hook which suits our material thickness as well as a project requirement.
Letters: This means that crochet hooks are represented by using different letters (alphabets) on it. As you go further the size of the hook rises as B is finest and Q is the largest or thickest. Letter label is most commonly used in the US.
Numbers: Hooks are also labeled with numbers correspondence with letters. Size B comes with number 1, C with 2, and so on. Smaller the number, smaller the size of hook.
Millimeter: Crochet Hooks are generally measured in millimeters. Measuring with millimeter is commonly used all over as numbers and letter sizing can be slightly different across the brands.
Following is the chart of different crochet hook sizes
| Metric (MM) | US Size | UK Size |
| 2 mm | 14 | |
| 2.25 mm | B-1 | 13 |
| 2.5 mm | ||
| 2.75 mm | C-2 | 12 |
| 3 mm | 11 | |
| 3.25 mm | D-3 | 10 |
| 3.5 mm | E-4 | |
| 3.75 mm | F-5 | 9 |
| 4 mm | G-6 | 8 |
| 4.25 mm | ||
| 4.5 mm | 7 | 7 |
| 5 mm | H-8 | 6 |
| 5.5 mm | I-9 | 5 |
| 6 mm | J-10 | 4 |
| 6.5 mm | K-10.5 | 3 |
| 7 mm | 2 | |
| 7.5 mm | ||
| 8 mm | L-11 | 0 |
| 9 mm | M/N-13 | 00 |
| 10 mm | N/P-15 | 000 |
| 12 mm | O | |
| 15 mm | P/Q | |
| 16 mm | Q | |
| 19 mm | S | |
| 25 mm | U | |
| 35 mm | Y |
What are the different types of crochet hooks?
As different sizes, Crochet hooks are also available on different types, it is actually different materials of hooks. It is basically a personal choice to select which material one likes to carry on with. Crochet Hooks are available in different materials that are listed below.
Bamboo Crochet Hooks:
No doubt it is eco-friendly and also light in weight. It feels good, light, and warm while using. They come in a variety of sizes except for the smallest and largest size and also they are very affordable. It is helpful for those who experience pain and irritation or have arthritis. These bamboo hooks can lead to a frustrating or irritating experience for beginners as these hooks are not smooth and hence yarn can get stuck instead of passing through it.
Aluminum Crochet Hooks:
Aluminum hooks are popular among beginner crocheters as it is smooth and hence yarn can slide smoothly over the aluminum shaft. This enables beginners to crochet more easily and quickly. Colored aluminum crochet hooks are cheap and come in a large range of colors as well as sizes. One can find it uncomfortable to hold over a long period of time and are easy to slip from hands while working.
Acrylic Crochet Hooks:
Acrylic hooks look beautiful and are really lovely but they can tend to break easily. No doubt these hooks are lovely and do help to crochet easily but its life is smaller as compared to other types of hooks, so it depends on you how to use and treat them and then decide is it good for you or not.
Steel Crochet Hooks:
Steel hooks are available in a variety of sizes, it has the smallest hook sizes and is especially ideal for crocheting the finest crochet thread lace projects.
Plastic Hooks:
Plastic hooks are budget-friendly and inexpensive. Plastic hooks are also available in a variety of sizes and are lightweight. These are warm to the touch and are used with bulky yarn.
Ergonomic Hooks:
If one has arthritis, carpal tunnel, or other health concerns, then the use of best ergonomic crochet hooks can alleviate the pain while crocheting. These hooks have large soft handles that allow inserting the hook you need to use for your project. It also comes with readymade handles and it makes you crochet for hours without feeling pain or cramping.
Knook Hooks:
Knook hooks are special crochet hooks, it is a clever technique that allows you to form a fabric that looks like knitting. It is a crochet hook with an eye end of the hook (non hook end) it is accompanied by a nylon cord. It is a little different from crochet and knitting. If you are comfortable with crochet then this technique will be easier to learn.
What type of crochet hook you would use?
Selecting the hook for a project depends on the yarn you will select, like thicker the yarn need larger hooks and thinner yarn needs smaller hooks. Generally, when you buy yarn, its label shows the recommendation of crochet hook size.
Tips for Crochet beginners
- First, select the yarn for your project, it would be good to start with light-colored yarn as you can easily see the loops and stitches. On the label of that yarn, you will find the recommendation of the correct size of the hook to be used. If you are not sure about the yarn or hook, try standard yarn as usually it is recommended a 5.0mm hook with it.
- It is basically up to your preference about which material of hook to be used, try, and then decide the best hook for yourself.
- First, practice the stitch before starting the project, it will help you to test the tension.
- Start by learning the basic crochet stitches and patterns. Create small test swatches while learning, this will help you in practice. Start with simple and easy projects like a scarf before trying difficult and complex crochet patterns.
- Go slow while starting a crochet journey, there is no need to rush as this can uneven or dropped stitches and can also cause frustration. Hence go slowly in the beginning and gradually with practice your speed will increase.
Thanks so much, this was helpful!