Bucket and Twine
For all things crochet
Let’s start at the very beginning …
it’s a very good place to start.
You want to learn to make super awesome slouchy beanies, ear warmers, a king-sized afghan, your own clothes, etc. AWESOME!! But, we all have to start somewhere …
Tools. We need them, right? Yup. But, we don’t need a lot. A hook, an embroidery needle, scissors, and some yarn. Done, right? Well … if you’ve ever walked down the yarny aisle of a craft store such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby you know how overwelming the choices can be. What size hook? What type of yarn is good for a beginner? What’s all that other stuff for?
You only need one skein (that’s what those balled up yarn things are called) and one hook of the right size for your skein. How do you know what size hook is right? It’s written on the package! Yay!!! No more guessing. No more Googling. No more waiting for responses from your favorite Facebook group. It’s all there for you. Let’s look …
I Love This Yarn! It’s a pretty awesome yarn for just about anything. I’ve done afghans (blankets), shrugs (a type of loose, slouchy sweater), hats, fingerless gloves, Christmas trees, and water-bottle holders. Let’s look at that label, though. You see that box that has a crochet hook in it? That’s the recommended hook size for the yarn. This yarn recommends an I Hook. There you have it. Super easy. One skein of yarn and one hook. The most common size hooks you are going to need to start out are G, H, and I.
The majority of skeins you find at your store will have this bit of info on them. Find the box with the hook picture on the back of the label and buy the hook. This is how I grew my hook stash. One at a time as the project demanded.
Now, on to yarn type: Stay away from fuzzy yarns and dark colors unless you’re super brave and just need to throw caution to the wind. Then, may the force be with you. Stick with something that suggests an H or I hook and has decent structure (in other words, won’t unravel too easily). If you see it fraying and unraveling on the shelf, leave it there. Red Heart Super Saver, I Love This Yarn, or any other worsted weight yarn is perfect for you. Baby yarns are gorgeous and the whole section will have you filling up your cart, but, generally need a smaller hook. Smaller hooks mean a much longer time until you’ve finished a project. You may get frustrated and throw the whole lot out the window. Too large a hook, and it’s harder to see the construction of your stitches. Out the window your project goes. So, stick with simple, check the label, and choose a nice, soft cheap yarn. Don’t break the bank with your first project.
Next, you’ll need an embroidery needle. Buy a pack. They get lost.
To keep your eyes focused at the yarn store, and on the seemingly boring yarns. Here’s a few things I’ve made with the two yarns mentioned above:
Bucket and Twine 