ARTIKA Travel Stainless Steel Crochet Kit, 130-Piece

Walking into a craft store can be a little intimidating for those just starting out their crochet hobby. Several aisles might be dedicated to yarn alone, to say nothing of the dizzying variety of hooks, needles and other gear that’s out there.

The solution? A comprehensive crochet kit that gives you everything you need to start.

One thing any crochet kit needs to include is a good set of crochet hooks. Most kits have a range of sizes that are suited to different thicknesses of yarn. There’s no need to carry a wide variety if you plan on sticking to one type of project — say, blankets or sweaters. But if you’d like to branch out into different yarn weights, it’s worth it to have the extra gear.

American hook sizes are designated by different letters. The higher the letter, the bigger the hook size. If you’re using medium-gauge, or “worsted” yarn, your best bet is something I to K size (5.5 to 6.5 mm). That’s an easy size for beginners to work with.

You’ll also want a darning needle, which is crucial for knitting sections of work together. There’s no set size for these, but it should roughly match the size of the hooks you’re working with.

You might think yarn would be another must, but it depends on the set. If you’re going for a kit that’s designed to make a single, specific project, then it’s good to have exactly the yarn you need. If you don’t have a particular project in mind, feel free to buy your yarn separately. Look for a yarn’s thickness, or “weight,” to be displayed on the packaging. Weights range in increasing size from 0 to 7, with 4 being one of the most common.

Do you plan on knitting at home or is it going to be a travel activity? If you’re on the go, make sure you get a sturdy and portable container to hold all these tools. A good travel kit should have a secure container that allows you to find your hooks quickly and safely, and room for your yarn and works-in-progress will be a definite bonus.

• What’s the best material for a crochet hook? Depends on who you ask. The most common hooks are made from aluminum or some other lightweight metal. As you might expect, yarn slips off the surface of these hooks with relative ease. Experienced hobbyists might find this smoothness easier to work with, but if you’d like something with a little more texture to it, try a wooden hook. Plastic hooks are also available if you want something that’s not quite as coarse.
• Those with arthritis or other conditions that affect the grip needn’t despair. There are plenty of crochet kits that feature plastic handles on the hooks. This helps you keep your hold on the tools, and it generally won’t affect your work once you get used to it.
• While hooks, needles and yarn are the basic elements of most kits, there are other accessories you might want to look for. Blocking mats and stitch markers can be especially useful for big jobs.