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Crochet Tools: What You Need to Get Started

By Nicki Byrnes

Curious what items you need to crochet? A common theme or obstacle when first learning to crochet is confusion, including what tools and accessories are needed. I have outlined below what you need to get started, as well as a list of what I call “nice to have” items. These are items you will either need eventually, or will make your life easier.

Read on for my recommendations and favorites, along with links for where to find them. I have also included a downloadable list at the bottom. A budget-friendly alternative to purchasing these items new is to visit thrift or creative reuse stores, which often carry hooks and yarn!

Yarn

Let’s start with the most obvious item needed for crochet. Yarn comes in many forms, from artificial to natural fibers. Here is a great reference if you’d like to learn about synthetic (or man-made) versus natural yarns.

If you’re just learning to crochet or working on your first project, I recommend starting with an acrylic yarn. It is economical, readily available, and comes in many colors. You can find it at craft stores like Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, and Hobby Lobby, big box stores like Walmart and Meijer, and online at all the stores mentioned plus the individual brand websites and Amazon. Amazon has an entire Lion Brand store, which you can see here.

My recommendation is to visit your nearest store that carries yarn (soon to be your favorite aisle!) and choose any acrylic yarn in a color you like. Some acrylic yarns can feel scratchy, so touch and feel the various yarns as you explore the yarn aisle. Look at the back of the label and make sure it says Medium 4.

The symbol on the far left tells you the weight or thickness of the yarn

The yarn label may look confusing to you at first. Here is a brief explanation and here is a thorough explanation of each component on the label if you’re interested. But if you’re just beginning, or get confused with information overload, save this for another time and focus on choosing your first yarn. Here’s all you need to know at this point: The number equals the weight or thickness of the yarn. 4 is medium weight and is often referred to as “worsted weight” yarn. It’s what we have all used for crafts and our grandmas used for afghans.

Acrylic yarn is not biodegradable, so if you are eco-conscious, you’ll want to find an alternative that has a natural fiber. This includes materials like wool, alpaca, cotton, bamboo, silk, and so on. There are hybrid options, like 80% acrylic/20% wool yarn, as well as 100% natural options which are available at craft stores. The other option is shopping at a local yarn store. They typically carry higher-end yarns, which can carry a steeper price tag but also contain quality fibers. For example, this is a beautiful and soft worsted weight yarn. You can click “Locate a store” on their site to see if it is available near you. If not, your local yarn store employees can guide you towards great options.

Here are links for beginner-friendly worsted weight/medium (4) yarns:

Acrylic: Lion Brand Heartland
Hybrid: Lion Brand Wool Ease
Natural: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
Value: Lion Brand Pound of Love (this is at least 4x the yarn of a typical skein!)

Hook

Your hook sizes depends on your yarn weight. The thicker the yarn you’re working with, the bigger you need the hook end to be. Make sense? Hook size is denoted by a US and metric size. For example, a hook will be labeled H 8/5.00mm.

To see the recommended hook size for the yarn you’re working with, check out the label.

The recommended hook size will be listed with the crochet hook icon

If you’re shopping online, some sites like Joann list it for you. See the yellow circle below, for example.

If you’re starting with a Medium (4) worsted weight yarn, here are links to hooks which are affordable and comfortable to work with.

Nice-To-Haves

If you’re looking to build your crochet tool library, there are additional items I recommend picking up. These are items you will either use when you get further down your crochet journey or make crochet life a little easier.

One that needs some explanation – if you’re just learning how to crochet, I have found some students respond better to a thick yarn than a worsted weight yarn, so I am including a recommendation below for an affordable thick yarn. If you have room in your budget, it may be wise to pick up skeins of worsted and super bulky (the name for weight 6) yarns when you’re shopping and hooks for both. Since it is a thicker yarn, you need a bigger hook. Some people have trouble seeing where to place the hook, for example, when working with worsted weight yarn, and others enjoy the feel of the larger hook when first learning.

Download my Recommended Crochet Items List below, and let me know if you have anything to add to the list!

What I’m Reading: The Washington Post’s, “Whatever happened to having taste?”

By Nicki Byrnes

September 19, 2023

I have never watched Bravo’s The Real Housewives. Am I alone on that or does it just feel that way? Regardless, this is the first time I’ve heard about a cast member who piqued my interest in the show. That would be Jenna Lyons, whom many of us know from her J. Crew tenure. She is the muse for a recent article by The Washington Post titled, “Whatever happened to having taste?” which I found both inspiring and (oddly) comforting.

Fashion-writer Rachel Tashjian uses Lyons’ anti-archetype casting to highlight how the world we live in appears increasingly void of individuality and uniqueness. Lyons stands out amongst her uber-fashionable peers, wealthy enough to afford any label or article of clothing, for having “taste” largely because her style is unique and different. Tashjian goes on to explore the inundation of (often sponsored) content we consume on a daily basis, and the effect it has had on conformity and “sameness”.

I’m sure you know what she’s talking about. The internet and social media feed us beautiful, professional-level content based on algorithms, where brands and people with healthy SEO budgets reach us first. The looks often feel similar, with styles coming and going at a rapid pace. The amount of change and content created is overwhelming, and it is only going to compound once everyone can generate quality content with AI.

But there’s hope! Tashjian points out a trend emerging towards differentiation and individuality. A “rebellion…against the classic influencer” as she puts it. She uses the example of how fashion bloggers evolved into today’s influencers, demonstrating the shift of fashion from an exclusive and obscure entity to now a commercialized and saturated machine. Where blogs used to provide unique insight and perspective on style and fashion, have now become overloaded and devoid of authenticity. People are taking note, with an awakening starting among content consumers who are skeptical or just plain tired of what many influencers are putting out there.

One ripple effect she’s seeing is influential fashion personalities are turning to alternative channels like newsletters and Substack to share their thoughts and connect with followers. This gives them a tuned-in audience, readers who have opted in and sometimes even pay for access, and enables readers a chance to consume quality content of their choosing. This is advantageous for influencers, brands, etc. to cut through the noise and get their messaging across to their target market. For consumers, we get to see what we want without targeted ads and sponsored content cluttering up the space. Win-win.

This article struck a chord with me from a consumer (of goods and content) perspective. I want to stay conscious of the content I’m fed, my shopping behaviors, and maintaining a personal style and taste. It makes me grateful I have an outlet like crochet, where I can express my personality, design products with originality, and hopefully foster interest, creativity, and growth in others.

In a world of content inundation, it’s getting harder for the producers to stand out. From the consumer side, it’s getting harder to find originality and authenticity. I found it promising to hear there’s a movement stirring towards personal style over what’s pushed on the internet. I am inspired by the women taking the initiative to try new avenues to connect with their followers. And I am hopeful we will increasingly yearn to express our own style and individuality over the “sameness” we’re mindlessly consuming everyday.

I, for one, look froward to a life outside the algorithm.

New Design Publication! Cozy Nights Scarf & Hat Set

By Nicki Byrnes

August 16, 2023

A brisk chill in the air, the warm glow of logs burning in an outdoor fire, and a star shooting across the dark night sky. These are all classic Fall moments my latest design embodies, now on stands and in stores in the Autumn 2023 issue of Crochet World!

When I saw the theme would be Cool Nights, I thought about what I want to wear on an idyllic Fall night – sitting by a bonfire in chilly temperatures, looking up at bright stars in a dark sky, and staying warm wrapped up in something cozy. I knew I wanted to design a hat and scarf set made of soft wool yarn for warmth and texture, vintage-inspired stripes and tassels reminiscent of the 70s, and a combination of dark and light like stars in the night.

I chose a winter white color to reflect the warmth the season brings and a dark hue to symbolize the shift in daylight hours and increasingly dark days. An oversized construction was a must because it is as comforting as a favorite blanket wrapped around your shoulders and lends to a casual look that is both cute and effortless. The scarf is designed to be wrapped twice around the neck and tied, or left open for the tassels to hang. It can also be wrapped just once with the ends left to hang long.

A coordinating hat with a fun, oversized pom pom completes the look. It is based off my pattern for the perfect chunky beanie. It is a winter staple that I love to make, because it is a fun pattern repeat, takes very little time, and looks great in a multitude of color combinations. I love it solid and striped, and use different color combinations for the oversized pom pom to create various effects. For example, I’ve made it solid for everyday wear, a white/red/pink combo for Valentine’s Day, and Bengals-themed for game days.

The coziness and versatility of this set are my favorite part. They feel hygge with their oversized design, warm wool blend, and pronounced texture, and can be styled so many ways. I mentioned the different look wrapping the scarf once vs. twice, tied or left open creates, but it also can look significantly different depending on what it is paired with. I like it worn with a basic, such as a trench coat for city-chic look, a casual plaid shirt, or a chunky sweater for the ultimate cozy girl aesthetic.

This is a great project for beginners just learning to follow a pattern and put their skills into practice, as well as experienced crocheters who will find it satisfyingly quick and fun. It’s a pattern to save and use time and again, changing colors to give it a new look. The scarf takes less than two skeins of yarn per color, which leaves plenty of yarn left over to make the coordinating hat with its cute, big pom pom.

Both patterns are provided in the issue. Let me know what you think of my latest design and enjoy some behind-the-scenes photos below!

See my Daisy Summer Socks in Simply Crochet Today

By Nicki Byrnes

May 1, 2023

I was beyond excited when Simply Crochet asked me to participate in their Hook to Hook Challenge. It is a contest they feature in their magazine where they challenge two crochet designers to come up with a design, no guidance or limitations other than they must use the same yarn and write a pattern for the object they requested. For their May issue, they wanted a sock pattern for the summer. The yarn provided was Socks Yeah! in Citrine and Ruby, which I LOVED and immediately felt inspired.

Socks are a great crochet project for the summer, when temperatures rise but you still want to make something wearable. It’s hard to be in a sweater or scarf frame of mind when it’s warm out, seeing as how you won’t be able to wear them for months and you overheat if you work on them outside. Small projects like socks are ideal because they can fit in your hands or bag without weighing you down or heating you up!

Thinking about the timing of the magazine and the reader, I decided to make a pattern that felt light, whimsical, and had a summery vibe. After creating the mood board below, I designed my pair to be airy and breathable for warmer months, reminiscent of daisies blooming throughout the summer, and quick to make so they can be completed during a road trip or weekend at the beach. They feature a pattern repeat of half double crochet and skipped stitches, with 3-D puff stitch flowers adorning the outside of the leg. They’re topped off with a classic heel and cuff, like a trendy pair of tube socks.

I love the color combination, breathable stitch pattern, sweet little flowers that provide dimension in a practical and wearable way, and perfect fit. I’m pleased with how they turned out and look forward to making more pairs. Crochet socks were not on my radar before – I had only made a pair of slippers once with chunky yarn. But now my mind is thinking of endless design options to add flair to my wardrobe through unique socks you can’t find anywhere else.

So, who was the winner of the design challenge? According to the rules, that would be the design whose Instagram post had the most likes. Was that mine? No, it was not. I do have significantly less followers than my talented competitor does (not that I’m making excuses or anything!). I still consider myself a winner for all the wonderful comments and likes my design received on the post, the relationship I gained with the magazine, and the awesome experience. Thank you, Simply Crochet, for giving me this opportunity!

See my Summer Daisy Socks over on Instagram.

Free Beginner Crochet Pattern: Bow Coffee Sleeve

By Nicki Byrnes

May 17, 2023

Are you a beginner or someone looking to learn how to crochet? You can view my tutorials here if you’re just looking to get started. Follow the videos in order according to their title, repeat as needed, and PRACTICE! Don’t give up – there’s a hurdle with crochet, but once you’re over it, you’ll realize it was a smaller hurdle than you thought and you’ll be set up for a lifetime of crocheting!

If you’ve completed the video series or already know some crochet basics, you may be looking for the ideal first project. Boy do I have one for you. This project checks all the boxes for the ideal first project – it uses basic stitches, has a repetitive pattern, takes your foundational knowledge and puts it into an actual application, and teaches you how to read a quick and simple pattern.

If you’re not satisfied with your end result, make another one. It’s the best way to work through any issues you may have, like tension inconsistencies. Practicing and repeating crochet is the best way to improve. Trouble shoot anything you can’t solve on your own by searching online or YouTube.

So without further ado, here’s the pattern! It is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face when you whip it out at Starbucks (very sustainable!), and would make an adorable gift.

Cake-Inspired Tissue Box Crochet Cover

By Nicki Byrnes

December 4, 2025

Tissue box covers: do they instantly make you think of your grandma’s living room? Same here… until I got a never-ending cold and a box of Puffs became a permanent fixture in my living room. Staring at that plain, generic box day after day, I thought: if this box is going to live in my space, it deserves some personality.

Cue crochet.

I’m guessing you get as much joy from making things as I do. So naturally, I turned to crochet patterns, and then inspiration struck: cake as a tissue box? Yes, please.

I scoured a few free patterns online to understand the basic construction, but I wanted mine to feel playful, modern, and minimal—think soft colors, subtle decorations, and, of course, sprinkles. Here’s a peek at my Pinterest inspiration before I started:

How I Made It

I started with a square top in the frosting color, added a slit for tissues, and worked the sides in continuous rows. The cake layers were built with alternating stripes of cake and frosting, and I added a faux fur yarn border to give it that kitschy, frosting-like texture. Sprinkles were made with a single skein by cutting sections of the different colors. I like the sprinkles tutorial in this video.

After assembly, I blocked the cover to help it hold its cube shape. The result? A cheerful, modern tissue box cover that livens up any space. My son loved it so much, he requested one for each of his teachers for Valentine’s Day. How cute is that?

Materials & Tools

Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love (Pastel Green & White)
Yarn for frosting border: Lion Brand Go for Faux in Baked Alaska
Yarn for sprinkles: Lion Brand Ice Cream in Tutti Frutti
Size G / 4.0 mm crochet hook (or your gauge hook)
Tapestry needle & scissors

Skill Level: Easy
Finished Size: 5″ x 5″

Yarn Update & Substitutions

My prototype, which needed one more row!

Note: In the image at the top, you will notice the sides depicting the inside of the cake looks fluffy. I used this yarn because it reminded me of Funfetti. Sadly, that Loops & Threads Cozy Boucle is discontinued. You can still find skeins on eBay or Etsy, or just use Lion Brand Pound of Love as shown in the video below.

Have you ever seen a cuter Kleenex?

Get the Full Pattern

If you’d like to make your own Cake-Inspired Tissue Box Cover, I’ve got the full pattern available on Etsy, with step-by-step instructions.

View Pattern on Etsy

This is the easiest way to get the finished product looking exactly like my design, without guessing on gauge or color combinations.

Share Your Creations

I love seeing your projects! Tag me on Instagram @nickibyrnescrochet with your tissue box covers so I can celebrate your work.

All images copyright Nicki Byrnes Crochet. This blog is for inspiration and pattern promotion only. Please purchase the pattern on Etsy if you’d like to make this design.

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How to Show Someone You Care on Valentine’s Day

Nicki Byrnes

February 2, 2023

There’s a lot to love about Valentine’s Day. A dozen roses, a big box of chocolates, an oversized teddy bear, and a handwritten love note all sound great, but when you cut through all the noise, February 14th is just a day to tell someone you’re grateful they’re in your life. Whether in a relationship or single, young or old, near family or far away, we all have someone we should acknowledge our love, friendship, or appreciation for.

So how do you show someone what they mean to you without a big, grand gesture? There are plenty of ways that don’t cost much – a Valentine’s Day card sent in the mail with a quick handwritten note, bringing in a neighbor’s garbage cans, a little box of chocolates left on a friend’s porch, or a quick text saying, “Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️.” Research calls these “random acts of kindness” and they are proven to elicit the release of serotonin, or the happiness hormone, in both the giver and recipient. At a minimum, just smiling has been proven to boost the mood of you and those who see you.

Another way to spread happiness on Valentine’s Day is a homemade gift. Not a crafter? How about baking cute cookies like any of these and putting a few in cute bags? Write “Happy Valentine’s Day” with a permanent marker on the outside, include your name, drop a few cookies in a bag, and seal it up. Leave them on the porch, at the door, or in the mailbox of a few people who mean something to you.

How cute are these cookies? Find the recipe here.

If you are a crafter, Pinterest will give a million suggestions that range from easy to complex. This stapled paper heart wreath left on someone’s door handle would be sure to bring a smile. This list has 70 (!!) creative ideas. And if you’re a crocheter like me, there is no shortage of seriously cute Valentine’s Day patterns on Etsy, Ravelry, and Pinterest.

The crochet project I recommend the most for Valentine’s Day is this hat shown above. It is a quick and simple hat construction that is one of my favorite things to make. Adding pink and red instantly makes it festive and uses up scrap yarn you probably already have on hand. It makes a great gift and is really fun to wear around town in the month of February.

It’s fun, easy, and doesn’t cost much, yet leaves a big impact on the receiver. One skein of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick yarn will make two hats, and if you have scrap worsted weight yarn, you won’t have to buy any yarn for the pompom and heart. Not a crocheter but love the look? I have a few listed for sale on Etsy here.

You don’t have to be grand or mushy to show the people in your life you care. Small acts of kindness go a long way, and who couldn’t use a little shot of the happiness hormone these days. What are some of your favorite ways you show others you care?

How to Cheer on Your Team: Make Your Own Spiritwear

By Nicki Byrnes

January 26, 2023

My local team, the Cincinnati Bengals, went to the Super Bowl last year. The city was abuzz with excitement and swathed in orange and black. I didn’t have Bengals spiritwear, so I decided to create an elevated hat design that didn’t look anything like the mass-produced gear sold in stores or at the little stands at the corner of every gas station.

Unlike all of the generic merchandise available, I created a hat with striking features like bold stripes and an oversized pompom. The line of scrimmage in football might be an imaginary line, but the lines or stripes on this hat are anything but invisible. In fact, they are its most prominent feature. Dramatic and distinct with a sporty-meets-stylish vibe, they’re reminiscent of the elastic bands on a vintage letterman’s jacket. Cute, right?

Where the stripes end is where the pompom begins, which is intentionally oversized, eye-catching, and full of fun. With soft, chunky yarn, it’s the ideal hat to wear when you’re attending a chilly football game, tailgating outside in the parking lot, and just for everyday wear.

Not a Bengals fan? The colors of this hat are completely customizable. In fact, I’m making one for my cousin in Cleveland by swapping out the black in the pompom for brown. It can be made in any color combination, be it your favorite team’s colors or just your personal preference. What better way to cheer on your team than to look cute doing it?

I sell a limited quantity of finished Bengals hats on my Etsy page here and the pattern is on Ravelry here if you’d like to make your own. It’s a fun make if you have a foundational knowledge of crochet. Share your creation on Instagram by tagging @nickibyrnescrochet and let me know if you have any questions here. I can’t wait to see what you create!

Why You Should Make Mini Crochet Elves Using Scrap Yarn and Old Wine Corks

By Nicki Byrnes

December 16, 2022

Do you have a stash of old wine corks you’ve saved “just in case?” How about a collection of yarn scraps, because, “you never know?” Good news – I have the perfect project to use them up and create timely gifts, festive winter decor, or cute little handmade toys.

Enter Mini Cork Elves. At just 4″, they use a wine cork for the body, about 5 yards of yarn for the sweater and trim, and about 8 yards for the hat and trim. They look adorable in winter colors like grey and white, Christmas colors of red and green, or any fun combinations of your choosing. For example, I depleted a small stash of mint yarn I had on hand, and combined it with grey and white to look modern and wintery. See some of my color ideas here.

Simple crafts supplies can be used for embellishments, like small buttons and bells for their sweaters, and a tiny pom pom for their hat. See what you have on hand before you run out. You can draw on a face, just eyes, or my favorite, eyes and a little nose, and the result is undeniably adorable.

If you’re familiar with amigurumi, you are comfortable working in the round on a small scale and assembling the parts to create your little elf. If the term is new to you, amigurumi is a form of Japanese crocheting or knitting small objects out of yarn. It is typically done in the round and uses stuffing to create the 3D form. For this project, we are using up the old wine corks you’ve been holding onto instead of stuffing. Or in my case, a giant bag of old corks my sister-in-law gave me! If you’re making a collection of elves and the corks are different sizes, that just gives them personality.

If you’re looking for a unique gift this winter or a sweet little addition to your house, give these elves a try! They can be used if you’re starting the tradition of Kindness Elves instead of an Elf on the Shelf. They’re a wonderful surprise in the mail and are easy to ship due to their small size and light weight. They look adorable as a little army of Santa’s helpers on your shelf. And, they can be packaged up in creative ways and sold at markets. I can only imagine the different characters that will be dreamed up!

How to Make Pompoms with Only a Crochet Hook & Faux Fur Yarn

By Nicki Byrnes

November 2, 2022

If this basket was a person, she would be loads of fun with a touch of glam! But unlike her persona, she is actually very low maintenance. The most distinctive part of this basket is the faux fur, which is used to add trim and create the pompoms. I developed a method to make these pompoms that uses only a crochet hook and the faux fur yarn – no making multiple pompoms with a maker or fork, cutting all those strands, and attaching them individually. With my technique, one long strand of yarn is used and runs all the way around. This means no weaving in a million ends – yay!

She only looks high maintenance

To create the look of pompoms, I use a variation of surface crochet. Surface crochet is a technique that uses slip stitches on top of an already-made piece to create designs on the surface of the work. I used surface crochet to add a “B” to my Bengals hat last winter, pictured below. You can see the individual slip stitches that run along just the surface of the hat. It creates an embellishment on the front that provides depth and texture, while not being visible from the other side of the piece.

The “B” here was created with surface crochet

Clearly, the pompoms appear very different from the “B” above. The fuzziness and texture of the faux fur yarn certainly contribute to the pompom effect, but it really comes down to a couple of key additional steps. Namely, pulling the yarn out to puff it up and pulling the yarn end all the way out and back through as the last step. I will explain this in detail below. For the trim of the basket featured in the video, the process is standard surface crochet all the way around.

Two supplies are needed to create the pompom affect – a crochet hook and faux fur yarn. Any hook will work as long as it can pull the fluffy yarn through, so I recommend size L/8.00mm or larger. I used an N/10.00mm in the video because that is the hook I had out after making the basket. (The yarn I used for the basket is Lion Brand Re-Spun in Sepia Rose.) The faux fur yarn I used is Lion Brand Go For Faux in Baked Alaska. I bought it at Joann, but I have seen it on Amazon, Walmart, and in a set of three on Michaels’ website.

If you’d like to mimic the look of pompoms with just a crochet hook and faux fur yarn, be it for embellishing crochet, knitting, weaving, or any other fiber art, read on for the full instructions. Read them once, watch the video a few times, and then practice for yourself! Let me know if you have any questions.

Faux Fur Pom Pom Instructions

• Hold the faux fur yarn on back side of work (inside the basket in my case)

• Insert hook from the front into the space you’d like the pompom and grab yarn with hook

• Pull yarn through space so 1 loop is on hook

• Insert hook into the space directly to the left

• Grab yarn, pull through space

• 2 loops are on hook

• Pull front loop through second loop on your hook (this is a slip stitch in crochet); you can use your hand to help complete this process, as shown below

Pull the front loop (closest to the hook tip) through the second loop (closest to the hook handle)

• Cut yarn so it has a 64” tail and pull yarn all the way through your stitch

• Insert hook into a nearby space or the same space you worked in and pull yarn end all the way back through so it is now on the back side of your work (inside the basket in my case)

• Insert hook into next space (from the front) for next pompom; I like to alternate pompoms up and down about 1-2” apart

• Repeat steps, beginning with first step above

• Yarn will run along back of work, so no weaving in a million ends!

• Once pompoms are complete, weave ends in

This yarn is slippery, so either weave it back further than you typically would, or tie it off. In the case of the basket in the video or other round projects, the last pompom meets up with the first pompom, so tie the two ends together twice and cut the ends.

That’s it! It takes a lot of words to explain the process, but I assure you, the actual creation is simple. Now watch the video a couple of times, give it a try, and you’ll be pleased with how easy it is, especially if you know how to slip stitch. Let me know what application you use them for – I can only imagine all the possibilities!