• Crochet Hooks – Crochet Hooks are measured in millimeters though you may also find letter sizes listed as well. The most common sizes you will need are 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, and 5.5 mm. You can find crochet hook sets for $6-20 on Amazon and low-cost kits with tools and a bag included. Some have ergonomic plastic/soft handles and others are full aluminum. When you are just starting out, finding a reasonably priced set work well. When you get good and want to upgrade – brands like Mary Bates and Clover are popular with prices that reflect the quality. The shape of the “beak” hook tip and the super fine smoothness of the metal is what differs on the more expensive brands. This is really more a factor when working with certain types of yarn like wool that like to grab the invisible imperfections in the metal..
• Yarn (For Starters) – “4” Weight Acrylic Yarn – Low-Cost, Durable, Perfect Thickness. Choose lighter colors so you can see the stitches. The size is written on the label. The weight of a yarn is about the thickness. For starting out, go to Walmart, JoAnn’s, Michaels or Hobby Lobby and find an acrylic 4 weight yarn color you like. The store brands are just as good as the name brands. Avoid the 1-pound sizes for now until you are ready to do a really big project. It’s too much yarn to have to handle all the time on a starter project.
• Other Items (Notions) – For starting out use what you already have around the house or get a $8-10 cheap “crochet kit” on Amazon that has Scissors, Stitch Markers, Measuring Tape, Needles, etc. You can build out a better set over time as you won’t need many of these items at first.
• Future Items: Ziplock 1 Gallon Storage or Freezer Bags – Storing your projects and yarn in Ziplock bags will keep it from picking up dust, and household smells like pets and what you cooked for dinner last night. Natural fiber yarns are a yummy treat for tiny moths and beetles that could sneak into the house. Storage Containers – Eventually a project box or toolbox with a handle is handy. And if you get a really good deal on bulk yarn, a large plastic tub with the yarn placed in zip lock bags inside. Clear boxes are a good idea so you can see what you have if the price of the container is good deal.
• Yarn Ball Winder / Yarn Swift – Eventually you might decide to do a project with hand-dyed yarn that typically comes in a “hank”. These will need to be hand wound on a spool or you can purchase a yarn ball winder and a yarn swift. Standard sized yarn ball winders run $12-25 on Amazon. We have never seen them in any stores. A large ball winder can handle large amounts of yarn but they cost $60. We own an Olikraft large capacity model as it has a flat – base plate and nylon gears because we are doing lots of hanks. A yarn swift is a table mounted umbrella like stand to load your hanks of yarn on to feed over to the ball winder. They run $15-20. Both of these devices can mount on the edge of a table, a chair or step ladder. At the most you might use these 2-3 times a year. Olikraft has a winder/swift set with upgraded rubber clamps for $55 on Amazon.

• https://www.youtube.com/@BAGODAYCROCHET – Bag-O-Day Crochet – “Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced crocheter you will find something for you! Bag-O-Day Crochet is dedicated to making crochet tutorials that will guide you step by step from start to finish through even the most difficult crochet projects.”
• https://www.youtube.com/@TLYarnCrafts – TL Yarn Craft – “Crochet and craft enthusiast space where I share inspiration and education through tutorials for makers of all crochet skill levels. Since starting my creative business, I’ve been committed to exploring every nook and cranny of crochet and I’m excited to share my discoveries with you.”
• https://www.youtube.com/@CrochetWithTiffany – Tiffany Hanson – “I’m here to walk you through everything crochet, from the very basics to more advanced techniques. Whether you’re a crochet enthusiast or just searching for a fun activity, you’re in the right spot!”
• https://www.youtube.com/@JuanTheYarnAddict – Juan The Yarn Addict – “All things Yarn, Crochet and all the beginnings of Knitting!! A inclusive yarn channel for everyone to enjoy!! Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced! I do yarn reviews, tutorials, and of course Podcasts!! We talk all things yarn here!!”
• https://www.youtube.com/@JonnaMartinezCrochet – Joanna Martinez – Collection of Crochet Tutorials – Shawls, Blankets, Hats
• https://www.youtube.com/@RichTexturesCrochet – Rich Textures Crochet – “Free crochet patterns and stitch tutorials. A new stitch tutorial is posted every Sunday at 10am EST. Keep an eye open for Crochet-Alongs that I host regularly throughout the year. They are a fun way to connect and crochet with friends.”
• https://www.youtube.com/@HookedbyRobin – Hooked By Robin – “Crochet tutorials and patterns, from beginner videos for you guys who are just learning or for those who need a refresher right through to advanced for those of you who like a challenge.”

• https://locations.michaels.com/tx/houston/9444/ – Michaels – Weslayan Plaza (77005) – This location has the largest selection of yarn available in their Houston stores It’s not huge, but if you join their Michaels Rewards program you will receive special promos, sales, and $5 reward coupons.
• https://www.joann.com/?storeId=2561 – Joann – Meyerland Plaza (77096) – This location has the largest selection of yarns we have found in the area. They have weekly coupons and sales. You can find really good prices on end of season items too.
• https://www.hobbylobby.com/stores/search/127 – Hobby Lobby – The Fountains Stafford (77477) – Closed on Sundays. They rotate each week which items are on sale (check their website). They have great discounts on store brand end of season clearance items like “Yarn Bee” and “I Love This Yarn”.
• https://www.facebook.com/nancysknitshouston – Nancy Knits Meyerland (77096) – Usually Open Tuesdays – Saturdays 10 to 4 – A traditional yarn shop and one of the few still around. Her focus is knitting but Nancy has a huge selection of unique yarns and supplies you won’t find anywhere else. Check her Facebook page for the latest information on her hours of business. Worth stopping by to see all the unique yarns she has available.

• https://www.hobbii.com – Hobbii – Based in in Copenhagen Denmark – They have the best cotton and their “Friends” series is the easiest cotton to work with and at a good price.
• https://www.iceyarns.com – Ice Yarns – Based in Istanbul Turkey – They have some of the best prices for yarn although their shipping may be high. We recommend making a large order ($100+) to the best shipping rate. Purchasing their 5 or 8 packs of items are a better value too.
• https://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk – Wool Warehouse – Based in Warwickshire UK (Near Birmingham) – They have a huge variety of wool yarns and notions available. Do check their delivery information and factor in shipping costs as it can take several weeks to receive your order.
• https://www.hobiumyarns.com – Hobium Yarns – Based in Instanbul Turkey – They carry a variety of brands not found in the US and offer shipping to the US via DHL in 3-5 business days. As always check shipping rates verses price to get the most value.
• https://www.lionbrand.com – Lion Brand Yarn / Silk City Fibers – Based in Lyndhurst New Jersey – They have been in business since 1878 and offer a huge selection of their own yarns they have manufactured. They offer discount codes and have a rewards program. Do check out their sister brands like Silk City Yarns that are linked on their website.
• https://www.guchet.com – Gu’Chet Yarns – Based in Daytona Florida – Mel is a crochet designer with a unique collection of yarns and patterns. A popular item she sells is “mystery bags” containing collections of unique yarns.
• https://www.littleknits.com – Little Knits – Based in Seattle Washington – They carry a large selection of beautiful high-end imported and hand-dyed yarns at great prices. Be sure to check out their clearance items and if you call them, they have specials not posted on their website.
• https://www.knitpicks.com – Knit Picks – Based in Vancouver Washington – They have a large selection of high-end imported, offer big discounts on their value packs and free shipping on orders over $75.
• https://www.crochet.com – We Crochet / Crochet.com – Based in Vancouver Washington is the sister company of Knit Picks. They have many brands of yarn and large collection of free patterns.
• https://www.herrschners.com – Herrschners / Willow Yarns – Based in Wisconsin – They are one the oldest crafting mail-order companies offering a large variety of yarn brands and many other craft items. They have weekly specials on their website and a good selection of resources for crafting on their learning page.
• https://www.marymaxim.com – Mary Maxim – Based in Michigan – They are one of the other crafting mail-order companies offering a large variety of yarn brands and craft items. They have weekly online specials and offer monthly crafting box “clubs” you can sign up for.
• https://www.lovecrafts.com – Love Crafts – An international company with offices in Wilmington Delaware, Germany, Australia and France – They are a large mail-order crafting company carrying a variety of brands of yarn. They offer great deals on their yarn packs.
• https://www.yarn.com – WEBS / Yarn.com – Based in Massachusetts – Starting out as a family business, they now carry over 90 brands of yarn and have supplies for crochet, knitting, weaving and even dyeing your own yarn.
• https://www.premieryarns.com – Premier Yarns – Based in Charlotte North Carolina – They manufacture yarn for other companies. They have great bag deals on “mill ends” which is the extra yarn left over at the end of each production run.
• https://www.yarnspirations.com – Yarn Inspirations – Based in Ontario Canada – This is the online store for Spinrite who manufactures Bernat, Caron, Red Heart, Susan Bates and many other brands you find in retail stores. They have sales but more importantly have a great database with 100s of free patterns and resources.
• https://universalyarn.com – Universal Yarns – Based in Harrisburg North Carolina – This is the online store for their brands they import and have manufactured for them. They also have sales and free patterns.
• https://patternsbykraemer.com – Kraemer Yarns & Textiles – Based in Eastern Pennsylvania – They manufacture unique and specialty yarn for other companies. A popular item is their mystery boxes of yarn which will be a collection of mill ends and overstock.
• https://brownsheep.com – Brown Sheep Company – Based in Western Nebraska – They manufacture and dye their own yarn from locally sourced wool and other natural fibers in their mills. They have many free patterns available as well.