So you want to learn how to crochet…
You got the yarn (maybe too much), you got the crochet hooks, and you got the YouTube video pulled up ready to go…
But wait! Your yarning isn’t staying on the hook? Your hook is leaving giant holes in your project? Why doesn’t it look like the video?
Well here is a quick guide to yarn weight and hook sizes to help you on you crochet journey!
Hook Sizes
Depending on where you get your crochet hooks, the sizing could be in US measurements, metric, UK/Canada, or Japan measurments.
I’ve only had experience with seeing the US and metric measurements so I will focus on those two.
Generally, the handle of the crochet hook will have a small label with either a letter/number (example: J/10) and/or a metric measurement (example: 6.00mm). These measurements help you identify what size your hook is.
The larger the number or the more down in the alphabet you go, the larger the hook.
Yarn Weight
Similarly, when buying yarn, the label should have identify the thickness, or “weight” of the yarn. This can be in the form of a number from 1-7 with 1 being the thinnest and 7 being the bulkiest.
Sometimes, these labels also give a recommended hook size to use when crocheting with the yarn.
Conclusion
The line between which hook and yarn weight pairing you use can be blurred depending on how compact you want your piece or how tightly you crochet.
If you like the holes in your crochet pieces to be smaller or just crochet more tightly (like me!), you might want to use a slightly smaller hook than what is recommended for your yarn. to be able to fit in the stitches.
However, if you crochet more loosely and are just starting out, I’d practicing with a larger hook (4.00mm or higher) and yarn weight (medium or higher) to make it easier to see the stitches and know where to insert your hook.
But, as you get more experience, definitely play around with your hook and yarn sizes to see what you can make!
More Website for further reading on yarn thickness and hook size:
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