What size crochet hook should I use? – Crochet Know How

This depends on a number of factors, the most important being the weight of your yarn.

In general, the following is a good guide

Another factor that influences your choice of hook is your tension.

If you are finding that your crocheting is tight and is coming out smaller than it should, try going up a hook size. For example, for a double knitting yarn use a 4.5 mm or 5 mm hook)

Conversely, if it feels loose and larger than it should be, try going down a hook size (e.g. try a 3.5mm hook for double knitting)

What you are crocheting also makes a difference.

If you are following a pattern this should tell you the size of hook to use, but whilst a garment or blanket might use a 4mm hook for a double knitting yarn, toys and amigurumi will often use a smaller hook. This creates a tighter stitch, so that when you add filling to the toy the filling does not show through.

Top Tip

Practice your crochet and see what works for you. If a blanket or toy comes out a little large or small it probably doesn’t matter too much.

If you are crocheting a garment check your tension before starting to crochet