Purchasing Hooks to Get Started

No local store in my neighborhood (Oxnard/Ventura, CA) stocks Tunisian Crochet (TC) hooks. Just go online.

• Choice 1: Buy a basic set of 10” aluminum  for around $8-10. After a while, you can spend more and get a more advanced set. My first set was an 11-piece set of Zuoyou hooks from Amazon. I seldom use them anymore.
• Choice 2: Denise Interchangeable
  • I’ve tested all kinds of hooks with all kinds of yarn and I just keep coming back to these, especially for cotton or fuzzy yarns.
    • The caveat is that I don’t make big, heavy projects – perhaps some of the ones I don’t love as much would be better for big things like one-piece afghans.
  • A single hook, size K with two cords for larger projects plus a disk to keep stitches from slipping off is $15 direct from Denise. Buy this to experiment with Tunisian crochet.
  • If you think you’ll really like TC, start with these: Denise Love2Crochet Interchangeable Crochet Hook Set for $39.95. This set will let you make projects with moderately lightweight yarn up through nice chunky, bulky yarns for the winter.
    • There are smaller Denise kits on Amazon but you have to choose whether to get a set for lighter weight yarns ($30) or a set for heavier weight yarns ($35).
    • Or go for the complete set (smaller to very large for bulky yarn) for about $65.
  • Ultimately, I bought two complete sets plus a Love2Crochet set – many projects going at the same time and for some projects you need a double-sided hook and can put two Denise Hooks together with a connector.
• Choice 3: Buy a single ChiaoGoo bamboo hook with cord Size K is $8.69 on Amazon. I prefer Denise because it feels smoother to me when I use cotton yarn, but this is an excellent hook, the least-cost entry level hook, and you don’t need to buy any add-ons. It’s especially a winner for polyester yarns like Lion Brand “Feels Like Butta”

Hook Size:

Yarns are labeled with recommended hook sizes. For Tunisian, choose a hook that’s at least 2 sizes larger. So, if it recommends a size I, go for a K or L hook. My default for worsted weight yarn is K. Bring along a magnifying glass to read yarn labels.