Matching your hook to your yarn is important in making crochet easier and getting your tension right in your crochet projects. But it can be confusing trying to work out which hook to use with which yarn. Especially if you’re just starting out or you’ve come across a new brand of yarn that you want to try. And like most things in life, there isn’t one set of symbols for everyone to follow so you often find yourself having to compare or search to match what you’ve found with what you know. And then there are some that just don’t tell you at all!

The first place to look is at the label on the yarn. Unless it is a really cheap yarn, the label will provide guidance to what they ply or weight of the yarn is, which will guide you to the hook size to use. Most labels will also show the symbol of knitting needles with a number for the size and some will also include a crochet hook with the size. Those will all help you.

It depends which country or continent the yarn was manufactured in as to what symbols or guide you will find for the weight or ply of the yarn. Some will use the term ply, some will use a name for the thickness of the yarn and some will use a symbol with a number and name. And weight of the yarn does not mean how much the ball weighs, but instead it relates to how thick the strand is. Confusing yes?! Luckily for you, I have put together a cheat guide to make it easier to figure out what is what when you come across something different – and I use it all the time for myself!

Save the image above, because you’re going to find yourself needing it more and more as you explore the world of yarn.

Once you know what yarn you have, you can then pick a hook. But remember too, that these are just a guide. Your tension is going to play into which hook you use. You can also choose a bigger hook than recommended if you want a loose and lacier look, and you can size down a hook for a tighter look. Amigurumi (the toys) that we crochet will almost always require you to size down for your hook so that you have less space in the stitches. Some yarns will also recommend slightly bigger than what I prefer to use too.

This guide can also be used to figure out what yarn you should be looking for when the project recommends a hook size to use. This is helpful when the yarn they’re asking for isn’t available to you. When I know what hook a project needs I’ll use this guide to check what weight yarn to look for. For example, if it says to use a 5mm hook, then I know from the guide that I can look for a medium (4), aran, worsted or 10ply yarn. I could also potentially look for a chunky or 12 ply yarn – though I also know that the last two are harder to find.

Over time, you’ll find that you have a ‘go to’ hook size that you prefer for each yarn and you’ll start with that and adjust from there. I know that for a 4ply yarn I will use a 3mm hook most often. For a sport weight I will use a 3.5mm hook. 8ply and DK weight yarn I prefer a 4mm hook and worsted weight or 10ply yarn I go to my 5mm first.

Now I haven’t included the reference to the hooks that use the letter or older number codes. I rarely see these referred to and didn’t want to add to the confusion. If you’re trying to figure out how to convert an old hook reference to the metric reference then I recommend that you search for ‘hook conversion chart’ as many will pop up for you.

Hiopefully that helps you! Learning about yarn and what hook you need is all part of the Crochet Confidence journey. When you’re just starting out it can be overly confusing, especially when you’re drawn to the colours and the pretty yarn and then find yourself not able to use it because you don’t have the right sized hook. This is why I help out my members of the Hooked on Crochet Club by providing guidance to the hook and yarn needed for every project. Over time they gain more confidence in choosing projects and yarn based on the hook size that is recommended.

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Seona x