Creative hobbies have enormous potential for increasing our well-being. But, some of them involve spending a lot of money – either on equipment to get started, materials to keep going, or both. What about crochet? Is crocheting an expensive hobby? I’ve been crocheting since I was a college student, so I can say with confidence that you don’t need lots of disposable income to get started. Hooks, patterns, and instructions are easy to get hold of for very little money, or even for free. The biggest expense is yarn, and I’ve got lots of tips for saving on that too! So here’s a breakdown of what it costs to get started with crochet, and where you can make savings.
Contents
- Is crocheting an expensive hobby?
- Start up costs
- Materials costs
- Ways to make crochet affordable on any budget
Is crocheting an expensive hobby?
I’m a big believer that crochet can be fun on any budget. It costs very little to get started, and using your new skills to reinvent or upcycle old materials at minimal cost is full of exciting possibilities. On the other hand, if you have the budget to buy luxury yarns brand new, then that’s great too. There are some amazing yarn makers out there who deserve to be celebrated and supported!
Start up costs
Let’s start at the beginning. To take up crochet, you’re going to need a hook, and some sort of instructions. And of course some yarn, but I’ll get to that in a minute!
How much do crochet hooks cost?
Crochet hooks are one of the simplest tools mankind have ever created, but they still come in a surprising range of materials and styles. The cheapest option is a simple aluminum hook without a grip. You can pick these up new for just a few dollars each online. But if you have any stiffness in your finger joints, or you struggle with fiddly activities, it’s worth paying a little extra for a hook with an ergonomic grip.
At the top of the range, you can easily spend up to ten times as much on ‘luxury’ hooks. These are made from premium materials such as recycled ebony wood or artfully swirled resins. Or they can have customized and personalized grips. It’s debatable whether they are any different to actually use, but they do make nice gifts, and there’s a kind of joy in having a set of tools that you use for a lifetime.
I’ve got some tips for scoring cheap hooks in just a moment, but first let’s look at the other thing you’re going to need – instructions!
Is learning crochet expensive?
Like lots of skills, the rise of YouTube has revolutionized how accessible crochet is to learn. I tried and failed to get the hang of it several times using a 1970’s textbook on my mom’s shelf. And then along came free online video tutorials, and I mastered the basics in an afternoon! Online tutorials – either written and illustrated instructions, or videos, are still the most affordable way for most people to start learning. But there are other options as well, if you have a little money to spend and they would work better for you:
- Introductory workshops at community colleges, studios, and yarn stores. This is the most expensive way to learn – up to $80 for a 2 hour workshop. But the cost usually includes a hook and some yarn to take away. Most of the value is in having an experienced crocheter right there with you, to help you get started.
- Books. There are hundreds of crochet books for beginners. You can pick them up for $15 – $20 new, $5 – $10 second hand, or even borrow them for free from the library. They’re a great source of patterns to build up your confidence, but sometimes 2D illustrations are tricky to interpret.
- Videos. YouTube has thousands of video tutorials demonstrating everything from first steps to complex decorative stitches and how to make all kinds of projects. Other sites, like Domestika and the American Crochet Association site have professionally produced online courses with premium features, that you pay for access to.
- Ask someone else to show you. Finally, if you know someone who already can crochet, ask them to help you get started. Say thanks with a small gift, or by sharing some of your own skills in return!
Materials costs
Yarn is the biggest start up cost and the biggest ongoing cost of crocheting. It’s something you can buy very frugally, or something you can make some lavish spending choices on. A quick glance at the Joann’s website at the time of writing, and their cheapest ball of yarn is just under $2 for 2oz. Whilst over at The Fiber Co, their most expensive yarn costs $14 an ounce.
Obviously, everyone is entitled to spend as much or as little as they have, or want. Crochet is something that you do for you – there’s no wrong way to do it, if you’re enjoying the process and the results! Arguably, it makes sense to try crochet for the first time with some relatively cheap yarn, so that any mistakes you make don’t stress you out in terms of cost. And if you decide you don’t like crochet, you won’t feel guilty about how much you’ve spent on that discovery.
Here are a couple more things to bear in mind about the cost of yarn:
- Some cheap acrylic yarns are definitely a false economy if you want your projects to stand the test of time.
- Some crochet stitches can use up to 30% more yarn than knitting. If you like small stitches without noticeable gaps between them, knitting is a more economical choice.
Do you need anything else?
There’s nothing else you really need to have a first try at crochet. If you find you like it, here are some more items crocheters tend to collect over time:
- A darning needle. You’ll need a blunt needle with a large eye for weaving in the ends of your yarn, and sewing projects together. They’re usually sold in pairs for about $5.
- Stitch markers. Most patterns include some element of counting stitches. Stitch markers are small brightly colored plastic safety pins which help you keep track of your progress. They’re handy little items, but regular safety pins work well too. For the longest time I just tucked a small piece of yarn in a contrasting color into the stitch!
- Scissors. A small, sharp pair of scissors which live with the rest of your crochet supplies are handy to have, especially if you want to crochet on the go. But obviously you can just use scissors you already own. I’ve even been known to saw through yarn with a key.
- Safety eyes, felt, fiber fill and thread. If you’d like to try your hand at amigurumi (and everyone should at least once!) you’ll need these for adding details and stuffing.
Ways to make crochet affordable on any budget
I think anyone can dabble a toe in crochet without spending much money, to see if they like it. I also believe it’s possible to keep making progress, without having a massive yarn budget. Here are some tips for keeping costs to a minimum:
- Look on sites like Ebay and craigslist for hooks, and check out local thrift stores too. Aluminum crochet hooks, and older ones made from steel, are hard wearing and practically indestructible. Lots of people sell off their grandmother’s old collection online, or donate them to goodwill.
- Make small things, like amigurumi, jewelry, and embellishments for customizing clothes.
- For bigger projects, use longer stitches. Some crochet stitches, like knit stitch, single crochet, half double crochet and puff stitches absolutely gobble up yarn. So when you’re ready to make your first sweater, look for patterns mostly made from double or treble crochet, or with some simple lace sections.
- Big retailers usually include yarn in their seasonal and holiday sales. And smaller retailers often sell the last few balls in a dye lot at a discounted price. These are great for granny squares.
- Recycle yarn from old scarves and sweaters – the video at the top of this article explains more about what to look for, and how to recover the yarn.
- Tell people about your new hobby – you never know when you’ll get offered some supplies that someone else wants to get rid of!
Is crocheting an expensive hobby? Summary
Crochet is among the cheapest fiber arts to take up. If you’re looking for a creative outlet, but you’re on a limited budget or you’re worried about feeling guilty about the cost if you don’t love it, I think crochet is a great choice. One hook and a ball of yarn for having a go cost less than $10 brand new, and a fraction of that from a thift store. Everything else you need is available for free online! If you fall in love with crochet, you can start spending more money on supplies. Or you can turn recycling old materials and patching together discounted yarns into part of the fun. Let us know what ways you find to save money using the comments box down below!