Crochet hook size matters and today we’re going to explore the different hook sizes available for steel and standard crochet hooks. You’ll also find a crochet hook size chart showing converting the US hook sizes to Japan and UK sizes as well.
By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll have a firm understanding of how many sizes of crochet hooks there are and what they’re used for.
Whether you’re a beginner crocheter or an experienced crocheter looking to reacquaint yourself with the different crochet hook sizes and different types of crochet hooks, this post is the ultimate reference guide to help you out.
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How Many Types of Crochet Hooks Are there?
The most common types include aluminum hooks, steel hooks, ergonomic hooks, and Tunisian or Afghan hooks.
- Steel hooks are finer and are primarily used for delicate thread crochet work, producing intricate lace designs. This is the best steel crochet hook set that I’ve found to date.
- Aluminum crochet hooks are your general-use / standard crochet hooks and are actually no longer just made from aluminum. These hooks can be made in a variety of different materials like resin, pewter, wood and even bone! If you’re just starting out, these crochet hooks are a great starter kit.
- Ergonomic crochet hooks are just like aluminum crochet hooks but their handles are created in a way to make them more ergonomic and easier on your hands. These Furls Crochet Hooks are my favourite ergonomic hooks to use.
- Tunisian Crochet hooks (or Afghan hooks) are generally longer in length and are used for Tunisian Crochet, a technique that combines elements of knitting and crocheting to create dense and textured fabrics. You can also get shorter Tunisian hooks that have a long cord attached to them for larger crochet projects.
These are my favourite Tunisian hooks that come with interchangeable cords so you’re ready for any tunisian crochet project you can dream up.
Each type of hook has its own unique characteristics, ensuring that crocheters can choose the perfect hook for their specific needs and personal preference.
Want to deep dive into more considerations for choosing a crochet hook for your project? Check out my Guide to Choosing The Right Hook for your Project here.
Crochet Hook Materials
Regular hooks are now made in a wide variety of different materials and each material reacts to different yarn fibers in different ways. Here are a few of the most common crochet hook materials:
Resin and Plastic Hooks:
Plastic crochet hooks are typically very cost-effective and can come in a huge range of different colors and designs. These Resin Crochet Hooks from Furls Crochet are my personal favourites because they glide beautifully through a huge range of fibers.
Bamboo and Wooden Crochet Hooks:
Wooden hooks often come in a smaller range of sizes due to their fragility but are a great beginner hook and work particularly well for handling slippery fibers like silk and rayon. These wooden crochet hooks are beautiful, cost-effective and a delight to work with.
Metal Hooks:
From pewter to aluminum to steel, you can find hooks in a huge range of different metals and they work well with a massive range of fibers. These metal crochet hooks have a special coating that helps them glide beautifully through tougher fibers.
What type of crochet hook you use it ultimately up to your personal preference, yarn selection and most importantly, comfort level. If a hook doesn’t feel comfortable to use it isn’t likely to be the best crochet hook for you. Using a comfortable hook will have you crocheting pain-free and longer.
Picking the Right Size Crochet Hook:
Crochet hooks are categorized by letters and numbers, indicating the size of the shaft. The shaft is the part of the hook that is used to work your stitches.
The size of a crochet hook directly affects the size and texture of the stitches. A larger crochet hook, used with a heavier weight yarn will create a fabric of the same size, but using a smaller number of stitches than one that is crocheted with a worsted weight yarn and a smaller hook size.
Yarn Label:
When you buy a skein of yarn, the yarn label will tell you the recommended hook size for that particular yarn and yarn weight. This recommendation is a starting point for selecting the right hook size for your yarn however, often you’ll find that a crochet project designed with that yarn will use a different sized hook.
This is because the size of the hook, matched with your individual gauge or tension changes the size of the stitches and allows you to create different effects and textures in your yarn.
For example, let’s say that you love to use DK yarns (3-weight yarns). Using larger hooks than the recommended size with that yarn will typically create looser and airier stitches, while smaller hooks will produce tighter and denser stitches.
Want to learn how to read a yarn label? Check out my How to Read a Yarn Label – A Beginner’s Guide tutorial here.
Crochet Pattern:
Each crochet pattern must list the specific crochet hook size that was used in the crochet pattern. This is vital information makers must have if they are to replicate that pattern as closely as possible. Generally, you’ll see this listed as ” letter / # mm crochet hook” or some variation of that combination.
Gauge Swatch:
When trying to design your own project or start from scratch (without the assistance of a completed crochet pattern), it’s best to do a gauge swatch with your crochet hook and intended yarn to see how the yarn behaves when crocheted with that mm hook size. This will give you an idea of what the finished fabric will look like.
If you don’t like the look of the fabric (does it have too many holes, is it too stiff, etc) then try again with a different-sized hook. For best results, I recommend making a swatch at least 6″ square to get the best possible idea of what you can expect the fabric in your final project to look like.
Crochet Hook Sizes
Steel Crochet Hooks (Crochet Thread Hooks):
Steel crochet hooks do not have letter sizes like standard crochet hooks. Instead, they are sized differently and are usually labelled with millimetre measurements. Steel crochet hook sizes typically range from 0.6 mm to 3.25 mm. Below you’ll find each hook listed by their mm size in order from smallest to largest. This is a great Steel Crochet Hook set!
Regular Crochet Hooks:
Below is a conversion chart showing the metric sizes, US crochet hook sizes, UK (United Kingdom) sizes and Japanese sizes. Each crochet hook in the United States is given a mm size (metric units) as well as a corresponding letter size. The smaller hooks are best for working with finer yarns and the larger sizes are for pairing with jumbo, super bulky and chunky yarn.
A smaller crochet hook has a smaller mm size and a larger crochet hook has a higher or bigger mm size. Overall, there are 28 different sizes of crochet hook in the standard crochet hook kit.
Unfortunately, the letter and number sizing for crochet hooks can vary between different brands so it’s a good idea to use the mm size of your crochet hook (metric sizes) to make sure you have the correct crochet hook size you’re looking for (and it’s the best way to ensure accuracy).
Explore More Crochet Tutorials
- How to Crochet a Cone
- How to Use Poly Pellets In Amigurumi
- How to Crochet A Flat Circle
- How to Do the Granny Stripe Stitch
I hope that I’ve helped to answer all your questions about how many crochet hook sizes there are, what they’re made of and how to pick the best hook for your project.
If you have any other questions, I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment in the comment section below and I’ll answer you as soon as I can. Or join The Loopy Lamb Crochet Community Facebook Group to connect with other crafty friends, ask questions and share your fabulous projects!
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