Is Crochet Expensive? (Cost Breakdown Included)

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If you are just getting into crocheting, one of the first things you will want to know is how much it costs to crochet. Thankfully, we have most of the answers you need!

Is crochet expensive?

Generally, crochet is inexpensive. However, the overall cost of crocheting is subject to personal preferences.

In some cases, people prefer to keep their expenses at a minimum; they can even work with an almost-zero budget. Then in other cases, people, by preference, work with a maximum budget.

You must be wondering how crocheting can be inexpensive and potentially expensive at the same time. Well, this article does a cost breakdown of crochet expenses. After going through it, tailoring your crochet budget to your pocket should be a breeze for you.

Home cozy wicker basket with yarn, knitted blanket, knitting needles and a cup of tea.

Is Crochet Expensive?

How much you spend on crocheting largely depends on you. In other words, you can make crocheting as low-cost as you want or as expensive as you want. In fact, you can crochet on an almost-free budget, or you can go all out and spend generously.

The choices you make will be the primary factor in your overall cost. The yarn type and hook type you choose and where you get your supplies are some factors that play a crucial part in your crochet expense.

Beyond the supplies you need for crocheting, you must learn to crochet from somewhere. Thankfully, learning how to crochet typically comes at no cost these days. There are free-to-read blogs on crocheting, free video tutorials, and more.

So, you only have to spend time, not necessarily money, to learn how to crochet.

What Do I Need to Crochet? (Supplies for Crocheting and What to Consider When Getting Them)

Generally, you may spend a little more on starter supplies than recurring supplies when new to crocheting.

With this in mind, at the cheapest, the average cost of starter crochet supplies is around $10 to $30. The cost variation depends on what you opt to buy at the start.

The most vital supplies you need for crocheting are a crochet hook and yarn. But beyond these two, the following resources can make crocheting easier and enjoyable for you:

A pair of scissors
Stitch markers or safety pins
Measuring tape
Yarn needle or tapestry needle
Patterns

Crochet Hook

Crochet hooks create the stitches in your crochet. They form loops and interlocks with yarns, making them into various patterns. When getting a crochet hook, you may opt for a single hook or a set of hooks.

A single hook can cost as little as $2.50 to $3, while a set costs as little as $8.

Of course, getting a set of hooks is cheaper than getting a single piece since a set comes with up to 8 hooks of different sizes. But if you are unsure of your interest in crocheting, you may just buy a single piece.

As a beginner, pay attention to size and material when buying crochet hooks.

Hook Size

Crochet hooks are available in different sizes. Each size corresponds to a range of yarn thickness. Manufacturers indicate the size of a crochet hook on its body in letters and numbers.

The numbers are in millimeters and are the European sizes. The letters are American sizes. The higher the numbers and letters, the larger the size of the hook.

As a beginner, we recommend working with a medium worsted weight yarn.

Worsted weight yarns are generally fine and versatile. They also offer top-notch stitch definitions.

Hence, the recommendation.

If you follow our recommendation and get a medium worsted weight yarn, you’ll need a 4.0 mm or G crochet hook.

Hook Material

After deciding on the hook size, decide on the hook material to buy.

Hooks come in different materials; this affects their costs.

Crochet hooks can come in wood, glass, aluminum, plastic, and many other materials. Some – called specialty hooks – are a combination of materials.

Specialty hooks are generally more expensive than hooks made of regular materials. These are not easy to learn with, so you shouldn’t opt for them as a beginner.

Amongst the hooks made of regular materials, we recommend the aluminum hooks for you. Compared to wood/bamboo hooks, yarn glides over aluminum hooks instead of catching on to them. So, crocheting is less frustrating with aluminum hooks.

While yarn also glides over plastic and glass hooks readily, they can be too slippery at times. This can make crocheting frustrating.

Of all hook materials, those made of aluminum are the cheapest. They are the ones you can get at $2.50 to $3 per piece or $8 per set.

Yarn

Of course, there is no crochet without yarn. Yarns are the most essential supply for crocheting. They come in various materials, have different thicknesses/weights, and come in many colors.

As a beginner, we recommend opting for yarns that flow smoothly, have bright colors, and have medium thickness.

The primary factor influencing the price of yarns is the material type. So, we will do a quick rundown of some yarn types based on their material.

light blue yarn balls inside wooden basket on the table

Yarn Materials

Some yarn types you will come across are bamboo, angora, silk, wool, acrylic, and cotton. But while you can work with any of them as a beginner, their price varies.

Angora, silk, and bamboo yarns flow smoothly. So, they are suitable for you as a beginner. They are also luscious, so you can easily see the spots you’ve stitched when working with them.

However, they are relatively expensive – on average, you’ll spend around $9 per skein for these yarn types.

Besides being expensive, angora, bamboo, and silk yarns are hard to clean. So, they may not be your top choices when you are new to crocheting.

You can work with cotton and wool yarns in place of these yarn types. These two are less expensive than angora, silk, and bamboo yarns – costing only around $4 per skein.

Like angora, silk, and bamboo yarns, wool yarns are not easy to clean. But crochets made with them offer warmth when it’s cold.

Cotton yarns, in contrast, are easy to clean, and crochets made with them are cool and lightweight, making them great for warm weather. Furthermore, you can get cotton yarns in many colors.

Acrylic yarns are pretty inexpensive – on average, they cost around $2 per skein. Besides, they are versatile – you can use them for virtually all types of crochet projects. You can also get acrylic yarns in many colors.

Yarn Thickness/Weight

Yarn weights/thicknesses range from #1 to #7, with #1 being super fine and #7 being jumbo (the thickest). As a beginner, stick to yarns of weight #3 and #4; they are easier to crochet with than super fine or jumbo yarns.

Scissors

You will want a pair of scissors – a good pair. Scissors may not be an essential crocheting supply, but they will make things easier for sure.

If you are getting scissors for your crochet, ensure you opt for a sharp pair. A blunt pair of scissors will leave you with frayed yarn ends and frustration.

While you might have a pair of scissors at home already, it’s better to get one for crocheting only. This way, you won’t have to worry about the scissors going blunt quickly.

On average, a pair of scissors should cost around $4 to $9. If you use and store it properly, it should last many years.

Measuring Tape

To ensure your crochet is well-measured and fits well, you need accurate measurements. This is where a measuring tape comes in.

While rulers can also help with measurement, they are only helpful for short measurements. Besides, rulers are not as portable as measuring tapes.

For crochets, you can work with two types of measuring tapes: regular and reel measuring tapes.

Reel measuring tapes automatically wind themselves on a plastic spool. So, they are easy to pack and fun to use. However, the retraction button wears out with time.

Reel measuring tapes cost around $20-$25. On the other hand, regular measuring tapes cost $4.50 on average.

Stitch Markers

Stitch markers are vital as they help you keep track of your crochet patterns. They indicate the start of a new segment of a repeated stitch pattern, the beginning of rounds, and much more.

You can use safety pins in place of stitch markers. However, the yarns may just get stuck in the spring area/closure. Of course, you don’t want that.

There are several variations of stitch markers. Some are snap closed, while others slide around stitches. Most stitch markers are plastic, but some are metallic.

Generally, stitch markers are inexpensive; you can get a pack of 25 markers for around $2.

Yarn Needle

While you can finish the ends of your yarns with a crochet hook, nothing beats finishing with a yarn needle.

Ends finished with yarn needles are relatively more discreet. So, they look neater than those made with crochet hooks.

You can get a pack of 5 yarn needles for $1.50, so they are pretty inexpensive.

Patterns

Woman crochets napkin at home watching pattern online

Patterns are basically the blueprints of crochet projects. Get a good pattern alongside quality yarns and a hook, and your project will come alive beautifully.

Like crochet tutorials and guides, crochet patterns are available online for free. So, you won’t have to spend anything to get one.

The skill level of crochet patterns is typically indicated with them. So, as a beginner seeking crochet patterns, opt for those marked for beginners.

Cost Breakdown (Crochet on a Budget)

As we mentioned earlier, you can start crocheting with around $10 to $30. Here’s the breakdown:

If you are getting all the starter supplies:

Item	Cost ($)
A single crochet hook	$3
One basic acrylic skein	$2
Scissors	$9
Measuring tape	$4.50
Stitch markers	$2
Yarn needle	$1.50
Patterns	$0
Learning/Tutorials	$0
Total	$22

Item	Cost ($)
A set of crochet hooks	$8
One basic acrylic skein	$2
Scissors	$9
Measuring tape	$4.50
Stitch markers	$2
Yarn needle	$1.50
Patterns	$0
Learning/Tutorials	$0
Total	$27

If you are getting only the essential items:

Item	Cost ($)
A single crochet hook	$3
One basic acrylic skein	$2
Patterns	$0
Learning/Tutorials	$0
Total	$5

Item	Cost ($)
A set of crochet hooks	$8
One basic acrylic skein	$2
Patterns	$0
Learning/Tutorials	$0
Total	$10

Beyond your starting cost, you may only incur recurring expenses on yarns for new projects. But if you bought a single hook at the start, you may have to spend on hooks of different sizes later.