Stitches

What is the best type of wool and size of crochet hook to use for crocheting mittens?

I am a complete beginner and have decided to embark on the production of a pair of mittens but am completely clueless about types/blends/sizes of wool and crochet hooks. Help!

Public Comments

1. Your pattern will tell you which yarn to chose and the size hook you need. Chose a pale colour. Dark colours make it hard to see the stitches clearly for a beginner. www.lionbrand.com www.crochetpatterncentral.com www.free-crochet.com The above all have free patterns.
2. Choose the pattern first. It will tell you what size yarn and hook to use. Next, choose the yarn. The fiber content depends on what you want for care. Sheep's wool will be best for mittens (better than acrylic and MUCH better than cotton or any plant fiber) in terms of warmth and water resistance. Sheep's wool comes in two main types: hand wash and machine wash. If you want to be able to toss it into the washing machine, choose yarn that says "superwash" on the label and specifically says you can machine wash it. If it doesn't specifically say you can wash it, then assume it must be hand washed, very gently, in cold water, and laid flat to dry. Felted mittens: http://123crochet.blogspot.com/2005/11/felted-mittens.html Sizetoddler up to women's small: http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/MittsCrochet.pdf S/M/L mittens: http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/pdf/Crocheted_mittensInst.pdf http://www.life123.com/hobbies/knit-crochet/crochet/how-to-make-easy-crochet-mittens.shtml
3. A 'superwash' wool or wool/acrylic mix would be easiest to deal with when washing, and be warmer than plain acrylic. Check here: http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/mittens_gloves.php for patterns, wool and crochet hooks are specified in most of them.
4. I like merino wool, because it's washable. That is important for mittens. The size of the crochet hook depends on the bulkiness of the yarn and the number of strands of yarn you are using while you crochet. The size of the hook also determines to some extent the tightness of the finished stitches, also called gauge. The gauge depends on a lot of factors though. It's best to just find a pattern with a finished photo you like and follow it.