7 essential tools you need to make miniature crochet with confidence and ease: Complete list for free

/ Crochet / By natashaj

This is my second post on miniature crochet. I did one last week where I share 7 secrets on crocheting miniatures and micro miniatures. You can read it here.

I decided to do another post because I get a lot of requests on my social media handle asking for the tools and materials that I use and where I get them from.

Doing miniature crochet is actually easier than it looks. There are a few things that you need to keep in mind and you will be creating miniature crochet pieces in no time. Out of these few things the most important is the material that you use. Miniature crochet requires special hooks and threads and because of the size there a few more things that you can use that will help you a lot.

I this post today I will be sharing with you a list of 7 tools that I use for my miniature crochet along with the Amazon.com and Amazon.in links to purchase them. The amazon.in links are affiliate links and I will get a small cut if you make a purchase. You will be paying the same amount.

Let’s start….

Tools and materials needed for miniature crochet

Here is a list of 7 main tools and materials that you would need to start with miniature crocheting. Remember though that this is not an exhaustive list. There are a lot more tools and materials that you can use. This list is just to give you an idea and get you started.

1. Hooks for miniature crochet

The crochet hook is the most important component of miniature crochet and you need select it wisely. 

There are two aspects that you need to keep in mind- First is the size of the hook and second is the quality of the hook.

Let us talk about the size first. For miniature crochet I usually use the crochet hook from size 0.35mm to 0.6mm. These are super fine crochet hooks. 0.35mm is the smallest hook that I was able to find so far.

When talking about quality of hooks, trust me it is very crucial. When doing miniature crochet the hook is very fine and difficult to see. So you need to ensure that it is smooth and passes smoothly in between stitches. Because if it is brought it can easily snip the fine thread or fray it and make the work look untidy.

So it is a good idea to invest in good quality hooks to make you crocheting process enjoyable and productive. 

Here are the links form to buy hooks, a few of my stunted online craft stores:

1. https://www.ponycraftstore.com/category/Crochet

2. https://www.pradhanembroiderystores.com/maincategory/

3. https://magicneedles.in

2. Threads for miniature crochet

Thread is the second most important component that you should consider carefully while selecting. I found it really difficult to find the proper good quality thread in India. Initially I used polyester threads that we get here for sewing purpose. But polyester does not give good results because of its pilling tendencies. It would become really untidy. Then I upgraded to embroidery floss. This was a cheaper option and the only issue was the extra effort that I had to put to separate the stands into single strands to work with. This thread was 100% cotton and have good results with nice crisp look.

Recently I started working with Handyhands Lizbeth size 80 threads which are so far the best that I used. In India these are quite expensive but again miniature crochet requires very little thread so it won’t cost you too much. I got mine as a gift from my Aunt who lives in Chicago.

Other than cotton I’ve also tried a lot of silk and satin threads with are available in a wide range or beautiful colors. But they are very difficult to work with because the slip a lot and they are not tightly twisted so they fray

So a few things to keep in ming while buying threads for miniature are:

1. Quality of the thread should be superior for miniature crochet.

2. Cotton threads work best.

3. Pearl cotton size 8 or mercerised cotton size 40 are good to start with.

3. Magnifying glass

I sometimes use a magnifying glass when working on very small project or dark colors as these are difficult to see. If you have a poo eyesight it is a good idea to crochet under a magnifying glass.

Mine is a bulls eye that is used but the jewellers that has a table stand and led light of its own. It is not too expensive and works perfectly.

Here are the links to buy:

Amazon.in (India) : Here

Another important component that I use often is a good bright table lamp. Since miniature crochet is difficult to see good lighting is important. Either sit in a room with good natural light and crochet during the day time. Else a good quality light is a good option.

Tweezers will come in handy when you’ll have to hold the little pieces for applying fabric stiffener. Like for miniature flowers it is a good idea to apply light fabric stiffener to the petals to keep them in proper shape and give them a crisp look.

Also when doing miniature crochet amigurumi it is almost impossible to stuff the tine parts with fiber fill with your hands. Use a sharp pointed tweezer to fill in the small amounts of fiber fill properly in the amigurumi.

6. Fine tapestry needle for miniature crochet

A normal tapestry needle does not work with the tiny miniatures. So must have a fine tapestry needle to do the job for you. You can also use a normal sewing needle but I don’t prefer using the pointed one.

7. Sharp pointed scissors/thread clippers

Finishing the miniature crochet is a crucial step and it has to be neat. For this you must have sharp thread clippers or sharp pointed scissors. I am insisting on pointed because the pieces are tiny and you can reach closest to the work only with the pointed clippers or scissors. These should be sharp because you do not want to fray the thread while cutting it. It should give it a nice clean cut.

This is all the essential tools needed for miniature crochet