Crochet is a popular hobby in the United States and the world over with an estimated 10 million crochet enthusiasts. It is perhaps because it is so gratifying to create something new and beautiful from a ball of thread. The color, type, and quality of the crochet thread you use can make or break your creation so it is important to understand the types of crochet thread and their intended uses.

Below are a few tips to help you choose the correct crochet thread for your project.

Determine the material the thread is made of.

Cotton crochet thread is the most popular and durable type of thread. It washes up easily without shrinkage and is easy to work with. Synthetic threads on the other hand are pretty to look at but difficult to work with and need special precautions to clean.

Determine the type of crochet thread.

There are five classifications of crochet thread. They are: worsted weight, baby or fingering, bulky, sport, and chunky. Each type has its own weight or thickness with fingering being the lightest. The term 'ply' on the label indicates the strands of thread that create the yarn for example two ply thread has two strands entwined and three ply has three strands entwined.

Look for beginner's thread.

If you are new to crochet, it is advised to start off with beginner's thread so you learn to crochet properly and don't run into difficulty due to the type of thread you are trying to learn on. In general, the bigger the size of the thread, the better and easier it is to crochet with. So a crochet beginner should start with a large size thread. When you are ready to enhance your skill, then switch to finer types of thread.

Choose the ideal thread for your project.

Once you have mastered the steps of crochet, it is time to advance to lighter weight threads. Your projects will appear more refined and skilled due to the intricate thread used.

Always have extra thread on hand.

You never know when something will happen or you misjudge the amount of thread you need and you find yourself out of thread before you complete the project. Not only is it inconvenient to have to go out and shop for more thread, but you run the risk of not being able to match the color. When buying colored thread you should always match the dye lot. Different dye lots will have slightly different color tones and it might be enough to ruin the final look of your piece. You can avoid that problem all together by buying an extra ball at the onset. The exception is for white thread which should always match in color.

Don't go for the cheap thread.

It is tempting to want to save money on thread, but it can ruin your piece if you use the cheap stuff. The appearance will suffer and it will not hold up to wear and washing as well.

Remember when shopping for crochet supplies that crochet thread is an integral part of your finished piece so care should be taken to get high quality thread that is appropriate for your skill level and the project you are working on.