Materials

Hooks
Crochet hooks come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, even some that are the same size wiil say something different on them, just to confuse you. The US has its own system. In Europe, the sizes are measured in millimeters.

There are also traditional sizing systems in the UK, Canada, and Japan, so if you inherit vintage hooks you should size them with a gauge. Carved from wood, bone, or ivory, older hooks sometimes have hooks at both ends.
 
You can find some early Bakelite and resin hooks in antique stores, although they are increasingly sought after by collectors. Used for the finest crochet work, fine steel hooks or pins work well with shiny, mercerized cotton or silks.

Chunky and novelty yarns can be worked with giant plastic hooks. Hooks made of the finest woods, or bamboo, are beautiful to handle, although many hookers prefer the speed of an aluminum hook with a soft and ergonomic grip.

Yarns
You can crochet with any kind of long thread, but the best results are often obtained with smooth, well-spun yarns. Any yarn that could split, will split when you try to crochet with it.

The joy of making small things is that you get to use up all those scraps of yarn that have been Left over from other projects. We don't specify the brands of yarn used in this book.

Some of them were scraps from the bottom of a workbox, others were expensive alpacas. The point is you can use what you have, thus making your critters unique, as well as saving pennies.

Best kept tied to your workbasket: sharp scissors for cutting yarn and trimming ends.
Knitters' pins with Large heads are useful for pinning together shapes.
You'll need a blunt-ended needle for sewing up seams and threading in ends.
 
Split stitch markers are good for crochet, so that you can mark the beginning of each round. A tape measure is good to check the gauge, if you have been given one, or if you want to repeat a shape in yarns.