There’s a good change that everything you need to crochet a quiet book - you alraedy have: yarn, a crochet hook, fiberfill stuffing, and a handful of everyday materials like velcro, scissors, and a tapestry needle. There’s nothing complex on the list — no sewing machine or exotic tools, nothing you can’t find at any craft store or already have at home.

Here’s the checklist for most quiet books, then a closer look at the two decisions that actually matter: which yarn and which hook.

The quiet book materials checklist

To crochet a quietbook I’d make sure I have the following:

  • Yarn — DK or worsted weight (more on choosing below)
  • Crochet hook — to match the yarn (or a size below)
  • Fiberfill stuffing — for the plushy pieces
  • Velcro — plus ordinary sewing thread and a needle to attach it
  • Plastic embroidery sheets (plastic canvas) — sandwiched inside pages for sturdiness, so pages stay flat and stand up to being handled rather than flopping over
  • Tapestry needle — for joining pieces and weaving in ends
  • Stitch markers, scissors, and your usual crochet kit — the standard crochet kit you likely own already

If you’ve made plushies before, you probably already have most of the items in this list. The only specific additions are the velcro and plastic canvas that make the pages hold up.

What’s the best yarn for crochet toys?

Many types and weights of yarn can be used for toys and quiet books. In my books I either use worsted aclyric yarn or a thinner cotten/bamboo yarn.
The important part is to use the same type of yarn through the book (unless mentioned otherwise), so that the sizes can stay consistent and you don’t end up with pieces that don’t match. All types mentioned above are machine-washable, durable, and hold up to enthusiastic toddler use. Thinner cotton and bamboo yarns (DK) will usually be a bit harder to touch (not rough, just a bit harder), but all work very well.
Each pattern will tell you what colors are needed and how much of the yarn you’ll need, and you can always let your imagination run wild and try any color you like.One of my favorite parts of writing new patterns is seeing what colors my testers chose and how beautiful and unique each book comes out, even though they all came from the same pattern.

Which crochet hook size do you need?

The pattern will provide instructions on what hook size to use for each book, but if you’ve chosen to use a different yarn go with the hook size that allows you to crochet tighter stitches.
For stuffed pieces as well as the pages themselves, it is better if there’s no space between the stitches. This way the stuffing doesn’t come out and the embroidery sheet holding up the page doesn’t show. If you’re not sure, try going with the size on the lower end suggested on the yarn label or one size smaller.

What you don’t need

You don’t need a sewing machine or specialty tools. Regarding yarn, from what I’ve seen with my testers all of the colors they selected fit in beautifully. Don’t feel obligated to use exactly what’s in the pattern, let your imagination run wild (this is also a great way to use your leftover stash). You also don’t need to buy everything before you start: the yarn and hook get you going on the first pieces, and the velcro, embroidery sheets and everything else can be saved for later.

Ready to see what you’d be making with all this? Browse my quiet book patterns — each one lists exactly which colors and pieces it uses, with photo-guided steps from first stitch to final assembly.

Get a quiet book pattern on Etsy →

FAQ

Can I use acrylic yarn for a crochet quiet book?

Worsted-weight acrylic is what I’ve used for most of my patterns — pair it with the 4 mm hook and check that it’s machine-washable (most are). The yarns to avoid aren’t about fiber but texture: anything fuzzy or chunky will be a bit harder to create the details with.

What hook size is best for crochet toys?

On the lower end or smaller than the yarn label suggests. I use 2.75 mm for DK yarns and 4 mm for worsted. The tighter gauge keeps stuffing hidden and makes pieces sturdy enough for toddler hands.

Do I need a sewing machine to make a quiet book?

No — the only sewing in a quiet book is hand-sewing: attaching velcro with ordinary thread and joining pieces with a tapestry needle. If you can thread a needle, you have the entire skill set.

How much yarn does a quiet book take?

It depends on how many pages there are in your book. My books range from about 900 to 1400 yards in different colors. The play pieces are small, so you need modest amounts of several colors rather than many full skeins, and leftovers from other projects work well. If you want the pages to be made of a single color each, you’ll need a little more of each color. Each pattern lists its exact colors so you can shop (or stash-dive) precisely.

Start with what you have

If you have some yarn at home, you can start with the smaller pieces in the pattern and buy what you need when you know what’s missing.

If you’re wondering you’re at the right level of crochet for quiet books, read more about it in my beginner’s guide to crocheting a quiet book.