I will jump in with lap hoop (so I can sit back in a comfy chair!!), short needles, and metal thimble with the ridge. I have worn holes in plastic and METAL thimbles, so leather is not gonna cut it for me!!
I wish they had had Youtube when I was trying to learn. I could not get the hang of it from reading books and had to take a one hour lesson with Nancy Halpern to actually SEE how to do it.