Best Yarn For Crochet Scarf Projects

There aren’t really many rules about the best yarn for crochet scarf projects. Scarf yarn can be fine, chunky, natural, synthetic, brightly pigmented and twisted with metallic fibers, or vegetable dyed in soft neutral colors. Crochet scarves are also a great opportunity for you to dabble with yarns you haven’t tried before, or use up leftovers from past projects. But within that ‘anything goes’ approach, there are a couple of yarn properties to bear in mind, which will affect the finished result of your work. And of course, everyone ends up with their own preferred fibers for scarf projects. So here’s what you need to think about, and also some tried and tested favorites.

• Picking your ideal scarf yarn
• Your 10 top choices

Picking your ideal scarf yarn

Crochet scarves are the perfect opportunity for experimenting with unusual and unexpected yarns. You’ll never be too depressed if you end up frogging your work a little way in. But if you prefer reliable results without the trial and error, here are some properties to look for in dreamy scarf yarns.

Fiber content. Most people’s priority for a scarf is warmth, so choosing a fiber with great insulating properties is a no brainer. Wools such as lambs’ wool, merino wool, alpaca and cashmere are all exceptional at trapping warm air close to your skin. They’re also sustainable, non-static, and resistant to odors, moisture and fire. Acrylic yarns were originally developed to mimic the properties of lambs’ wool for a cheaper price, but they’re generally less breathable, hold their shape less well, and more likely to build up static.

Pilling. Pilling is caused by friction on the surface of your yarn. The tiny filaments which stick out from the yarn’s surface get tangled up in each other and form little clumps. Fuzzy fibers and singe-plied, loosely twisted yarns pill fastest. Most wools and acrylics are fuzzy by definition to trap warm air, but yarns with two or more plies and a pronounced twist are more efficient at keeping those pesky filaments in check. Meaning they pill more slowly.

Weight. There are no rules about what weight of yarn you can and can’t use for making scarves. Light yarns drape beautifully and can be tucked inside a cost. Whilst bulky yarns are quick to work up, and look strikingly modern. It’s fine to stick within your comfort zone, or use your scarf as a chance to experiment with a yarn weight you haven’t used before.

10 Top Choices

Whatever yarn you’re thinking of using a for making a crochet scarf, I encourage you to go for it! Have fun and see what happens. Report back in the comments section. But if you want a tried and tested yarn, you can’t go wrong with one of these.

Some of the images in this article are Amazon affiliate links, which I’ve added primarily so you can see what the yarns look like. We may also earn a small commission from Amazon (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through them. However, the yarn suggestions are all my own, and we haven’t received any compensation from the manufacturers for including them.

1. Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick

Lion Brand Wool Ease* is one of the best known, most versatile yarns there is. This version is super bulky weight for using on a size M/13 (9mm) crochet hook. So it makes dense, snuggly scarves in next to no time. It’s 80% acrylic, which makes it versatile, super-washable, and affordable, and 20% wool, for warmth. It comes in 59 colors, including irresistible patterns, speckles, metallics and ombres. Since it’s so quick to work with and comes in so many shades, I love this yarn for making crochet scarves and snoods as gifts at Christmas.

2. Caron Simply Soft

Caron Simply Soft yarn* is a budget-friendly staple for lots of crafters. It’s 100% acrylic in worsted (a.k.a. aran) weight, but it’s soft, smooth, and drapes well. It comes in 50 solid colors, which are ideal for mixing and matching to make granny square scarves. It comes in generous 6oz balls, containing over 300yds of crochet potential.

3. Bernat Blanket

Blanket yarns that produce an ultra-tactile, chenille-like fabric are hugely popular right now. Not just for making blankets, but for plush toys with extra cuddle-ability too. And they also make fantastic scarves. The polyester fibers are wonderfully soft, so if you’re sensitive to having itchy or tickly materials next to your neck, this is a comfortable solution. What’s more Bernat’s blanket yarn* is machine washable and tumble dryer safe. It’s worked with a size L/11 (8mm) crochet hook and comes in over 80 colors including self striping rainbows.

4. Paton Classic Wool Worsted

Patons Classic Wool is the stuff of nostalgic knitwear dreams. Think fishermens’ sweaters with lovingly worked cables and ribbing. So it’s also perfect for timeless crochet scarves using dense, warm stitches like bean stitch, linen stitch, and trinity stitch. It’s spun from 100% new wool, meaning it’s breathable, odor- and stain-resistant, non-static, and warm. Even the most ardent natural fiber purist won’t be able to fault it.

5. Lion Brand Scarfie

What about a yarn specifically designed for making scarves? Lion Brand reckon they have just the thing in their Scarfie yarn*. It’s 78% acrylic and 22% wool, and one ball has enough yarn to finish one scarf. It’s designed to be worked on a size K/10.5 (6.5mm) crochet hook, so it’s heavier than worsted weight, but not massively chunky. It has a self striping ombre pattern, so it’s best suited to crochet scarves worked from end to end in rows (which also minimizes waste). My only criticism of this yarn is that it’s single plied and very loosely twisted, meaning it will be prone to pilling.

One rewarding possibility about making crochet scarves is that because they generally only require a skein or two of yarn, you might be able to use more luxurious fibers than you would be able to afford for larger projects. So the next three yarns are a little bit extra special.

6. Cascade 220 Superwash Merino

Merino yarns are my absolute favorite fiber to work with for soft and warm accessories like scarves, hats and mittens. This is a Ganni-inspired granny scarf I made recently from leftovers of merino yarn by various brands. Lucy is partial to it too – see which other yarns she recommends here. Cascade’s superwash worsted weight merino* is suitable for all kinds of projects and is both washable and tumble dryer safe. And it comes in 101 (yes 101!) solid colors.

7. Malabrigo Chunky

An alternative 100% merino weight yarn is the heavier Malabrigo Chunky*. It comes in over 50 beautifully hand dyed shades, all with subtle color changes within them that are extremely flattering to wear next your face. This wool is the perfect match for infinity scarves and snoods in simple stitches and styles that allow the beauty of the yarn to take center stage. Work it on a size K/10.5 (6.5mm) to M/13 (9mm) hook, and hand wash it gently.

8. Berocco Ultra Alpaca

Alpaca is a relatively unusual fiber, but it is soft, warm, moisture and flame-resistant, and sustainable. If you’ve never tried using it before, and you’d like to make your next crochet scarf a little bit extra special, give it a go with Berocco’s Ultra Alpaca yarn. It’s a worsted weight yarn made from 50% wool and 50% alpaca fleece. It comes in 30 sophisticated solid and variegated colors that mix and match beautifully together.

9. Malabrigo Caprino

Malabrigo’s Caprino yarn* is a decadent blend of 80% superfine merino and 20% cashmere. It’s hand dyed five skeins at a time, so that every inch is beautifully unique. It’s finer than any of the other yarns in this article – just sport weight. It would make a beautifully stylish crochet scarf to pair with a pea coat or blazer and wear to any occasion. It would also make an extremely special gift.