I found substituting yarn in crochet patterns a bit intimidating the first few times I did it with someone else’s designs, but it’s always turned out just fine. And now, over a decade into the crochet hobby, I don’t really worry about doing it at all. And that’s because I have a few rules that I follow when making changes, which I’ll share with you today.

So if you don’t have the right yarn at home, or can’t afford to buy the recommended brand – it’s no big deal. And if you don’t like the fiber, or want a different thickness, or even are allergic to the material used, you’ll also be fine swapping in a different yarn entirely. As long as you make sensible choices, and a few tweaks when you do.

DO use a similar yarn if you can

I try to start off by focusing on three main areas – yarn weight, fiber and color. So if my pattern recommends a DK weight, acrylic, pink yarn, that’s what I’ll seek out. But of course, that’s not always possible or practical.

DO use the same yarn weight if you want the same size

The finished size of a crocheted toy, blanket or item of clothing is dictated in a large part by the yarn weight. If you want the outcome of the pattern to be similarly sized to the one you’re following, keep that yarn thickness the same.

DO swap hook sizes if you change yarn weight

It’s tempting to keep the same hook even if you size up or down in yarn weight, because at a basic level it feels like it’ll help keep it consistent, right? Sadly, wrong. Always get your hook to match the yarn, even when following a pattern.

DO check your hook size even if the weight is the same

So variable are hook sizes, that you will find that different brands, fibers or varieties of yarn that are labelled as the same weight will often require slightly different hook measurements. Not all DK yarns need a 3.5mm hook, not all aran yarns need a 5.5mm hook. It ranges more than you might think, so it’s always worth checking.

DO try to use the same fiber

Unless you are subbing out your yarn due to an allergy, try to use the same fiber as is shown in the pattern as this can really influence the texture and elasticity of your finished crocheted item. If you do need to change fiber, away from wool for example, then try to find something that feels quite like it and has a similar amount of stretch.

DO color match before you begin

At the start of each project I lay out my yarns together, in their skeins, on a white sheet or clear table. Then I stare at them and make sure I’m happy with how they look in one place. It sounds a bit over the top, but it genuinely has saved me from some pretty awful color choices in the past.

DO check quantities and your budget

Price doesn’t just go up when you choose a more expensive yarn brand. It can also vary between yarns of the same cost, because the amount that you’ll need varies so much from skein to skein. Two 100g hanks of yarn of the same weight can have quite different yardages, so you’ll need more cakes of one brand than you would of another.

DO make a sample

Whenever you swap yarns, work up a little sample using the stitches you’ll need. Make sure you’re actually happy that it is likely to look and feel how you want it to.

DO check the gauge

The number of stitches per inch for a particular pattern changes based on a few factors. Different humans have varying tension, that’s why gauges exist. But something as simple as switching yarn can have an even bigger impact on the size of the stitches, and therefore how many fit in an inch space. This is particularly important if you’re making clothing to fit.

DO consider doubling up yarn strands

You can use multiple strands of finer yarns, to make up a thicker yarn, if you want the same weight. So say my pattern says use a 5mm hook and aran weight yarn? I could hypothetically use two strands of DK instead of one of aran. However, it’s still important to make up that sample to check you’ve got it right. Because this doesn’t directly translate for all types of yarn.

DON’T assume it will look the same

It never ceases to amaze me how different patterns look when tiny changes are made to the yarn. Just small changes, even with a color swap, can make a world of difference.

DON’T change yarn thickness if you want the same drape

This is a big one for substituting yarn in crochet clothes or wall hanging patterns, anything that dangles! To keep the crocheted product hanging in just the same way as your pattern shows, stick to that same thickness and fiber of yarn.

DON’T mix fibers and weights where they weren’t mixed in the pattern

Unless you like a bumpy, often misshapen look, mixing yarn weights in a pattern designed to use skeins of the same weight is never a good idea.

DON’T be afraid to experiment

All that being said… sometimes it’s great to throw caution to the wind and see what you come up with. I love making bold and different yarn choices, so give yarn substituting a go and see what you can create.

The post Tips for Substituting Yarn in a Crochet Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

Acrylic yarn has a bad reputation in some crocheting circles. It’s one of the cheaper options as far as fibers go, and can be prone to snagging and snapping, as well as having some other issues with washing. But I maintain that if you use acrylic yarn right, and choose it carefully, it can be a great yarn for crocheting.

To help you get the most out of your acrylic yarn skeins, here are my do’s and don’ts of crocheting with it.

DO stick to your budget

When something is relatively less expensive it can be tempted to get carried away when making purchasing choices. Buying more than you need, or colors you’ll never actually use, just because the price is low. And then you get to the cash register and realise you’ve spent more than you would on fewer skeins of a less budget friendly yarn. Doh!

DO check the texture

Acrylic yarns vary hugely when it comes to how they feel. You don’t want to spend hours working with something that feels uncomfortable against your hands. Nor do you want to pour your heart into a project that is unusable when it’s complete because no one is willing to wear (or hug!) it.

Take the new skein and rub it gently on the side of your face. If there is a loose strand, run it between your fingers and make sure the texture works for you.

DO check for breaks and burrs

Acrylic yarn is notorious for snagging and snapping. Nothing gets me more worked up than being part way into a project, and repeatedly having to cut off and reattach my yarn because it’s broken. And when I have to repair a finished blanket because the yarn keeps fraying, well, don’t get me started! It always pays to inspect the skein before you buy it, to make sure it’s not one that’s likely to be prone to breaking.

DO use a smooth hook

I find the head of a crochet hook varies hugely in quality, not just from brand to brand but with individual hooks within a set. When I’m working with a more delicate or temperamental yarn like acrylic I always check my hook before I begin. Take a strand of yarn and pull it back and forth through the head, making sure no bits of metal, plastic or wood catch on the yarn and stop it working continuously.

DO read the reviews

We all have different thoughts on yarn quality, texture and use, right? I don’t agree with my bestie about some of our favorite yarns, and neither of us is wrong, that’s just personal preference. However, looking at a range of views like you get in reviews online can give you a sense of whether overall this is a good yarn or one that is likely to get you all knotted up.

DON’T put it on a hot wash

Acrylic yarn is not a fan of the heat. In fact, if you get it too hot it’ll literally melt. It’s plastic after all, isn’t it. Make sure you avoid tumble drying, high temperature washing machine cycles, and ironing.

And I’d avoid using it for anything that might get hot either, like teapot cosies or oven mitts!

DON’T make swimwear with acrylic

I have washed acrylic yarn on occasion, and you wouldn’t believe how sodden the stuff gets. Add that to the natural stretch, and 100% acrylic yarn isn’t something you want holding your modesty in check in a bathing suit…

DON’T buy it just because it’s cheap

I’ve spent a whole bunch of money in my time on yarn that I didn’t need, and haven’t to this day used, because it was cheap. Buying inexpensive yarn as a cost saving measure is a total fallacy if you then don’t actually make use of it.

DON’T be put off acrylic yarn

A lot of people grumble about the downsides of acrylic yarn. And don’t get me wrong, it has plenty. But so do the other yarn fibers, just in different ways.

Acrylic yarn is a great option for plenty of projects, and is bank balance friendly, so it is often worth giving it a go. Who knows, you might just love it!

The post Tips for Crocheting with Acrylic Yarn appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

I have an exciting project planned this year, and I would love it if you’d like to join us on the journey. We are going to be making our very own yarn, from my family’s small flock of sheep.

It’s going to be a huge learning curve, and I’m going to break down the process into the steps that I believe we are going to need to take. I’ll blog as I go, and these are the areas that I think we’ll focus in onto. I will turn them into links as they unfold. So if you’re a bit late to the party click on those that have appeared and you can come along with us.

• Equipment
• Shearing
• Skirting
• Washing
• Drying
• Carding
• Spinning
• Dyeing

Washing

Sadly you can’t bung freshly sheared wool into the washing machine or you’d quickly end up with a gorgeous pile of felt. Fun for sure, but no good for making yarn.

What we’re going to need to do is bag up the wool in nylon sacks, possibly made from old tights or stockings! They will then go into a bath of hot water, get scrubbed, drained and the process repeated until all the dirt is washed away.

Drying

The wool will then be left somewhere clean to dry out. Hopefully we’ll have good weather and can hang it in bags in the yard somehow! I’ll have to investigate whether the tumble drier is a remotely viable option here.

Carding

This bit is where things get really interesting. Carding is a process of brushing out the wool so that all the fibers are smooth and laid in the same direction. We’ll need to decide between hand carding and using a machine, I expect for budgetary reasons we’ll be going with the hand option as it’s our first go.

The post Our Yarn Making Adventure Begins appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

The best yarn to crochet swimwear is often a bamboo or cotton blend. It is soft, absorbent and dries quickly. It doesn’t sag over time, bleed colors when you wash it, and is tolerant to the harsh chemicals of your local pool!

Today I’ll share my top 15 favorite yarns for crocheting swimwear and the material properties to look out for at the yarn store if you want to choose your own!

• 15 best yarns for swimwear.
• What materials to look for in your swimsuit yarn.

Crochet Swimwear

The first book of crochet patterns I ever bought – sometime in the early 2000s – included a pattern for an amazing black and white bikini set. But it included a caveat that obviously you couldn’t actually swim in it. Back then, there simply weren’t any yarns readily available to the average person that could be turned into functional swimwear. These days however, crocheters actually have a choice of yarns for making swimwear – whether for sunbathing, wearing at a festival, or even actually swimming in.

Crochet swimwear is here to stay, but since it all needs to be made by hand it – quite rightly – comes at a price.

The Best Yarn to Crochet Swimwear

The best yarns to crochet functional swimwear from are light weight, fast drying synthetics, with a small proportion of spandex or elastane to make sure they hold their shape. However for non-functional swimwear – for example a decorative bikini top that’s just for looking great in summer – you can worry less about these properties. What you might want to consider instead is a smooth, strong natural material like cotton or bamboo, which really shows off the detail lace or picot stitches.

Swimwear to Sunbathe in

Despite the name, plenty of us make swimwear without any intention of ever actually swimming in it! Crochet swimwear is perfect for sunbathing in, or making a statement at a party or festival. And if getting wet isn’t a concern, it has to be said that your yarn choices are far greater! So this is the category of recommendations we’re going to start with. Here are some tried and tested favorites, and what makes them such suitable choices:

Lily Sugar’N’Cream

• 100% cotton
• Widely available and easy to get your hands on
• Affordable – great for making a trial version of a new pattern
• Wide range of solid, ombre and self striping colors
• But, it’s not the softest to wear against your skin, and it’s so thick that gaps between your stitches are going to be hard to avoid
• Hook size: H (5mm)
• Buy it here*

Bernat Softee Baby Cotton

• 60% cotton, 40& acrylic
• Acrylic makes the fiber more durable, and machine washable
• It also helps garments hold their shape better
• Widely available in stores, and often available with seasonal discounts
• But, the color palette is limited to soft pastels
• Hook size: G (4mm)
• Buy it here*

Lion Truboo

• 100% rayon from bamboo
• Bamboo is an ultra sustainable and renewable source of fiber
• Extra smooth and gentle on your skin
• But, you might find it’s a bit too soft and supple, if you need your bikini top to give a bit of support
• Hook size: G (4mm)
• Buy it here*

Universal Yarn Bamboo Pop

• 50% bamboo, 50% cotton
• DK/light worsted weight
• Huge range of color options
• Bamboo is a sustainable alternative to cotton, with lots of the same properties
• But, it does split easily and some of the colors are slippery to work with
• Hook size: G (4.5mm)
• Buy it here*

King Cole Bamboo Cotton

• 50% bamboo, 50% cotton
• DK weight yarn
• Lightweight and soft – ultra comfortable to wear
• Washes well
• Hook size: F (4mm)
• Buy it here*

Gazzal Baby Cotton

• 60% cotton, 40% acrylic
• Very durable and resilient to washing
• One of the finest yarns in this list – this can be a good thing or a bad thing!
• On the one hand you use it to show off some beautiful and highly decorative stitching
• But on the other, it’s fiddly and takes much longer to make progress with
• Hook size: B (2mm)
• Buy it here Paid Link

Drops Muscat

• 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton
• Slightly smaller balls than usual – great if you want to incorporate a few colors into your swimwear, but you don’t want to spend extra or end up with lots of leftover yarn
• Machine washable
• Holds the structure of lace work well
• Hook size: G (4mm)
• Buy it here

Best Yarns for Swimwear to Swim in

Next let’s turn to the functional swimwear yarns – the ones you can actually dive into the pool wearing. These all have properties which mean they’re still wearable when they’re wet. They also all tend towards being narrower. This means they’re going to take longer to work up, but the results will be tighter, and the gaps between the stitches will be smaller. This is going to protect you from showing a little too much in your swimsuit, and you’re less likely to need a lining.

Cascade Cotton Fixation

• 98.3% cotton, 1.7% spandex
• Machine washable
• This yarn has the hippy, boho look of cotton, but with a bit of stretch to help it fit better and stay up when wet.
• But, there are some notable gaps in the colors available
• Hook size: F (3.75mm)
• Buy it here

Ice Yarns Swim

• 100% polyamide
• A yarn specifically made for swimwear!
• Doesn’t absorb and hold onto water like natural fibers will
• Fast drying
• But, the color palette is very limited
• Hook size: D (3mm)
• Buy it here

Alize Diva Stretch Bikini

• 92% microfiber, 2% elastane
• Possibly the holy grail of functional yarn to crochet swimwear from
• Holds its shape in water
• Dries fast
• But, it is very fine to work with
• Hook size: B (2mm)
• Buy it here

Alize Diva Plus

• 100% microfiber
• Similar properties to the Dive Stretch Bikini, but thicker and therefore faster to work up
• Huge range of colors
• But, it’s not widely available outside of Europe
• Hook size: G (4mm)
• Buy it here Paid Link

Himalaya Bikini

• 100% polyamide
• Lightweight and fast drying
• Easier to get hold of internationally than Alize brand yarns
• But, it’s another narrow one!
• Hook size: B (2mm)
• Buy it here

Himalaya Celinda Stretch

• 93% Acrylic, 7% elastane
• Added elastane means the garment stretches with your body and holds its shape when wet.
• The fiber has less of a sheen than the Diva Stretch, if that’s something you want to avoid.
• And it’s slightly thicker, making it a bit easier to work with.
• But, it’s not widely stocked, and some colors can be tricky to get hold of.
• Hook size: D (3mm)
• Buy it here

Best Yarn to Crochet Swimwear with

To crochet swimwear, it’s best to leave the fuzzy wools and linens in your stash, and reach for cottons, bamboos, and functional yarn made from materials like polyamide instead. If you want to swim in your crochet swimsuit, choose a specialist functional yarn with added spandex or elastane, so that it doesn’t lose its shape and fall off in the water!

If you’ve crocheted your own swimwear, let us know what yarn you used and whether you’re happy with the results using the comments section down below!

*The products linked in this pattern were carefully selected by Lucy Kate Crochet. If you decide to purchase using the links provided, we may earn a small commission on that sale. This is at no extra cost to you.

The post 15 Best Yarn To Crochet Swimwear With appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

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.

10. Yarn scraps

Finally, some of the best yarn for crocheting scarves is yarn you already have. Scarves are perfect for using up small quantities of wool which aren’t enough for anything else. Even the shortest scraps can be turned into a center on a granny square scarf. Scarves made with yarn scraps hold memories of all the projects which donated their leftovers to them too, which make them thrifty and extra special.

Best Yarn For Crochet Scarf Projects

There are practically no rules about the best yarn for crochet scarf projects, and even traditional wisdom like sticking to wool and acrylic can be overturned. Slinky silk and bamboo crochet scarves are perfect for practising decorative stitches and keeping the chill out in early autumn, for example. I’ve shown you some reliable favorites that you can’t go wrong with, but I’d love to hear which yarns you’ve made beautiful scarves in too. Share your experiences in the comments box down below!

The post Best Yarn For Crochet Scarf Projects appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

The best yarn for crochet cardigan making is washable, gentle on the skin, and beautiful to look at. Cardigan yarn can be synthetic, natural (either wool, cotton or bamboo), or a blend of fibers. Some mills even make recycled yarns that are good enough to wear now, so that your slow fashion cardigan is eco-friendly in more ways than one! In this article, I’m going to help you decide your priorities for a crochet cardigan yarn, and then match you with an example that fits them perfectly.

• Best lightweight (DK) crochet cardigan yarns
• Best worsted weight yarns for crochet cardigans
• Brilliant bulky yarns for extra cozy cardigans

What to look for:

There are some properties that any crochet cardigan yarn needs to have:

• Softness. Above anything else, crochet cardigans need to be comfortable and enjoyable to wear. Itchy cuffs and necklines are the ruination of a carefully made cardigan, so hard, stiff and scratchy yarns are out.
• Washability. Crochet clothes need to be safe to wash, either in the sink, on a gentle machine cycle, or (best of all) in a regular cycle with the rest of the week’s clothes. Washability means being colorfast and resistant to felting or shrinking. Some modern synthetic yarns are even tumble dryer safe.
• Beauty. Who’s going to put hours of work into an ugly cardigan? No one, that’s who.

But there are some decisions about your yarn that you’ll need to make:

• Weight. Most crochet cardigans are made with yarns between DK and bulky weight. Lighter yarns can be used but they take an awfully long time to work up. Heavier yarns can also be used, but they’re impractical if you want to layer a jacket on top. Within the DK to bulky range, your choice really depends on what you’re comfortable using, how much time you want your project to take, and how insulating you want the result to be.
• Fiber. The fiber you choose will greatly affect the properties of your cardigan. Cotton and bamboo yarns are lightweight and best for summer cardigans. Be aware that they also tend to shrink by around 5% the first time you wash them! Acrylic, wool, and acrylic-wool blends are warmer and more suitable for winter cardigans. Of these, wool is more sustainable, breathable, and holds it’s shape better over the long term. But acrylic and blended fibers are more affordable and more likely to be machine washable.

Your failsafe cardigan yarn choosing table

So, what are the best yarns to choose from? Here are 16 of the best yarns for crochet cardigans, organized by weight and fiber. I’ve assumed that everyone wants to be able to wash their clothes, and I’ve tried to pick yarns with generous color choices too. I’ve also tried to find a middle ground price-wise. None are dirt cheap, because there’s an element of ‘you get what you pay for’ with yarn and no one wants a cardi that disintegrates in the first wash. But none of them are eye-wateringly expensive either.

Click the names to find out why they made the cut! Some of the images in this article are affiliate links, which I’ve added primarily so you can see what the yarns look like. We may also earn a small commission (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.

Best light weight (DK) crochet cardigan yarns

DK yarns are the weight I learned to crochet with, and firmly in the center of my comfort zone. These yarns all work best on G/6 (4mm) to I/9 (5.5mm) crochet hooks. They make cardigans that are ideal for layering in spring and fall, but they work up more slowly than heavier yarns. So it depends how zen you feel about a long term project!

Bernat Softee Baby

Bernat Softee Baby* is a 100% acrylic yarn designed to withstand vigorous washing and remain gentle against delicate skin. The range of colors is a little limited, but it includes brights, pastels, twisted marls and neutrals to suit most wardrobes. It’s fully machine washable, and tumble dryer safe to boot. Just like Bernat intended, its a reliable yarn for making crochet cardigans for kids and babies.

Paid Link

Berocco Vintage Baby

This lightweight yarn* is blended from 52% acrylic, 40% wool, and 8% nylon. The wool imbues it with snuggly warmth, whilst the nylon makes it exceptionally hard wearing and washable (lots of sock yarns have between 10 and 25% nylon in for precisely this reason). This yarn also has a slight sheen, which lends itself really well to showcasing the stitch definition in crochet cardigans. It comes in 30 solid colors, and 9 sweet hand-painted shades.

Cascade Superwash 220

Cascade’s hugely popular Superwash 220* is made from 100% Peruvian Highland wool, and it’s named for the length of each ball – a generous 220 yards. It is, of course, also fully machine washable. Best of all, it comes in a staggering 133 shades, which makes it perfect for mixing and matching and turning into cozy granny square cardigans.

Paid Link

Cascade Superwash 220 Merino

Superwash 220 Merino* is the Superwash 220’s fancy cousin. It has premium-level softness without a hint of a tickle at the neckline. It comes in a slightly more restricted color palette, but there are still 101 shades to play with, so you’re unlikely to be left wanting. Crocheters who have used it already say it’s nice to work with, but one or two have had problems with dark colors bleeding into light colors in the wash, so hand launder it very gently!

Lion Brand Coboo

Coboo yarn is spun from 51% cotton, and 49% rayon fibers from bamboo*. It’s light, breathable and drapes beautifully – perfect for throw-on summer cardigans. It’s also very smooth, meaning it really highlights the detail in special crochet stitches. Bamboo-derived yarns are exceptionally sustainable and less environmentally damaging than cotton to produce too, meaning you’ll be more able to flex your green credentials when wearing a cardigan made in this yarn.

Paid Link

Best worsted weight yarns for crochet cardigans

Worsted yarns, also known as aran yarns, are usually heavier than DK yarns. But DK and worsted are actually different spinning processes, not a measure of thickness, so some DK yarns and worsted yarns are actually pretty close in weight! These four yarns all work best on I/9 (5.5mm) to K/10.5 (6.5mm) crochet hooks.

Premier Everyday Soft Worsted

Premier’s Everyday Soft Worsted is a 100% acrylic yarn. It comes in 66 solid colors which include fresh pastels, saturated jewel tones, and even neons, plus a further 8 painted yarns which work up with addictive color splashes on an off-white background. It’s budget friendly, and there are even free patterns for crochet cardigans in adult and child sizes using this yarn on the Premier website. It even promises to be anti-pilling.

Paid Link

Lion Brand Worsted Wool Ease Recycled

Lots of crafters are increasingly interested in the environmental impact of their materials. This sustainable offering from Lion Brand is an eco-conscious version of their flagship Wool Ease yarn*, spun from 80% recycled acrylic and 20% recycled wool. Paid LinkSome people who’ve used it report that it feels finer than other worsted weight yarns, and perhaps unsurprisingly the color range is somewhat limited. But I love the sentiment.

Paid Link

Mary Maxim Alpaca Tweed

Mary Maxim’s Alpaca Tweed* is perfect if you want a beautiful crochet cardigan, without the hassle of planning and executing color changes. The subtle tonal variations and color flecks in this 77% acrylic, 20% alpaca, 3% viscose blend are so attractive that just one color will make a garment that’s a feast for the eyes. Alpaca fleece is one of my favorite underrated fibers too – it feels like a real treat to wear, and it’s very warm.

Malabrigo Rios

Rios is a cult classic premium worsted weight yarn – Malabrigo describe it as their workhorse yarn* because it’s soft, strong, versatile and machine washable on a gentle cycle. It comes in nearly 180 shades including special color collections themed around the planets and the zodiac constellations. Every skein is hand dyed in small batches, so make sure you buy enough yarn for a whole cardigan before you start, to avoid obvious color changes.

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Lion Brand Pima Cotton

Pima cotton originates from Peru, and it’s spun from longer fiber strands than regular cotton, meaning it has a softer, smoother, superior texture. This pima cotton yarn* is perfect for making mid-weight crochet cardigans with a contemporary feel, that last a lifetime and only look better with age. The 12-color palette is a mix of bold brights, easy-to-wear muted tones, and variegated painted options.

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Brilliant bulky yarns for extra cozy cardigans

Bulky weight crochet cardigans are eye catching and modern. Best of all, they’re quick to finish, because they cover each square inch with fewer stitches! These yarns all work best on K/10.5 (6.5mm) to M/13 (9mm) crochet hooks.

Scheepjes Chunky Monkey

Chunky Monkey yarn is 100% premium acrylic*, meaning the fibers in the yarn are longer than average and wound together in opposite directions (known as S-on-S ply). This reduces pilling, because there are fewer fiber ends sticking out from the surface of the yarn, and the ends it does have are being kept under tight control by the ply structure. It’s also budget-friendly, lightning fast to work up, and comes in 93 colors.

Berocco Comfort Chunky

Berocco Comfort* Chunky is a 50:50 mix of acrylic and nylon. So it’s extremely hard wearing and washable. I think it’s the ideal yarn for kids’ cardigans, because I don’t like to spend too long working on something they’re only going to wear for a limited time before they grow out of it, and my daughter is a total mud-magnet! It comes in 37 colors, mostly mouth watering brights, with a few neutrals thrown in for good measure.

Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick

My fourth Lion Brand recommendation on this list! It’s a lot, even for me. But they’ve been spinning and shipping yarn from New Jersey for 145 years now, so is it any surprise they have absolutely all bases covered? Thick & Quick yarn* is an acrylic and wool blend with a loyal following. It comes in 80 newly-spun shades, which include ombre, flecked and metallic options, plus 7 colors spun from recycled fibers. It’s machine washable and ideal for making ‘coatigans’ – cardigans heavy enough to replace a coat in spring and fall.

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Valley Yarns Superwash Bulky

Yarn Valley is WEBS’ own brand yarn*, and its one of the few collections that includes a 100% wool bulky yarn. Possibly this is because pure wool bulky yarns are inevitably more expensive than lighter natural yarns, and blended bulky yarns. Luckily, Superwash Bulky is so good you won’t miss having more to choose from! It’s 100% merino, and comes in 24 carefully thought out shades. It’s quick to use, and quick to wash too, just pop it in the machine!

Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky

Berkshire bulky is a super soft blend of 80% wool and 15% alpaca*. It’s exceptionally warm and luxurious, for extra special cardigan projects. It comes in 22 sophisticated colors, and people who’ve used it before love how high and consistent the quality is. It is quite loosely spun though, meaning it will be prone to pilling under the arms, and it needs to be hand washed.

Wool & The Gang Big Love Cotton

Bulky weight cotton yarns are really unusual. This one from UK brand Wool & The Gang is certified organic by the Global Organic Textiles Standard, and vegan by The Vegan Society. The color palette is very restrained, but all of the colors in it can be mixed and matched with one another. You’ll also need to hand wash it. But if a crochet cardigan made from bulky cotton yarn is what you’re dreaming of, this is the yarn you’ll need to make those dreams come true.

Best yarns for crochet cardigans

There’s a crochet cardigan to suit everyone’s tastes and aesthetic, and countless yarns you can choose from to realize your creative vision. Yarn for crochet cardigans needs to be gentle enough to wear against your skin, practical and durable enough to wash and wear over and over again, and of course beautiful so that you want to wear it. Other than that, you’ll need to make decisions about what thickness you want the yarn to be, and what fiber it should be made of.

I hope this article has helped you find something suitable for our next project. Let us know which yarns caught your eye in the comments box down below – we’d also love to hear how any yarns you’ve already tried using for cardigans performed!

*The products linked in this pattern were carefully selected by Lucy Kate Crochet. If you decide to purchase using the links provided, we may earn a small commission on that sale. This is at no extra cost to you.

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6 of my favorite bag-making yarns

My top six yarns for making crochet bags, and some of the bags I’ve made with them are:

• Lily Sugar’n Cream Worsted
• Patons 100% Cotton DK
• Premier Ribbon
• Scheepjes Softfun
• Patons Linen
• Malabrigo Worsted

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

Lily Sugar’n Cream Worsted

Lily’s Sugar’n Cream yarns* are icons on the cotton landscape. Made from 100% American grown cotton, they come in a range of weights and dizzying array of solid and variegated colors. This yarn isn’t mercerized, so there’s more friction when you work with it. Which is useful for constructing heavy duty tote bags, or boxy bags that need to hold their shape a bit.

Patons 100% Cotton DK

Patons’ cotton DK* is a light weight mercerized yarn. Since it’s very smooth and relatively fine, it’s perfect for making string grocery bags. This bag is made with Patons 100% cotton DK in the shade ‘nougat’. I think the slight sheen produced by the mercerized yarn combined with the Pepto Bismol pink really enhances the whole retro-kitsch vibe!

A slightly heavier alternative is yarn giant Lion Brand’s 24/7 Cotton*, and ultra-smooth, mercerized, worsted weight cotton.

Premier Ribbon

Premier’s Ribbon yarn is a super bulky blend of 65% cotton and 35% polyester. It’s great for bags because it has minimal stretchiness, and even the roomiest of totes can be worked up relatively quickly. It’s also exceptionally hard wearing and washable, but unfortunately the range of colors is rather limited.

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Scheepjes Softfun

Scheepjes Softfun is a smooth and bouncy blend of 60% cotton and 40% acrylic. It’s the perfect fiber for crochet bags that you want to feel soft enough to use as a pillow at the beach or on the bus! This solid granny square bag is one of my current works in progress. It’s made using one ball each of Softfun in the shades canary, clay, olive, pine, mahogany, wheat and latte.

In fact, Softfun comes in 89 colors from deeply saturated jewel tones to fresh pastels, and it’s really good value. Which makes it the perfect yarn for experimenting and designing your own patterns with.

You can find a full pattern for this style of bag here.

Patons Linen

Patons Linen is a light DK yarn spun from 65% cotton and 35% linen. Linen yarns can be notoriously hard on fingers, but reviewers say this one is soft and comfortable to use. It will age beautifully when used for bags with a boho aesthetic. An alternative is Lion Brand’s Touch of Linen yarn*, which is slightly heavier (worsted weight), and contains 49% linen.

Malabrigo Worsted

Malabrigo is a premium yarn brand, and their worsted yarn is 100% merino wool from Uruguayan sheep herds, hand dyed in a kaleidoscope of mouthwatering shades. Since it’s single plied and pure wool, it’s ideal for making crochet bags that are destined to be felted. If you don’t felt it, be warned that it will pill furiously as soon as you put your bag into use!

Best yarn for crochet bags – summary

Several types of yarn are suitable for making crochet bags. For bags that are going to be felted, choose a single-ply pure wool, so the fibers are as exposed as possible, ready for matting together. For string market bags, lightweight cottons are ideal, because they fold up small in between uses. And for everything else, look at DK or worsted weight cottons, linens, or blends of those fibers. They are hardwearing, and least prone to sagging.

Let us know what yarn has caught your eye, and the pattern you have in mind, in the comments box down below!

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Once upon a time the differences between cotton vs acrylic yarn were huge. Cotton yarns were stiff, heavy and rough, but natural and ultimately biodegradable. Acrylic yarns were light and squashy, but synthetic and sweaty. Fast forward to now and some cotton yarns are silky soft, and some premium acrylic yarns are made from recycled plastics and barely distinguishable from real wool. So how is anyone meant to choose? By reading this article! Here are all the different ways acrylic and cotton yarns compare, and how to pick between them for your next project.

• What is cotton vs acrylic yarn?
• Comparing the two
• Working with acrylic vs cotton yarn
• Making your choice

What is cotton vs acrylic yarn?

There’s no mystery here really: cotton yarns are spun from cotton, a natural fiber harvested from the seed heads of cotton plants. And acrylic yarns are spun from synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels. Cotton has been used in textile making for millenia, whilst acrylic yarns were developed in the 1940s as a cheaper substitute for wool.

Thanks to these origin stories, cotton is widely perceived as being ‘better’ or more wholesome than acrylic yarn. But what about in your crochet projects? Well, it’s significant that acrylic yarns were created as an alternative to wool, not cotton. So their properties mimic woolen fiber, not cotton fiber. This means you can’t use cotton or acrylic interchangeably in all situations. But, modern yarn making techniques have definitely blurred the a lot of the differences that originally existed between the acrylic and cotton yarns.

Comparing the two

Here are some important fiber properties, and how acrylic vs cotton yarns compare:

• Texture
• Weight
• Water absorbency
• Wearability
• Durability
• Eco credentials
• Price

Texture

Comparing cotton vs acrylic yarn texture is complicated by the fact there’s a lot of variation between the different types of cotton yarn, and from one acrylic yarn to the next as well. Traditionally, cotton yarns were rougher to touch, more rigid, and had little stretch or ‘give’ in them, when compared to wool or acrylic. But these days, many cotton yarns are made smooth and soft through a chemical treatment process called mercerization. And some cottons are spun, or ‘plied’ in a way that makes them more squishy and stretchable than ever before.

On the other hand acrylic yarns have always been stretchier, squashier, and better for crochet projects which need a bit of drape. They’re also inevitably more fuzzy than cottons. In these pictures you can see how the fuzziness of acrylic yarn (bottom square) completely changes how much stitch definition you can see compared to using cotton yarn (top square):

Weight

Cotton yarns are significantly heavier than acrylic yarns. In the photo above, both yarns were labeled as DK weight, and both granny squares were worked on a 4mm crochet hook. But despite the cotton square ending up smaller, it still weighs more than the acrylic square. If you specifically want a light cotton yarn, look out for S-on-S plied cotton yarns such as Bernat Softee Cotton and Caron Cotton Cakes. S-on-S plied yarn structure is more airy than regular twisted yarns, and therefore lighter. But not as light as acrylic.

Water absorbency

Cotton and acrylic yarns respond very differently to water. Cotton yarns absorb water easily, and can hold a surprising volume of it! In fact it takes in water so easily that some crocheters find that working with it even dries the skin on their hands out. Since cotton holds on to water so readily, it also takes longer to dry after washing too.

On the other hand, acrylic yarns are hydrophobic. They hate water. This means they dry quickly after washing, but it also prevents them from wicking moisture away from your body, so they fell less ‘breathable’ and more sweaty.

Wearability

Cotton and acrylic feel very different to wear. Here’s a run down of how clothes made in each yarn compare:

• Cotton is heavier, and acrylic is lighter.
• Despite this, acrylic traps more warm air, so it is cozier for making sweaters and cardigans.
• Cotton is more breathable, and acrylic less so. Some people find acrylic rather sweaty.
• Since cotton fibers are smoother than acrylic, cotton is more comfortable to wear right next to the skin. Even the softest acrylics usually feel pretty itchy without a base layer underneath!
• Acrylic loses its shape more quickly than cotton. Both after each wash, and permanently after several washes.
• Acrylic yarns builds up static charge (the kind that makes your hair start to stand up). Cotton yarns do not.
• And finally under this heading, acrylic is much more flammable than cotton.

Durability

When we put hours of work into a crochet project, we want it to last, right? So how does cotton vs acrylic yarn measure up in this respect? Cotton is generally more hardwearing than acrylic. Acrylic yarns are more prone to wearing through, stretching out of shape and pilling (although specifically developed ‘pill resistant’ acrylic yarns are increasingly available).

Both fibers can be machine washed, which is a big advantage over delicate wools. A lot of cottons shrink by about 5% the first time you wash them though, which is not a problem you’ll have to worry about with acrylic. However, lots of people think that crochet cotton garments improve with washing – getting softer and more worn in, in a charming way – and this makes up for the hassle of factoring shrinkage when you make them.

Lastly, synthetic yarns are more colorfast than organic fibers, meaning the dye is less likely to bleed from one area of color to another in multicolor patterns.

Eco credentials

Once upon a time, a big draw of cotton fibers over acrylic ones was cotton’s naturalness. Plastic-derived acrylic yarns were synthetic, unnatural, and doomed to shed microplastics into the oceans forever. Whereas cotton yarns were natural, organic, and ultimately biodegradable.

These days we’re more aware of the impact cotton production has on the environment, in terms of water consumption, pollution by pesticides and fertilizers, soil erosion and destruction of vital habitats. Whatsmore, the introduction of acrylic yarns recycled from discarded single use plastics like drinks bottles means that this fiber is getting its own eco-friendly makeover. So, it’s no longer true to say that either fiber is unequivocably better for the environment than the other.

Price

Both cotton and acrylic yarns are available at a range of price points, from the premium to the purse-friendly. But cottons remain, on average, more expensive than acrylics. Both of these ball of yarn weighed 3.5oz when I bought them (I’ve already use quite a lot of the acrylic yarn on the left for a blanket!). The acrylic cost less than $3, and the cotton cost just over $7.

Working with acrylic vs cotton yarn

Some cotton and acrylic yarns feel very different to work with, and that means people tend to have strong feelings about working with one or the other. Mercerized cotton yarns are very smooth, making them a bit slippery to work with. But older cottons like Sugar ‘n’ Cream have the opposite problem. They are almost rough, making them a bit tough on your fingers.

Acrylics tend to divide opinion too. Some crafters love them, whilst others say the synthetic texture sets their teeth on edge. Some people also feel that they are a false economy, because they don’t last as well as natural fibers. My own opinion is that there are so many types of cotton yarn available to buy, and so many types of acrylic, that even if you’ve tried one and hated it, it’s worth trying a few others if you get an opportunity. A good way to do this is to look for yarn exchanges on social media, or in local community spaces like libraries.

Making your choice

When you’re working to a pattern that stipulates cotton or acrylic yarn, don’t swap for the other. As you can see in the photos for this article, it’s going to play havoc with your gauge, even if none of the other differences between them matter! For freestyle projects of your own design, consider these things:

Choose cotton for –

• Hardwearing items like storage baskets, purses and pencil cases.
• Items which need to absorb water, like dishcloths and facecloths.
• Clothes you’ll wear right next to your skin, like camisoles.
• Structured garments like boxy sweaters.
• Projects which focus on the sculptural quality of decorative stitches, like mandalas.

Choose acrylics for –

• Warm winter sweaters.
• Garments you can’t risk shrinking in the wash.
• Swimwear which is actually going to get wet (find out about specialist non-itchy synthetic yarns for making swimwear here).
• Items with high contrast color patterns.
• Big blankets, to keep costs down.

Still undecided? Then why not try a cotton acrylic blend, like Patons Cotton Blend 8-ply, or Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK, both of which are 50% cotton and 50% acrylic.

Summary

Acrylic yarns were really designed to work as substitutes for woolen yarns, not cotton ones. So, there are a lot of differences in weight, texture, and durability between cotton and acrylic. And whilst modern production methods have closed the gap between them a lot, you probably won’t mistaken one for the other any time soon! For this reason, think hard about what properties you need your crochet project to have before choosing a cotton vs acrylic yarn. And don’t swap one for the other when following patterns!

Let us know which of the two you prefer working with and why in the comments box down below

The post Cotton Vs Acrylic Yarn appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

Using a bigger crochet hook usually uses less yarn. Since the size and density of stitches in crochet is partly determined by hook size, it stands to reason that this will work to save wool. But, it can also have unwanted and unpredictable effects on the gauge and final size of the project.

A bigger crochet hook uses less yarn by length than a smaller crochet hook, to cover the same surface area. But it uses about the same amount by weight. To use a larger hook than a pattern calls for, you will probably need to adjust how many stitches are called for. You might also experience problems with tension, happiness in the fabric, and seams not matching up as they should. Ultimately the material saving will be limited too, so it’s not much use as a money saving hack.

Contents

• Does using a bigger crochet hook use less yarn?
• Measuring yarn: length vs weight
• How much yarn can you save?
• Why I love supersize projects

I love finding thrifty hacks to save money or make materials go further when I’m working on creative projects. It doesn’t usually stop me spending as much at the craft store, but it does at least make my hard earned cash go further!

Does Using A Bigger Crochet Hook Use Less Yarn?

The shortest possible answer to this question is ‘yes, usually’. So you can probably already tell that the answer is not entirely straight forward! Bigger hooks make loser, more open stitches which cover more area, using less yarn in the process. But needle size is not the only thing that determines consumption. Other factors include:

• Tension/gauge
• The type of fiber you’re working with
• The type of stitch you’re using

Measuring Yarn: Length Vs Weight

When you buy a ball of wool, take a look at the wrapper and you’ll find that the quantity is described in two units: length and weight. For example, some fingering yarn for making socks might say 100g/400m/437yds on the wrapper. That’s how much the ball weighs, and the length of it in meters and yards. By contrast, a ball of chunky yarn in my collection says this: 100g 80m/87yds. In other words, it’s shorter, but it weighs the same because it is thicker. No surprises there. But let’s see what this has to do with hook size.

Big hooks are usually reserved for chunky yarns, whilst narrower ones are used for fine fibers. Choosing an appropriate hook size for the yarn you’re working with is important for achieving the correct tension and gauge (ie. number of stitches per square inch). If you use a large hook to work with 4 ply wool, you will use less yarn, but there will be big gaps in your stitches, and it will be harder to make them all appear uniform.

In other words, using a bigger hook only uses less yarn if you bend the rules of how crochet is normally done. They use relatively less yarn if you measure it by length, but when used with a suitable thickness of yarn, they use about the same amount by weight.

Tell Me More About Bending The Rules Anyway

Say you want to make a beanie hat with a 22” circumference (which would fit most adults). The pattern you’ve found calls for a G hook (4.25mm) and DK wool. If you use an H or I and follow the pattern accurately, you will still use about the same amount of yarn, but your hat will be bigger than 22”. It could even fall off when you look down!

To actually use less yarn, you also need to adjust the pattern. Some beanie patterns are given in multiple sizes anyway, so you could try using a larger hook and following the instructions for a smaller size, so the two balance each other out. This is the easiest approach if you’re fairly new to crochet, but the results are not guaranteed to be successful.

Alternatively, if you’re feeling confident, you could make a sample of the main stitch used in the pattern using your bigger hook, and use the dimensions of that swatch to adjust the number of stitches in the headband to secure a proper fit.

But how far can either of these techniques take you? Well, you’re going to have to make a decision:

• Choose a hook which is only slightly bigger than the pattern calls for. Adjusting the pattern so the hat still fits will be easier, but the amount of yarn saved will be negligible.
• Have a go with a much bigger hook. The amount of yarn saved will be greater, but the pattern will need more adjusting. More importantly, you will end up with bigger gaps between your stitches, so your hat will be less warm. It’s also likely that you’ll have difficulty maintaining an even tension.

Is It Worth It?

I think it’s usually not. Trying to save yarn by using a bigger hook involves a lot of mental gymnastics to adapt the pattern, in exchange for very little in actual savings. Crochet patterns which call for big tools and bulky chenilles use fewer yards of fiber, but a similar amount by weight. So choosing these projects won’t save you money overall either. But, don’t throw your big hook down in disgust just yet!

Benefits of Using a Bigger Hook to Crochet

There are lots of things I love about projects that demand big tools!

• They often drape beautifully
• They work up quickly
• A bigger hook can help you avoid working too tightly
• They’re more comfortable to hold
• You’ll be able to see your stitches better

Big hooks make fabrics that drape beautifully

Crochet has always had a reputation for being a bit more rigid and boxy than knitting. And I think one of the reasons it’s seen an increase in popularity recently is that designers are starting to release patterns that do use slightly larger hooks than the weight of yarn traditionally calls for. And the result is a more supple, stretchy, modern fabric. Of course, this goes against everything I said earlier, but when you’ve got years of experience under your belt, that’s when you’re allowed to start bending the rules! And the results have been stunning.

Big tools + big yarn = quick progress

Making stitches on a bigger scale means you’ll finish a granny square, hat, or scarf in fewer stitches. So it’s perfect when you want a quick crafting fix, without committing yourself to weeks of effort. My favorite time to work on jumbo projects is when I need a break from something more long term and complex. Sweaters and blankets are feats of mental and physical stamina as well as craftsmanship. Taking a break in the middle to make something quick gives me a little dose of accomplishment and helps me power on with the rest of a big project.

A bigger hook can help you avoid crocheting too tightly

If your crochet naturally tends towards the tight, and your pre-project swatches always come up small, then working with a bigger hook can counteract that.

They’re more comfortable to hold

Lots of us have problems with dexterity in our hands for one reason or another. In my case, I suffer from chronic chilblains in winter, which causes swelling in my fingers and restricts how tightly I can curl them. When this happens, gripping small needles gets unrealistic, and switching to larger ones means I can keep on crafting. Other people I’ve spoken to say using a larger hook helps reduce cramp, muscle fatigue and joint pain.

You’ll be able to see your stitches better

If you have trouble seeing your stitches, working on a larger scale literally magnifies your work for you, and makes it simpler to keep track of progress. For novice crocheters, working in a smooth, chunky wool makes it easier to see what’s happening at each stage of the process, and also spot mistakes if it starts to go wrong.

Does Using A Bigger Crochet Hook Use Less Yarn? Summary

Do You Like Chunky Projects?

Let us know what you’ve been working on in the comments box down below!

Don’t Miss

• Fixing wonky work
• Mastering tension and gauge
• How soon will you be able to make sweaters?
• Do knitting patterns translate into the same number of crochet stitches?

The post Does Using A Bigger Crochet Hook Use Less Yarn? appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

Choosing the best yarn to crochet a blanket is a nerve-wracking part of getting started. Realising you’ve made the wrong choice half way through such a big project doesn’t even bear thinking about! Once you have experience using a handful of different yarns, you’re sure to form a preference for particular weights, fibers, and even brands, based on their finish, and their feel as your work with them. But if you’re struggling to work out which yarn to try first, I’m going to guide you through the properties you might want to prioritize. And I’ll recommend some tried and tested favorites, based on your choices.

• Choosing the best yarn to crochet a blanket
• What to look for
• 16 of the best yarns for crochet blankets

*The products linked in this post were carefully selected by Lucy Kate Crochet. If you decide to purchase using the links provided, we may earn a small commission on that sale. This is at no extra cost to you.

Choosing the best yarn to crochet a blanket

I’ve been crocheting for over 10 years, and I’ve definitely found a comfort zone when it comes to choosing yarn for blankets. Having a confident idea of which yarn will work well for my next blanket is great, because I can dive in knowing that the results will look good, and last well. Lots of yarns have the potential to work for blankets, but some are better suited to specific projects than other. What’s more, us crocheters are all unique – size and textures of wool that I love working with might not be the same as the ones that inspire you!

Experimenting with different fibers and trying out many different kinds of pattern are the best ways to find your own favorite blanket yarns. But if you’re making your first blanket, or even a new kind of blanket, for the first time, coming up are some things to look for when you choose your yarn. And in the following section, I’ve organized 16 recommendations so that you can see how they compare.

What to look for

When choosing the best yarn to crochet a blanket, here are the properties you’ll want to consider:

• Weight
• Fiber
• Pilling potential
• Color palette
• Cost

Weight

Let’s start with an important creative decision. Do you want to make a thick, plush blanket, or something more lightweight? If you have been spurred into action by pictures of other people’s projects, then you might already have an idea of the answer to this. But if not, here are some advantages and disadvantages of thick vs thin yarns.

Thick yarns are also known as bulky (size 5), super bulky (size 6) and jumbo (size 7) yarns. Lots of yarns in these categories are specifically marketed for making blankets from. You need to know that:

• They are quick to work with – thick yarn means big stitches, and fewer stitches to complete per square inch.
• Lots of beginners find thick yarns easier to manipulate.
• The results are dense, warm and snuggly.
• Since you can produce a large area of crochet quickly, bulky yarns are great for making a blanket big enough to cover a king size bed.

At the other end of the scale, DK (size 4) and worsted (size 5) yarns are popular for making more lightweight blankets. Some baby blanket patterns even use sport weight (size 3) yarn.

• Lightweight yarns require more stitches per inch than heavier yarns, so there’s more work to do and your project will take longer to complete.
• There is a much wider choice of different fibers and textures available, including sustainable natural fibers like bamboo, and luxury blends with ingredients like cashmere for extra special projects.
• Blankets in lightweight yarns have more potential for decorative detail, because the stitches are smaller.

Fiber

Next, what fiber will work best for your blanket? Synthetic fibers like acrylic are popular because they are economical to buy in bulk for large projects, come in a huge number of colors, are machine washable, and color fast. At the other end of the spectrum, luxury yarns made from 100% premium materials like merino wool or a cashmere blend can turn a simple blanket into an extra special gift, or an heirloom worthy of treasuring forever. In between, there are lots of wool blend yarns, that combine the warmth and appeal of natural fibers, with the practical benefits of a synthetic material. Finally, cotton yarns are another popular choice. Cotton fiber is heavier and less than squashy than wool or acrylic, but it is hardwearing and shows great stitch definition.

Pilling

Pilling is the enemy of the crochet blanket. Lots of fibers pill to some degree, and I try to remind myself that it’s a sign of a blanket which is well loved and used, rather than fighting against it. Some manufacturers also make yarns which they specifically describe as anti-pilling. I’ll admit right now that I haven’t tried any of them yet, but if you want to (and there are a couple of examples below) then please leave us your thoughts about them in the comments box later!

Color palette

If you already have a vision for the color palette of your blanket, then you’ll need to prioritize choosing a yarn which is available in all those colors. On the other hand, if committing to a color scheme is causing you almost as much stress as choosing a yarn, then picking a product which comes in a small number of colors that all complement each other already will solve two creative conundrums in one go!

It’s also a good idea to bear in mind that some yarns are more likely than others to vary in color between dye lots. For example hand dyed yarns, and yarns made entirely of natural fibers. If you can’t afford to buy all the yarn you need in one go, you might prefer to use a synthetic, mass-produced yarn, which is more likely to look consistent each time you buy some more.

Cost

You don’t need me to explain why cost is important we all have a budget to work within! To help you choose the best yarn for a crochet blanket project, I’ve tried to include an indication of the relative price of my recommendations in the next section.

16 of the best yarns for crochet blankets

Here are 16 yarns which all have the potential to work for blanket projects

Scheepjes Color Crafter, $

Color Crafter is 100% acrylic*, and comes in an absolutely whopping 93 solid shades, which makes it the perfect choice for blanket projects with lots of tonal color variation, such as temperature blankets.

The balls are generously-sized, and friendly on your purse. What’s more, Scheepjes promise this yarn is anti-pilling, so you can use it and wash it over and over again.

Scheepjes Merino Soft, $$$

Merino Soft is spun from 50% merino, 25% microfiber and 25% acrylic*, so it is warm, soft, light, and durable. It’s available in 56 irresistible colors, which are all named after famous artists.

This is my go-to yarn for baby blankets that I hope will be both used and enjoyed, and also loved enough to keep for younger siblings and even future generations.

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, $

24/7 Cotton is a versatile cult classic among crocheters. It’s 100% mercerized cotton*, which means it has been chemically treated to make the fibers more smooth and supple. The result is a yarn that’s easy to use, produces excellent stitch definition, and still drapes beautifully.

It comes in over 30 colors, but really shines when you use a limited color palette and play with different stitches to create texture instead.

Sirdar Snuggly Cashmere Merino, $$$$

Sirdar yarns come from Yorkshire – one of the oldest wool making regions in the world! Snuggly Cashmere Merino* is spun from 57% Wool 33% Acrylic 10% Cashmere, to give it an extra special touch.

The color palette is quite muted and limited, but the addition of some acrylic keeps it washable – so this is a great choice for a christening blanket, or a gift for a new baby.

Premier Everyday Anti-Pilling, $

Everyday Anti-Pilling yarn* is a great alternative to Color Crafter if you prefer worsted weight yarn to DK. It’s 100% acrylic, boasts anti-pilling technology, and comes in 66 colors from delicate pastels to super-saturated neons.

Best of all, it’s tried, tested, relied upon and recommended by thousands of other crocheters, so you know it’s not going to let you down.

Paintbox Wool Mix Aran, $$

This worsted weight wool mix is 50% wool and 50% acrylic*, for a perfect balance of warmth and washability. Paintbox are known for their colors, and this yarn comes in 48 easy to mix-and-match shades which take the headache out of planning a colorful granny square blanket.

Everyone has their own idea of which yarn has the exact right combination of properties for crocheting blankets, and for me, this is it.

Lily Sugar’n Cream, $

Sugar’n Cream is America’s most popular cotton yarn, and it’s easy to see why. It comes in a dazzling range* of solid, ombre, prints, and self-striping shades, all spun from 100% cotton grown in America. It’s hardwearing and long lasting, but it isn’t mercerized, so it’s less supple and bouncy than the other cotton yarns on this list.

Willow Dusk, $$$

Dusk yarn from Willow combines 80% wool with 20% super-soft alpaca fibers, for extra warmth and softness. It comes in a limited color palette of 12 beautifully muted shades that all work well together. Crochet blankets made from this yarn make extra special gifts for loved ones, and working with alpaca hair will be a pleasure for you too!

Bernat Blanket, $

Bernat brand yarns* have been available for years, but the introduction of their Blanket yarn *has raised their profile through the roof. This affordable 100% polyester yarn makes the softest blankets you will ever touch, and stands up well to washing. The thickness offers a good balance between being quick to work up, and narrow enough to play with pattern using it’s incredible 70-strong color palette.

Bernat Symphony, $

Symphony is a chunky, fuzzy*, 80% acrylic and 20% wool yarn. In technical terms, it’s a lightly brushed roving yarn, which means the fibers have only been loosely twisted together, and then combed slightly to tease out lots of little wispy bits. Blankets crocheted from this yarn are exceptionally warm and soft to touch, but nearly impossible to unravel if you make a mistake, because the wispy bits knot together. So if you’re not feeling confident, save this for another day!

Bernat Maker Home Dec, $

We’ve talked about how cotton is heavier than wool or acrylic. This presents a problem if you want to make a blanket with bulky cotton yarn, because it could end up weighing a lot. Well, Bernat have offered a solution in the form of Home Dec*, which has a tubular cotton exterior, and a nylon core. It’s attractive and eye-catching, not to mention washer and dryer friendly. But unfortunately it does only come in 16 shades, of which only 8 are solids.

K + C Roving Yarn, $$

Another loosely-twisted roving yarn, this time made from 100% wool. It only comes in 12 chic colors, and blankets crocheted from this yarn are dense, squashy, and luxurious. They deserve to be draped over a sofa next to a beautiful fire place, and have their picture posted all over social media. They are also hopelessly impractical and pill as soon as you use them, but I don’t care – this yarn is a beauty.

Bernat Blanket Extra, or Blanket Big

First came Bernat Blanket, then came its big brother Blanket Extra*, and it’s even bigger brother, Blanket Big*. These are the yarns for you if you want to get playful with scale, or make a king size blanket in a day. They’re both 100% polyester, and produce crochet with a chenille-like feel to it.

Yarn Bee Effortless Super Bulky, $

Yarn Bee from Hobby Lobby is a well-established brand boasting dozens of products, but let me draw your attention this 76% acrylic, 20% alpaca and 4% rayon super bulky yarn specifically. It comes in a limited palette of nature-inspired dyes, and it’s perfect for making soft, sophisticated blankets quickly!

Darn Good Yarn Cotton T-Shirt, $$$$

Darn Good Yarn are a company with a mission to produce sustainable luxury yarns, and promote ethical working practices. This bulky yarn is made from ribbons of rescued pima cotton leftover from t-shirt manufacturing. It’s 90% cotton, 5% viscose and 5% elastane, soft, highly washable, and keeps material out of landfill.

Morehouse Bulky, $$$$

Morehouse Farm’s bulky yarn is made from 100% plump merino wool. It comes in 21 shades covering bright and muted tones, and makes short work of even large blankets. If you have the budget and want to treat yourself to something special, you can’t go wrong with this yarn. Treat your blanket carefully though, and always wash it by hand!

Choosing the best yarn to crochet a blanket

Blankets are big projects. Even using bulky yarns, they represent a significant investment of time, money and effort. There are a huge number of yarns you could use, but I ultimately have one simple philosophy about making the final choice:

The best yarn to a crochet a blanket from is one you won’t get sick of looking at, half way through.

So start with a spark of an idea that excites and inspires you, and keep hold of that when you make the rest of your choices. There might be some compromises you have to make in other areas (for example compromising fiber content for the right color palette), but the original spark will keep you motivated to finish your project, and the result will always be something you love. Enjoy!

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