32 Crochet Ideas for Aran or Worsted Weight Yarn
Do you have a bunch of medium yarn, aran or worsted weight, that you just don’t know what to do with? You’re in the right place. I’m going to start by sharing some general inspiration for bags, clothes and accessories, slide into some really beginner friendly amigurumi patterns and then finish off with some slightly more detailed, intermediate and advanced crochet toy designs.
In the UK our yarn’s are more often labelled as Worsted or Aran, but in the US they are more likely to be Worsted or medium. But these all can come under the heading of medium, which is more of an umbrella term for most crocheters.
Variation in Yarns
Medium weight yarn is one of my favorites because it’s so versatile in the projects it can be used for. And that’s because it’s not one homogenous blob of yarn that’s all created equal. In fact, medium yarns vary wildly in terms of their texture, elasticity, strength, feel, appearance and even thickness.
Medium weight yarns are actually between described as medium thickness. And depending on the fiber used to create the yarn, the weight and therefore thickness of each strand you’re crocheting will vary quite a lot.
Bags
I have made a lot of crochet bags over the past few years, and almost all of them were made using this weight of yarn. Partially this is because when you use a lighter weight yarn to make a big project, it takes a lot more time! Finer yarn means a smaller hook, which means more stitches for the same finished area. And bags have a bigger surface area than you might think.
Medium weight yarn is absolutely perfect for crocheting bags with, and it’s my go-to thickness for this type of project. I highly recommend a cotton or cotton blend too, for the perfect practical finish with just the right amount of strength. I have also used nylon blend yarns for bags, which has it’s up and downsides. The finish is gorgeous, really smooth and neat looking. And the nylon is fairly strong too. However, it’s also got more stretch too it than the higher cotton percentage yarns which is less ideal if the bag is intended to carry heavy things as it can distort the shape. On the flip side I find the straps way more comfortable to use with the nylon.
Clothes and Accessories
I don’t crochet clothes as much as I’d like to, but some of my favorite accessories have been made with aran weight yarn. I also tend to favor it for interior projects like cushions or throw pillows. You’ve got a bit more freedom with fibers for these type of projects too.
Again crochet clothing takes up an awful lot of space, particularly if you are making a bigger project like a sweater or a cardigan. Aran weight yarn with it’s comparatively larger hook size means you need fewer stitches to complete the garment. Which is less time consuming, and means you’ll need to buy fewer skeins if you’re lucky.
Beginner Friendly Amigurumi
These plush patterns are specially designed to be simple and fast to hook up, but have a bold and colorful finish. And medium yarns work really well for all of them, with these designers lending themselves to chenille or plush yarns for that soft and huggable finish.
Crochet Toy Patterns
My more detailed amigurumi patterns are where the heart of my interest in crochet really lies. These are some of my designs which make use of aran weight yarn. You’ll notice that although the yarn weight is the same as those in the previous section, the finish is really different as these were made with acrylic or cotton blend yarns.
