The Best Yarn for Crochet Projects, According to Crafting Experts
Although you can use any kind of yarn for crocheting accessories, clothing, and other fun designs, textile artists know it best: all yarns aren’t created equally. In fact, after completing hundreds of projects, our team has grown pretty familiar with the best yarn for crochet. Read on to find out which yarn is best for your project or pattern!
Generally speaking, the best yarn for crochet will depend on the project. For instance, the yarn you use for a plush hat might not be the best for something sturdier like a coaster. Factors like weight, fiber type, and texture all impact the finished product.
If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. We remember what it’s like to be a crocheting newbie! That’s why we’ve created this guide for beginners to cover the basics of yarn to help you get the ball rolling (pun intended). Read on to discover the best yarn for your next crochet project!
Our Top Picks:
- Best Yarn for Beginners: Lion Brand Pound of Love – $13.99 at Amazon
- Best Budget Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver – $3.59 at JOANN
- Best Yarn for Hats and Mittens: Bernat Softee Chunky – $7.19 at Amazon
- Best Heavyweight Yarn for Winter Projects: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Quick and Thick – $8.99 at Michaels
- Best Yarn for Clothing: Caron Skinny Cakes – $12.99 at Michaels
- Best Yarn for Blankets: Bernat Blanket – $12.72 at Amazon
- Best Value Yarn: Bernat Super Value – $10.52 at Amazon
- Best Yarn for Kitchen Projects: The Original Lily Sugar’n Cream Yarn – $3.99 at JOANN
- Best Yarn for Babies: Lion Brand Ice Cream Yarn – $6.94 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Yarn for Crochet
1. Best Yarn for Beginners: Lion Brand Pound of Love
Lion Brand Pound of Love yarn is a staple for many crocheters — it’s affordable, top-quality, and super versatile, regardless of whether you’re making a blanket or granny squares. What we especially LOVE about it is that it’s available in a ton of colors! Whether you’re going for a bold and bright or a subtle and neutral palette, you’re practically guaranteed to find the color you’re looking for.
It’s made from 100% premium acrylic that has a smooth texture and medium weight, so it’s not too thin or thick to work with. The consistent thickness of the yarn helps to make your stitches look more uniform, which is helpful when you’re just starting out. The texture is soft enough to crochet a piece of clothing while still being durable enough for everyday wearables that you’ll need to hand wash and dry often.
2. Best Budget Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Red Heart Super Saver yarn is a popular choice among crocheters because it’s a value that gives you major bang for your buck. It’s very durable, each skein has 360 yards of yarn, and it’s available in more than 120 beautiful solid and ombre colors.
The yarn is a 100% acrylic fiber worsted weight yarn, which means it’s medium weight and great for everything from mittens to sweaters. The smooth texture makes it easy for beginners to work with since it slides smoothly over the hook to produce smooth stitches. Some crocheters even find that its slight stiffness is ideal for projects that require structure and durability, since they’ll likely take a beating and need to be washed and dried all the time.
3. Best Yarn for Hats and Mittens: Bernat Softee Chunky
This is our go-to yarn for most winter crochet projects because of its thick weight. It’s great for projects that are on the heavier side, like a hat or mittens. Because of its weight, you’ll want to use a larger 8mm crochet hook.
It’s also a pretty affordable option considering its thickness, and it even comes in a large variety of colors. As a a bonus, the acrylic build makes washing and caring for your projects super simple.
4. Best Heavyweight Yarn for Winter Projects: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Quick and Thick
The name says it all! We recommend this high-quality yarn for beginners, especially if you want to crochet something cozy and chunky to keep you (or a loved one!) warm during the cold months. Just make sure to pick up a 10 mm hook since the yarn itself is VERY thick — if you use a smaller hook, you’ll probably struggle with getting into the stitches.
There are a ton of colors to choose from and each skein is made from a combination of wool and acrylic fibers. The wool retains elasticity but doesn’t felt together, so if you make a mistake you can easily undo it. Meanwhile, the acrylic fiber content adds durability and makes it easy to care for.
5. Best Yarn for Clothing: Caron Skinny Cakes
The Caron Skinny Cakes is a great yarn for crocheting wearables. It’s thin enough to make a soft and light piece that’s breathable and sits nicely on the body. However, the yarn isn’t so thin that it takes forever to complete a project. Trust us when we tell you that any project that takes too long is more likely to be abandoned half way through!
Since the yarn is acrylic, it’s super easy to work with and the final product can be machine washed and dried.
6. Best Yarn for Blankets: Bernat Blanket
For a soft and snuggly blanket, Bernat Blanket yarn is a great universal choice. It’s a thicker yarn that works up quickly, regardless of whether you’re double crocheting or opting for a treble stitch. We also found that it’s a fan favorite since it crochets so smoothly and easily, and comes in a large variety of colors and variations. Plus it’s acrylic, so it’s completely fine being thrown in the washer when needed.
7. Best Value Yarn: Bernat Super Value
This is our go-to yarn for items that won’t be up against your skin because it’s not the softest option of the bunch. It’s 100% acrylic so it’s fine to be tossed in the washer when your item needs to be cleaned, and you get a solid bang for your buck at 7 ounces of yarn for less than $15. You can also use it for crocheting flowers or amigurumi figures.
8. Best Yarn for Kitchen Projects: The Original Lily Sugar’n Cream Yarn
We recommend 100% cotton yarn for any and all kitchen projects. Cotton yarn is very strong and absorbent, making it perfect for dishcloths. This yarn by Lily Sugar n’ Cream fits the bill, and it’s great for any patterns that may be exposed to high temperatures, like a pot holder or a coaster. Acrylic yarn will melt, but cotton yarn can handle the heat!
Cotton yarn is also great for making bags! It’s strong and durable (meaning it doesn’t wear down too quickly) and it has more friction when you work with it. We find this SUPER helpful for making tote bags that need to hold their shape a bit!
9. Best Yarn for Babies: Lion Brand Ice Cream Yarn
The Lion Brand Ice Cream yarn is our go-to for making really soft baby items that won’t irritate their delicate skin. It’s super soft, lightweight, and comes in a good variety of colors. One ball is enough to make an average sized baby garment and two will make a baby blanket, making it an affordable option for larger projects.
It’s made of 100% acrylic, which means you can toss it in the washer as needed (and trust us — knowing how messy babies can get, you’ll want to!).
Why You Can Trust Us
Hi, and welcome to One Little Project! Our team is incredibly passionate about craft and art projects. We love to share our favorite crafts and recipes with tips and tricks so you can make them too, one little project at a time!
Like most other crochet enthusiasts, we talk A LOT about the best yarns for different projects. We even have an expert crocheter on the team who has made more than 100 projects, so she knows her stuff! Using the team’s expertise, we created our list of the best yarn for crochet by considering weight, thickness, color options, materials, and, of course, all of the different types of projects you can make.
What to Know About Yarn for Crochet
Things to Consider When Choosing Yarn for Crochet
For a beginner, learning the basics is very important. We have lots of tutorials online to help you out! It’s important to select the right yarn for each project to avoid unneeded frustration.
- Type of Project: The pattern you’re following will be the largest deciding factor in what kind of yarn you should use. Since thicker yarns have bigger gauges, they’re better for heavy-duty projects like hats, mittens, or toasty throw blankets. If you’re planning on making granny squares or home decor, you’ll want something in the mid-range, while clothing or accessories may warrant something on the thinner side. Ultimately, it’s up to personal preference, but you should definitely consider durability prior to choosing your yarn.
- Materials: Most of the picks on our list are made from acrylic since it’s easier to wash. However, not all yarns are created equally. So you’ll want to pay close attention to the fiber blend, whether it be acrylic/wool, 100% acrylic, 100% cotton, and so on. All of these are good options, but it just depends on what you’re planning to make.
- Price: Skeins of yarn typically don’t go for too much when you’re shopping at retailers like Amazon, JOANN, or Michaels. However, you’ll still want to make sure you’re choosing a budget-friendly option, since larger items will require more than one skein. You don’t want to end up with a super costly yarn if you need to buy three of them!
How to Hold Yarn for Crocheting
For first timers, we recommend following our step-by-step tutorial that has both pictures and video on how to crochet a coaster. First, you’ll learn how to make a slip knot and place it on your hook as an anchor before building a chain, and then using a slip stitch to create double crochets. Once you pick up the basics, you’ll quickly learn it’s all about repetition.
If you can finger knit, you can quickly learn how to crochet! It may take some practice to develop muscle memory and your loops may not be even the first time. That’s okay! With practice, you’ll get better.
Is Cotton or Acrylic Yarn Better for Crochet?
The best yarn type will depend on the project, as different projects will turn out best with different yarns.
- Cotton yarn: Cotton yarn is made from natural fibers. It’s soft and durable so it’s great for wearables that need to hold up against wear and tear. It’s also great at absorbing moisture and dries quickly. We recommend using it for kitchen or bathrooms items, like dishcloths or towels. One thing to keep in mind is that it will have less stretch than acrylic yarn and it could shrink when washing.
- Acrylic yarn: Acrylic is a man-made fiber made from petroleum-based polymers. It’s usually affordable, versatile, and comes in a wide range of colors. We like it because it’s softer to the touch and stretchier, which makes it great for items worn close to the skin like sweaters, hats, scarves, and baby blankets. It’s machine washable and usually resistant to shrinking, fading, and stretching.
How Do I Know What Size Yarn to Crochet?
Determining the size of yarn you need for your crochet project involves several factors, including the yarn weight, recommended hook size, and gauge. Yarn is categorized into different weight categories — it ranges from lace weight (super fine) to jumbo (super bulky). Each weight category corresponds to a specific thickness and recommended hook size.
Common yarn weight categories and hook size include:
- Lace (0): Advanced crocheters use this yarn for delicate projects like shawls and doilies. It requires a thin crochet hook, like this 0.5 mm option.
- Fingering (1) or Super Fine: This one’s ideal for lightweight wearables, socks, and accessories. You’ll want to use a small to medium-sized hook.
- Sport (2) or Fine: This yarn works best for baby items, lightweight wearables, and accessories. It’s best worked with a medium-sized hook.
- DK (3) or Light: This one is very versatile for a wide range of projects, including garments, blankets, and toys. You should use a medium-sized hook.
- Worsted (4) or Medium: This is the standard weight for most crochet projects, including sweaters, and home decor. A medium-sized hook is a good option.
- Bulky (5) or Chunky: Great for quick projects like scarves and hats, or even blankets. You’ll want a large hook that can easily slip into the stitches.
- Super Bulky (6) or Jumbo: This is the best one for beginners. It’s ideal for fast, chunky projects like rugs and oversized blankets. This requires an extra-large hook.
Gauge:
- Gauge refers to the number of stitches and rows per inch or centimeter achieved when crocheting with a specific yarn and hook size.
- Checking gauge is important for projects where size matters, such as garments and accessories, since it ensures that your finished item will be the correct dimensions.
If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry. All of our crochet tutorialswill tell you what size yarn and crochet hook to use. When you buy yarn, the label will also provide information on the recommended hook size. Plus, you can always experiment with different yarn weights and hook sizes to achieve the look and feel you want for your project.
What are the Best Yarn Brands?
There are several well-known and reputable yarn brands. Our team loves Lion Brand Yarn, Red Heart, and Bernat.
More Great Crochet Tutorials
Are you ready to start your first crochet project? Here are a few of our favorite projects for you to try!
