The Best Crochet Yarn

Crocheting has been a beloved and rewarding pastime throughout the ages. Once you learn the ropes, all it takes is a couple of skeins of yarn, a hook, and some patience to create beautiful homemade garments and accessories from scratch. The first step to any successful crocheting endeavor is selecting an appropriate high-quality yarn. In this piece, we've rounded up some of the best crochet yarn on the market to help you get started.

What To Look For

Before you decide which crochet yarn you want to buy, there are a few important considerations you should mull over. Firstly, select the right weight. Yarn weight refers to the thickness of the yarn’s thread. If you want to make weighty garments such as beanies or sweaters, a thicker skein will make your job a whole lot easier. However, if you want to create detailed, intricate bedspreads or tablecloths, you would be better off with a low-weight yarn. Ultimately, as long as you choose a crochet yarn with an appropriate weight, color scheme, and fabric for the projects you intend to work on, you’ll be in good shape. With that said, we feel that Lion Brand’s Wool-Ease crochet yarn is the best of the bunch. This highly durable yarn finds a happy medium between chunky and fine, making it an excellent choice for sweaters and beanies. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something a little more colorful, it would be hard to go wrong with Lion Brand’s Landscapes collection. This bright selection features a diverse array of variegated yarns with tasteful color schemes for crafting unique, eye-catching garments. Keep reading to find out more about the rest of our top picks.

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Crochet Yarn

Best skeins on the scene

Exceptionally easy to work with, this durable acrylic yarn comes in a wide variety of colors and styles.
Best Overall

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Lion Brand’s Wool-Ease crochet yarn is an exceptional choice because of its strength, malleability, and wide color variety. With an 80% acrylic and 20% wool fabric blend, this yarn feels soft, yet also enjoys the weighty durability of wool. What’s more, its fairly hefty weight makes it easy to craft bulky garments such as sweaters and beanies. We also love that Lion Brand’s Wool-Ease crochet yarn is available in single-color and variegated options.

Pros:

  • Machine-washable and dryable
  • Ideal for beginners
  • 106 yards of yarn per skein

Cons:

  • Its wool content makes it more durable than many of its competitors, but it’s a bit rougher as a result

Lily Sugar ‘N Cream Crochet Yarn

Tie the knot

Your next project is sure to be a success with this highly malleable and colorful cotton yarn.
Runner Up

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If you intend to craft crochet garments, it’s essential to find a yarn brand that prides itself on softness. Lily’s Sugar ‘N Cream crochet fabric utilizes a 100% cotton fabric blend, making it considerably softer than acrylic and wool alternatives. This mid-weight yarn is malleable and easy to work with, making it a fitting option for crafting all types of woven garments. Not to mention, it’s an affordable choice.

Pros:

  • The starter end comes out from the skein easily
  • Versatile enough for a wide variety of projects
  • Eclectic collection of colors

Cons:

  • The dye may run in the wash

Lion Brand Landscapes Variegated Crochet Yarn

Creative and colorful

Expand your creative horizons with this eclectic collection of variegated crochet yarns that span the color spectrum.
Best Variegated

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Variegated yarn blends threads of multiple colors into a single skein, allowing you to create multi-colored garments with ease. Lion Brand’s Landscapes collection features an eclectic array of variegated yarn skeins, each featuring a unique color scheme. Their 100% acrylic fabric blend makes these skeins feel weighty and durable while retaining softness. What’s more, you can machine wash garments made with Landscapes yarn without fear of damage or shrinkage.

Pros:

  • Available in multi-packs
  • Unique fabric consistency
  • Seamlessly blending colors

Cons:

  • It can get tangled easily

Bernat Baby Blanket Super Bulky Crochet Yarn

Off the hook

Thanks to its irresistibly soft polyester threads, this chunky crochet yarn is ideal for crafting baby blankets and sweaters.
Best Chunky Yarn

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Bernat’s super-bulky Baby Blanket yarn is some of the softest yarn we’ve come across in our research. Thanks to its heavy weight, this option is an excellent choice for folks looking to craft large garments and blankets quickly. Bernat offers its Baby Blanket crochet yarn in vibrant single-color options as well as detailed variegated ones. Plus, the 100% polyester fabric blend makes it possible to machine wash this yarn.

Pros:

  • The thick yarn enables you to finish projects more quickly
  • Economical pricing per meter
  • Improved resistance to fraying and shedding

Cons:

  • There are only 72 yards of thread per skein

Aunt Lydia’s Classic Fine Crochet Yarn

Silky smooth

Due to its extra-fine thread, this crochet yarn is an excellent choice for tablecloths and bedspreads.
Best Fine Yarn

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If you want to create gorgeously detailed tablecloths and bedspreads, Aunt Lydia’s ultra-fine crochet yarn might be just what the doctor ordered. Thanks to its low yarn weight, this option is exceptionally well-suited for crafting ornate blankets and doilies. With a 100% mercerized cotton fabric blend, Aunt Lydia’s crochet yarn is a standout for its softness and malleability. We also love that Aunt Lydia’s skeins provide much more thread than many of its competitors.

Pros:

  • 1000 yards of thread per skein
  • Easy to unspool
  • Exceptionally soft

Cons:

  • We wish Aunt Lydia offered this yarn in more color options

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between crocheting and knitting?

Crocheting and knitting are similar processes, but there are a few notable differences between the two. Crocheting involves using a single hook to build yarn stitches on top of one another. Knitting, on the other hand, requires two needles, and the stitches are held directly on the needle instead of the garment.

What are some common crochet yarn fabrics?

Yarn manufacturers utilize a number of materials to create their skeins. Fabrics such as wool, acrylic, polyester, and cotton are some of the most common yarn fabrics. Oftentimes, manufacturers will blend multiple fabrics in a single skein to increase softness or durability.

About the Author

There's no better feeling than walking out the door in well-made clothes that make you look and feel great. Nick’s goal is to help readers feel that way every day. A true New Yorker, Nick is always up to date on the latest trends fresh off the runway. When he’s not writing about fashion, you can find him writing and producing music.

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