Crochet can be done with any weight of yarn, but it is often done with DK-weight or worsted-weight yarn. You can also use crochet thread, which is mercerized (shiny) laceweight cotton, to create tiny, detailed lace projects.
Below are some recommendations for different weights of yarn from a favorite store of mine, Imagiknit, in San Fransisco, CA.
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Type |
Weight |
Yarn Name |
Characteristic |
|
|
Mercerized cotton |
#20 Crochet thread |
|
Double mercerized |
|
|
Mercerized Egyptian cotton |
#10 Crochet thread |
|
Available in 56 colors |
|
|
Cotton |
DK |
|
Soft, lots of colors |
|
|
Cotton/acrylic |
DK |
|
Good yardage per ball |
|
|
Cotton/yak/nylon |
DK |
|
Fuzzy, chainette construction** |
|
|
Cotton |
Worsted |
|
Affordable, lots of colors, high twist |
|
|
Cotton |
Worsted |
|
Chainette construction** |
|
|
Mercerized cotton |
Worsted |
|
Self-striping, vibrant colors |
|
|
Cotton/nylon |
Worsted |
|
Soft, light, and lofty |
|
|
Cotton/nylon |
Worsted |
|
Self-striping |
|
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Cotton/merino |
Aran |
|
Chainette construction** |
|
|
Cotton/acrylic |
Bulky |
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Smooth, easy to crochet with |
|
|
Merino wool |
Bulky |
|
Soft and warm |
|
|
Merino/cotton |
Bulky |
|
Chainette construction** |
*Not machine-washable
**Fibers with a chain construction, as opposed to twisted into plies, ensure that the yarn won't split when you insert your hook in the stitches (a major annoyance for crocheters).
This is a small piece of our soon-to-be published Crochet class. Choosing yarn fibers, planning for yardage, and budget-friendly choices will be thoroughly covered. Stay tuned!
Leave a Comment
Do you have a favorite yarn for crocheting? Inspired by any of these yarns? Let me know in the comments!
6 thoughts on “Recommended Yarns for Crochet”
thank you so much for this guide. I recently started making crochet toys which always call for cotton yarn and have had difficulty finding the brands recommended. Now I have a list!!
Hi Mary,
I’m so excited this list is going to help you! Thanks for commenting and letting us know.
What is mercerized and double mercerized yarn?
Hi Donna,
Great question! Mercerizing is a chemical process usually done to cotton yarn that makes it more shiny, smooth, and absorbent. Double mercerized is the cotton when it has been mercerized then woven.
Here is a great article that explains it nicely:
https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2016/04/27/mercerizing-makes-cotton-extrasmooth
I crocheted almost exclusively with Cebelia Cotton #30, #40, #20 — in that order of preference. I also like — no, love — Nazli Gelin Garden Cotton Thread #10, a 100% mercerized Egyptian Giza cotton milled in Turkey. Nazli Gelin means “shy bride” in Turkish. I’ve got lots of balls that I used to crochet with, but now I knit with it on size 0-1 needles. It’s really a joy to work with, no splitting, a lovely sheen. The pattern I’m working on, Bedspread (Counterpane with Leaves), is an old-timey design, with 4 individual triangles joined to make one square, and 49 squares — 7×7 — making the spread. Here’s a link to the pattern: https://www.knitting-and.com/crafts-and-needlework/knitting/patterns/afghans/bedspread_counterpane_with_leaves/. If you like knitting with thin thread and tiny needles, you might enjoy this one, it’s such a fun knit.
Hollis, thank you for the recommendation of yarn! I am going to add it to the chart. And that site you linked to is amazing! A great resource. Thank you so much.