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Best yarn for crochet in any style, from wool to acrylic and more

2024-06-03

Knowing where to start is always the daunting part. Especially when it comes to yarn as you can crochet with any material. We’ll break it down for you:

  • Wool is easy and fun to manoeuvre making it suitable for beginners. Wool yarn is perfect for making chunky pieces like sweaters, hats, scarves and bags 
  • Cashmere is ideal for crafting luxurious pieces that boast warmth and smooth exteriors such as beanies, jumpers and scarves
  • Cotton is smooth and chunky. Cotton yarn can be fashioned into activewear, loungewear and easy-breezy thrown-on pieces
  • Raffia is ripe to crochet to your heart’s content. Raffia is suited to summer hats (preferably bucket), homeware accessories and tote bags
  • Alpaca is lightweight and relaxed. Alpaca yarn is great for layer-friendly fishnet jumpers, turtlenecks, snoods and scarves
  • Mohair is the Marmite of yarns. Textural, itchy-chic mohair is popular for making jumpers and winter staples due to its fluffy design

According to crochet.com, it is advised that beginners start off with synthetic fibres like acrylic, elastic, modal, nylon, rayon and viscose as opposed to natural fibres, as they are easy to find and are machine-washable.

The site notes some points to consider before purchasing your chosen yarn, which include:

  • Yarn weight: the weight of the yarn refers to the thickness, which is typically divided into lace, super fine, fine, light, medium, bulky and super bulky. It’s recommended to use the weight your chosen pattern advises 
  • Care instructions: ensure you know how the yarn should be washed and cared for. Read up about your chosen yarn before purchase so you can take care of the product and create a high-quality piece to stand the test of time
  • Yardage: note the yardage listing on the yarn’s label. This will help you to determine how many balls of yarn are needed for your crochet creation. To calculate how many you’ll need, take the total yardage listed in your pattern and divide it by the yardage listed on one ball. Round up to figure out how many balls you need to get started
  • Buying extra: it’s always prudent to buy an extra ball of yarn just in case your calculations are off. That way there's no chance your crocheting session will be interrupted by a lack of yarn

Thankfully there are many brands helping beginners to hop on the bandwagon. For example, Wool and the Gang offer tutorials for beginners, in addition to patterns and pre-made yarn bundles. Simply browse the crochet section, select the tote, blanket or jumper you want to make and the brand delivers the kit to your door.