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Have you noticed that as the cold, snowy season approaches it brings out the crocheting crafter in many of us?
I know it happens to me and this season I want to try something different, a Chunky Blanket! It is a popular trend today, crocheting big, soft, and fluffy blankets and it is an excellent project for a beginner. You will learn more about best yarn for chunky blanket in this article, so let’s start!
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What is a Chunky Blanket?
You may be wondering, what is a chunky blanket? A chunky blanket uses unusually thick yarn and you crochet it with large hook or your fingers (known as finger-crochet). It is a great project for a beginner, or experienced crocheter. The yarn you use is thicker, softer, and really easy to work with, so it is one of those projects you could finish in one weekend if you wanted.
What is Chunky Yarn?
Chunky yarn is often called bulky yarn in the United States, which has a weight category of #5, according to the Craft Yarn Council’s Standard Weight System. Yet there is a difference between chunky yarn and bulky yarn. Chunky yarns are thicker and heavier than worsted yarn – a chunky yarn is twice as thick as a worsted yarn. Bulky or super bulky yarn is even thicker and larger than chunky yarn and we often see it used in arm crocheting.
You can use these three yarns (chunky, bulky, and super bulky) for a crochet blanket, but they differ in texture, resistance, thickness, and ease of use.
Pros of using chunky yarn
- The yarn is thick, so your project grows much quicker than working with finer yarn
- Due to the bulkiness of the yarn, you need fewer yardages than you would need for the same project using a finer fiber yarn.
- Chunky yarn traps air which makes a much warmer blanket.
Cons of using chunky yarn
- Many chunky yarns are not tightly spun which makes them more difficult to work with your crochet hook.
- The bulky yarns are more expensive than worsted yarn.
- For those who have arthritis or joint injuries, chunky yarn can be uncomfortable to work with.
- The blankets can become heavy if they are large.
How do I decide which yarn to buy?
Firstly, you need to consider whether you want your blanket to be for daily use, its size and what type of yarn you will use.
Wool yarn:
- Wool is more durable than acrylic yarns for larger blankets.
- Wool blankets are warm, soft, and long-lasting if you maintain them correctly.
- Wool is an animal-based yarn and is biodegradable.
- Some people are allergic to wool, so it is may not be the best choice of yarn if you’re going to give your blanket as a gift. Wool can cause itching and a rash for those who have wool allergies.
- Most wool yarns aren’t machine washable, so they need to be hand-washed and laid out flat when drying to maintain their shape.
Acrylic yarn:
- Acrylic yarn is man-made fiber and mimics wool and natural yarns very well nowadays.
- Acrylic yarn is soft, durable, warm and lightweight.
- Acrylic yarn is a great choice if you have an allergy to wool.
- Acrylic yarn is machine washable, which is perfect if the blanket will be used daily.
- Acrylic yarns are not biodegradable.
There are so many chunky yarns to choose from, so what do you recommend?
Top 5 chunky yarns
Bernat Blanket Yarn
buy it on amazon.com
Pros
- Bernat Blanket Yarn is a bulky chenille-type yarn.
- It comes in a large variety of colors and is easy to find in most stores.
- It is cost-effective, so you get more yardage for your money and it is considered high quality.
- It is easy to work with and has good stitch definition.
Cons
- Bernat Blanket Yarn has a less desirable construction, because it has a strong central tube with fuzzy threads, yet these make the yarn strong and durable and don’t shed.
- It is an extremely textured yarn which can cause resistance when crocheting and cause uneven tension.
Bernat Blanket Yarn is a category 5, meaning it’s much thicker than normal, works up quickly, and is ideal for blankets.
Paton’s Classic Roving Yarn
buy it on amazon.com
Pros
- Paton’s Classic Roving Yarn is a cushiony 100% wool yarn (bulky #5), so it’s easy to work with, versatile yarn.
- It comes in a large range of colors, and you can easily see each stitch.
- This yarn is 100% wool, but is not scratchy like most wools.
- It has a smooth texture, and is a 2-ply roving yarn, with a small twist on the yarn.
- Paton’s Classic Roving Yarn is widely available, unlike most roving yarns.
- You get a good yardage per skein around 210 yards.
Cons
- This chunky yarn is 100% wool, so it can cause itching if you suffer from wool allergies.
- This yarn needs hand-washing and drying flat, but the blankets will last a lifetime when properly maintained.
Zituop Super Chunky Yarn
buy it on amazon.com
Pros
- This is a super squishy yarn; some say it reminds them of a marshmallow.
- The yarn is a soft cotton fiber spun into a 25mm-diameter tube, with polyester stuffing
- This is a great yarn for beginners, it’s super easy to work with, and works up fast.
- The best crochet hook size is 20 mm.
Cons
- The colors can vary greatly from different dyeing lots, so if you have a favorite color yarn, it is best to buy enough for your crocheting project.
- It must be hand washed in cold water, and they warn not to scrub too much, to avoid felting.
Knit Picks Tuff Puff Bulky Wool
buy it on knitpicks.com
Pros
- Perfect for super fast crocheting, due to its bulky size.
- Its 100% wool, and it’s extremely tough and resilient.
- The weight category is 5-6 and is a single ply yarn.
- Tuff Puff comes in over 20 vibrant colors, including variegated yarns.
Cons
- Since it is 100% wool it needs to be hand washed in cold water and laid flat to dry.
- Tuff Puff is not recommended for those who have wool allergies.
Lion Brand Mandala Thick & Quick
buy it on lionbrand.com
Pros
- Thick & Quick is an amazing yarn, it has beautiful color changes!
- This is a lightweight yarn, that creates super soft blankets
- It’s 100% acrylic, so no problems with wool allergies!
- It makes a very thick blanket due to the bulk of the yarn weight being #6.
- Machine wash, and machine dry, making it easy to maintain.
Cons
- The yardage is only 87 yards.
Conclusion
Our verdict on which is the best yarn to use when creating a chunky blanket is the Bernat Blanket Yarn and it is definitely our favorite chunky yarn. Due to its lower costs and extra yardage when compared to other brands. So it’s a clear winner when it comes to durability, cost effectiveness, easy to work with, has a large variety of colors to choose from, and is easy to find in most department stores. There really aren’t many downsides to this yarn.
If you are new to crocheting with chunky yarns Bernat Blanket Yarn would be a perfect yarn to buy. I guarantee you will be happy with the results and create a long-lasting, easy-to-care-for blanket to cherish for a lifetime.