The Best Yarn for Crochet Blankets

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Choosing the best yarn for blankets might be a difficult task. Yet without making a proper selection from the plethora of products on the market, you will have trouble succeeding with your crochet project. Let’s review together the best yarn for your crochet blanket out there.

Find the best selection of quality yarns for crochet in Katia’s online store.

How to choose best yarn for blankets

Before even making your choice, it is crucial to specify the criteria which you will follow. This preparation will simplify the process and make it easier with every new project you uptake. In this article we will focus on a few important questions you have to ask yourself.

• What is your level of crochet skills
• Choose synthetic or natural fiber yarn
• Things to look for in the best yarn for blankets
• 5 best crochet yarn brands

Match your yarn to your crochet skills

The last thing to do when starting a new crochet project is to overestimate your skills and underestimate the pattern requirements. Especially with such demanding designs as blankets, which are big, time consuming and of intricate texture or decorative concept. Clearly every crocheter has their own favorites and preferences, yet there are some simple rules to follow, especially if you are a beginner.

You should focus on the following aspects

The single-ply yarn is great for modern, smooth blankets, yet it is recommended rather for advanced users. It is often loosely spun, hence it splits easily and makes it difficult to correct any mistakes. Instead, opt for at least double-ply yarns with a tighter twist.

A wool yarn is very forgiving to errors so it’s easy to unravel and correct them. If you are allergic to wool, choose the simple cotton yarn, which has similar characteristics and will be safe for you. The acrylic yarn can become a little bit difficult to craft, so we recommend using it only if you are more experienced and you have already worked with similar material.

The ergonomics of crochet is not a very obvious thing we’d like you to consider. How much the yarn was treated will have an effect on your process. The more washed the yarn is, the more slippery it will be. Avoid the superwashed yarns if you are a beginner, choose the untreated fibers instead.

Check out this video on YouTube for some more tips on choosing the best yarn for beginners.

Choose synthetic or natural fiber yarn

The key distinction of the yarns is based on the provenance of the fibers. We can distinguish the natural yarns, made of animal or vegetal fibers, and synthetic yarns (acrylic). All of them have their strengths and weaknesses that are worth knowing about. 

The Synthetic Yarns, so acrylic or polyester yarns, are the most durable ones. It’s a good choice for an outdoor blanket or for homes with many kids that will tear and stain the blanket a lot. However, they usually aren’t the softest ones.

The Natural Yarns are recommended for all those who are looking for the softer touch and natural feeling of the blanket.

The Animal Fiber Yarns, so all the wool yarns. They are very warm and soft, and as they are naturally covered with lanolin, they are naturally stain resistant. Wool blankets can be high-maintenance, as they tend to shrink if not washed properly, and require regular depilling. The wool yarns are also usually more expensive ones.

The Cotton Yarns are generally soft and delicate to the touch, come in a variety of weights, colors and finishings giving you limitless styling options. They tend to be quite heavy, so do not choose them if you want your blanket to be lightweight.

Things to look for in the best yarn for blankets

Very often the crochet blanket pattern will already indicate the characteristic of the best yarn for this particular project. You can also take some information out of the photos that present the finished design. 

The very basic distinctions that can be made based on those prerequisites are:

• Whether the pattern is a solid or a lacy one
• Are you making warm Winter blanket or a lightweight Spring throw
• What stitches are used in the pattern (waffle, granny, C2C, chevron or many others)

It is worth checking the yarn recommendations the pattern author gave, as they will definitely be in line with the techniques used and desired outcome. However, there are always several characteristics that all the best yarn for blankets must have to enjoy your final product.

The yarn you work with must always be soft. The smoothness of the fibers is also very important, especially if you are sensitive to any tickling or irritating bits on your crochet. Lastly, the yarn you choose must be of high quality and durability. The family blanket will surely get washed very often and you’d want it to last for years. That brings us to the next criteria when choosing your best yarn for blankets.

5 best crochet yarn brands

You cannot go wrong with some of the biggest players on the crochet market. The most recognisable brands are usually the ones that will provide you with all that you are looking for in the yarn. We will review the 5 top brands and their best yarns for crochet blankets.

Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Merino

• Weight: DK
• Fiber: 100% Merino Wool

Learn more on cascadeyarns.com, or check out online retailers on Ravelry.

Pros: The Superwash Merino Wool is a high quality fiber that will last for years. Perfect for lightweight blankets that are also very warm. The wide range of colors available give many options to choose from. The fiber itself is soft and springy, and has a good stitch definition. The DK weight indicated is a little bit ticker in reality. The yarn is widely available in a plethora of online retailers.

Cons: The Merino Wool is an expensive fiber, so as big projects as blankets might require bigger budgets. Even though the yarn is expected to be an easy-wash, it requires some extra attention when it comes to water temperature and type of soap used in the process.

Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Worsted

• Weight: #4 Medium Weight
• Fiber: 100% Anti-Pilling Acrylic

Buy it on anniescatalog.com

Pros: The anti-pilling acrylic makes it a perfect yarn for everyday use family blanket. Suitable for sensitive skin and babies. Very soft yarn that has a slight shine to it and comes in as many as 67 shades. The finished item holds its shape even after washing and drying. The yarn is resistant to splitting, brushing, and of course pilling.

Cons: Isn’t breathable as most acrylic yarns and is not of the highest quality. It can be hard to get both in online shop as well as traditional retailers.

Red Heart Soft Yarn

• Weight: Worsted
• Fiber: 100% Acrylic

Learn more on yarnspirations.com.

Pros: Known for its softness and beautiful drape. Very versatile yarn that can be used in different blanket patterns as well as other crochet projects. Easy to wash and suitable for drying machines makes it a great choice for oftenly used items. 

Cons: It happens that it contains strands of a different color yarn. The fiber has a tendency to fuzz while crocheting, depending on the color of the yarn. It is also a little bit slippery, hence might be tricky for beginners. It can also be difficult to find as sometimes it is available only in specific markets.

Lion Brand A Star is Born: Oh Baby Yarn

• Weight: 2 Fine
• Fiber: 100% Organic Cotton

Buy it on lionbrand.com

Pros: An organic cotton that is perfect for eco-aware crocheterts. Also a way to go if you have sensitive skin or allergies. Organic cotton is a soft, yet strong fiber that’s suitable for machine washing and drying. Crocheted items are durable and of easy maintenance. Highly recommended for washcloth and face cloth projects.

Cons: The color palette is quite limited and consists of only 12 shades. The yarn can become a little bit more rough while crocheted. 

Bernat Forever Fleece

• Weight: 6 – Super Bulky
• Fiber: 100% Polyester

Learn more on yarnspirations.com.

Pros: The brushed, fluffy texture to the fiber creates an extra cozy finish that will be perfect for any home decoration pieces, like throws or pillow cases. The Super Bulky weight means every pattern is finished quickly. The yarn is very soft and the finished items are lightweight. It also comes in a Finer option for those looking for a slimmer yarn.

Cons: The yarn that is highly textured is prone to fuzz in wash, but also during the crocheting, which might make the process longer and mistakes harder to correct. The polyester fiber might irritate more sensitive skin and become itchy.

Conclusion

The selection of yarns on the market is abundant and making a choice can become a very overwhelming process. We hope that after having read this article you will find it a little bit easier every single time. 

Comparing 5 best crochet yarn brands and their most popular products we can say that the best yarn for blankets is Lion Brand A Star is Born: Oh Baby Yarn. It is a soft natural fiber that’s known for its durability, and the price tag is reasonable. It’s also 100% Organic Cotton composition, making it the most sustainable choice, that’s also gentle with your skin.

If you are looking for a synthetic, more affordable option, our second on the podium is Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Worsted yarn. A great choice for everyday use items that get washed and dried a lot.

After making the primal technical selection remember to always have in mind what your personal preferences and expectations are. After all, the crochet item will be there to bring you happiness!

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