Needlecrafts Crochet Crochet Basics

Types of Yarn for Crochet: How to Choose the Right One

illustration of choosing yarn for crochet

The Spruce

Choosing the right type of yarn can be a challenge if you are new to crochet. We've put together some recommendations intended to help beginning crocheters select their first yarn.

You can create crochet projects with just about any yarn, even non-fiber yarn-like alternative materials. However, as a beginner, some yarn options are easier than others to work with, and you'll find it best to begin with these choices.

Fiber Type

The first decision you have to make is what type of fiber you will work with. There are many different options for both animal fiber and plant fiber yarns. You can crochet with everything from baby alpaca yarn to banana silk yarn. However, the three most common yarn choices for beginners are wool, cotton, and acrylic yarn. There are pros and cons to each, although any will be suitable for beginner crocheters.

  • Wool yarn: Wool is an excellent choice for practicing your crochet stitches. It is a resilient fiber and is forgiving of mistakes. If you make a mistake, most wool yarns are easy to unravel and reuse (called frogging in crochet). Some people have wool allergies, which is something to be aware of, but for most people,​ wool yarn is a good choice for crochet.​
  • Cotton yarn: Cotton is an inelastic fiber, making it slightly more challenging to crochet with than wool. (That same quality makes it a great choice for specific types of projects, though, where you want the item to hold its shape!) Although some people find cotton slightly more challenging than wool, it's not all that different, and it is certainly something you can try as a beginner. If you're learning to crochet during the summer when the heat makes it unpleasant to work with wool, cotton yarn is an especially great choice because it is lighter than wool.
  • Acrylic yarn: Overall, acrylic is a popular fiber with crochet enthusiasts; acrylic is widely available, comes in a variety of colors, and is usually one of the more affordable choices for yarn. Acrylic yarn is a more-than-acceptable choice for beginners. The one key thing to be aware of is that some of the cheapest acrylics can be challenging to crochet with because they may split apart. Splitting isn't common, but it does happen, so if you start to crochet with acrylic and are having a tough time, try switching to a different brand of acrylic yarn or use cotton or wool yarn instead. Don't make learning to crochet harder for you than necessary.

You may wonder how you'll know what kind of fiber you're working with. As you get used to working with different yarn types, you'll often be able to tell by looking at or handling the yarn. However, before that becomes second nature, you can easily find the type of fiber listed on the yarn label. Learning how to read a yarn label will provide all the information you need to know when choosing the best yarn for crochet.

3:00

Watch Now: 3 Great Yarn Options for Crochet Beginners

Yarn vs. Thread

The fiber types we've discussed thus far refer primarily to yarn, not crochet thread. Thread tends to come in cotton or acrylic, though, so the information above covers the basics for working with it. Most people find that yarn, which is thicker than thread (see more sizing information below), is easier to work with than crochet thread. That said, there are certainly crocheters who've jumped right into working with crochet thread from the beginning. People wishing to make lightweight, lacy items such as vintage-inspired doilies and tablecloths may want to start with crochet thread. However, if you don't have a strong preference, start with yarn and work towards threads.

Yarn Weights

As mentioned earlier, yarn is thicker than crochet thread, and there are different thicknesses of yarn. Thickness is called weight. You can find the weight of the yarn on its label, numbered 1-7 (from the thinnest, which is like a thick crochet thread, to the thickest). As a beginner, it will be easiest to work with a worsted-weight yarn, which is labeled #4 on the yarn label. Worsted weight is a good medium-weight yarn. A "3" (DK weight) is also acceptable but might be too thin for some newbies. A "5" (bulky weight) also works well, but it may not be as easy as the worsted-weight yarn. Everyone has their preferences, though, so don't be afraid to try different options.

Note: You should use the correct size of crochet hook recommended for the yarn weight that you are using. Most modern yarn labels will specify this size on the label. The Craft Yarn Council offers a standard yarn weights and hook sizes guide.

Additional Tips and Considerations

Here are a few additional things to take into consideration when looking for a good yarn for crochet:

  • Yarn texture: Choose a smooth yarn rather than a textured yarn. For your first several projects, avoid eyelash yarns and other textured novelty yarns, which can be frustrating to work with.​​
  • Yarn color: Choose light yarn rather than dark; it can be challenging to see your stitches when working with dark yarns.
  • Yarn price: Yarn prices can vary significantly depending on fiber and brand. As a beginner, it may be wise to select among the most affordable yarns so that you get the hang of the craft before investing a lot of money. That's why cotton, wool, and acrylic are top fiber choices; they tend to be the most affordable.
  • Yarn yardage: Every ball of yarn has different yardage amounts, which relate again to the price. You may find two balls of worsted-weight wool yarn that are the same price; look at the yardage to make sure that they have approximately the same amount of yarn in each ball.
  • Yarn color dye lot: If you're crocheting a large project requiring more than one ball of yarn, you probably want to ensure that the colors all match (assuming that you are using the same color or colorway for the whole project). So, look at "dye lot" on the label; make sure that the balls you get all come from the same dye lot number so they don't have significant differences.
  • Washing details: Different fiber types may require different washing instructions, which will be important if you are hoping to crochet something to wear. For example, you can use superwash wool that is safe to put in the washer and dryer or use a type of wool that will shrink in the dryer and must be hand-washed and dried flat. Your yarn label should provide this information.
  • Ethics and yarn: There is much to learn about sustainable yarn choices, such as working with organic yarn, vegan yarn, and other yarn that may relate to your ethics around animals and the environment. If this concerns you, there is a lot of information available to aid in your selections.

The most important thing to know is that you can crochet with any type of yarn, so don't stress out too much about choosing "the perfect yarn" for your beginner projects. Have fun with it all.