The types of yarn and their sizes

Figuring out what kind of yarn you use for your projects is very important. The type of yarn you use will determine how stable or how much you need to use to complete your project. The same pattern with different yarns can increase, (or decrease), the stiffness and the size of your plushies or clothing. I am here to help you figure out what yarn is best for your projects, as well as teach you how to buy the right yarn for them.

For starters, let’s talk about the types of yarn there are. There are so many kinds, but some of the basic yarns that can be used for your beginner projects are polyester, wool, acrylic, and cotton. Prices go up depending on the material of the yarn and on the brand. Acrylic yarn is very common for beginners because of the price and how available it is. Acrylic yarn is pretty easy to find, and there are so many colors to choose from. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that some brands make yarn that can split easily. The thread starts ripping if you pull a little too much, so if this happens to you, you might want to switch to a different kind of thread.

Wool yarn is a good alternative. Some people prefer starting off with wool because its easy to pull on if you make a mistake. Counting your stiches is a big part of crochet. Sometimes you miscount and you end up with too many stitches or less than what you need. In that case, you’ll have to unravel the yarn and pick up where you left off. Unlike acrylic, wool isn’t stiff, and it makes this task easy.

Moving on to cotton yarn, it can be a little more challenging than the previous two yarns. Cotton is less thick than wool and it keeps its shape a little better. Cotton yarn is also a little bit more breathable, and it is more durable than acrylic. Cotton yarn is soft, and it is very gentle on the skin. Some people are allergic to wool, so this is a good alternative.

Polyester yarn is also a great material to work with. It is one of the more affordable types of yarn. Just like acrylic yarn, there are many colors to choose from and there are great brands that distribute polyester yarn. It is also a strong yarn material, and it is resistant to stretching so it can be easier to wash the projects you create with it. The color of polyester yarn does not fade, even if you constantly use or wash it! The only downside of using polyester yarn is that it is a little more stiff, it produces lint, and it has less elasticity.

Now that you know a few kinds of yarn, let’s jump into what each one is best used for. Each crocheter starts finding their preferences for what yarn they use along the way of their journey. This is just an outline, or a guide, for beginners so you can understand the difference between them. Wool is more commonly used for making blankets. Its thickness provides warmth so it’s perfect for cozy projects. Polyester yarn is often used for plushies and accessories like purses or headbands. Cotton yarn is used for clothing pieces such as crop tops, skirts, or tank tops. Lastly, acrylic yarn is often used to make beanies, scarves, and sometimes amigurumis.

Obviously, the yarn for the projects you decide to do is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong answer for what you use your yarn for. Everyone is comfortable with different materials and it is okay to not agree with what others use. If you decide to use wool for a crop top, or acrylic for blankets then that is 100% okay. In the end, as long as you are happy with the outcome of your project, then what others think or say does not matter.

Let’s talk about how the size of the yarn matters when creating your projects. You must understand that the size of your project is a reflection of the size of the yarn. The same pattern of a project can have a different size outcome. If you use thinner yarn when making a plushie, and then later use a thicker yarn for the same pattern of plushie, your outcome will be different. Thinner yarn will make your plushies smaller than thicker yarn. Here are some examples of plushies that were made with the same pattern, but different sizes of yarn.

When it comes to clothes and blankets, the size of the yarn will not only change the size of the finished project, it will also change the amount you use. If you have a blanket and it’s just the same stitch over and over, you will need less yards of yarn with thick yarn, than if you use thinner yarn and do the same project. Thicker yarn takes up more of the pattern space. I hope this post helped you have an understanding on what kind of yarn you want to use for your projects!

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