How to Choose Yarn for Your First Knitting or Crochet Project
Walking into the world of yarn can be overwhelming: weights, plies, fibres and hook sizes. The good news is that for a first project you only need to understand a few basics.
Yarn weight (thickness)
- 4 ply / fingering: thin yarn for socks, shawls and fine baby clothes.
- DK (double knit): the UK's most popular all-rounder, great for jumpers, blankets and amigurumi.
- Aran: a little thicker, for cosy jumpers and cables.
- Chunky and super chunky: thick yarn that works up very quickly. Ideal for beginners' scarves, blankets and hats.
The yarn label usually suggests a needle or hook size. Use it as your starting point.
Fibre
- Acrylic: affordable, soft, machine-washable and comes in every colour. A great choice for learning and for blankets.
- Cotton: smooth with excellent stitch definition. Perfect for amigurumi, dishcloths and summer tops, though less stretchy.
- Wool and wool blends: warm and springy, lovely for winter wear.
- Novelty yarns (velvet, fluffy, teddy, "curly"): fun for cuddly projects but harder to see your stitches, so save them for your second or third project.
Our tips for a first project
- Choose a light, plain colour. Dark and variegated yarns make stitches hard to see.
- Choose a smooth, medium or chunky yarn, not fluffy or very thin.
- Buy enough. Check the pattern, and get all your balls at once so the colour matches.
- Start small: a scarf, a dishcloth or a simple granny square.
You'll also want the right needles, hooks and stitch markers. See our guide to essential knitting and crochet tools.
Shop acrylic, cotton, chunky and novelty yarns in our knitting yarn range.
