Looking to knit or crochet a chunky blanket or other project with bulky yarn? Here you will discover the best bulky yarn (yarn weight #5) as well as recommendations and tips for the best bulky yarns on the market in 2023.
In this post, we are going to look at size 5 “bulky” or “chunky” yarns. We will go over the factors you should keep in mind when choosing a yarn and I’ll give you my recommendations for my personal favorite bulky weight yarn brands.
Wait, What is “Bulky” Yarn Anyway?
Chunky is another way of saying “bulky”, which in the Craft Yarn Council’s Standard Yarn Weight System is a weight category #5. This is what is usually thought of when someone says “bulky” yarn.
These larger yarns are great for larger hooks so they work up quickly, and some people use them for finger knitting or finger crochet, although super bulky yarn is more often used. With a category 5 yarn and up you can make a throw blanket in a weekend easily or create a cuddly cardigan in no time.
What to Consider when Choosing the Best Bulky Yarn
So now let’s dive into these things that you should consider when choosing a yarn for your next (or first!) chunky yarn project.
1. How Easy is it to Care For?
For me, when I’m making any project, this is a huge consideration. A yarn that is hard to care for immediately gets a big “no” for me when choosing sweater or blanket yarn (especially since I have four kids!). I take into account what it’s intended final use is.
Some yarns are absolutely gorgeous, but if you need to hand wash it are you willing to do that? For some items, it might be worth it, but for those that get a lot of use, it will probably be a pain.
There are several great machine-washable yarns on the market today. Premium acrylics, cotton yarn, and even superwash merino wool yarn can all be washed and dried in the machines without affecting your hard work.
2. What is the Fiber Content?
This really piggybacks on the first question, because the fiber content of the yarn will, in large part, determine how easy it is to care for. When knitting or crocheting a blanket or sweater, you want a yarn that is soft and squishy, doesn’t hurt your hands when making it and really fits the end use of the blanket or sweater.
Again, keep in mind the intended end use of the item. Do you want it to be comfortable and breathable? Then maybe a bulky weight cotton such as Knit Picks/We Crochet’s Billow will do.
On the other hand, you wouldn’t make a winter blanket out of cotton, so if you are making a wool coat, for example, you’ll need to look for bulky 100% wools.
It really depends upon what you intend to do with the item when it is complete. Decorative? Any yarn will probably do that looks good. Baby item? That yarn had better be super soft, made for babies and machine washable.
3. How Much Does it Cost?
Any large project can eat up a lot of yarn, especially if you are making something larger than a baby blanket. Even a toddler blanket or sweater can use up an impressive amount! Luckily with bulky yarns you don’t need as many yards, but on the flip side, the skeins also don’t have as much yardage as lighter weights of yarn, so it kind of evens out.
Unless you have plenty of money to spend you probably don’t have a fortune to binge on yarn, so going with a yarn that’s $30 a skein for a large blanket would cost a fortune, so cost is going to be a factor.
How many skeins you need will depend on several things, including the stitch you are using, whether you knit or crochet it (crochet uses more yarn, unfortunately!), and the type of item you are making.
Luckily, there are plenty of bulky yarns out there that not only look nice, but are also affordable. We are going to look at some beautiful yarns below that won’t break the bank, even if you are planning a large project.
4. Where Can I Find it?
Sometimes I really just want to feel the yarn before I choose it. I like to squish the skeins and see how the fibers feel. Do you like to do this?
So as much as I love shopping online, there is just something about being able to touch the yarn that I love. I tend to use yarn that is available nearby, although there are times that I really love ordering online, from places such as We Crochet (sister to Knit Picks).
So while I am providing links to the yarns below, many of these are also available at your local store (think JoAnn or Michael’s, and some of them even WalMart!) and many times you can use a coupon at the big craft stores or they run sales on yarn! (I love the 20% off total purchase coupons when they are available and sometimes they will have 25% off a certain brand, so be on the lookout for deals!)
Best Bulky Yarn for 2023
There are many different yarns on the market that make amazing projects, and it would be impossible for me to list them all here, but these are some of my favorite ones that I have personally used and loved.
Please note that all of the yarns listed are a Bulky Weight (Category #5).
Billow Yarn
This is the bulky cotton yarn of your dreams! Made entirely of 8 plies of Pima cotton, this yarn is soft, strong and gets better with washing! If you are concerned about the scratchiness or potential allergies to wool, why not try out this cotton alternative? It makes the best blankets, but it does have to be hand washed.
Fiber Content: 100% Pima Cotton
Yardage/Weight: 120 yards/100g
Care: Hand wash and dry flat
Swish Bulky
If you’re looking for a heavy wool yarn, this is the place to go! This yarn is made of superwash merino wool, so it can be machine washed!! Because it has the wool component, keep in mind that your gift recipient may have allergies to it. Wool is generally fine for most people, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Fiber Content: 100% superwash merino wool
Yardage/Weight: 100g, 137 yards
Care: Machine Wash Gentle Cold / Tumble Dry Low
Click here to check out Swish Bulky!
Red Heart Hygge
Oh, my, how I love this yarn!! This is so soft and glides through your fingers like a dream while you’re working it up (both crochet or knit) and then the finished item is amazingly squishy, soft and warm!! I’ve made mittens, hats, blankets and even a shawl out of this yarn and love them all.
Fiber Content: 70% acrylic, 30% nylon
Yardage/Weight: 141 g/5 oz, 121 meters/132 yards
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Red Heart Hygge!
Lion Brand Scarfie Yarn
Lion Brand Scarfie yarn comes in a generous sized skein (enough to make an entire scarf frome one skein!), works up quickly and beautifully and is very reasonably priced. I’ve made hats, blankets and many other projects with Scarfie and I love the color changes in this yarn!
Fiber Content: 78% Acrylic, 22% Wool
Yardage/Weight: 5.3 oz, 312 yards
Care: Hand wash and lay flat to dry
Click here to check out Lion Brand Scarfie!
Biggo Yarn
This is really one of my favorite bulky yarns of all time! Biggo yarn comes in a range of colors, is soft and billowy, and is wonderful to work with. I made a wonderful blanket this with yarn you can check out here! It’s a combination of wool and nylon, giving it softness and durability.
Fiber Content: 50% superwash merino wool, 50% nylon
Yardage/Weight: 110 yards/100g
Care: Machine wash, tumble dry low
Click here to check out Biggo yarn!
BERROCO COMFORT CHUNKY
This is without a doubt one of my favorite acrylic blends of all time. I remember the first time I touched a skein of Berroco Comfort in a local yarn store. I couldn’t believe it was mostly acrylic!
This yarn is soft enough that I chose it for the Orchard Sweater I designed for one of my sons – and I’ve also used it’s worsted cousin for a sweater for myself!
And don’t think that just because I found it in a local yarn store it’s expensive – this yarn is less than $8 a skein without any sales!
Fiber Content: 50% super fine nylon, 50% super fine acrylic
Yardage/Weight: 150 yards/100g
Care: Machine wash
Click here to check out Berroco Comfort Chunky!
7. Red Heart Soft Essentials
This yarn is great if you are watching your budget as it’s one of the most affordable on the list. It’s nice and soft, comes in a wide variety of colors, and looks great.
Fiber Content: 100% acrylic
Yardage/Weight: 141 g/5 oz, 120 meters/131 yards
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Red Heart Soft Essentials!
Common Bulky Yarn Questions
There are SO many on the market today! Right now my favorites are Berroco Comfort Chunky (acrylic), Billow (cotton) and Biggo (wool/nylon blend). Some honorable mentions are Patons Classic Wool Roving and Lion Brand Scarfie.
These both fall into the Craft Yarn Council’s Standard Yarn Weight system in the category 5, so the term is interchangeable. In America, the term bulky will be used more often to describe the yarn weight and the “chunky” is usually part of the name of the yarn (such as Bernat Softee Chunky).
This size yarn is heavier than worsted weight yarn and lighter than super bulky. It is a weight category number 5 from the Craft Yarn Council.
The recommended knitting needle size for bulky yarn is a US 9-11, which is 5.50-8.00mm.
The recommended crochet hook size for bulky yarn is a US K-M, which is 6.50-9.00mm.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on the best bulky yarn for 2023! Which of these yarns are your favorites? Do you have a bulky yarn you love that isn’t on this list! Leave a comment below!
Happy Knitting and Crocheting!
Amanda