Looking to knit or crochet an afghan? Find the best yarn for afghans here, including the best yarn recommendations plus tips and tricks.
An afghan can be a big investment in both time and money, so you want to be sure you are choosing the right yarn for your project. There are many factors that go into picking out the perfect yarn for an afghan, and today we are going to look at these in depth.
What to Consider when Choosing the Best Yarn for Afghans
Let’s take a look at all the factors that come into play when choosing the perfect yarn for your next afghan project.
1. How Easy is it to Care for?
This is a big one in my book, especially since I have four younger kids. I want an afghan that is easy to care for as well as beautiful.
Some yarns may look really nice, but have to be hand washed or handled with care. You will have to decide if this is something that you are willing to do if your afghan gets dirty (and, let’s face it, if you use your afghan at all you will eventually need to wash it!).
Many yarns are machine washable such as premium acrylics, cotton, and even superwash wool. You can easily toss these in the washer and dryer with ease.
2. What is the Fiber Content?
The fiber content of your yarn is a huge factor in how easy it is to care for. When knitting or crocheting an afghan, you want to choose a yarn that feels soft, is fun to work with and fits the intended use of the afghan.
For example, if you are making a thick, cozy afghan for cold weather, you wouldn’t want a lightweight cotton yarn. You’d opt for a thick wool, blend or premium acrylic yarn to keep in the warmth.
On the other hand, you wouldn’t make a summer afghan out of super bulky wool or you might swelter in the heat.
It really depends on the intended us of the afghan when it is complete. Decorative? Any yarn will probably do that looks good. Baby blanket or afghan? That yarn had better be super soft, made for babies and machine washable.
3. How Much Does it Cost?
Afghans can eat up a lot of yarn, especially if you are making an adult size. Even a toddler afghan can use up an impressive amount!
We don’t want to break the bank, and some of the yarns out there are pricey. Over $20 a skein! To make a large afghan with a yarn like that would cost a lot.
Luckily, there are plenty of yarns out there that are not only beautiful, but are also affordable. We are going to look at some today that are very affordable, even if you are planning a large afghan.
4. Where can you Find Your Yarn?
I know the internet has opened up lots of options, but sometimes I just want to feel the yarn before I decide which yarn I want to use. I love to go to the store and squish it!
So as much as I love online shopping, there is just something about being able to handle the yarn that appeals to me. I tend to use yarn that is available nearby, although there are times that I really love ordering online, from places such as Knit Picks/We Crochet and Jimmy Beans Wool.
5. What Colors are Available?
I don’t know about you, but the color of the yarn plays a huge part in how happy I am with my finished projects. I tend to enjoy shades of blue and especially teals and turquoise, so I have a lot of those yarns in my stash.
After you have narrowed down all the other factors, the last one that should come into play is that the color you want is available. (Which may actually NOT be the last factor you should consider!)
A lot of the yarns below come in a wide variety of colors, so you’re sure to find one you like.
Best Yarns for Afghans
There are many different yarns on the market that make amazing afghans, 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 for afghans.
1. Bernat Blanket Yarn
Bernat Blanket Yarn is well known for its ability to create a warm, cozy afghan in record time. This yarn is very soft and works up fast because it is a heavy yarn weight. While it’s not quite jumbo yarn (it falls in the super bulky category), I’ve seen people use Bernat Blanket Yarn for arm knitting by holding two or three strands together since it is such a thick yarn.
Fiber Content: 100% polyester
Yarn Weight: Super Bulky (#6)
Yardage/Weight: 220 yards/10.5 oz
Care: Machine Wash and Dry
Check out Bernat Blanket here!
2. Red Heart Baby Hugs (Medium and Light)
This acrylic yarn is tested to be free from harmful levels of over 300 substances, which makes me feel really good about using it for a baby afghan. This is a wonderful baby blanket yarn and it comes in both DK and Worsted weights!
Fiber Content: 100% acrylic
Yarn Weight: Comes in both DK (#3) and Worsted (#4)
Yardage/Weight: Varies by type, typically around 240 yards in a 4.5oz skein
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Baby Hugs yarn!
3. Caron Cotton Cakes
Caron Cotton Cakes yarn comes in solids and stripes and is a great choice for lightweight summery afghans. It is easy to care for and comes in a large 520 yard skein. The best thing about this yarn is that it’s machine washable unlike some other types of cotton yarns. This makes knitting or crocheting an afghan easier because you don’t have to hand wash it every time you want to clean it. It can be found at Michael’s stores or online.
Fiber Content: 60% cotton, 40% acrylic
Yarn Weight: Worsted (#4)
Yardage/Weight: 530 yards/8.8 oz
Care: Machine wash and tumble dry, gentle
Check out Caron Cotton Cakes here!
4. Lion Brand Baby Soft
Lion Brand Baby Soft yarn is a best yarn for afghans because it is so soft and easy to care for. This yarn is available in pastels and prints and can be found both in craft stores and online. I have found this yarn at my local JoAnn’s.
Fiber Content: 60% acrylic, 40% nylon
Yarn Weight: DK (#3)
Yardage/Weight: 459 yards/5 oz
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Baby Soft yarn!
5. Biggo Yarn from We Crochet
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. It’s also machine washable! I used this for the Tartan Plaid Afghan and fell in love.
Fiber Content: 50% superwash merino wool, 50% nylon
Yarn Weight: Bulky weight yarn (#5)
Yardage/Weight: 110 yards/100g
Care: Machine wash, tumble dry low
Click here to check out Biggo yarn!
6. Lion Brand Yarn Feels Like Butta
The Feels Like Butta yarn is a chenille yarn that can be used in so many different types of projects. From a baby garment to afghans to hats and mittens, this is one of my go-to soft yarns that has made some amazing crochet afghan projects.
Fiber Content: 100% polyester
Yarn Weight: Worsted weight yarn (#4)
Yardage/Weight: 218 yards/3.5oz
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Feels Like Butta yarn!
7. Red Heart Soft
I made my first ever baby afghan, the Duchess Baby Blanket, with this yarn. It’s super affordable and comes in a huge variety of colors. This is similar to the colors found in the cheaper Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, but this yarn is a much better acrylic and not much more expensive.
Fiber Content: 100% acrylic
Yarn Weight: Worsted (#4)
Yardage/Weight: 256 yards/5 oz
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Red Heart Soft yarn!
8. Lion Brand Yarn Wool Ease Thick & Quick Yarn
This super bulky yarn is one of my favorites for just about any type of project. It makes quick work of aghans thanks to its lofty nature. You use a large gauge hook or knitting needles with this yarn and work up an afghan in no time.
Fiber Content: 80% acrylic, 20% wool (some colors have a rayon component)
Yarn Weight: Super Bulky (#6)
Yardage/Weight: 106 yards/6 oz
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out Thick & Quick Yarn!
But what about novelty yarn?
There aren’t many novelty yarns out there that I think make good afghan yarn. The best I can think of is a yarn like Bernat Pipsqueak, which is more of a furry yarn. I have some true hand spun novelty yarn in my stash, and I can’t imagine making an afghan out of it.
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Today we’ve learned about the best yarn for afghans, whether you choose to knit or crochet them. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! Click here to find out the best hook sizes for blankets .
Happy Knitting and Crocheting!
Amanda
I am looking to make an adult size afghan. How do you know how much yarn you would need?
Hi Maureen, that depends on a lot of things including the yarn chosen and the hook size. You would need to choose a yarn, crochet a swatch and figure how many yards per inch you are getting. Then you can figure the size of the blanekt and how many yards are required.