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Best yarn for crochet blankets

A crochet blanket is a long relationship with a lot of yarn. The two decisions that matter most are which yarn will survive years of washing, and how much of it to buy before the dye lot disappears. Crochet fabric is denser than knitting, so the second question needs its own maths — this page gives you both.

Short answer

Use a soft premium acrylic or acrylic/wool blend in worsted or aran weight with a 5.0–6.5 mm hook. A 40 × 50 inch lap throw takes roughly 1,600–2,200 yards (1,465–2,010 m) in worsted — about 25% more than the same blanket knitted.

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How much yarn for a crochet blanket

Quick answer

A worsted-weight crochet blanket needs roughly 1,000–1,500 yards for a baby blanket, 1,600–2,200 yards for a 40 × 50 inch lap throw, 3,700–5,000 yards for a twin, and 5,600–7,500 yards for a queen. Bulky weight cuts those figures by about a third.

To convert to skeins, divide by the yardage on the ball band — around 200 yards per 100 g worsted acrylic skein — then add one spare skein from the same dye lot.

Crochet blanket yardage by finished size and yarn weight
Blanket size	Worsted (4)	Bulky (5)
Lovey (14 × 14 in / 36 × 36 cm)	250–350 yd (230–320 m)	150–220 yd (135–200 m)
Pram (18 × 24 in / 46 × 61 cm)	500–700 yd (455–640 m)	300–450 yd (275–410 m)
Baby (30 × 36 in / 76 × 91 cm)	1,000–1,500 yd (915–1,370 m)	650–950 yd (595–870 m)
Lap throw (40 × 50 in / 102 × 127 cm)	1,600–2,200 yd (1,465–2,010 m)	1,050–1,400 yd (960–1,280 m)
Twin (66 × 90 in / 168 × 229 cm)	3,700–5,000 yd (3,385–4,570 m)	2,400–3,200 yd (2,195–2,925 m)
Queen (90 × 100 in / 229 × 254 cm)	5,600–7,500 yd (5,120–6,860 m)	3,600–4,800 yd (3,290–4,390 m)

Figures assume double crochet at a standard gauge. Add about 15% for single crochet, subtract about 10% for granny squares and other open motifs, and add 10–15% if you are working a colourwork or tapestry design that carries yarn.

Work out your own yardage from a swatch

Crochet a 10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in) swatch in your chosen stitch and hook.
Weigh it in grams, then multiply by the finished blanket area divided by the swatch area.
Convert grams to yards using the ball band: yards per gram × total grams.
Add 10% for edging, joining and weaving in, then round up to whole skeins.

Best yarns for crochet blankets

Premium soft acrylic

Worsted to Bulky

Why it works: Machine washable and dryable, priced for blanket-scale yardage, and sold in dye lots big enough to finish a queen.

Watch out: Budget acrylic squeaks on the hook and pills within a year. Squeeze a ball before you buy fifteen.

Acrylic / wool blend

Worsted to Aran

Why it works: Bounce and warmth from the wool, easy care and price from the acrylic — the best all-round crochet blanket yarn.

Watch out: Check the wool is superwash before promising a machine wash.

Cotton

DK to Worsted

Why it works: Crisp stitch definition that shows off textured crochet, breathable for summer throws, and washes hot.

Watch out: Heavy at throw size and hard on the wrists over thousands of stitches.

Superwash merino

DK to Aran

Why it works: Soft, warm and washable — worth the cost for an heirloom baby blanket.

Watch out: Expensive at scale, and superwash grows with washing, so the finished blanket ends up larger.

Chenille / velvet

Bulky

Why it works: Plush and fast for cuddle blankets and loveys.

Watch out: Worms badly if worked loosely — drop a hook size and keep the stitch tight.

Making this for a newborn? The baby blanket yarn guide covers safe fibres and closed stitch patterns, and the general blanket guide compares knit and crochet options side by side.

Hook size by yarn weight

Blankets are not fitted, so err on the loose side: a slightly larger hook gives drape, saves yarn, and keeps your hands happier over a long project.

Recommended crochet hook sizes for blanket yarn weights
Yarn weight	Hook size	Notes
DK (3)	4.0–5.0 mm (G/6–H/8)	Fine baby blankets and detailed motifs.
Worsted (4)	5.0–6.5 mm (H/8–K/10.5)	The default blanket weight; go up a size for drape.
Aran (4)	6.0–7.0 mm (J/10–K/10.5)	Warm throws that still work up quickly.
Bulky (5)	8.0–9.0 mm (L/11–M/13)	Weekend blankets; watch the finished weight.
Super bulky (6)	9.0–12.0 mm (M/13–P/16)	Very fast, very heavy — keep the size modest.

Fabric stiff and boardy? Go up a hook size. Gaps showing and edges rippling? Go down one, or reduce your stitch count. The gauge calculator converts a measured swatch into stitches per 10 cm so you can compare properly.

How your stitch changes the yardage

Single crochet (UK double): densest and warmest, and about 15–20% more yarn than double crochet.
Half double (UK half treble): a good middle ground — squishy fabric, moderate yardage.
Double crochet (UK treble): the baseline for the table above, and the fastest plain blanket stitch.
Granny squares and motifs: roughly 10% less yarn, with the trade-off of many ends to weave in.
Bobbles, cables and post stitches: add 20–30%; texture is expensive.

Working from a British or American pattern? Check the term conversions first — the same stitch name means different things on each side of the Atlantic.

Yarns to avoid

Hand-wash-only wool. A blanket that cannot go in the machine stops being used.
Loosely spun singles. The hook splits them, and a sat-on blanket pills and felts within months.
Mohair, boucle and faux fur. Stitches vanish, mistakes are unfixable, and frogging destroys the yarn.
Super bulky at bed size. A queen blanket in chunky yarn can top 4 kg — too heavy to wash at home.
Mixed dye lots. A shade change mid-blanket is far more visible in crochet's ridged rows.
Buying skein by skein. Dye lots sell out long before a blanket is finished — buy the full amount plus one.

FAQ

How much yarn do I need for a crochet blanket?

In worsted weight, allow roughly 1,000–1,500 yards (915–1,370 m) for a baby blanket, 1,600–2,200 yards (1,465–2,010 m) for a 40 × 50 inch lap throw, 3,700–5,000 yards for a twin, and 5,600–7,500 yards for a queen. Bulky weight needs about a third less; single crochet needs about 15% more than double crochet.

How many skeins of yarn for a crochet blanket?

Divide your total yardage by the yardage printed on the ball band. A typical 100 g worsted acrylic skein holds around 200 yards, so a lap throw takes about 8–11 skeins and a baby blanket about 5–8. Always buy one spare skein in the same dye lot.

Does a crochet blanket use more yarn than a knitted one?

Yes. Dense crochet stitches use roughly 25–30% more yarn than knitting for the same finished size. Granny squares and other open motifs narrow that to about 10–15%.

What is the best yarn for a crochet blanket?

A soft premium acrylic or acrylic/wool blend in worsted or aran weight. It is machine washable, affordable across the thousands of yards a blanket takes, and available in large dye lots. Cotton is the better pick for summer throws, and superwash merino for heirloom baby blankets.

What hook size should I use for a crochet blanket?

Start with 5.0–6.5 mm (H/8–K/10.5) for worsted weight, then go up one size if you want extra drape. Blankets are not fitted, so a slightly looser fabric is usually more pleasant than a stiff one.

Which stitch uses the least yarn for a blanket?

Open motif and mesh stitches use the least — granny squares, shell stitch and filet crochet all cover more area per yard. Single crochet uses the most, roughly 15–20% more than double crochet for the same blanket.

Shop your stash first

Check whether you already own enough yardage before you order another fifteen skeins.

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