Best Yarn for Crochet Baby Blankets: Yarns I Love and Use
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Choosing the best yarn for a crochet baby blanket can feel a little overwhelming especially if you are new to crochet. There are so many different fibres, yarn weights, brands and colours to choose from, and what works beautifully for one blanket may not be the right choice for another.
After making a lot of baby blankets, I’ve realised there isn’t one single best yarn for every project. I mainly use Aran (Worsted), DK and occasionally Chunky yarn, depending on the blanket I’m making and the finished look I want.
Because most of my audience is in the US, I usually reach for Aran/Worsted weight yarn. It’s widely available, works up quickly and creates a lovely cosy blanket. I also use DK yarn quite a lot, especially because it’s more popular here in the UK and tends to be available in a much wider range of colours.
DK gives a softer, lighter and more drapey fabric, which I love. And every now and then I use Chunky yarn when I want a blanket that feels extra cosy and cuddly.
One thing that is a must for me, though: for a baby blanket I almost always choose a machine-washable yarn. New parents have enough to think about without worrying about hand washing a blanket, and a yarn that can go straight into the washing machine is much more likely to become an everyday favourite.
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What Makes the Best Yarn for a Baby Blanket?
Before I get into specific yarns choices, there are a few things I always look for when choosing yarn for a crochet baby blanket.
Softness: This probably goes without saying, but you want something that feels lovely against delicate baby skin.
Machine Washability: For me, this is one of the most important considerations. Baby blankets get used constantly, and being able to put them straight into the washing machine is a huge advantage.
Durability: A baby blanket needs to survive regular washing, cuddles, being dragged around the house and all the other adventures that come with becoming a child’s favourite blanket.
A Good Range of Colours: I love having lots of colour options, especially when I’m making striped blankets, granny square blankets or anything with a more modern colour palette.
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The Right Yarn Weight
Aran / Worsted
This is my favourite weight for baby blankets. It works up quickly, creates a cosy fabric and is particularly useful because most of my audience is in the US, where Worsted weight yarn is very common.
DK
DK is what I choose when I want a softer, lighter and more drapey blanket. It’s also much easier to find in a huge range of colours here in the UK.
Chunky
I don’t use Chunky nearly as often, but it’s lovely when I want something really chunky and cosy, great for toddler blankets. It's also really good for beginners making their first project.
The Aran / Worsted Yarns I Use
These are the yarns I reach for most often when I’m making baby blankets.
Aran is probably my favourite yarn weight for blankets because it gives you a lovely cosy fabric while still working up really quickly. Most Aran yarns are about the same as a US Worsted although some of them can be slightly thicker.
Stylecraft Special Aran
One of my favourite all-round blanket yarns. It’s a 100% acrylic yarn that comes in 100g balls, and the huge choice of colours is one of the things I love most about it. It’s soft, affordable and easy to work with, making it a great everyday yarn for baby blankets.
Blankets Made With This Yarn:
Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran
This is probably the yarn I have used the most in my recent projects. It’s 100% acrylic and comes in 100g balls, with a fantastic selection of colours. I love how easy it is to create completely different-looking blankets just by changing the colour combinations. Out of all the yarns I think this one is the best value for money, you can often find it on sale and also comes in 5 or 10 ball packs for even greater discounts.
Blankets Made With This Yarn:
Caron Simply Soft
This is a lovely, soft 100% acrylic Worsted yarn that comes in a larger 170g skein. It creates a really smooth, soft fabric and is one I particularly like when I want a blanket with a little more drape.
Blanket Made With This Yarn:
Brava Worsted
A 100% acrylic Worsted-weight yarn that I recommend for those folks over the pond that don't want to order yarn from here. It's a great substitution for Stylecraft or Paintbox aran yarns.
The DK Yarns I Love for Baby Blankets
When I want a lighter blanket with more drape, these are the yarns I tend to choose.
I use DK a lot, particularly for blankets where I want a softer, lighter feel. There is also such a fantastic choice of DK colours available that it’s really easy to put together beautiful colour combinations.
One of my favourite DK yarns for colourful blankets. It’s 100% acrylic and comes in 100g balls, with a huge range of colours to choose from. I particularly love it when I’m using several colours together because there are so many shades that work beautifully together. I don't have any patterns with this one yet, but I have used it for personal projects a lot.
Stylecraft Special DK
A classic crochet blanket yarn and one I’ve used for lots of projects. It’s 100% acrylic and comes in 100g balls, with an enormous range of colours. It’s particularly useful for stripes, granny squares and blankets where you want lots of different colours to choose from. Before I started writing my own patterns I used to sell custom order baby blankets and this is the yarn I used the most.
Blankets Made With This Yarn:
King Cole Cherished DK
A really soft 100% acrylic DK yarn that is amazing for baby blankets. It comes in 100g balls and has lovely soft, handle and looks almost merino like. I have not used this for a baby blanket yet, but fell in love with it when using it for my Elements Collection. This yarn would make the softest baby blankets.
Stylecraft Colour Burst DK
I love using this when I want colour changes without having to keep changing yarn myself. The colours transition as you crochet, so even a relatively simple blanket pattern can look really beautiful.
Blankets Made With This Yarn:
King Cole Bramble DK
Another lovely option when you want the yarn to do all the work. The changing colours create a really pretty effect as you crochet, particularly in simple stitches. I have not used this one yet but I used the chunky version for my Bramble Patch baby blanket.
What if you don't want to use synthetic yarns?
Natural Fibre Yarns I Recommend
For summer baby blankets or projects where I want a more breathable fabric, I often choose cotton or a cotton blend.
Cotton gives you quite a different fabric from acrylic. It doesn't have the same springiness, but I really like it when I want something cooler and more suitable for warmer weather.
Paintbox Yarns Cotton Mix DK
I used this yarn for the Prairie Breeze Cardigan pattern and it has such a soft handle and beautiful drape. It would make amazingly soft baby blankets. The blend of cotton and acrylic makes the yarn feel much lighter than other cotton yarns. It comes in 100g balls and has a nice range of colours.
Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK or Aran
Both of these yarns are great for summer projects. They are 100% cotton and come in 50g balls, with a great range of colours. I particularly like it when I want a lighter blanket with a more natural feel. I have used both of these yarns for other projects and would recommend them for baby blankets.
Drops Paris
Blankets Made With This Yarn:
Yarnsmiths Merino DK & Aran
Both are beautifully soft 100% merino wool yarn that comes in 50g balls. It has a lovely smooth feel and comes in a huge range of colours, from soft neutrals to brighter shades. I have used the fingering version which is incredibly soft and if I wanted to make a wool baby blanket I would gravitate towards this one. It is also superwash, making it machine washable, which is a big advantage for baby blankets.
My Final Advice
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, don’t overthink it.
Start by asking yourself:
Do I want a cosy blanket that works up quickly? → Choose Aran/Worsted.
Do I want a softer, lighter blanket with more drape? → Choose DK.
Do I want something really chunky and substantial? → Choose Chunky.
Am I making a summer baby blanket? → Choose cotton or a cotton blend.
I want something colourful but simple → Choose a self striping or variegated yarn.
For me, the best baby blanket yarn isn’t necessarily the most expensive yarn. It’s the yarn that creates a blanket that gets used, washed, cuddled and loved, and these are the yarns I genuinely use again and again in my own crochet projects.
Also part of the fun is trying out new things and discovering your new favourite yarn. What is your favourite yarn for baby blankets? Let me know in the comments...
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