Starting out in amigurumi can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially when it comes to selecting the right yarn for your projects. With so many yarns available on the market today, it can be daunting (and very expensive!) to figure out which one is best suited for your needs. The abundance of choices is both a blessing and a curse, particularly because a large percentage of yarn sales happen online, making it tricky to gauge the quality and feel of the yarn without actually touching it.
To help ease this process and help you make more informed decisions when choosing yarns for your project, I have put together a guide on my favourite yarns to use for my amigurumi projects.
In this guide, we'll focus on my tried and tested yarns. We will also explore the differences between mercerized and unmercerized cottons, discuss cotton blends, and highlight popular yarns across different weight categories.
Let's dive in!
My Yarn Preferences:
I have experimented with various yarn types, including 100% cotton, cotton blends, acrylics and wool. However, I consistently find myself gravitating towards either 100% cotton or cotton blends. I’m not fond of the results I get with acrylic yarns and wool; they tend to stretch too much, become overly fuzzy, and pill easily. In contrast, I love the smooth, neat texture of cotton and cotton blend yarns, and you just can't beat that stitch definition! I find that my finished pieces made from these yarns wear well and last longer, becoming well on their way to cherished heirloom items. As a result, my list of favourite yarns to use for amigurumi are compiled of cotton and cotton blend yarns.
Understanding Cotton Yarns:
Mercerized Cotton
Mercerization is a chemical process applied to cotton (and sometimes hemp and linen) to enhance its' properties, resulting in a smoother, stronger, and more lustrous yarn, that is more durable and resistant to mildew. The process also enhances the cotton's affinity for dye, allowing it to take on vibrant, long-lasting colours. Mercerized cotton is less absorbent than unmercerized cotton and holds its shape well, making it perfect for amigurumi that's desired to have a polished look and durability.
Unmercerized Cotton
Creating unmercerized cotton yarn is a simple process of spinning the fibres into yarn and leaving them untreated, preserving their original texture. In their natural state, cotton fibres are short, resulting in a slightly fuzzier yarn compared to mercerized cotton. Despite this, unmercerized cotton is softer to the touch and retains its softness even after multiple washes. However, it is less durable and more prone to staining and pilling over time since it hasn't undergone the structural changes of mercerization. Nevertheless, I still adore working with unmercerized cotton for its excellent stitch definition, ability to maintain its shape without excessive stretching, and production of a soft, smooth fabric.
Cotton Blends
Blending in yarn production, is the process of combining fibres of different origins, length, thickness and/or colour to create yarn. Blending can offer the best of both worlds, providing the softness and breathability of cotton with the added durability and flexibility of synthetic fibres. They often result in a yarn that's easier to work with and produces a more durable finished product.
My Favourite Yarns for Amigurumi by Weight Category:
These yarns stand out as my personal favourite discoveries thus far. After investing considerable time, energy, and funds in testing various yarns over the years, all of the following selections have been bought with my own resources. This post is not sponsored and represents an entirely unbiased opinion on these yarns. While there are numerous other yarns I'm eager to explore in the future, the ones listed here are those I have thoroughly tested and now consider indispensable staples in my yarn collection.
Have you seen my comprehensive Standard Yarn Symbol Chart with the different yarn weight categories? Download your own copy for a handy reference guide HERE.
Category 1: Super Fine (2): Sock / Fingering / Baby
Hobbii Rainbow Deluxe 8/4:
Rainbow Deluxe is an unmercerized cotton, made from 100% combed Turkish cotton, which is soft, flexible, and exceptionally durable and a joy to work with. Turkish cotton is known for it's extra long fibres which means this yarn is beautiful, smooth and resilient.
Available in 50g/170m skeins, with 70 gorgeous colours to choose from, Hobbii Rainbow Deluxe really is perfect for that next special project.
I have use Hobbii Rainbow Deluxe 8/4 in many of my finer, more detailed amigurumi projects, such as my Bunny Kokeshi Dolls pictured below.
You can take a look at all the colours available, as well as other cotton yarns in the Rainbow range at Hobbii* (international shipping available).
Bunny Kokeshi Dolls Made With Hobbii Rainbow Deluxe 8/4
Category 2: Fine (2): Sport / Baby
My favourite, most used, and loved yarns in this category are:
Scheepjes Catona
YarnArt Jeans
Keep reading for more information on these yarns, why I love them so much, and example projects using them.
Mia Llama Lovey Blanket Made With Scheepjes Catona
Scheepjes Catona:
Scheepjes Catona is a 100% mercerized cotton yarn with a beautiful natural luster, making it a pleasure to work with. Thanks to it's mercerized properties, this yarn doesn't split and glides smoothly on and off the hook. Although Catona is already quite soft for mercerized cotton, it softens even more as you work with it.
I have extensively used Scheepjes Catona in many of my amigurumi and lovey blanket designs, such as Gus The Saltwater Crocodile, Frankie The Little Fox, and Po The Playful Penguin to name a few.
Catona comes in an impressive range of 109 colours, available in 10g, 25g, and 50g skeins. The extensive colour selection and variety of sizes makes it ideal for detailed and colourful amigurumi projects.
Another exciting feature I love about Catona is that ALL 109 shades are available in 10g skeins as a Colour Pack, perfect for shade selection or those smaller projects!
You can explore all the colours available at Scheepjes Local Stores, or online at Yarns For All (in Australia with international shipping available), or Wool Warehouse* (in the UK with international shipping available).
Po The Playful Penguin Lovey Blanket Made With Scheepjes Catona
Yarn Art Jeans:
The last yarn in the Fine (2) weight category is YarnArt Jeans. This yarn is a blend of 55% cotton and 45% polyacrylic, offering the perfect balance of softness, durability, and elasticity. The fine weight makes it suitable for detailed amigurumi, and I find that it's smooth texture provides excellent stitch definition, enhancing the look of intricate patterns. Additionally, YarnArt Jeans is available in 50g/160m donut balls, in a wide range of 64 colours, which offers pastel and vivid colours together, allowing for ample creative expression.
My Ottilie and Penny Heirloom Ragdolls pictured below use YarnArt Jeans with Ricorumi Spin Spin for Ottilie's dress - more on this yarn later!
Ottilie & Penny Ragdoll Made With Yarn Art Jeans
Category 3: Light (3): DK / Light Worsted
In this weight category I have an array of favourites that I will gravitate towards, depending on the colour and texture I am chasing:
Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo + Cotton
Sirdar Snuggly 100% Cotton
Rico Design Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK
Rico Design Ricorumi Cotton DK
Rico Design Ricorumi Spin Spin DK
Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo + Cotton:
Composed of 60% bamboo and 40% cotton, Stylecraft Naturals - Bamboo + Cotton is a luxurious yarn with a beautiful sheen and is available in a wide range of 47 stunning colours in 100g/250m donut balls. The blend of bamboo and cotton fibres creates a soft and smooth texture, which is both durable and sustainable, perfect for making cuddly and huggable amigurumi toys.
One of the projects I selected Stylecraft Naturals - Bamboo + Cotton for was my Barkley and Mr. Snail amigurumi pattern, I adored working with this yarn so much so that I've reserved it in the favourites corner of my yarn cupboard!
Barkley & Mr. Snail Made With Stylecraft Naturals - Bamboo + Cotton
Sirdar Snuggly 100% Cotton:
Spun from 100% cotton, Sirdar Snuggly is a beautiful, super soft yarn with a gorgeous drape, which for me has been the perfect choice for some of my lovey blankets - namely Ellie Elephant and Edward Elephant Lovey Blanket. Available in 50g/106m donut balls, in a range of 47 colours, this yarn is a pleasure to crochet with, perfect for both the blanket and the amigurumi parts.
Edward Elephant Lovey Blanket Made With Sirdar Snuggly 100% Cotton
Rico Design Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK:
Another of my favourite yarns from the Rico Design range is Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK. A cotton blend composed of 50% cotton and 50% acrylic in 50g/125m skeins, there are 45 beautiful matte shades to choose from. I adore this for my simple, less intricate loveys such as my Sleepy Baby Lovey Blankets.
Sleepy Baby Lovey Blankets Made With Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK
Rico Design - Ricorumi Cotton DK:
This 100% soft cotton yarn is an unmercerized cotton available in very handy and adorable 25g/57.5m balls, with an incredibly impressive range of almost 100 gorgeous colours. Its petite size not only makes it cost-effective but also reduces leftover yarn, making it perfect for amigurumi projects requiring multiple colours.
I haven't specified Ricorumi Cotton DK in any of my designs yet, but I have used it extensively while making some of my 'just for fun' projects.
Rico Design - Ricorumi Spin Spin DK:
Lucky last in the lightweight category is Ricorumi Spin Spin DK. This 100% unmercerized cotton yarn is unique and high-quality, specifically designed for crafting amigurumi. Available in 50g/115m cakes, it comes in 24 variegated shades ranging from tonals to multitonals. I find working with this yarn a bit addictive; there's something incredibly satisfying about watching the colors unfold and build. What's even better, is that Spin Spin pairs perfectly with Ricorumi Cotton DK, making them easy to use together in the same project.
I used Ricorumi Spin Spin in shade 004 Pink, to make a mini version of my Kawaii Squid pattern, pictured below.
Plush Kawaii Squid Made With Ricorumi Spin Spin DK
Category 4: Medium (4): Worsted / Afghan / Aran
Quickly becoming my favourite weight yarn to use for my amigurumi designs, here are a few of my top choices so far:
Scheepjes Cahlista
Lion Brand - Made With Love, The Cottony One
Scheepjes Cahlista:
One of my most used cotton yarns in the medium (4) weight category is Scheepjes Cahlista, which comes in the same 109 colours as Catona, so finding the perfect colour palette for your project is not a problem! Cahlista is an unmercerized 100% cotton so it does not have the same sheen and durability as Catona, and it can also split rather easily as it is loosely plied which means the twist is not very strong. Because of this, I don't recommend Cahlista for beginners. With the usual yardage for a medium weight yarn, each 50g skein has approximately 85m (93 yards) of yarn.
Excitingly, just like Catona, ALL 109 shades are available in 15g skeins as a Colour Pack*.
Lion Brand - Made With Love, The Cottony One:
Lion Brand The Cottony One is a unique yarn developed in collaboration with Made with Love by Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley. This cotton blend, consisting of 60% cotton and 40% acrylic fiber, is both soft and durable. Each 100g (3.5oz) skein offers 169m (185yd) of yarn and comes in 12 gorgeous but muted shades. While the colour selection is somewhat limited, I find it pairs exceptionally well with Scheepjes Cahlista.
I love using this yarn for my larger amigurumi projects. Its tight twist prevents splitting, though it does make the yarn quite stiff. While the stiffness can be challenging to work with (and give your wrist a workout), it offers excellent stitch definition and creates a sturdy, stable fabric perfect for amigurumi.
Louie The Little Bear Made With Lion Brand Made With Love The Cottony One
Category 5: Super Bulky (6): Roving
Premier Parfait Chunky
The only yarn I have consistently used and loved in this category is Premier Parfait Chunky. This 100% polyester chenille yarn is incredibly soft and irresistible. With 53 colors to choose from in 100g (3.5oz) skeins at 120m (131yd) each, it's easy to find the perfect shade for my projects. I love using this yarn for my chunky plushie lovies, such as my Bunny Plushie Lovey, pictured below. The only downside is that it sheds a little (as is common with most chenille yarns), and due to its popularity, it can be hard to find.
Plushie Bunny Lovey Made With Premier Parfait Chunky
Tips for Choosing the Right Yarn
Smaller, more detailed amigurumi may benefit from finer yarns like fingering or sport weight, while larger projects can use worsted or bulky weight yarns.
Since amigurumi often becomes a beloved toy, opt for yarns that can withstand handling and washing.
Choose yarns with a wide range of colours to bring your creations to life with vibrant details.
Conclusion
Choosing the right yarn for your amigurumi projects can make all the difference. Cotton yarns, with their variety of textures and blends, offer a fantastic option for both beginners and experienced crafters. Whether you prefer the natural feel of unmercerized cotton or the durability and sheen of mercerized cotton, there's a perfect yarn out there for your next creation.
I hope you found this guide on my favourite yarns for amigurumi projects helpful. I would love to hear about any of your favourite yarns for amigurumi—despite the fact that I need a new storage area simply to house my yarn, I'm always up for finding a new favourite!
I hope you have a lovely day and happy crocheting!
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Thank you .I am just getting into amigrumi and hate the pilling also. Found you on Bella Coco.Your work is amazing.😍