Making scarves is a project many knitters and crocheters love taking up. They are so easy to make and are excellent gifts – for yourself or others!
However, you’ll want to choose the right yarn so you don’t spoil a good scarf pattern or design concept. At the same time, you may want something softer and snugglier for cold days.
What’s the best yarn for making scarves? For making scarves, wool and alpaca yarn are preferred by many knitters and crocheters, but acrylic yarns are the best choice for beginners, as they are soft, resist splitting, and are easy to work with. For warm scarves, medium-weight or thicker fibers are best.
It is challenging to work with a yarn that splits easily especially if you are just starting out. Wool blends are also ideal as they offer a snuggly feel and are easy to care for. You can work on patterns easily using them.
We have considered the best yarn options available after doing thorough research. You can go through their features and weigh the pros and cons before choosing yarn for your scarf making project.
The Best Yarns For (Warm) Scarves
Although technically any yarn can work for making scarves, you won’t really want to use just any yarn.
If you want a good scarf to keep you or a loved one warm, you’ll need something medium weight or thicker. You also don’t want to use linen, hemp, or other light and airy fibers unless this is a stylish, warm weather scarf.
Alpaca and wool are beloved for scarves and other cool-weather garments, but there are a few issues. Wool tends to be scratchy and needs more care when cleaning. Alpaca, while being soft and warm, can be quite slick and not always easy to work with for beginners.
As we said above, acrylic yarn is a great, versatile, and almost always easy-to-use option. That makes it especially great for beginners. Plus, acrylic yarns tend to be machine-washable and easy to care for, which is perfect for a trusted scarf that will last you all winter long.
You can also get these yarns blended with other fibers like wool – enhancing the look and feel of your yarn without compromising other features like workability.
So when in doubt, consider an acrylic yarn for your scarves, at least until you gain more confidence.
Tip: It should also be said that if you are following a particular pattern, you should use a yarn similar to the one suggested by the pattern writer. A yarn that is too soft, more or less elastic, or of a different weight or material will give you radically different results.
Your scarf will still be functional, but it may not look much like the pattern. For patterns with pronounced stitches and designs – such as cables – this could defeat the purpose of using the pattern at all.
7 Top Acrylic Yarns for Scarves (Beginner-Friendly)
Now that we’ve discussed which yarns work best for making scarves, let’s look at some of our top suggestions:
| Rank | Product | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lion Brand Basic Stitch Yarn | Stitch definition, softness |
| 2. | Patons Canadiana Yarn | Softness, washability |
| 3. | Red Heart Fashion Soft Yarn | Softness, workability |
| 4. | Mind My Thread Super Soft Yarn | Softness, finer stitches |
| 5. | Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo Yarn | Workability, durability |
| 6. | Caron One Pound Solids Yarn | Workability, durability |
| 7. | Mary Maxim Prism Yarn | Wow factor, chunky lace |
Keep reading for more about these easy to use, beginner-friendly yarns!
1. Lion Brand Basic Stitch Yarn
This premium yarn is a favorite of every crafter. This acrylic worsted yarn is soft and functional. It is available in 18 classic colors and is machine washable.
It has an excellent stitch definition and is also dryable. And yet it’s still much softer and prettier to look at than the average acrylic yarn that’s durable and easy to work with.
This yarn is ideal for experts and beginners alike. It can be knitted or crocheted for a wide variety of patterns and stitch types. It will hold up well for durable items like afghans and scarves as well as softer or even more delicate items such as headbands, light shawls, and more.
Key Features
- Premium acrylic worsted yarn
- Soft and functional
- Classic 4 yarn with 219 yards per 100 grams
- Made in Turkey
- 100 percent acrylic
Pros
- Soft and easy to work with
- Superior quality yarn
- Available in 18 vibrant colors
- Machine wash and dry
Cons
- Is a bit thin and hard to match thickness precisely to other yarns; may have to only use this brand for a single project.
2. Patons Canadiana Yarn
This yarn is available in one of the largest and most comprehensive arrays of colors. It is perfect for many crochet and knit projects.
This easy-to-care-for yarn is super soft and ideal for scarves. It will hold up after a great deal of use while still looking soft and beautiful.
This worsted weight gauge is a feasible choice for making scarves, blankets, sweaters, and more. You can choose from a range of variegated shades. This 100% acrylic yarn is machine washable and dryable. This versatile yarn washes and dries beautifully.
Key features
- 100% acrylic yarn
- Available in a wide variety of variegated shades
- Suitable for machine washing
Pros
- A versatile choice for a variety of projects including scarves, blankets and more
- Easy care premium acrylic
- Super soft
Cons
- May split easily if you’re not careful.
3. Red Heart Fashion Soft Yarn
This soft, premium acrylic yarn is ideal for projects that require a lighter weight yarn, while still being fairly durable and easy to work with – the hallmark of any Red Heart yarn.
It is available in a variety of colors and has a beautiful drape. You can clean it conveniently in a washing machine by setting a gentle cycle.
Red Heart yarns are trusted for their colors and ease of working. These are easy to care for and maintain. You can access crochet and knitting patterns in a few minutes from the official website of the makers.
Key features
- 100 percent acrylic
- Soft premium acrylic yarn
- Ideal for lighter weight yarn projects
Pros
- Offers a beautiful drape
- Available in vibrant colors
- Can be cleaned and maintained easily
- Incredibly soft and easy to work with
Cons
- May fray a little.
4. Mind My Thread Super Soft Yarn
This super-soft, quality yarn is easy to work with for knitting and crochet projects. It feels soft on the skin and doesn’t result in scratching or itching.
It is available in 20 vibrant, modern colors and can be used for crocheting blankets, home accessories, afghans, and a lot more. It is an ideal crochet yarn for beginners.
This light worsted weight yarn can be used in numerous ways. It is machine washable and dryable. It can be cleaned easily and will last longer. 216 yards of yarn is ideal for a mini-project. You will need several skeins for executing a large knitting project.
Key Features
- A vibrant variety of modern colors
- Acrylic yarn available in 20 shades
- Ideal for crocheting blankets, home accessories, and afghans
- Light worsted weight yarn
Pros
- Soft yarn is machine washable and dryable
- The yarn feels super soft on the skin
- Is fairly easy to work with
- Doesn’t itch or scratch when worn
- Colors are modern and bright
Cons
- Frays somewhat easily and therefore not best for an absolute beginner. Enjoy after your first project.
5. Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo Yarn
Red Heart yarn is a trusted and loved yarn. This is one of the easiest yarns out there to work with. Period. Each ball of yarn weighs approximately 482 yards in length.
It is immensely popular amongst crocheters and knitters. Being available in vibrant colors, you can easily find one to complete your project.
This yarn can be machine washed with warm water and dried easily. It is also available in exciting prints. You don’t have to use multiple colors for executing a project. One skein will help you do it all. You can make throws, sweaters, and accessories quite conveniently.
The gorgeous prints with this yarn will make your scarf or any other crochet project stand out. This self-striping yarn makes the entire process a lot convenient for the users.
Key Features
- Tumble dry on low
- Machine warm wash
- Works well with size 8 US knitting needles
- 100% acrylic fibers
- Made in the USA
Pros
- A soft yarn for making scarves, hats, afghans, mittens, kids clothes and more
- Does not split and washes well
- Softens with washing
- Fairly good quality yarn
- No dye lot solids
Cons
- This yarn is pretty stiff and not especially soft.
6. Caron One Pound Solids Yarn
This worsted weight yarn offers superior value. It is available in a wide range of shades. It is perfect for a variety of projects such as for making garments, accessories, baby projects, home décor, and a lot more.
One Pound skein is incredibly economical. You can make a good four or so scarves out of it. It also offers excellent yardage. You can conveniently wash and dry it in a machine. This medium gauge 100% acrylic is available in every shade of the rainbow and is incredibly easy to work with.
You can conveniently find a color for your scarf making project. Caron yarn offers superior value and is available in 39 shades covering a wide color spectrum. Made from acrylic fiber, this yarn is simply perfect for crochet and bigger knitting projects.
Key Features
- 100 percent acrylic
- One skein makes several scarves
- Gauge 4 worsted yarn
- Suitable for machine wash in warm water
- Manufactured in North Carolina, USA
Pros
- Perfect for a variety of knit projects like making garments, accessories, home décor items and more
- Is economical and offers excellent yardage
- One skein makes four scarves
Cons
- This yarn is also a bit stiff and not too soft.
7. Mary Maxim Prism Yarn
This is one of the most durable and beautiful blends. It is available in varying styles, colors, and weights.
Mary Maxim offers high-quality yarn for creating craft kits and for needlework. You can easily create gorgeous designs with this yarn and render a special touch to it.
This super-soft prism acrylic yarn is cuddly and cozy. It comes in beautiful color schemes. Plus, if you have any leftover after your scarf, you can even use it in beaded crafts projects, for embroidery work, cross stitch projects, and much more.
It is ideal for working with knitting needle size 6, unless you are using a lace pattern, in which case an 8, 9, or even 10 might be best. This lightweight yarn is backed by a 100% risk-free purchase guarantee by the makers.
If you are not satisfied with the yarn, you can return it back in 30 days. Mary Maxim customers can access design kits, patterns, and ideas through their website 24/7.
Honestly, we almost put this yarn higher on our list. And if this wasn’t a beginner-friendly list, we would have. But since this yarn can be difficult for new knitters or crocheters to work with, and the slick texture is even harder to work with on metal needles.
This yarn makes for gorgeous scarves, but it might be better suited to intermediate knitters, especially those looking for chunky lace pattern yarn. Intermediate crocheters may not enjoy the “open” or “loose” quality of this yarn.
Key Features
- Is super soft and available in vibrant colors
- Is ultra-warm
- Is knit and crochet friendly
- Works best with a knitting needle Size 6
- Lightweight yarn
Pros
- Ideal for making scarves, shawls, hats, sweaters, blankets and more
- Access to free project ideas 24/7
- 100 percent risk-free purchase
Cons
- Can be slick and tricky for newer knitters, especially on new needles.
Related Questions
How Can I Make Sure All of My Skeins Are From the Same Dye Lot?
There’s no way to ensure all of your skeins are from the same dye lot, unless you are able to buy all of your yarn in person and check each lot number. If you buy online, however, you can’t check this yourself.
When you purchase all of your yarn for a project at once, it’s perhaps more likely to be from the same lot, but this is never a guarantee. However, it’s worth noting that most won’t notice slight discrepancies in dye lots, especially after the yarn has been stitched up and is wrapped around your neck.
If you’re concerned, opt for color-variegated skeins and/or multi-color project patterns; the more color and color changes in your work, the harder any differences are to notice.
Can This Yarn Be Used For Making a Baby Hat?
In general, yes. Acrylic yarns feel super soft on the skin and also keep you warm. They are ideal for making sweaters, blankets, and more for children, and do not irritate the skin or feel itchy.
However, you should choose a yarn with some stretch or elasticity to it when making a baby hat. Hats, especially for babies and small children, are not a time to try out your super soft or satiny yarns; those are best for long draping shapes like scarves and blankets.
Conclusion
We have reviewed the best soft and warm yarns available in the market for your next scarf making project. We have done an in-depth study to list their features, pros, and cons. You can go through them to determine their suitability for your project. Good luck!
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