Best Yarn and Tools for Crocheters

Some of these products are tried and true, and some of them are brand new. These are all the best yarns and crochet tools from 2022! I put together a list of my most loved crochet products (mostly yarn) from this year, along with my crochet wishlist for 2023.

One of the best things about crocheting is finding the perfect materials to work with. From luxurious natural fibers to soft, squishy, chunky skeins, there are so many types of yarn to choose from! I love exploring new fibers, brands, and tools almost as much as I love crocheting! It’s so much fun to dive into a new project with a brand new ball of yarn that I’ve never tried before, yet there’s also something so satisfying about using my all-time favorites.

I curated a collection of the products that I found myself using most frequently this year. Some of these items have been on the market for a long time and are my go-to choices, while some of them are brand new items that just launched this year. I also included some project inspiration to go along with my yarn recommendations!

This post contains affiliate links. All purchases help support the content on noelebellecrochet.com at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend products that I love. View my Privacy & Disclosures Policy here.

Here’s my top 10 best yarn & crochet tools roundup!

1. WeCrochet Bright Crochet Hook Set

This crochet hook set gets the number one spot because it is such an essential and affordable tool! I’ve always loved Clover Amour hooks for the ergonomic design and comfy, padded grips, but Clover hooks are pretty pricey at $80 for a set of 10. The WeCrochet Bright Crochet Hook Set is only $9.99 for a set of 9 hooks and they’re great quality! So, if you’re looking for the best and most affordable crochet hook set then THIS. IS. IT.

You can also get the get the set with the organizing case for a little over $20. The case has extra pockets and pouches to keep all of your tools together!

Note: Clover hooks are also a fantastic investment, but since they are more pricey I prefer to just buy them individually in the sizes that I use the most. WeCrochet also offers the individual Clover Amour hooks, and they have jumbo sizes that you can use with all your thick and chunky yarn!

2. Lion Brand Chenille Appeal Yarn

This is a new yarn that I tried this year and absolutely swooned over! It’s so soft, it literally feels like you’re crocheting with clouds made of marshmallow fluff. Most chenille yarns are super chunky, and while they’re great for making plushies, they’re not so good for making wearable items. However, Chenille Appeal is a soft, worsted-weight yarn, (it actually feels a bit thinner than most worsted-weight yarns), and it’s great for making garments!

So far, I’ve only had a chance to use it to make the cuff on this cute little ornament that I made for my baby boy’s first Christmas, but I bought this yarn with the intention of making some sweaters. I can’t wait until I get some time to work on new designs and make my crochet sweater dreams come true! The Baby Booties Ornament pictured above is one of my newest free crochet patterns.

3. Bernat Velvet Yarn

This yarn definitely gets a top spot in my favorites because I used it so much this year! Bernat Velvet is a super soft, bulky/chunky yarn that comes in a big 10.6oz ball! I love that you get so much yardage in one ball. Sometimes I have to check a few different places to find the best color selection. LoveCrafts, JOANN, and Yarnspirations typically carry a good variety of color options.

If you want a quick and easy pattern to use this yarn with, try my Velvet Scrunchies Crochet Pattern. It’s such a fun pattern and you only need a small amount of yarn. I use these scrunchies almost every single day since I’m always in messy-bun mom mode.

I also used this yarn for one of my new favorite crochet patterns, the Crochet Baby Bear Hoodie by Maisie & Ruth. This pattern is so cute, I’ve used it to make hoodies for both of my babies, and our two baby cousins. The stitch definition that you get using Bernat Velvet is so amazing!

4 & 5. KnitPicks Twill Fingering & Aloft Super Kid Mohair

I’m listing these two favorites together because they make such a great pair! Twill Fingering is a 100% fine superwash merino wool, and it’s available in both fingering and worsted weights. Aloft Super Kid Mohair is a lace-weight yarn that is composed of 72% super kid mohair and 28% silk, making it super soft and airy. While these yarns are beautiful on their own, they’re even better together! Adding a single strand of mohair to your projects gives them a fluffy, luxurious texture.

I used this yarn combo to make a pair of bow hair clips for my daughter and I love how they turned out! This was just a small project that I did to test the yarns out, but I can’t wait to use them to make a nice pullover sweater or cardigan.

6. Paintbox Yarns Simply DK

I have a bunch of this yarn in my stash because it’s great for such a wide variety of projects from sweaters and baby clothes, to blankets and beanies. This is a great yarn to stock up on because it’s such a versatile acrylic yarn. I always like having some Paintbox Yarns Simply DK handy in a few different colors. And speaking of colors, this yarn (along with most other Paintbox yarns) is available in over 60 different colors! I’ve found that this yarn is perfect for patchwork projects, or any project involving color-work, thanks to the enormous selection of colors.

I’m currently using this yarn to make a patchwork cardigan for my daughter with the colors glorious gold, washed teal, light caramel and vintage pink. It’s almost done, I just need to finish the ribbing!

This is also the yarn that I recommend for one of my most popular patterns, the Spring Beanie Crochet Pattern. Simply DK makes these beanies so soft & lightweight! I love using this pattern & yarn to make matching mommy & me beanies for me and my little ones.

7. Caspian Wood Crochet Hook Set

Another crochet hook set, yay! Honestly, WeCrochet/KnitPicks has all of my favorite hook sets because they’re affordable and such good quality. The Caspian Wood Crochet Hook Set is more expensive than the Bright Crochet Hook Set at a price of $39.99 for 8 hooks, but it’s definitely worth it if you love wooden crochet hooks. Plus, these hooks are just as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional! I love showing them off in my WIP photos.

Photo sourced from knitpicks.com

Wooden crochet hooks are much better than basic aluminum hooks since they’re lighter and they won’t make your hands blister! So, with these babies you can crochet comfortably for hours.

8. Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Cotton Yarn

This one is an oldie but a goodie. Lily Sugar ‘n Cream has been one of my go-to worsted-weight yarns ever since I learned how to crochet, and it’s my preferred yarn for making bralettes! I love using Sugar ‘n Cream for crochet tops because it’s durable, non-stretchy, and holds up super well! Some other pros: this yarn is 100% cotton, it creates great stitch definition, and it comes in a wide variety of beautiful colors!

This is the yarn that I recommend using for all of my crochet bralette patterns, including my newest crochet top design: The Equinox Top. This pattern is size inclusive and it has multiple variations so you can fully customize it!

9. Paintbox Yarns Recycled Cotton Worsted

I decided to try this yarn because I wanted to find some more sustainable alternatives for making my crochet tops. Since I always use worsted-weight, 100% cotton yarn, this yarn was the perfect match! It’s very similar to Lily Sugar ‘n Cream, but it’s made entirely from recycled material. Even though it does not have as many color options, the color palette offered for this yarn is gorgeous! If you’re looking for a great eco-friendly cotton yarn, I definitely recommend Paintbox Recycled Cotton Worsted. In addition to tops and bralettes, it would also be great for making some cute accessories like bucket hats, water bottle holders, and market bags!

10. KnitPicks Ball Winder

Okay, so I haven’t actually used this yet because I just got it as a gift for Christmas from my mother-in-law. It’s a new favorite, but I’m so excited to finally have a ball winder! Like the box says, the KnitPicks Ball Winder will truly make my life easier. KnitPicks always has great quality products so I’m positive this ball winder will work perfectly. I’ll definitely give a little review once I try it out, so stay tuned if you’re curious to know how it works!

Photo sourced from knitpicks.com

I never buy yarns that are sold as hanks because I didn’t have a good way to wind them, but now I can justify getting some of the pretty hand-dyed yarns that I’ve had my eye on. Keep reading to see some of the hand-dyed yarn I hope to try in 2023!

My Crochet Wishlist for 2023

I already have a list of yarn and products that I want to try next year, but I definitely need to use up some of the yarn in my stash first. (And I’ll probably wait for a good sale!) Here are some of the top items on my crochet wishlist. I haven’t tried any of these yarns yet, but they’re all from my favorite brands that never disappoint. I’ll let you know which ones end up being in my top 10 next December!