Another year has come to an end, which means I’m back with my annual top 10 list of best yarn & tools of the year! I’ve been keeping track of my favorite yarn and tools that I’ve used for crochet projects throughout the year, and I’m so excited to report back to you with my top 10 picks!
As the tradition goes, I always end my yearly top 10 post with a wishlist for next year. I love trying out new products from my wishlists to see which ones will end up being new favorites. During 2024, I tried out a few items from last year’s wishlist, and three of them made it to my top 10! Keep reading to find out which yarns made it to the list, and find my new wishlist for next year at the end of this post!
I also made sure to show how I’ve used all of my top 10 favorite yarns and tools and include corresponding pattern recommendations that work perfectly with each yarn! All patterns featured are from independent designers. I’ve also featured a couple of my own patterns, along with some sneak peeks at new patterns that will be coming soon! I hope you get a chance to try some of these amazing yarns, tools, and crochet projects!
One thing I’ve discovered throughout the year is that I love yarn lines that come in a variety of different weights. Yarn lines that offer different weights are so versatile because you can get the same yarns that you love for a variety of different knit and crochet projects from lightweight to bulky!
First up on my list is one of my favorite yarns from Lion Brand’s popular Wool-Ease collection. KnitPicks and Hobbii are two companies that also offer tons of yarn “families” that feature the same fiber in many different weights. The Swish yarn family, a 100% Superwash Merino from KnitPicks, was one of my favorite yarns from last year’s top 10 list that comes in a variety of different weights from fingering (bare) to bulky. Keep reading to see some of my favorite yarn families from this year!
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Here’s my top 10 best yarn & crochet/knitting tools roundup!
1. Lion brand wool ease thick & quick
This yarn has been well-loved by many within the fiber arts community, and it’s about time it made its way to my top 10 list! I’ve been crocheting for over 15 years and Wool-Ease Thick & Quick has always been one of my favorite choices for super bulky yarn. It’s suuuuuper warm, cozy, soft, and squishy, and it comes in a variety of different styles from solids, to stripes, to tweeds! This yarn is a member of Lion Brand’s famous Wool-Ease family that also includes the original Wool-Ease Yarn, Wool-Ease Recycled, Wool-Ease WOW (jumbo weight), Wool-Ease Roving Origins, and even some new varieties that are on my wishlist at the end of this post!
I love Wool-Ease Thick & Quick because it’s a super affordable wool/acrylic blend, and it’s easy to care for. This yarn is featured in one of the patterns that I released this year, the Cinnamon Spice Pumpkins. And I have a couple cozy new patterns using this yarn that I plan on releasing in 2025!
2. Lion Brand Feels Like Bliss
This one is for my fellow fuzzy yarn lovers! There’s something about super soft, fuzzy yarns that I can never get enough of. I’ve tried all kinds of fuzz, but this is my new favorite, and I’ll tell you why…unlike a lot of the fuzzy blanket yarns and chenille yarns out there, this yarn is super stretchy! Feels Like Bliss is perfect for all kinds of knit and crochet projects from beanies to sweaters. One of my other favorite things about this yarn is the chainette structure. The structure of this yarn makes it easier to work with because it glides smoothly along your crochet hook or knitting needles.
One of the crochet projects I used this yarn for was a Cozy Campfire Beanie. Since Feels Like Bliss is a stretchy, bulky-weight yarn, it was a perfect match for this pattern. I was so amazed by how well this beanie turned out that I already bought more to make matching fuzzy beanies for me and my kids!
3. KnitPicks Gloss DK
KnitPicks is my go-to brand when I’m looking for affordable, quality yarns, especially ones with natural fibers like wool or cotton. KnitPicks Gloss DK was on my wishlist from last year, and now that I’ve had a chance to try it, this yarn has quickly earned a spot in my all time favorites! Gloss DK is a luxurious blend of Merino wool and silk, and is part of a yarn family that comes in three different weights – lace, fingering, and DK. This yarn is perfect for making silky soft sweaters and shawls!
I’ve had 12 50-gram balls of Gloss DK in the color Masala, which is the perfect shade of burnt orange, sitting in my stash for a while. I was saving it for the perfect project, and I finally found it! I’m using it to make the Nantucket Ribbed Cardigan by Two of Wands (still a work in progress). It already feels so amazing with this silky wool yarn, I can’t wait to finish it and wear it all the time!
4. Hobbii Rainbow Cotton
Moving onto the cotton yarns! Cotton will always be one of my favorite fibers. Though I absolutely love all fibers, cotton is one of the best! However, I had no idea how amazing cotton could truly be until I tried one of Hobbii’s most popular yarns, Rainbow Cotton. Rainbow Cotton is a 100% cotton yarn that comes in three different weights – fingering, sport, and DK. As the name alludes to, Rainbow Cotton comes in an incredible variety of colors! Aside from the amazing color selection, my other two favorite things about this yarn are the soft, smooth texture and the price! This yarn is less than $3 per 50-gram skein. Plus, it’s often on sale, and you can get an automatic discount for ordering larger quantities.
Hobbii Rainbow Cotton is great for a variety of projects, and especially perfect for warm-weather garments. I used this yarn for three new crochet projects this year. The first project I completed was a Sofi Top by ShopDaisyandDime, a summer wardrobe staple! I also worked up two new designs for a beach cover-up dress and a beach wrap skirt/shawl. I love the way these designs came out and they just might be on my list of patterns to finish writing by next summer!
5. Hobbii friends cotton
Hobbii Friends Cotton is essentially the same yarn as Hobbii Rainbow Cotton, but it does have some unique qualities, so I feel like it deserves it’s own spot in my top 10. A couple differences are that it’s slightly cheaper than Rainbow Cotton, and it has a few more color options than Rainbow Cotton’s already vast selection of colors. (If you combine Rainbow Cotton & Friends Cotton yarns there are anywhere from 100-200 colors to choose from!) Another unique quality of Friends Cotton yarn is that it’s part of Hobbii’s “Friends” family, which features corresponding colors across a variety of different types of yarn. So whether you’re using Friends Cotton, Friends Wool, or Friends Kid Silk, you can find colors that will match perfectly for your knit and crochet projects.
Just like Rainbow Cotton, Hobbii Friends Cotton also comes in fingering, sport, and DK weights. Another thing I love about these two cotton yarns from Hobbii is that they’re not stiff like some other cotton yarns, which allows them to create a gorgeous drape in garments. I used Rainbow Cotton fingering weight yarn for my beach cover-up dress design, and I’m planning on using some of the Friends Cotton yarn in my stash to make a shorter sweater version of the same design next!
6. Lion Brand Truboo
Lion Brand Truboo is another yarn from my wishlist last year, and one I’ve had my eyes on for a while! I finally got my hands on some of this bamboo yarn this year, and it did not disappoint! Truboo is an affordable DK weight yarn that comes in a beautiful selection of over 30 colors. The yarn has a super soft and silky feel to it, and a nice, natural sheen. It’s perfect for summer knit and crochet projects because it’s naturally cooling and lightweight.
I used Truboo to make a Yara Camisole by Wood and Yarn. I actually had the pleasure of testing this pattern for Lucia, and it was definitely one of my favorite crochet projects of the year! The pattern is made-to-measure and comes with an easy-to-use calculation sheet so you can make it to your measurements and preferences! I already made a second Yara Camisole for my daughter, and I plan on making another one for myself in a different color.
7. KnitPicks Lindy Chain
Update 5/2/2026: This yarn has been discontinued, but is still available in bare hanks that you can use as-is or dye yourself!
Moving on with another natural fiber for the warmer seasons! KnitPicks Lindy Chain is made from 70% linen and 30% Pima cotton to create a luxurious, lightweight yarn. I’ve been loving linen fibers lately! Linen has such a lovely texture that’s even nicer blended with Pima cotton. Lindy Chain is a fingering weight yarn with a chainette structure that makes it versatile and easy to use. One of my absolute favorite things about this yarn is the stitch definition! It’s perfect for patterns using pretty, lacy stitches because the definition will make your stitch work shine!
This yarn was a random purchase from one of my very first KnitPicks orders almost ten years ago! I picked out two beautiful beach-y shades, Harbor and Sagebrush, and had no idea what to do with them at first. But this yarn was definitely worth holding onto for so long! With my newfound love for linen, I pulled this yarn out of my stash and started dreaming of all the possibilities. Since I only had one ball of each color, I decided to go with a small summer crochet project. I used my Lindy Chain yarn to make a few Brynn Kerchiefs by DeniMadeDesigns. These kerchiefs exceeded my expectations, and the stitch definition brought out the beautiful stitch work in this pattern. I’m already dreaming of buying more of this yarn to make a full-sized lace shawl.
8. KnitPicks woodland tweed
KnitPicks Woodland Tweed is another yarn from last year’s wishlist that I had the opportunity to try in 2024! This yarn is a Aran/heavy worsted Merino-alpaca blend making it perfect for cozy sweaters. The thing I love the most about this yarn is the rustic look from the tweed! I also love the neutral, woodsy color palette that offers the perfect shades of brown, blue, grey, burgundy and green.
I’m using Woodland Tweed in the color Marmot Heather to make a Whispering Pines sweater by Knits ‘N Knots. This one is also still a work in progress! While this pattern recommends a different tweed yarn from KnitPicks, Woodland Tweed was a perfect substitute for me, and I think the woodsy color selection pairs perfectly with the woodsy, rustic look of this sweater. You can get the Whispering Pines sweater pattern from Janine’s shop individually, or you can buy her book, Modern Crochet Sweaters, which has 20 amazing sweater patterns, including this one! This is one of my favorite crochet books, and I can’t wait to make all the gorgeous sweaters in it!
9. Hobbii mohair delight
Mohair yarn is definitely having a moment right now, but the fluffy fiber can get a bit pricey. I fell in love with Hobbii’s Mohair Delight because it’s a more budget-friendly mohair/acrylic blend that still has the same soft and fluffy qualities as mohair. Mohair is typically sold as lace-weight yarn and held doubled or held together with another yarn for knit and crochet projects. However, Mohair Delight is a thicker, worsted-weight yarn that’s already ready to use by itself! This yarn comes in a gorgeous selection of elegant neutrals, moody hues, and bright pops of color.
I decided to use this yarn to start making another Foxglove Wrap Top by ShopDaisyandDime. I’ve already made one of these adorable wrap sweater tops, but after seeing Rebecca crochet a mohair version of her design, I knew I had to make one myself. Thankfully, I already had plenty of Mohair Delight in the color Cream Beige on hand for this crochet project! My mohair Foxglove Wrap Top is still a work in progress, but you can watch Rebecca’s vlog on YouTube where she goes into more detail about how she modified her pattern to create her beautiful mohair version!
10. KnitPicks Yarn swift
This is the only thing on my top 10 list that’s not yarn, but it’s been one of the most essential tools for me this year! I have been investing in more hand-dyed yarn, and if you buy hand-dyed yarn or any yarn that comes twisted in hanks, you’ll need a way to wind it. I’ve looked into all kinds of DIY ways to wind yarn without a yarn swift, but using a swift has made my life so much easier. Thankfully, KnitPicks Birch Yarn Swift is very affordable for this kind of equipment at only $59.99 (keep an eye out for their yarn tool sales to get a discount)! I use my yarn swift with the KnitPicks Ball Winder all the time! I also purchased one of KnitPicks Yarn Swift Cases when they were on sale, and I absolutely love it! The case is beautiful and keeps my swift protected while it’s stored away.
The photos above show some of my yarn before winding with my swift and ball winder (in hank form), and after winding (in cake form). Winding hanks is essential because the yarn will tangle if it’s not wound. Once the yarn is in cake form, it’s tidy and super easy to use!
Side note: If you’ve been following me on social media this year, you’ve probably noticed that I can’t get enough of hand-dyed yarn! So, why are none of those lovely hand-dyed yarns featured in my top 10? Independent dyers typically sell yarn in limited edition collections that are only available for a short period of time, so most of my favorite hand-dyed yarn sets from this year are not currently available. However, you can follow some of my favorite dyers to get updates when they launch new collections and re-release old favorites! My three favorite independent dyers that I supported the most this year were Fuzzy Peach Fibers, Sewrella Yarn, and Poppy & Spruce Fibers. You can click on the photos above to visit their websites, but I recommend following them on Instagram or subscribing to their email newsletters for updates if you don’t want to miss a launch!
Update 5/2/26: Fuzzy Peach Fibers shop is no longer active.
My Crochet/Knitting Wishlist for Next Year
As usual, I always have a big list of yarn that I’m still dying to try with new knit and crochet projects! I always make an effort to try out as many items from my wishlist as possible to see which fresh new yarns and tools will make it to my top 10 next year!
Photos sourced from lionbrand.com
Shown above (from left to right):
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease® Aire Yarn, 74% Acrylic, 13% Wool, 13% Polyester, Super Bulky Weight
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease® DK Yarn, 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool, DK Weight
- Lion Brand Go For Fleece Sherpa Yarn, 100% Polyester, Jumbo Weight
Photos sourced from knitpicks.com
Shown above (from left to right):
- KnitPicks Comfy, 75% Pima Cotton, 25% Acrylic, Fingering, Sport, Worsted, and Bulky Weights
- KnitPicks Vividie, 100% Mercerized Cotton, Worsted Weight
- KnitPicks Shine, 60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal, Sport and Worsted Weights
Photos sourced from lionbrand.com
Shown above (from left to right):
- Lion Brand Color Theory Yarn, 100% Acrylic, Worsted Weight
- Lion Brand Jiffy® Bonus Bundle® Yarn, 100% Acrylic, Bulky Weight
- LB Collection® Cotton Bamboo Yarn, 52% Cotton, 48% Rayon from Bamboo, DK Weight
Photos sourced from knitpicks.com
Shown above (from left to right):
- KnitPicks Tuff Puff, 100% Wool, Super Bulky Weight
- KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky, 100% Superwash Wool, Bulky Weight
- KnitPicks Stroll, 75% Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon, Fingering Weight
Want to read more of my top 10 lists and crochet product reviews? Click here!
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