As a beginner crocheter, you may see some terms you don’t understand referring to the different weights of yarn. If you have no idea what people are talking about when they say to use a worsted weight or sport weight yarn, it can turn out to be impossible to get the right look for your project and lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration. Today I’m going to break down each yarn weight so you know exactly how to get what you need.
Table of Contents
Intro to Yarn Weight
Before we get into each category, it’s important to first understand what exactly a yarn weight is. Put simply, a yarn weight is the thickness of the yarn in question. When you purchase yarn, the label will have one of the symbols below with a number on it to indicate which weight the yarn is. Smaller numbers indicate thinner yarns, with yarn increasing in thickness as the number increases.
There are 8 standard yarn weights; I’ll go into more detail on each weight below. I’ve provided a brief description of each weight and have included some examples of items often made with each weight, common hook sizes, and at least one example of a yarn that falls under that weight.
As a brief disclaimer: one of the beauties of crochet is that there is so much flexibility and variation. Keep in mind that while I’ve provided examples of items and hook sizes, yarn weights are in no way limited to the examples provided.
Weight 0: Lace
The thinnest yarns are those labeled as weight 0 or lace weight. This can include fingering weight yarns however fingering weights can be either weight 0 or weight 1 so you’ll want to get further clarification and/or look at the specific yarn being recommended.
Lace weight yarns are often used for delicate items like jewelry or intricate shawls. Hook sizes used are often 2.25mm or smaller, but can range considerably, as larger hooks are often used in combination with lace weight yarns to create an airy and lacey item.
Example: Aunt Lydia’s crochet thread
Weight 1: Super Fine
Going a size up from lace weight yarn, we have weight 1 or super fine yarn. Weight 1 yarns can include fingering weights (which again, can also be weight 0) as well as baby yarns (which can also be weight 2) and sock weights.
Super fine yarns, like lace weight yarns, are often used for lightweight items like intricate shawls or socks. Hook sizes recommended for super fine yarns will typically be between 2.5-3.5mm.
Example: Lion Brand Mandala String yarn, Big Twist Baby Bunny
Weight 2: Fine
The next size up from there is weight 2 or fine yarn. This can include some baby yarns and sport yarns.
Fine yarns can be used for a variety of items, such as bandanas, ornaments, and shirts. Hook sizes recommended for projects using weight 2 yarns generally fall between 3.5-4.5mm.
Example: Cascade Ultra Pima Fine, Knit Picks Brava Sport
Weight 3: Light
Weights 0 through 2 are not used in many crochet patterns, at least in my experience. This is the first yarn weight on the list that you’ll see used pretty frequently: weight 3 or light yarn. This weight includes DK and light worsted yarns. You may occasionally see weight 3 yarns called light aran as well.
Light yarns can be used for a wide range of projects, everything from tops and sweaters to blankets to coasters. Recommended hook sizes for light yarns will usually fall between 3.75-4.5mm.
Example: Lion Brand Ice Cream, Bernat Softee Cotton
Weight 4: Worsted
Next up is weight 4 yarn which you will often see referred to as worsted or aran weight yarn. You’ll see weight 4 is used in a lot of crochet patterns for beginners, in part because it’s pretty easy to learn with and is a pretty versatile size.
Like weight 3 yarns, worsted weight yarns are used in a large variety of projects. Weight 4 yarns are often used for things like hats, blankets, sweaters, and even amigurumi. According to the Craft Yarn Council, recommended hook sizes usually fall between 5.5 and 6.5mm however I find a lot of weight 4 yarns and patterns using this weight recommend a 5mm as well.
Example: Red Heart Super Saver, Caron Simply Soft, Lion Brand Wool Ease
Weight 5: Bulky
Weight 5 or bulky weight yarns are pretty commonly used in crochet patterns as well. You will sometimes see weight 5 yarns also referred to as chunky yarns or, less commonly, as craft or rug yarns.
I personally think bulky yarns are also a great yarn to start with if you’re new to crochet. I feel the thickness makes it a bit easier to see your stitches than a thinner yarn like a worsted weight which can be really helpful when you’re starting off.
Bulky yarns, like light and worsted weight yarns, are used in a lot of different types of projects. You’ll see a lot of patterns for things like hats, sweaters, baskets, amigurumi, and more. Bulky yarns usually have recommended hook sizes of 6.5-9mm.
Example: Big Twist Posh, Bernat Velvet
Weight 6: Super Bulky
A size up from bulky is our weight 6 or super bulky yarns. Super bulky yarns most often include plush yarns, but can include other types of yarn as well, like roving yarn (though roving yarns are not often recommended for crochet projects).
Currently, I see super bulky yarns are most often used in amigurumi. They’re a popular choice for amigurumi because, depending on the yarn you choose, they give a nice soft feel to amigurumi projects which makes them extra cuddly. Aside from amigurumi, weight 6 yarns are also used to make things like hats, baskets, rugs, and blankets.
Recommended hook sizes for super bulky yarns are typically within the range of 9-15mm but I see 7-8mm hooks used often as well.
Example: Bernat Blanket, Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
Weight 7: Jumbo
The thickest standard weight is weight 7, or jumbo yarn. Many roving yarns fall into this category as do some plush yarns.
Patterns that call for jumbo yarns tend to be for things like amigurumi, blankets, and baskets. You may also see jumbo yarns used for things like pillows and pet beds. Like super bulky yarns, jumbo yarns are often very soft and cuddly so they’re perfect for these types of projects.
Jumbo yarns will require large hooks, generally 15mm or bigger.
Example: Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, Hobbii Blanket
No Tools Needed
Though not an official standard yarn weight, you may occasionally see yarns that have a hand symbol rather than a numbered weight. Yarns with this symbol mean that you don’t need a hook (or needles, in the case of knitting) to use the yarn. This is most commonly seen on yarns that are very thick and intended to be used for arm/hand knitting or crocheting.
Choosing the Right Yarn Weight
If you’re freehanding an item, you can really choose whatever yarn weight you’d like. Think about the qualities you want the item to have. If you want to make something light and airy, you’ll probably want a thinner yarn. If you want something heavier and super warm, you will likely want to choose a heavier yarn. If you’re making decor, you can even mix and match different yarn weights to get an interesting visual effect.
If you’re following a pattern, the creator of the pattern will likely tell you the yarn they’ve used and what they recommend. Depending on the pattern, it may be important to get as close as possible to the yarn the creator used while other times it’s not as important.
Something you will notice is that different manufacturers may characterize similar yarns as different weights so there can be some inconsistencies or overlap between weights. For example, I find Hobbii tends to be a bit off sometimes and will label a yarn as weight 4 when it feels to me more like a weight 3 or vice versa. If the size and other characteristics of the yarn are really important for the pattern, you will want to make sure you’re either working with the exact yarn(s) named in the pattern or that you’ve found a good substitute.
But how can you know whether a yarn is truly a good substitute? Chances are you are looking for a substitute for a reason. Maybe the recommended yarn is out of your budget or has been discontinued. If you aren’t familiar with the recommended yarn and don’t have access to it, it’ll be hard to find something on your own. A resource I very highly recommend in situations like this is YarnSub.
YarnSub is a website I use frequently. In fact, I’ve talked about it before in my post about things to know when using online crochet patterns. YarnSub is a database where you can look up a specific yarn and it will identify potential substitutions for you. It will tell you how close of a match each recommendation is, along with more specific information such as fiber content, gauge, and the size of the skein. I suggest bookmarking the website so you have it for easy access because it will definitely be of use at some point or another. Using YarnSub is the best way that I’ve found to ensure that the yarn you’re choosing is an appropriate substitute.
Changing Yarn Weights
Sometimes you may not want to use the yarn weight being recommended for a pattern. There are circumstances where I really do not recommend changing yarn weights (like for wearable items), but other times it doesn’t matter so much. It can be fun to experiment with different yarn weights for a pattern.
Changing the yarn weight (and hook size) you’re using is probably the easiest way to change the size of a project. If you choose a yarn that is heavier than what is used in a pattern, you’ll end up with a bigger item in the end. Similarly, if you use a lighter yarn, your project will be smaller. This is a super simple way to make a bigger amigurumi project, for example. You don’t need to worry about changing stitch counts or anything complicated like that. Just swap out the yarn and get an appropriately sized hook and you’re good to go!
That’s it for our intro to yarn weights! I hope you’ve found this post helpful. These different categories can sound like gibberish if you’re new to using yarn, but hopefully with this breakdown, you have a better understanding of what people are talking about in patterns.
Have additional questions about yarn weights? Leave a comment and let me know!
