Popular Yarns I Will NEVER Use to Crochet Amigurumi Toys! (+ New Favorites)
When it comes to crafting adorable, durable amigurumi, yarn choice makes all the difference. I’ve spent years exploring all kinds of yarns, testing and experimenting to find the best fit for handmade toys. But, surprisingly, there are Popular Yarns I Will NEVER Use to Crochet Amigurumi!
I have been on the hunt for THE perfect yarn for crocheted amigurumi toys for years! And today I am going to be testing these 8 popular brands to see if any of them is the BEST!
You could say I’m a little obsessed with amigurumi. I have crocheted more toys than I can count and I’ve used lots of different brands and fibers.
I’ve tried:
- wool
- cotton
- mohair
- polyester
- acrylic
- plus blends of all of these fibers
Popular Yarns I Will NEVER Use for Crochet Amigurumi (+ New Favorites)
Recently I decided to do a little investigating to see what some of the big amigurumi designers are using for their crocheted toys.
When I say investigating what I mean is… stalking their Instagram accounts and zooming in on any yarns that they feature and adding them straight to my cart.
What surprised me just a little is that almost all of the designers I “stalked”, I mean investigated use 100% cotton yarn or a cotton blend.
We are going to be testing each of these eight yarns:
- Schachenmayr Catania
- Circulo Amigurumi
- WeCrochet Animation
- Scheepjes Catona
- Drops Muskat
- Ricorumi DK
- Scheepjes Stone Washed
- Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton
This post contains affiliates links and at no cost to you I may earn a teeny tiny commission if you choose to purchase them. Please know that I only recommend products I use and love! Thank you for supporting Elise Rose Crochet! You can read my full (and slightly boring) full disclosure here.
We are going to test for
- stitch definition
- strength
- price
- color availability
- feel
I will give each category a grade and then we will add up their GPA – we will use a four point system so a 4.0 would be perfect.
We are going to be comparing them to my hands-down current favorite yarn for amigurumi and that’s YarnArt Jeans.
Let’s see if any of these eight different popular amigurumi yarns can beat my go-to beloved YarnArt Jeans.
YarnArt Jeans
Two years ago I discovered this yarn and I have been in love with it ever since. I have made so many amigurumi toys with it and I keep coming back for more.
Here are the specs of this yarn so that you can see the yardstick by which I will be comparing the eight new yarns.
YarnArt Jeans is a #2, sport weight yarn. It’s 55% cotton and 45% acrylic.
Stitch Definition = B – YarnArt Jeans has good stitch definition but not great.
Strength = A – this is a very strong yarn. I have never had issues with it breaking.
Check Out: 7 AMIGURUMI MISTAKES Most Crocheters Don’t Know They Are Making
Price = B – YarnArt Jeans is a very affordable yarn when purchased in bulk. I get it from HobinisYarns.com and I pay $2.59 per skein. That’s a great price, but I have to buy a lot of it at once to be able to get free shipping. This is a yarn based in Turkey so shipping to the US can be quite expensive. I have also purchased it on Amazon for anywhere between $5 – $7 with free shipping.
Colors = A – this yarn comes in over 80 colors and they are gorgeous. The yarn has a matte finish and it also has a lot of flesh colors for making dolls.
Feel = A – YarnArt Jeans is such a soft yarn. That is what I love most about it. It looks like cotton, but doesn’t hurt my hands the way some 100% cotton yarns do.
Total GPA: 3.6
Schachenmayr Catania
Find Schachenmayr Catania Here
Schchenmayr Catania is a yarn that I saw over and over again. It is used by some of the biggest amigurumi designers and I am excited to get my hands on this one.
It’s a #2 sport weight and it is 100% mercerized, combed cotton.
I didn’t know exactly what a combed cotton was, so I did a little research and discovered some interesting tidbits.
When cotton is harvested they first have to clean it and remove any dirt or seeds. Then it is carded which lines up the fibers in one direction. At this point it can be spun into yarn. But there is an additional step that some yarns go through and that is combing.
A combed cotton has gone through the process of being brushed again to remove any additional impurities plus any short fibers. The combed cotton is now left with long, straight fibers that can be spun into yarn. (You can find more information on the website: iwoolknit.com)
It is also mercerized, which I just thought meant it was shiny, but upon further study I discovered that it actually does several things.
- it creates a sheen to the cotton
- improves the strength and reduces shrinkage
- absorbs dye better, so it can make brighter/richer colors
- produces less lint
- more resistant to mildew
Find My FREE Amigurumi Patterns Here
Stitch Definition = A – Catania has amazing stitch definition. I got so excited about this yarn that I made an entire amigurumi leg to see the stitches.
Strength = A – incredibly strong yarn.
Price = B – on LoveCrafts it’s full price for $4.25. That’s not bad for 137 yards.
Colors = A – there are almost 100 different colors and they are beautiful. You’ll find brights, earthy tones and neutrals. Plus they have lots of different shades for skin tones.
Feel = C – I was on the fence about whether to give this yarn a B or a C. Although this is a gorgeous yarn in every other department, I found that it felt a little less soft in my hands. Because it is mercerized it slips around and I was having to grip tighter to keep my tension. Now if your hands aren’t super dry, that might not be an issue for you at all.
I have found that I am super sensitive to the feel of cottons and that’s not the case for everyone. There are many designers and makers who adore this yarn and use it without any problems. Basically I’m a big sissy-baby, so take that into consideration when judging the yarn for yourself.
Total GPA = 3.4
Circulo Amigurumi
This is a yarn I am so excited to try! I’ve been seeing Circulo Amigurumi in local yarn shops so I can’t wait to test this one out.
It is a #3 DK weight, 100% mercerized Brazilian virgin cotton.
I also had to look up what “virgin cotton” is and it’s cotton that is straight from the plant itself. It’s not been highly processed, bleached or had anything synthetic materials added to it. Plus it is naturally water repellent.
Stitch Definition = A – this yarn has amazing stitch definition. It’s similar to Catania.
Strength = A – incredibly strong yarn, will be able to withstand the rigors of amigurumi making.
Price = C – this skein of yarn is 278 yards. It’s double the length of Catania and it’s approximately double the price, which makes sense. On Mary Maxim I was able to find it on sale for $7.49. On Amazon it’s $11.50.
Colors = A – there are 101 different colors of Circulo Amigurumi yarn. They are absolutely stunning.
Feel = B – this isn’t the softest yarn, but it also doesn’t feel bad. I like that it’s a DK weight and think that makes it easier to hold and feels very solid.
It does feel slightly less “mercerized” than the Catania, not sure if that is possible. It feels like a cross between a mercerized cotton and a matte, which I actually like.
Total GPA = 3.4
WeCrochet Animation
WeCrochet is one of my favorite yarn companies so I am excited to try their Animation yarn which was specifically created for amigurumi toys.
It’s a # 3 DK weight, 100% mercerized cotton. So let’s test it out!
Stitch Definition = A – fantastic stitch definition.
Strength = A – very strong yarn. Won’t break when crocheting amigurumi.
Price = A – this yarn is $2.49 for 139 yards. That is a great price.
Colors = D – compared to other amigurumi yarns this one doesn’t measure up. While the shades they do have are really pretty, it only comes in 30 different colors. For amigurumi makers that can be frustrating. We want yarns that come in all the colors for animals, dolls and anything else we can come up with.
Feel = B – soft-ish yarn. It is softer than the Catania and the Circulo Amigurumi yarns.
Total GPA = 3.4
Scheepjes Catona
Scheepjes Catona is another extremely popular amigurumi yarn. I have seen a lot of crochet toy designers and makers using this yarn and loving it.
It’s labeled as a #1 Fingering weight yarn, but just visually it doesn’t look any thinner than the #2 weight yarns on the list, so it will be interesting to see how it works up.
It’s also a 100% mercerized cotton.
Stitch Definition = A – very good stitch definition.
Strength = A – incredibly strong yarn.
Price = B – I was able to find this yarn on Jimmy Beans Wool for $4.00 for 136 yards. That’s a decent price. I found it on Amazon for prices anywhere between $4.74 up to almost $10 per skein.
Colors = A – Scheepjes Catona comes in 109 beautiful colors. There are brights, neutrals, earth tones and everything in between. Plus you’ll find lots of colors perfect for different skin tones.
Feel = C – feels almost identical to Catania. What I find interesting is that this yarn is labeled as a fingering weight yarn, while the Catania is labeled as a sport weight, which is heavier.
I actually took both samples and held them up together and they are identical. I used the same 2.5 mm crochet hook and made 4 rounds in total for both.
Total GPA = 3.4
Drops Muskat
Another yarn that I kept seeing over and over again was Drops Muskat. I originally thought this yarn was called Muskrat, but when looking closer at the label I realized there’s no “r”.
This is a #3 DK weight, 100% mercerized cotton. Let’s give it a go.
Stitch Definition = A – beautiful stitch definition.
Strength = A- very strong.
Price = B – the best price I could find for this yarn is at Wool Warehouse. This is a company based in the UK but they ship to the US and their shipping prices aren’t bad. There you will find Mukat for approximately $2.59 for 109 yards.
Colors = C – it comes in 43 different shades and while they are very pretty, that’s not a lot for us amigurumi makers.
Feel = C – this is quite a soft yarn as it is made from 100% Egyptian mercerized cotton. It claims to have the finest long cotton fiber you can lay your hands on. But the problem for me is that it’s a plied yarn. That means that it is spun from multiple thin strands. It makes it an extremely strong and durable yarn, but it is prone to splitting.
Splitty yarns annoy me to no end and for that reason I would not use this yarn for amigurumi.
Total GPA = 3.0
Ricorumi DK
This is another yarn that is being marketed as a yarn specifically for crocheting amigurumi. Ricorumi is a #3 DK weight, 100% cotton yarn. It looks like it has a matte finish, which I love. This is a tiny little baby skein which is sometimes just what you want for amigurumi toys.
Stitch Definition = A – beautiful stitch definition
Strength = A – very strong
Price = D – the best price I could find for this yarn is on the Universal Yarn website for $3.25 for an approximately 63 yard skein. When you do the math on that it is more than double the price than most of the other yarns so far.
Colors = A – it comes in 83 gorgeous colors. You’ll find lots of different shades perfect for skin colors, animal fur, alien skin, whatever you can make, there’s a color for it.
Feel = A – I’m giving this yarn an A for feel. It’s not quite as soft as YarnArt Jeans, but it is super close. This is such a nice, soft, matte cotton. This is definitely a personal preference. The more I test yarns the more I recognize my own likes. and dislikes. I don’t really like how mercerized cotton feels, but matte finishes are my favorites. So keep that in mind when you choose your own yarns.
Total GPA = 3.6
Scheepjes Stone Washed
Find Scheepjes Stone Washed Here
Scheepjes Stone Washed is a very popular one and I discoverd it through Sarah Dee Crochet. She uses this yarn quite a bit for her adorable amigurumi designs.
It’s made “with a cotton core that has a fuzzy halo in complementary, tonal shades.” This is the most different of all the yarns we are testing today.
It’s a #2 sport weight 78% cotton, 22% acrylic yarn.
Stitch Definition = A
Strength = A
Price = C – the best price I could find for Scheepjes Stone Washed is $6.50 for 142 yards. That’s not as expensive as Ricorumi but it is still more expensive than any of the other yarns we have tested so far.
Colors = C – Stone Washed comes in 36 different colors. The shades are absolutely beautiful and they have that gorgeous heathered tone. I wish it came in more colors, but Sarah from Sarah Dee Crochet doesn’t seem to be limited by the palette. She has designed so many adorable toys with the yarn.
Feel = A
Total GPA = 3.2
Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton
I was influenced to buy this yarn from the uber talented Erinna Lee from Little Aqua Girl. I believe all of her toy designs are made with Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton:
The raw cotton from South America, where the perfect combination of warm climate, fertile soil, and natural rainfall makes it possible to grow organic cotton. The cotton fields are located near mountain springs and nearby rivers. Here, it is sown, grown, and harvested without chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and with minimal irrigation. The natural growth results in longer cotton fibers, producing an incredibly soft, high-quality yarn.
The yarn is spun, dyed, and finished in Portugal, where our unique tone-on-tone colors are developed in collaboration with our skilled color master.
Krea Deluxe
Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton is a #1 Fingering weight, 100% cotton yarn.
Stitch Definition = A
Strength = A
Price = C – if you’re looking for a budget friendly yarn, this isn’t her. The cost is approximately $5.89 for 180 yards.
Colors = A – this yarn comes in 55 different gorgeous matte colors. Seriously, these colors are so on trend and absolutely beautiful in every way.
Feel = A –
Total GPA = 3.6
Popular Yarns I Will NEVER Use to Crochet Amigurumi
Choosing the right yarn can make or break your amigurumi project. While there are many popular yarns out there, it is such a personal preference and each one of these yarns has wonderful qualities. As I’ve shared, there are several Popular Yarns I Will NEVER Use to Crochet Amigurumi .
Finally, by knowing which yarns to avoid—and which qualities to look for—you can save time, frustration, and even bring your amigurumi to life with the perfect texture and appearance. I hope these insights help guide you toward yarns that will make your amigurumi stand out and become keepsakes for years to come!
Pin for Later!
