Best Chunky Yarn for Knitting, Weaving, Crocheting, and More

If you love to knit but are always short on time, make bulky yarns your go-to material. These are faster to work up than light worsted yarns, simply since they take up so much space. When shopping, look for yarns rated 5 on the standard yarn weight system, or if you want super-bulky yarns, go with 6. Super-chunky ones can even be "knit" together with your arms alone. Get started with your next giant project with our picks below, which cover a range of textile types.

Soft and easy to work with, this 100 percent acrylic yarn can be purchased singly or in packs of up to six and is appropriately priced for high-volume knitters. Each skein offers approximately 108 yards of number 6 yarn. The colors are pretty, and you have 41 to choose from, so you can create highly multicolored projects using material with matching consistency. The strands resist splitting and are not frizzy, and finished pieces can be thrown in the wash without losing their structure or vibrancy.

This number 5 bulky yarn is made of 100 percent wool that is well spun and easy to felt. It is relatively thick and stiff and can create super-warm pieces that are not itchy. Each skein has 120 yards of yarn, and you can choose from 14 unique colors, from frosted plum to cherry red. Note that crocheting and knitting present a slight challenge, since the yarn is not tightly spun and is quick to pull apart. However, it shows stitch definitions very well and can be manipulated to create interesting textures.

This yarn resembles extruded marshmallow, and it's satisfyingly squishy, too. Each strand is made of soft and lightweight cotton spun into a 25mm-diameter tube, with polyester stuffing to make it super chunky. While it won't provide much warmth, this is the stuff you want for plush, puffy projects—baby blankets, pet beds, and the like—that you can knit up in less than an hour, no knitting needles required. Each roll comes with 20 meters (22 yards) of yarn; 12 neutral or pastel colors area available.

This number 6 wool instantly attracts with its rich, vivid colors, available in 11 distinct options such as eggplant, pomegranate, and snickerdoodle. But it also gets top-of-the-line honors because the merino and highland wool is sustainably sourced from Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from farmers that do not practice mulesing, which harms the animals. It is also incredibly soft with negligible scratchiness, and the dyeing is consistent throughout each 44-yard skein. Each strand holds its structure as you work so you don't have to worry about fraying or, worse, breakage.

The only chenille option on our list, this yarn is dyed so each skein showcases a variety of shades in the same color family. Fuzzy and nicely weighted, it is perfect for making blankets, and each big skein comes with just enough—437 yards—to make a full-size knitted throw. Super snuggly and warm, this is also a great option for making multiple scarves and hats.