Babies look so cute, wrapped in a blanket! The parents will appreciate a hand-knitted baby blanket with cuddly fiber. I share the best soft and snug Baby Blanket yarn. Read my buying guide.
In a hurry? The best baby blanket yarn is Bernat Baby Blanket Big Ball.
My Quick Recommendations
Note: The links take you to further information, current prices, and customer reviews on Amazon & Knit Picks.
I reviewed and updated this post on February 12, 2022.
Table of Contents
Soft And Squooshy Yarn
When knitting a treasured item, you want the best yarn for baby blanket for the job. These are all the qualities you would be looking for in baby blanket yarn – Soft, cuddly, lightweight, functional.
Sometimes you might want to create something beautiful, a keepsake. A perfect handmade baby shower gift. You need the best wool for knitting.
You’d like the coverlet to keep a bundle of joy comfortable, cozy, and snug. You have to consider what small babies do to their baby blankets!
There are bound to be occasional diaper disasters, leakages, drooling, etc. Ah, the joys of newborns in the home!
The best baby blanket yarn can handle being washed many times.
Read the top recommendations on this page
Read my best sock yarn review for recommendations.
Yarn Knitters Swear By For Baby Blankets
What is the softest yarn to make a baby blanket?
The softest is Bernat Baby Blanket Big Ball.
Knitters recommend the yarns in the list below. In this review, they’re listed by what material the yarn is made from.
Acrylic
Knit Picks Brava
100% acrylic yarn comes with a broad range of bright colors. Soft on the baby’s skin and easy to work with. Machine Washable and Dryable on low. Check the dye lots on the label to ensure it matches!
(If you buy from a different dye lot, the colors look different.)
Imagine a blanket with colored stars using all these gorgeous shades.
- Brand: Knit Picks
- Product Line: Brava
- Yarn Weight: Medium (4)
- Material: 100% Premium Acrylic
- Skein Weight: 100gm
- Yardage: 218 yds / 199 m
- Care: Machine wash and dry. Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low
- Knitting Gauge: 4.5 – 5 sts = 1″
- Crochet Gauge: 11–14 sc = 4″
- Suggested Knitting Needle: US 7 – 8 needles (4.5mm-5mm)
- Suggested Crochet Hook: I – K hooks (5.5 mm-6.5 mm)
Bernat Softee Baby Yarn
100% acrylic, incredibly soft to touch, and machine washable. Machine Dry. The best yarn in terms of a large range of lovely pastel colors and marl options. Sure to last a long time.
The yarn makes great baby garments and home décor creations too.
- Brand: Bernat
- Product Line: Softee Baby
- Yarn Weight: Light Weight Yarn (3)
- Material: Yarn made from 100% acrylic
- Care: Easy to care for. Machine Wash
- Skein Weight / Ball Size: 5 oz. / 140 g
- Yardage: 362 yd. / 331 m
- Knitting Gauge: 22 sts – 30 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 16 sc – 19 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 4.00 mm, US – 6
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 4.00 mm, US – G/6
Found some great suggestions for snug baby yarn? Now peruse my post on the best gift for a knitter.
Bernat Baby Blanket Big Ball
100% Polyester yarn, luxurious, incredibly soft, chenille-style yarn. The 10.5oz/220yards ball means you can quickly make a decent-sized chunky baby blanket.
Babies love the soft texture of this yarn, an excellent soft yarn for baby blanket.
Bernat Baby yarns are Oeko-tex certified (tested for over 300 harmful substances) and proven safe for your little one’s sensitive skin. Perfect for these types of baby projects and decor. Learn more here.
Baby Blue, Lilac, and Vanilla are popular.
Other craft projects for kids are great done with this yarn too.
People found the yarn Bernat Baby Blanket is a lovely choice for softness.
PDF knit and crochet patterns for this yarn offer different designs.
How Many Balls Of Bernat Yarn Do You Need For A Baby Blanket?
For most baby blankets, you need two balls of Bernat Blanket Yarn 10.5 oz. This makes a blanket approx 34″ [86.5 cm] wide x 36″ [91.5 cm] long.
- Brand: Bernat
- Product Line: Baby Blanket Big Ball
- Yarn Weight Category: Super Bulky Weight Yarn (6)
- Material: 100% Polyester
- Skein Weight: 10.5 oz. / 300 g
- Yardage: 220 yd. / 201 m
- Knitting Gauge: 8 sts – 13 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 8 sc – 8 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needles: 8.00 mm, US 11
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 8.00 mm, US L/11
Check out my Knitting Tools Reviewed post.
LionBrand Babysoft
Baby Soft has two different yarn weights, sport weight yarn or light worsted yarn. A lovely color palette of plenty of pastel colors to choose from. As you’d expect, it feels incredibly soft on baby skin.
Many knitters love yarn like this, especially the choice of pastles.
Lion Brand Yarns was founded years ago, but they still make great fiber and have many brands to choose from! They’re a favorite yarn store of many for a good reason!
Made from 60% Acrylic 40% Polyamide materials. Machine Washable.
Great for small home decor projects too.
- Product Line: Babysoft
- Yarn Weight: Light Weight Yarn (3)
- Materials: 60% Acrylic, 40% Nylon
- Skein Weight: 5 oz. / 140 g
- Yardage: 459 yd. / 420 m
- Knitting Gauge: 22 sts – 30 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 16 sc – 20 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 4 mm, US – 6
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 4 mm, US – G/6
Note: You need an account to purchase from them. They also ship to most countries!
A ball winder is an excellent tool for winding yarn into neat yarn cakes.
Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice
It has a wonderful variety of brighter trendier colors and pastel colors. It isn’t as soft as some of the other yarns, but among 100% acrylic options, it’s still some of the best yarn.
Machine washable and dryable, incredibly soft, and easy care and storage
This yarn is perfect for multicolor blankets or a colorful cushion project, given the range.
- Brand: Lion Brand Yarns
- Product Line: Vanna’s Choice
- Yarn Weight: Medium Weight Yarn (4)
- Materials: 100% acrylic
- Skein Weight: 3.5 oz. / 100 g
- Yardage: 170 yd. / 156 m
- Care: Easy to care for. Machine Wash and Tumble Dry
- Knitting Gauge: 16 sts – 22 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 12 sc – 15 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 5.5 mm, US – 9
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 6 mm, US – J/10
Note: More than likely ships to your country!
Are you looking for the best place to buy yarn? Check out my guide.
Universal Yarn Bella Chenille
Super soft and snuggly knit and crochet yarn. The best yarn in this weight category is somewhere between worsted weight and bulky yarn. Using super bulky yarn means the newborn cover knits up quickly.
Super soft on the baby’s skin. A range of different colors, brighter and pastel colors. Chenille-style yarn is machine washable but not dryable.
- Brand: Universal Yarn
- Product Line: Bella Chenille
- Yarn Weight: Super Bulky Weight Yarn (6)
- Material: 100% Polyester
- Skein Weight: 100gm
- Yardage: 131 yd.
- Care: Machine wash. Do not tumble dry.
- Knitting Gauge: 10 sts – 14 rows = 4″ (10cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 9 sc – 9 rows = 4″ (10cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: US Size 10.5 (6.5 mm)
- Suggested Crochet Hook: (8 mm) US – L-11
Caron Simply Soft
Simply soft is 100% acrylic and has a large range of fun different colors with sheen. Easy to work with, and soft and easy care. Use gentle machine wash and gentle dry.
- Brand: Caron
- Product Line: Simply Soft
- Yarn Weight: Medium (4)
- Material: 100% Acrylic
- Skein Weight: 6 oz / 170 g
- Yardage: 315 yds / 288 m
- Care: Machine wash and dry. Machine wash delicate cycle. Machine dry delicate cycle
- Knitting Gauge: 18 sts and 24 rows = 4″ (10cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 13 sc and 14 rows = 4″ (10cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 5 mm (U.S. 8)
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 5 mm (U.S. H/8)
Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby
The microfiber acrylic and nylon blend in this yarn give it a soft and comfortable feel, and machine wash it. A perfect choice for babies. A US size six needle is necessary to knit this yarn.
These quality yarns are available in a great variety of colors. This company also makes other ones well worth checking out for all crafting interests.
- Brand: Plymouth Yarn
- Product Line: Dreambaby
- Yarn Weight: DK
- Material: 50% Microfiber soft acrylic and 50% nylon
- Skein Weight: 1.8oz (50g)
- Yardage: 183yds
- Care: Machine wash
- Knitting Gauge: 4 inches = 21-24 stitches
- Suggested Knitting Needle: Size 6 (4mm) needles
- Suggested Crochet Hook: Size G-6 (4mm) hooks
This super-soft yarn works up quickly into beautiful blankets, a joy to knit with.
This yarn is easy care as you put it in the washing machine, even in cold water. The wonderful stitch definition makes your pattern pop!
Alpaca/Wool Blend
Wonderfluff
Soft to the touch with the beautiful, high-quality yarn. Has a great selection of colors. Make anything from a garment to different dishcloth styles.
- Brand: Knitpicks
- Product Line: Wonderfluff
- Yarn Weight: Bulky
- Material: 70% Baby Alpaca, 7% Merino Wool, 23% Nylon
- Skein Weight: 50g
- Yardage: 142 yards
- Care: Handwash, dry flat
- Knitting Gauge: 3 – 3.75 sts = 1″
- Suggested Knitting Needle: Size 10-11 (6-8mm) needles
- Suggested Crochet Hook: Size K-M (6.5-9mm) hooks
It has a pretty sheen, is lovely to knit with, and makes a beautiful fabric. More expensive than acrylic yarn for baby blankets, but when it’s for the special bundle of joy in your life, it’s so worth the cost.
It’s best to hand wash it and lay it out flat to dry away from sunlight. This means more laundry care to keep the knitted blanket in good condition.
It’s a great choice, as it survives many washes and the beauty of the stitch detail lasts.
(Get free US shipping on occasions when spending more than 75 USD.)
Cotton
Lion Brand Yarn 24-7 Cotton Yarn
This 100% cotton is smooth and soft to the touch. It’s lovely to knit with, with no stiffness at all. Soft, easy-care, machine washable, and dryable.
An excellent choice for baby garments and an afghan too, and crochet projects. The site has a collection of patterns for inspiration.
The size suits all kinds of levels of experience and skills.
(Sign up to their email newsletter for the latest deals.)
- Brand: Lion Brand Yarns
- Product Line: 24/7 Cotton
- Weight: Medium (4)
- Material: 100% Mercerized Cotton
- Skein Weight: 3.5 oz. / 100 g
- Yardage: 186 yd. / 170 m
- Care: Machine Wash and Dry
- Knitting Gauge: 20 sts – 28 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 14 sc – 19 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 4 mm, US – 6
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 4 mm, US – G/6
Bernat Handicrafter
100% Cotton, smooth and soft. Easy to work with, and machine washable and machine dryable. Works with a variety of knitting patterns.
These products are excellent for knitted and crochet baby blankets, other projects, and gifts.
Knit with satisfaction as these produce great stitch definition.
- Brand: Bernat
- Product Line: Handicrafter Cotton
- Weight: Medium (4)
- Contents: 100% cotton
- Skein Weight: 1.5 oz. / 42.5 g
- Yardage: 68 yds/ 62 m
- Care: Wash and Machine Dry
- Knitting Gauge: 20 sts – 26 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Crochet Gauge: 13 sc – 14 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
- Suggested Knitting Needle: 4.5 mm, US – 7
- Suggested Crochet Hook: 5 mm, US – H/8
Organic Cotton
Knit Picks Simply Cotton Organic Worsted Weight Yarn
No dyes or bleach are used to process the fibers. This yarn fiber is super soft, comfortable to work with, and is 100% organic cotton yarn. Lovely and soft. Machine washable. Dry on the low setting in the dryer.
Knit Picks has excellent support from expert knitters. Leave your email address on their contact form for any questions on your orders or purchase.
Stay in the loop by subscribing to their emails or e-newsletters, full of beautiful knitting patterns and current yarn sales.
- Brand: Knit Picks
- Product Line: Simply Cotton Organic Worsted Weight Yarn
- Weight: Worsted Weight – Has a good ball size
- Content: 100% organic cotton
- Skein Weight: 100gms
- Yardage: 164 yd.
- Care: Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low
- Knitting Gauge: 4.5 sts = 1″
- Crochet Gauge: 11–14 sc = 4″
- Suggested Knitting Needle: US 6 – 9 needles (4.0mm-5.5mm)
- Suggested Crochet Hook: I – K hooks (5.5 mm-6.5 mm)
Pros
- Has a good rating value and reviews
Cotton/Acrylic Blend
Knit Picks Comfy Fingering Yarn
75% Pima Cotton and 25% Premium Acrylic. A lightweight fiber with plenty of colors to choose from. Machine washable. Dry on the low setting in the dryer. Suitable for many crafts and hobbies, not only for making knits!
Key Features
- Brand: Knit Picks
- Product Line: Comfy Fingering Yarn
- Weight: Fingering Weight
- Material: 75% Pima Cotton, 25% Acrylic Fiber
- Skein Weight: 50g
- Yardage: 218 yd.
- Care: Machine Wash Gentle/Tumble Dry Low
- Knitting Gauge: 7 – 8 sts = 1″
- Crochet Gauge: 21 – 32 sc = 4″
- Suggested Knitting Needle: US 1-3 needles (2.25mm – 3.25mm)
- Suggested Crochet Hook: B – E hooks (2.25mm-3.5mm)
(Note: These art supplies ship to any delivery address in the United Kingdom, Canada & the United States.)
Comparable Products To Consider
- Try Lion Brand’s wide selection. Their range of yarn for many crafts is easy to search through as everything is divided by categories. The filters are simple to use.
- There’s also countless options on amazon.com!
What Makes The Best Baby Blanket Yarn
Here are some things to remember for making baby blankets.
Is The Yarn Washable?
As much as parents want to look after the beautiful hand-knitted blanket you’ve given them, they won’t have the time or energy for handwashing.
The best fiber for newborn baby blankets must be machine washable. It won’t be washed once but many times. When you do it often, hand washing quickly becomes annoying!
While superwash wool yarn is machine washable, you still need to be careful.
Choose a machine wash (and tumble dry) product withstanding at least a 40°C normal wash.
Cotton yarns, some linens, commercial sock yarns, and other superwash wool blends are good choices for this reason. However, some of these might not be a good choice if you’re looking for super soft baby yarn.
Tell the parents if you’ve done some testing with your swatch in warmer machine washing settings, and it came out fine. This gives the parents peace of mind to know they won’t ruin your hard work.
The issue with hot washing is some animal fibers felt, and all the beautiful stitch work disappears! Artificial fibers become scratchy and floppier if exposed to high temperatures.
Another thing you shouldn’t do is use a bleach product or iron the yarn.
Knitters have found acrylic and cotton yarns come out well when washed many times.
Some acrylics become softer when a little fabric softener is added when washing them. Soft baby yarn is a must to keep the child comfy!
Acrylic yarns are scratchy to work with, so it’s best to knit up a swatch to wash it with the fabric softener and check the results.
Swatching is also essential for checking your tension.
Red Heart Super Saver Yarn or Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Yarn is a popular acrylic brand with great stitch definition.
If you go cotton, get a blend. Some cotton is stiff, and your hands tire faster while knitting with them.
However treat these as guidelines only, always read the washing instructions on the label!
SHOP AT KNIT PICKS >>
What Yarn Do The Parents Like?
Babies don’t get a say in the decor of their nursery or the baby clothes they wear. The coverlet you knit needs to appeal to the parents.
Colorwise, most parents choose baby colors for the nursery well in advance. Often it suits their home decor.
Take notice of their chat about color choice, and incorporate those baby blanket yarn colors. It might not be the traditional pink or blue.
If they haven’t hinted at it already, ask them which yarn color they prefer.
An option to add different shades is to choose variegated yarn. Clever dyers have already decided what works best in a variegated yarn.
If the parents find wool uncomfortable, opt for cotton/acrylic blends, acrylic fiber, or merino wool yarn.
How Much?
Many gorgeous baby blanket yarns, such as alpaca yarn or bamboo, are super soft but expensive. Acrylic or non-wool yarns such as cotton tend to be a little more affordable.
Price is important, and shopping during a sale saves money.
Throws for babies are often well used during the first year, but after, they might not use them anymore. So no need to spend a million dollars 🙂
You could use any leftover yarn in baby accessories such as hats or other knitted baby items.
Is The Baby Sensitive To Wool?
It’s essential to check with the parents to see if they have any sensitivities to wool. Often, if they do, so does their child.
Knitters recommend cotton/bamboo or cotton/acrylic blends. These yarns are washable, stain-resistant, soft, and allergen-free. They’re lovely to knit with.
Luxuriously soft chenille-style yarn is also a good choice for tiny tot blankets.
Remember Babies Always Put Things In Their Mouth
Babies explore their environment through their mouths. Whatever they grab goes to the mouth to be sucked or licked in the baby phase.
Avoid novelty yarns as a choice for baby blanket yarn, as they’re fluffy and shed. A parent won’t be happy if their child chokes on a yarn furball!
What Season?
Babies are notorious for wriggling out of swaddling and kicking off covers. They also don’t have good temperature regulation. Choose a baby blanket yarn to suit the season and weather.
An important thing is making sure you have the right size blanket.
Match the weight of yarn to the size of the cover when you’re knitting blankets. If it’s too big, it will be folded in half. It’d be more like 2 or 4 covers.
Make a summer blanket if the tiny tot is due in the warmer months. Have a knitted lightweight blanket made in a cotton blend.
A knitted coverlet gift made from superwash wool like merino would be ideal for a child born in the colder months (who is not sensitive to wool or animal fiber).
Merino yarns are hypoallergic, so they’re great for warmth in a throw.
Cotton and polyester blends are great for autumn and spring, as they keep warm but are still breathable. Excellent no matter the time of year!
What Type Of Yarn Is Best For Baby Blankets?
Many types of yarn are available. What do you choose? Knitters recommend Acrylic or Cotton Blends for their softness and machine washability.
A helpful rule to remember is animal fibers are better for winter, and plant fibers are better for summer. Or a combination for fall/spring!
These types have a variety of colors and are inexpensive. However, if you want something to last through the years, use a yarn like an alpaca yarn or silk. (Alpaca wool is expensive, though.)
A great tool to stop your wool balls from moving all over the place when knitting up your blanket is a yarn bowl. Makes life easy for a knitter!
How Much Yarn Do I Need For A Baby Blanket Pattern?
Two balls of chunky yarn, such as Bernat Baby Blanket Yarn 10.5oz, are enough to knit a good-sized blanket. Nine balls would make a good size when knitting with a medium yarn such as Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton yarn.
If you’re using baby sport yarn (weight category 2) or sock yarn, you’ll need much more. Fifteen is probably a good starting number!
How Many Balls of Yarn for A Baby Blanket?
Most knitting or crochet patterns show the yardage of yarn required to complete the blanket. To determine how many balls of yarn for a baby blanket, find how many yards it includes on the label.
One skein is often not enough!
See how many yards are mentioned on the pattern and divide by the amount on your label. You’ll get a guide to how many balls of yarn you’ll need.
For example, if you make the Knit Picks As Sweet As Honey Receiving Blanket measuring 28″ x 36″, it requires 1,526 yards. A ball of Brava Worsted (I’m a fan of this yarn) is 218 yards.
So if you divide 1526 yards by 218, you’ll need 7 skeins of yarn.
Plenty of yarn suggestions to start knitting or crocheting a perfect baby blanket. Enjoy knitting the special newborn or children in your life a hand-knitted treasure.
Have any questions? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll reply!
While you wait for your fiber mail to arrive, want more blanket yarn info? I have a full post here.
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