A yarn shop with a wide shelf is a blessing until you have to pick. These are the best Hobby Shopy yarns and crochet tools to buy, sorted by the project each one is genuinely good at rather than by how nice the skein looks in a photo.

Every pick below lists the fibre, the yardage and the recommended hook and needle sizes, because those three numbers decide whether a yarn will work for your pattern. The shop's own listings carry the same detail, which makes substitution straightforward.

The best yarns, by project

Best for plush toys and cushions: YarnArt Mink

A fluffy faux-fur style yarn in 100% polyamide, designed to add plush texture rather than warmth. Each 50 g (1.76 oz) skein gives 75 m (82 yds), with a recommended 6.5 mm (US J-10) crochet hook and 6 to 7 mm (US 11) needles, in a bulky weight.

It is aimed squarely at amigurumi, cushions, blankets, poufs, statement accessories and modern home decor accents. Faux-fur yarns hide stitch definition, which is a problem for cables and a feature for toys, so match it to the project accordingly.

YarnArt Mink faux fur bulky polyamide yarn in neutral shades

Best for baby garments: Etrofil Bambino Lux Wool

The upmarket pick in the range. It is 60% merino wool blended with 40% acrylic, in 50 g (1.76 oz) skeins of 160 m (174 yds), with a 3 to 4 mm hook and 3 to 4 mm needles at DK weight.

Merino is the reason to choose it. The fibre is known for softness and warmth, it feels smooth against skin, and it regulates temperature while staying breathable, which is what makes this a year-round yarn rather than a winter-only one. The acrylic content is what makes it survive a household with a washing machine.

Etrofil Bambino Lux Wool merino blend DK yarn in baby blue

Best easy-care baby yarn: Etrofil Baby Joy

If merino feels like a commitment, this is the practical alternative. Baby Joy is 100% anti-pilling acrylic, 100 g (3.53 oz) with a generous 250 m (273 yds), worked on a 3 to 4 mm hook or 3 to 4.5 mm needles, in a fine or light weight.

It comes in vibrant shades and playful motifs, and the anti-pilling treatment plus the acrylic base is the point: durable, easy to care for, and forgiving of the wash cycles that come with actual babies.

Best for fast chunky projects: Etrofil Step and Megastar

Two routes to a finished blanket in a weekend.

Etrofil Step is super bulky, 80% premium acrylic with 20% organic wool, 100 g for 60 m (65 yds), on an 8 to 10 mm hook or 9.5 to 10 mm needles. Its party trick is the spaghetti yarn structure with built-in colour transitions, which lets you knit continuously without cutting the yarn between colour changes.

Etrofil Megastar is a step down in bulk and up in yardage: 75% acrylic with 25% organic wool, 100 g for 110 m (120 yds), on a 7 to 8 mm hook (US L-11) or 8 to 10 mm needles (US 11 to 15). The 25% wool content is what provides the warmth and volume that pure acrylic chunkies miss.

Best for finger knitting: Alize Puffy Furlove

The no-tools option. This loop yarn from the Alize Puffy family is 100% micropolyester, 100 g (3.5 oz) for 6.3 m (6.8 yds), and it is designed for finger knitting with no needles or crochet hooks at all thanks to pre-made loops.

Furlove differs from classic Alize Puffy by adding a plush faux-fur texture, giving a softer, fuller and more voluminous surface. It is a strong first project for a child or a nervous beginner, and it belongs on any list of screen-free gifts for kids.

Best velvet finish: Himalaya Dolphin Big and Etrofil Yonca

Chenille yarns have taken over blanket-making, and there are two here worth separating.

Himalaya Dolphin Big is the heavyweight: 100% micropolyester, a substantial 200 g (7.05 oz) skein for 80 m (about 87 yds), on a 10 mm hook (US NP/15) or 12.75 mm needles (US 17). It is plush and velvety, built for quick chunky work and for winter projects that need warmth and volume.

Etrofil Yonca is the finer velvet: 100% polyester, 100 g for 120 m (131 yds), on 5 to 6 mm hooks and needles at bulky weight. It is hypoallergenic and skin-friendly, which the brand highlights for babies, children and sensitive skin, and its structure helps finished pieces hold shape over time.

Best natural fibre: Etrofil Organic Cotton

The purist option. It is 100% organically grown cotton with GOTS and OEKO-TEX certification, produced without chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, in 50 g (1.76 oz) skeins of 165 m (180 yds), on a 2.0 mm hook or 3.0 mm needles (US 2.5) at light worsted or DK.

The fine gauge and breathability make it the pick for warm-weather garments, baby clothes and amigurumi where you want crisp stitch definition rather than fluff.

The best tools, cords and threads

Best tools: Tulip ETIMO Murasaki

Selfiko amigurumi crochet learning kit contents laid out

Buy the yarn, but do not skimp on the hook. The ETIMO Murasaki hooks are pale purple with graduated cushion grips, and the sizing runs from 1/0 (1.80 mm) through 10/0 (6.00 mm), so one family of hooks covers thread work through to chunky.

The TEM-001 set is the sensible entry point. It contains eight cushion-grip hooks at 2.00, 2.20, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 5.00 and 6.00 mm, plus two tapestry needles and three pin stitch markers, in a gamaguchi-type case with a clasp. The package measures 188 by 153 by 21 mm at a net weight of 224 g. Compare the sizes and grips at Hobby Shopy.

Best for macrame: Happyarn cords

A category most yarn shops ignore. The Happyarn Macrame 2.5 mm Lurex is 100% polypropylene at 100 g for 75 m (82 yds), with a glossy texture and Lurex shine, on a 4 to 4.5 mm hook (G-6 to 7). It suits macrame bags, clutches, baskets, keychains and home decor.

The finer Happyarn Macrame Lurex is 84% polypropylene with 16% metallic Lurex, 100 g for 140 m (153 yds), on a 3 mm hook. Polypropylene is waterproof and mold-resistant, which is why it works for placemats, runners, coasters and wall pieces.

For heavier knotwork, the Happyarn Cotton Macrame is 60% cotton with 40% viscose and polyester, a hefty 250 g (8.8 oz) skein for 85 m (92 yds), 3 mm thick, on a 6 to 7 mm hook. It builds up fast for wall hangings, placemats and runners.

Best for embroidery: Anchor Mouliné

Six-strand floss in 100% extra-long staple cotton, double mercerized for a smooth texture and a light-reflecting sheen, in 8 m (8.7 yd) skeins weighing 1.9 g (0.07 oz). Each skein separates into six individual strands so you can adjust thickness and detail level, and it is recommended for cross stitch, hand embroidery, needlework and canvas work.

It is the right partner for named or monogrammed finishing on knitted pieces, and it stores well because the colour range is built to be collected.

How to shop this list

Once the pieces are finished, our guide on keeping knits from pilling is worth ten minutes, especially for the acrylic blends.

The bottom line

Ready to fill a basket? Compare fibre, yardage and hook sizes across the range at Hobby Shopy.