13 Best Cotton Yarns for Crochet & Knitting (2024)

Yarn made from cotton is a great eco-friendly choice when you are crocheting and knitting. But cotton yarn varies greatly across the market and you may find yourself overwhelmed with many choices! In this post, I want to break down the best cotton yarns for a variety of different projects (including sweaters, amigurumi, blankets, and more!)

Table of Contents

Skip to different sections of this post by using the table of contents below!

1. Best Cotton Yarn Brand
2. Overall Best Cotton Yarns
3. Best Cotton Yarn for Blankets & Sweaters
4. Best Cotton Yarn for Amigurumi
5. Best Pima Cotton Yarn
6. Best Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn
7. Best Cotton Thread
8. Cotton Yarn FAQ

Best Cotton Yarn Brand

There is not one brand that is the “best” for buying cotton. In truth, many brands have nice cotton yarns. Usually they have a wide variety of yarns, and you have to do some digging to find their cottons. Of course, I’ve done all that digging for you in this post!

Overall Favorite Cotton Yarns:

After comparing all the yarns in this post, I chose 4 TOP cotton yarns in different categories. If you don’t want to read the whole thing, you can cheat by looking at this quick chart! 😉

SOFTEST Cotton:	I Love This Cotton
Best PIMA Cotton:	Billow
Best KITCHEN Cotton:	Sugar ‘N Cream
Best Cotton BLEND:	Shine Sport

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Best Cotton Yarn for Blankets & Sweaters

Let’s start out by looking at cotton yarn that works well for blankets & sweaters. I decided to group these two types of projects together because they both need a cotton that is on the softer side.

If you’ve ever worked with cotton before, you might have noticed that it is not soft. But that is not the case with all cotton! These yarns that I’m about to show you will be easy on your hands for large projects, and also produce softer items in the end!

Best Cotton Yarn for Amigurumi

Amigurumi is another project you might want to use cotton for. When it comes to making amigurumi, you may need a more sturdy cotton yarn. This is because amigurumi is usually more on the “stiff” side. You want something that will hold its shape well and not flop over.

Best Pima Cotton Yarns

Next up, we have Pima Cotton yarns. According to Authenticity50.com, pima cotton is “a higher-end type of cotton with a longer fiber than conventional cotton. It has a reputation for producing a smooth fabric that’s soft to the touch, wrinkle-resistant, and ultra-durable.”

This is definitely true for yarn as well! Pima cotton is often much softer than standard cottons you find at craft stores. The best Pima cotton yarns I’ve found are only available online (at my favorite online yarn shop, We Crochet/Knit Picks!)

One last note here: because Pima Cotton is so soft, it can be great for sweaters and blankets too. The main thing to look out for when using this cotton is whether it can be washed and dried. Some pima cotton yarns are hand wash only.

Best Worsted weight Cotton Yarns

Moving on, let’s look at some awesome worsted weight kitchen cotton yarns. Some of the yarns we looked at already were also worsted weight, but these ones are specifically great for dishcloths.

When looking for a dishcloth yarn, make sure to choose something that is sturdy, stiff, and absorbent.

Let’s just say, these yarns I’m about to show you are the yarns that typcially give cotton a bad rap. They are NOT soft and often a bit hard on the hands and arms. However, they are this way for a reason: because they make for great dishcloths that hold up for a long time!

Best cotton Threads

Our last category of cotton yarn is THREAD! Crochet thread is generally made from 100% cotton because this makes it strong—not easily broken. Thread is typically used for doilies and mandalas, but it is not limited to this!

These cotton threads will work great for a wide variety of Spring/Summer projects, or lace projects.

Conclusion

Cotton yarn is a staple every crocheter needs to have in their stash. It can be used for lightweight summer garments, amigurumi, and lots more! There is really no end to what you can use cotton for. Once you try softer varieties, you are sure to be hooked forever. So now it’s your turn—which cotton are you going to try out? Pick one and let me know what you think!