i want to make a baby blanket for someone 
im going to crochet it not knit. what brand would be best?
thanks!
You didn’t ask for a pattern nor mention the gauge of the pattern you’re considering.
If you need a bulky yarn, I’d recommend Lion Brand Homespun. My 2-year-old grandchild has slept with a blanket made of Homespun every night of his life, and it has been washed at least a hundred times, maybe two hundred times. It washes well, it dries in the dryer, and it’s soft. Granted, it’s starting to pill, but that doesn’t matter to the grandchild!
If you want a worsted weight yarn, Vanna’s Choice (also by Lion Brand) is a good choice. TLC Amore by Coats & Clark is a worsted weight chenille yarn that does well for baby things. And Patons and Bernat both make machine washable and dryable worsted weight yarns that will hold up for years of use with a baby. I especially like Bernat Satin.
For a sport weight yarn, I like Lion Brand Babysoft or Patons Astra.
All of the above are acrylic yarns, so they machine wash and machine dry or hang to dry. They are all soft enough for use with a baby, and they are all tough enough to survive life with a baby.
August 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
My favorite is Simply Soft made by Caron. It comes in a good range of colors, as the name implies it is very soft, wash/dry well, and stands the test of time. My best friend still has the one I made her son 13yrs ago and he keeps it on his bed when he’s not using it, which he uses it quite a lot. It still looks new.
TLC made by Redheart is another good one. I will use it if I don’t find the right colors in Simply Soft.
Good luck! Hope you find what you are looking for and that your project turns out the way you want.
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37+ yrs crocheting
August 30th, 2009 at 9:16 am
I always buy Red Heart and I always buy the softest I can find.
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August 30th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Vanna’s Choice by Lionbrand is really soft. Moda Dea 100% washable wool is another favorite of mine.
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August 30th, 2009 at 10:06 am
You do want a soft yarn, and there are many different kinds to touch and use. You also usually want something a little finer, which makes for more delicate stitching, but does take a bit longer to make. It’s not as heavy either.
You can of course, use a heavy bulky yarn, but it’s not as useful in day-to-day use. It depends if you are knitting, crocheting or weaving the blanket.
I tend to prefer wool for a blanket; however, many mothers simply are too afraid of it, and don’t know how to look after it (it’s not very hard). They want something they can toss in the machine with all the other baby things, and into the dryer as well. You can use a synthetic (although it’s not as good for the baby — my opinion, of course) but they don’t seem to hold up as well. In any case, I’d avoid using the dryer unless you really have to — that is what really destroys much of our clothing.
Baby things really don’t need to last for very long, so that may not be much of a concern. However, if I am going to spend so much of my valuable time making something special, I want it to be around for a lot longer than I will be! I will want to use the best material I can afford, and made to the highest standards I have. That is only my opinion, of course, and you may have other thoughts.
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August 30th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Our members have hundreds of years of stitching experience and my personal experience is 50 years! Hope I can help. I suggest you first recognize your skill level. If you are just starting out, using baby sport or fingering yarn can be a challenge. These yarns produce a beautiful lightweight to airy (depending on pattern) finished item. The lighter weight yarn can be a little harder for a beginner to use (like a child learning to write with a no. 2 pencil; usually the learner does better with a thicker pencil because it’s easier to grip and control). 4ply, worsted weight yarn and sport yarns are usually used in making afghans. It’s perfectly okay for baby blankets, especially if you are making one that is crib size, or one you’d like the baby to use through childhood. I agree with some of the suggestions you were given by others about yarn brands. Caron Simply Soft yarn is great to work with, very soft, but it does tend to stretch more than I like to see in a blanket, especially when the item is large. Caron "Paints" doesn’t seem to have this result. It tends to hold shape better. I love working with Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand. It is uniform, has good substance and workability and has produced very acceptable mittens, hats and afghans for me and is a good value for the money. I can say the same about Bernat yarns. Red Heart is an old standby. Their TLC is preferrable to the regular 4 ply worsted (it is a bit rough), but any yarn will soften up when machine washed and dried and softened with dryer sheets or liquid softener. Remember, follow manufacturers’ directions about laundering (I include them with the gift, and a lingerie bag for washing the item). There is nothing worse than to spend time, energy and money to make a handmade item, and have it ruined because it didn’t hold up in the wash! Todays synthetic and some wools are made to be machine laundered, but it doesn’t hurt to help a little by using a lingerie bag to protect the item from snags. Even if the item isn’t intended for long use by a baby, mom or dad may want to hold onto it for a keepsake and baby might want to use it again one day when she has a little one. Another consideration is fiber content. I recommend using only synthetic or cotton yarn (or blends) for babies. Wools can involve allergies and nylon in a high content can chafe tender skin. Good luck with the project. Be sure to contact The Handiwork Ministry if we can be of help to you. If you are buying your yarn at a yarn shop rather than a discount store or caraft store, you can get support for your work. The store owner or manager is usually knowledgable in at least the basics of knitting and crocheting.
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50 years plus expereince, work with The Handiwork Ministry for nine years.
August 30th, 2009 at 11:09 am
You didn’t ask for a pattern nor mention the gauge of the pattern you’re considering.
If you need a bulky yarn, I’d recommend Lion Brand Homespun. My 2-year-old grandchild has slept with a blanket made of Homespun every night of his life, and it has been washed at least a hundred times, maybe two hundred times. It washes well, it dries in the dryer, and it’s soft. Granted, it’s starting to pill, but that doesn’t matter to the grandchild!
If you want a worsted weight yarn, Vanna’s Choice (also by Lion Brand) is a good choice. TLC Amore by Coats & Clark is a worsted weight chenille yarn that does well for baby things. And Patons and Bernat both make machine washable and dryable worsted weight yarns that will hold up for years of use with a baby. I especially like Bernat Satin.
For a sport weight yarn, I like Lion Brand Babysoft or Patons Astra.
All of the above are acrylic yarns, so they machine wash and machine dry or hang to dry. They are all soft enough for use with a baby, and they are all tough enough to survive life with a baby.
References :