Arm knitting is much easier than it looks. It is perfect for anyone who wants to get started in DIY with ease. Blankets, baskets for cats, cushions, or even hats… there are many projects to knit with the arms. When knitting, the thicker the wool, the easier it is to knit and to spot and undo your mistakes, but finer yarn can create delicate decor. But how can you choose high-quality yarn when there is so much brands on the market?
The best yarn for arm knitting in most cases is thick and soft. And it should have good length and include a plethora of colors to choose from. If knitting could frighten some, the yarns we have selected will seem more playful to them and not to mention the speed at which they can be knitted. Check out the best arm knitting yarns we discovered in the comparison table below.
And once you’re done, take a look at our article on the 8 best yarns for amigurumi here!
More features: multipack, machine washable and vegan friendly
ETSIIT’s Jumbo Yarn is a popular option for arm knitters who want soft, oversized stitches with minor effort.
Made from 100% polyester, this yarn has a velvety, plush texture that lends itself well to chunky blankets, throws, and decorative pillows. Its super-bulky weight makes it especially suitable for arm knitting, saving you unnecessary work
One of its strongest advantages is just how well it lends itself to the projects you’ll make. Unlike traditional wool roving, this yarn is durable, low-shedding, and machine-washable.
A good choice for items that will see everyday use in busy households, the yarn is also lightweight compared to its’ bulk, so finished projects are cozy without being overly heavy.
Yardage per skein is a little limited, but considering it’s sold in multipacks, you’ll be in no danger of running out of material, and it’s sold in a choice of colors. Overall-a tremendous choice for arm knitters!
More features: color variation, machine washable
Cheap in price, but not in quality, the Bernat AlizeYarn has the highest value for money in this review of the best yarns for arm knitting.
The material, as you can see, comes in a color variation which will end up in a lovely result. Sold for an under $15 price, you have 23 patterns to choose from. These include black, bright blue, bright pink, bright purple, bright rainbow, bright red, burgundy, among others you can choose.
We love the bright red variant. It’s not only attractive, but it will help you fall in love with knitting. After all, red is irresistible and symbolizes passion, courage, and activity. The country blue and the denim blue (pictured) are also really attractive.
You can make pillows, cowls, and scarfs out of this high-quality yarn made of 100% polyester. This is the best yarn for arm knitting blanket.
What we liked
The color variation and the colors themselves are eye-catching.
What could be better
You should be very careful while knitting, this yarn can break if you pull it too strongly.
More features: Machine washability, tumble dryer safe, quicker than average shipping
The Alzoear Chenille Chunky Yarn is a super bulky, soft acrylic yarn designed for arm knitting, finger knitting, and DIY craft projects. This yarn is well-suited for creating cozy blankets, cushions, scarves, and other home décor.
Each skein weighs 250g and gives about 24 yards, so for simpler and smaller projects it’s ideal! Small projects easily work themselves up-even for beginners. On top of that, it just has an inviting look- any home project you make from this will just have that ‘snug’ feel.
The trade off with this yarn is that despite being much cheaper than wool, the yardage isn’t ideal- small ‘one-off’ projects won’t be an issue, but for larger items always be sure to have a skein or two spare just in case!
The Revolution Fibers Merino Wool Roving is a premium fiber option for crafters seeking high-quality, versatile materials. Made from 100% undyed Merino wool, this roving features a fine 23–25 micron count- that means a soft, smooth texture ideal for wearable projects, home décor, and tactile crafts.
Ethically sourced from non-mulesed sheep, it adheres to cruelty-free production standards. Add to the fact that the wool is undyed means effortless color customizability! While the super fine fibres take a little practice to work with, for an experienced hand this is a SOLID choice for home craft projects.
Overall, if you want a high quality and responsibly sourced Merino wool, this is a great pick for your projects.
More features: fits for felting, color variation
Made out of Australian merino wool, the Shep’s Wool Yarn is for elegant and luxurious fashion items. The roving is completely natural. It’s 100% farmed and processed in the United States.
It’s sold for an affordable price which users comment that it’s quite low for wool materials.
The wool has a baby-soft texture and is ideal for skin comfort. You can make booties, hand spinning, baby sweaters, and other DIY jobs out of this yarn.
Asides from the 1lbs size options, the item is available in 2 lbs, 2 oz, 4 lbs, 4 oz, 8 lbs, and 8 oz options. In appearance and texture, the wool yarn looks amazing and looks silky. It is stunningly beautiful.
It’s not only ideal for arm knitting, you can also use it for your spinning, wet felting, and needle felting projects.
Natural white in color, it is chunky and soft to the touch.
What we liked
We like how perfect it is for welt felting. It is super soft, clean, and is of high quality.
What could be better
The only downside to this yarn is the smell upon arrival. It would pass with time
More features: color & style variation- 33 choices
More features: most established stateside brand
Red Heart Hygge Yarn has SUCH a luxurious feel to it- at cat5 this yarn is bulky but not toooo bulky. A great choice for light and cozy clothing, this yarn is made of a 70/30 mix of acrylic and nylon so you can expect durability AND elasticity.
This is a forgiving yarn for beginners to experiment in making comfy new clothes with- just as well, because its’ namesake ‘hygge’ means ‘comfort’ in Danish!
It’s great textures holds up against frogging, and even in loose-knit projects it retains shape reasonably well. It’s easily machine washable too which is a MUST for clothing projects.
Overall if you fancy knitting a custom-made sweater or a set or 2 of socks to lounge in, this yarn is PERFECT. But it lacks the thickness for bigger projects such as blankets, rugs etc.
Arm knitting yarns are not only available in different colors and dyes, but also different qualities, thicknesses, and structures. We will show you what makes a good yarn and how to choose the right yarns for knitting in this section.
There are a couple of reasons to start arm-knitting if you are yet to start.
After a day of hard work, in less than 30 minutes, there is nothing better than to relax than and make your chunky scarf for this winter!
Below, you can read the details of each step and learn a few tips and tricks.
Equipment needed for arm knitting:
As in classic knitting, you have to place the ball(s) in front of you, so that you can knit easily!
Step 1: Start by pulling out a length of thread and make a slip knot
To start your arm knitting, start by pulling out a length of thread of 100 cm and tie a slip knot. Then put it on your arm.
Step 2: knit the first row
Here you have to pass all the first knitted stitches from the right arm to the left arm. First, hold the threads coming from the ball in the hand of the arm where your stitches are already placed. Then, with the other free hand, pass a stitch on the empty wrist. Then repeat the same gesture until the end of the row.
Step 3: knit the second row
Too easy! You have to repeat the same gesture as in step 2 but in the other direction! And you have to start again until the end of the knitting!
Step 4: bind off the stitches in arm knitting
To secure your stitches, start by knitting the first 2 stitches as normal. Then, pass the 1st mesh above the 2nd and knit the next stitch.
Repeat this same movement until there are no more stitches left on the wrist.
Step 5: Cut, but be careful!
Cut the thread, pass it through the last remaining stitch, tighten!
Step 6: the final seam of the 2 edges of the snood
Use the original threads to intertwine the stitches of the 2 edges between them. You have to join the last row to the first. Tighten and tie a knot for each. To hide the excess yarn and have a nice result in arm knitting, last tip, no knot! Slip this rest of the thread inside the book for a few centimeters and… cut!
There you have it, you have made a snood in less than 30 minutes!
To learn how to knit with the arms, watch the video tutorial below to fully understand each step of this DIY method:
Knitting yarns come in different price ranges. It depends on the length, weight, and the type, and quality of the material. Generally, a ball of bulky wool yarn starts from around $10 and can reach close to $100. The cheapest wool yarns are cotton, wool, and acrylic. But regardless of what your choice is, always work with quality threads from the best brands, you will achieve better results.
What material, thickness, length, weight, among other things, should your wool yarn be in? Here, we’ll tell you everything!
Arm knitting yarns are available in different materials. These include:
The run length is very important for knitting wool. You have to take the barrel length into account when calculating how much wool you will need. The reason for this is that two knitting yarns with the same weight can have very different run lengths. For example, 100m of wool can be wound on a ball of wool that weighs 50g. In contrast to this, another ball of wool can only be 70m, although the ball also weighs 50g. So that you buy enough knitting wool, you always have to calculate the total run length. In other words, this means: you work out how many meters of wool you need – and not how many grams.
Suppose the instructions say you need 250g of wool. Let’s assume a wool yarn is available as a 50g ball and has a length of 100m per 50g. For the knitted piece, you will use 5 balls of wool and 500m of yarn.
The wool you want to use is also wound on 50g balls. However, your wool only has a length of 80m per 50g. If you were now based only on weight and bought 5 balls, you would only get 400m of wool (5 balls x 80m = 400m). So your wool would not be enough. Therefore you have to calculate: 500m total length: 80m per ball = 6.25. So that you can knit the piece as in the instructions, you would have to buy 7 balls of your favorite wool.
Soft arm knitting yarns are better for the knitter, the finishing of the yarn, and the user. When you make simple patterns out of soft plain yarns, you get a sophisticated look for your creations. They usually don’t require additional work and they look fancier as the light bounces off them. Yarns made of Merino wools like the Shep’s Soft Merino Wool are well-known for their extraordinary softness.
We advise that you bet on light and smooth materials with color variation. They will be easier for you to knit than a hairy or fantasy yarn because you will see the stitches better and the errors will be hidden. Variegated yarns are often dyed with many colors and produce varying effects depending on the crafter’s technique, the pattern, and color change frequency. Effects produced can include “flashing” and “pooling.”
Wool yarns are made up of a continuous strand, composed of fibers, which can give rise to different types of yarns, from the finest to the thickest.
To know how much the thread weighs, you just have to look at its label, where you will find a numbering that goes from 0 to 7. Each number corresponds to a type of thickness.
We will detail the main types of yarn thicknesses that will be possible to arm knit with:
Most fashion materials made with the yarns can be cleaned by hand and in the machine. However, it depends on the type of material and the technique of manufacturing. Merino wool cannot be washed in the machine but can only be dry-cleaned. Acrylic materials are washable in the machine but some materials with special construction such as the Couture Jazz cannot be machine washed.
The washing instructions are very important to read to obtain a safe cleaning and good conservation of the garment. You have to check the washing label symbols of the yarn.
We will explain you the most common international washing symbols that you can find on yarn and wool labels. You will see that one, two, or three dots appear in some labels. These points are related to the temperature of the water.
If you want to give a garment to someone, we recommend including the label with washing instructions as part of the gift. In this way, you provide all the information necessary for the care of the garment and its conservation.
Arm-knitting is a hobby activity that comes with many benefits. If you’ve decided to take this leap, then you have to start buying yarns for that project in your head. Undecided yet? Then check our final verdict!
Our Editor’s Choice is the ETSIIT jumbo arm knitting yarn. This is a soft, chunky wool yarn that is ideal for large knitting. You can use it to arm-knit luxurious items needed at home.
The Best Value yarn ball is the Bernat AlizeYarn. Sold for an under $15 price, it also doubles as our Budget Pick. You have 23 patterns to choose from. These include bright pink, bright purple, bright rainbow, bright red, burgundy, among others.
