One thing I’ve discovered throughout this journey into the world of crochet is that I definitely have favorites when it comes to yarn and the tools I use! Maybe you’re on the hunt for already-finished crochet plushies and blankets in our shop and want to know what kinds of materials we use at Cuddlebugs Yarnworks. Maybe you’re a crocheter yourself and you’re looking for yarn & tool recommendations. Either way, read on to find out what products I love the most!
MY Favorite Crochet Tools: The Best Yarn
When you’re talking about your favorite crochet tools, the most obvious place to start is yarn! It’s the most important part of any crochet project, and I have definitely found a few that I prefer for my projects.
My very, very favorite yarn is Big Twist Posh, available exclusively at Joann. It’s a super soft, medium-bulky yarn and makes the squishiest plushies and blankets! I love it because:
- it doesn’t shed or snag easily
- it’s machine washable
- it’s a great quality at a great price
- as of January 2025, there are 36 colors!
Unfortunately Joann has now closed all of its stores and Big Twist yarn is not available. ðŸ˜It looks like Herrschner’s will be taking it over at some point though, so I’m waiting patiently for that to materialize!
Other Great Bulky Yarns
Honey Bunny & Baby Snuggle by Hobbii
If I can’t find the exact colors I need with Big Twist Posh, I’ll head over to Hobbii and order some of their Honey Bunny or Baby Snuggle. Both of these yarns are super soft and squishy. They’re very high quality and to be honest, I can’t really tell the difference between the two. But they do shed more than the Posh does when using my favorite crochet tools.
I currently make my mallards using Honey Bunny in Eucalyptus, White, Gold Dust, Nougat, and Chocolate.
Bernat baby blanket dappled
While I enjoy Bernat blanket yarn of all types, my very favorite is Bernat Baby Blanket Dappled! It is softer and a bit thinner than their regular blanket yarn, and it has really nice phasing. Here are a few things I’ve made with it using different crochet tools listed in my blog.
NICEEC Faux Fur Yarn
I discovered Niceec Faux Fur Yarn on a great Black Friday deal at Amazon, and it’s awesome! The skeins are small, so you’ll need a few more than you think. But the finished product is SO cute! And I love how many colors they have. Availability seems to vary, but there are 40+ colors listed on the Niceec store on Amazon. Here’s a picture of a custom cat I made for a friend of mine using my favorite yarn and tools:
My Favorite Crochet tools: Safety Eyes
Another one of my favorite crochet tools has got to be cute safety eyes. If you’re going to make amigurumi plushies, you’re going to need a wide variety of safety eyes! Of course I use the plain black ones pretty frequently, but I don’t have a favorite brand for those – I just find whatever is cheapest on Amazon. But I have a couple other types of safety eyes that I have fallen in love with.
Please keep in mind that safety eyes are actually a choking hazard, so they shouldn’t be used on items for young children or babies. Here are the two types I use most often with my favorite crochet tools:
Kawaii Safety Eyes
I’m an absolute sucker for anything Kawaii, so I was super excited when I found these safety eyes by Ecavaria. I use these for my potted plant friends – and lots of other projects too! They come in a pack of 400 pieces (200 eyes + 200 backs), with both oval and round eyes included. The sizes range from 8-16 mm.
Sparkly Safety Eyes
If you’re going for more of a Ty plushie look, you’ll love these sparkly safety eyes. They come in a pack of 150 pieces (75 eyes + 75 backs), in 12 mm, 16 mm, and 20 mm. They include purple, yellow, orange, blue, and green. Here are a few plushies I’ve made using these eyes along with my favorite crochet tools.
Other Tools I Can’t Live Without:
Poly-Fil
I only use the original Poly-Fil by Fairfield. It is great quality and goes a really long way! I may play around with some other brands in the future, but I just got a really great deal on a GIANT 20-lb box of it, so I’m good for probably a year or more!
If you have any suggestions for a different brand, let me know in the comments below!
Padded Crochet Hooks
I always get a little googly-eyed at the cute designer crochet hooks I see pop up on social media and I’m tempted to splurge. But, I really, really love my plain Jane cushioned hooks by Susan Bates.
I almost always use the 6.5 mm hook (my go-to plush yarn is a size 5). If I’m using blanket yarn or fur yarn, I”ll use my 8 mm hook. But it’s good to have a range of sizes because you never know when you’re going to need them!
Stitch Markers
If you’re doing amigurumi, you absolutely cannot survive without stitch markers! I love these from Amazon. They’re the perfect size for plush yarns, and they’re nice and sturdy. I had some plastic ones that I purchased locally, and they were so flimsy they would just randomly break. Since switching to these, I haven’t had that problem!
Tapestry Needles
Again, you can’t really live in the crochet world without some sort of needle to weave your ends in. I used to use just plain old needles, but I kept seeing people on social media using these weird bent needles. I finally decided that I had to see what all the fuss was about, and I will tell you….these are a GAME CHANGER! It’s hard to explain, but if you don’t have them yet…buy them now! I purchased this pack from Amazon (because colors!) and they come with a little container to carry them in.
So there you have it! These are the items you’ll find in my crochet room…all have been tested and given the stamp of approval by Yours Truly.
Did I miss anything? If so, let me know in the comments below!
Welcome to Cuddlebugs Yarnworks!