Loop Yarn for Beginners {Everything you need to know!}

In today’s post: Learn everything you need to know to start working with loop yarn – you’ll be making gorgeous projects in no time!

Loop yarn is one of my favorite craft supplies. It’s a super soft, chunky yarn that allows you to knit up blankets, pillows, scarves, and more – and you don’t have to know how to knit to use it! Seriously, it is so easy to use, it’s kind of like magic.

Every time I post a project made with loop yarn I tell people how easy it is use, and every time people don’t believe me! Someone always comments to say they’d never be able to do it. So today I’m going to make it super simple for you to get started using loop yarn. I’ll share my favorite brands of loop yarn and demonstrate the 3 main stitches. I’ll also show you how to start and finish a project and fix mistakes mid project. Finally, you’ll also find links to the projects I’ve made with loop yarn for more details on each.

What is Loop Yarn?

Loop yarn is a super soft yarn that has loops pre-sewn into it. So instead of making loops and doing complicated stitches using knitting needles, all you have to do is pull one loop through another to knit up your project. You never have to worry about keeping the correct tension or spacing because that’s all taken care of for you. It’s easy to work on while watching a movie or listening to a podcast.

Loop yarn comes in balls and you can find it at most craft stores and occasionally at Walmart. It’s machine washable and dryable, which is a big plus. And it really is ridiculously soft.

What Brand Should I Use?

Here’s the rundown on the brands I like best:

BERNAT ALIZE BLANKET EZ YARN

Bernat Alize Blanket EZ yarn is probably my favorite brand of loop yarn. It’s extremely soft, so much so that my kids fight over the blankets I’ve made with it. It comes in a larger size ball and is available in quite a few colors, including some really pretty variegated colors (like the one I used on the cable knit blanket). It has held up well so far and is machine washable. It’s also quite warm when worked up into a blanket. I purchase this yarn at Jo-Ann’s and try to combine a coupon with a sale for the best price. It’s more expensive than other brands because the balls are larger, but I actually think it’s the best value (when it’s on sale) for the same amount of yarn.

OFF THE HOOK YARN BY LION BRAND

Off the Hook yarn comes in at a close second to the Bernat Blanket EZ brand. It’s not quite as soft as Bernat, so when made into a blanket it doesn’t feel quite as cozy and warm. However, because it’s a little sturdier the different stitches show up really well, so if you’re more concerned with how it looks, this yarn might be the one to pick. And the colors! They have a really great selection of solids in the most gorgeous shades, as well as some variegated shades. This yarn comes in smaller balls, about half the size of the Blanket EZ. Again, this one is machine washable and I’d definitely recommend it. Jo-Anns carries this brand as well.

RED HEART LOOP-IT YARN

I actually have not tried the Red Heart Loop-It yarn yet. However, from looking at it in stores, it appears to be very similar to the Off the Hook Brand. I think you can find this brand at Hobby Lobby and some Walmarts.

BIG TWIST LOOPITY LOOPS YARN

This is the last yarn I’ve tried, and it’s definitely my least favorite. It’s pretty and extremely soft, but there was a good bit of shedding while I knitted it up, and it just doesn’t feel nearly as sturdy as the other yarns. I wouldn’t recommend this brand.

How Much Loop Yarn will I need?

Remember that how many balls of yarn you’ll need for your project will depend on which brand of yarn you are using. The Blanket EZ yarn comes in larger balls, so it won’t require as many, while Lion Brand and Red Heart balls are quite a bit smaller (about half as big).

If you use a pattern, it should tell you how many skeins you will need of that specific brand. If you’re winging it, here’s a general guide to how much yarn you’ll need:

Baby Blanket (about. 1 yard square): 3 balls of Blanket EZ, 5-6 balls of Lion Brand or Red Heart

Small Throw Blanket (50×60 inches): 6 balls of Blanket EZ, 11-12 balls of Lion Brand or Red Heart

Larger Throw Blanket (60×70): 8 balls of Blanket EZ, 15-16 balls of Lion Brand or Red Heart

Please remember that these are estimates, and using different colors in the same blanket will likely mean you need a little more yarn.

Loop Yarn Patterns

Each brand of loop yarn has some fun free patterns available online. You can make up patterns from one brand with a yarn from a different brand; just remember that will affect how many balls of yarn you will need.

Find Bernat Alize Blanket EZ patterns here

Find Off the Hook Lion Brand patterns here

Find Red Heart Loop-It patterns here

One caveat about the patterns: they are pretty confusing if you’ve never used loop yarn before. Don’t worry! I’ll explain the basic stitches and everything else you need to know in the videos below. You can also find links to the specific projects I’ve done below. Each of those posts includes a video that walks you step by step through the project:

1 – Loopy Yarn Pillow | 2 – Cable Knit Blanket | 3 – Pocket Wrap  | 4 – Checkerboard Blanket | 5 – Buffalo Plaid Blanket | 6 – Cleverly Cabled Throw Blanket

How to Use Loop Yarn VIDEOS

I’ve made two videos that show you all the basics for making a blanket from loop yarn. If you have an ad-blocker, you will need to disable it to view the videos.

This first video shows you how to start a loop yarn project and demonstrates the three main loop yarn stitches:

The second video shows you how to swap to a new ball of yarn, how to troubleshoot if you have too many (or too few) loops in a row, and how to finish the top of your project:

That covers everything you need to know to get started!