Substituting Yarn: 5 Tips for Finding the Perfect Substitution

This post – Substituting Yarn: 5 Tips for Finding the Perfect Substitution –  contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase from the links below, I will get a small percentage of the sales at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continued support! 

Do you struggle with choosing a yarn substitute for a crochet pattern that’s going to give you very similar results as the recommended yarn?

There are several reasons why you may not want to use the yarn recommended in a crochet pattern. Maybe it’s out of your budget. Maybe it’s not easily accessible where you live. Maybe you don’t like the fiber content. Whatever the reason you don’t want to use that yarn, you still want to get a similar result as you see in the designer’s pictures. If it’s a wearable item, you want the finished item to fit well.

The best way to achieve similar results for your project that is to choose a similar yarn. But how do you choose the best substitute? I’m here to help. I’ve got five tips for you that will help you choose a really great yarn substitution for your project.

Substituting Yarns: A Disclaimer

First and foremost, I want to preface this by saying that I strongly recommend you use the yarn that the designer has recommended in the pattern whenever possible.

Why? Because essentially, the designer has done the heavy lifting for you. They have chosen that yarn because they believe it is the best yarn for the pattern. That could be because of the drape, because of the stitch definition, because of the way it fits, the way it feels on your body, the way it blocks, the way it’s washable … All kinds of things go into choosing a yarn for a pattern design.

So if you can, use the recommended yarn. I totally understand that it’s not always possible. Or maybe you just don’t want to. If you have a suitable skein in your yarn stash, it makes sense to use it. So if you’re going to substitute, here are some tips for choosing a really good yarn substitution for your project.

1. Choose A Yarn with the Same Weight and Fiber Content

This is probably the most important thing you need to know about choosing a yarn substitution. If you can’t use the same yarn as the designer, use the same weight yarn. Read the yarn label and choose a substitute yarn that is as close as possible. Also, if you can, use the same fiber.

Let’s say the pattern recommends a #3/light weight merino wool, like pictured below. If you can find a cheaper yarn with the same weight and fiber content, you will to get very similar results to the recommended yarn.

Can I Use a Different Yarn Weight Than is Recommended In the Pattern?

I do not recommend substituting yarn of a different weight than what is recommended in the pattern, especially if it’s a big jump in weight. For example, if the pattern requires a #1/fingering weight yarn and you want to use a #4/worsted weight yarn, that’s a big no no. It’s just not going to work out.

Why not? For one thing, it will be difficult to meet gauge—if you can meet gauge at all. You’re going to have issues with hook sizes and how many sizes you need to go down or up. If you don’t meet gauge, you’re going to have to do a lot of extra measuring, math, and reworking the number of stitches.

Yes, it is possible to adjust your gauge. I show you how to adjust your crochet gauge in this post. But using a different yarn weight just complicates the process and leads to fit issues all the way along the way.

Besides the whole fit issue, your finished item is not going to feel the same, lay the same, or drape the same as the designer’s sample. It’s not going to look similar. It’s not going to be the same project.

Say you’re making a crochet summer top, like my Jayda Tee, which calls for fingering weight yarn. If you make it in worsted weight instead, it’s going to be very heavy—not summery at all. Again, there are reasons the designer chose this weight of yarn.

One exception might be yarn weights that overlap, like sport and DK, or DK and light worsted. Sometimes, they’re virtually the same thickness. If you can meet gauge, then it’s probably okay. But I can never recommend using something drastically different in weight. You won’t enjoy the project or the final result.

2. Use YarnSub.com

You know you want a yarn of the same weight and fiber content as recommended in the pattern. But how can you find out which yarns are a good substitute? YarnSub.com is a great resource for crocheters and knitters. You can type in the recommended yarn from your pattern, and it will give you a whole list of different yarns that you could use to substitute for that yarn.

The results compare each suggested yarn by weight, fiber, gauge, and texture. The site even gives you a percentage that tells you how closely the substitute matches your recommended yarn. You can also filter for animal, plant, and synthetic fibers and price.

YarnSub doesn’t list every yarn, but it has a lot of them. So if your pattern recommends a more commonly used yarn, and you want to find a substitute for it, YarnSub.com is a great place to get substitution ideas.

3. Look at Projects on Ravelry

If you have Ravelry, you can go to the pattern listing for the project you are making. In the top right hand corner, you’re going to see “Projects.” If you click on “Projects,” you will see that pattern made by different crocheters. You’ll see pictures of completed projects, progress photos, and notes.

Ravelry projects will also list the yarn that person used, which you can use to find substitution ideas. You’ll see how different yarns look in the completed project—how it drapes, etc.

Ravelry also has a yarn section, where you can click on the name of the yarn and get more information about it. You can learn where to purchase it, its fiber content, yarn weight. You can even see other projects made from that yarn to give you an idea of colors, how it works up, etc.

4. Check the Designer’s Website

This one’s important. This one might be one of the first places you look. You can find good yarn recommendations quickly and easily on the designers website.

For me, I write a blog post for every single crochet pattern that I design, whether it’s paid or free. In that post, I list all the information. It’s like a hub for everything about that pattern—the construction, the yarn, the sizing, everything.

For each pattern, I have a whole section for the yarn. Here, I explain why I chose the recommended yarn, what’s great about it, where you can get it, stuff like that. And then, I usually also link some other yarns that I think would be good substitutes for the project.

So if you can find the designer’s website, find the blog post or listing for your pattern and and see if they’ve listed some recommendations for you.

Note that it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a yarn that the designer has used. I don’t make a sample in every yarn I suggest. But if it has similar fiber content, or I know it would work really well for that project, I will list a few alternatives.

If you can’t find anything on the designer’s website or their listing, you could also reach out via email. Say something like, “Hi, I’m unable to use the yarn recommended in this pattern. Do you have any recommendations for substitutions?” Most designers will gladly give you their recommendations for a good yarn sub.

5. Use Your Go-To Yarn

Lastly, probably the most simple thing to do is use a yarn you’ve already used before. If you have a favorite yarn in your stash that’s the right weight, you’ve made a garment from it before, and you know it works well, use that. It’s really that simple.

I have go-to yarns that I use over and over because I love them, because I know that they work well for crochet garments. They wash easily, they drape well, they’re comfortable, they’re not too hot—all different factors. I already know that’s a really good yarn for the type of garment I’m making. I will use that yarn to design my patterns over and over, because it’s my go-to yarn.

So if you have a go-to yarn in the recommended weight, I say go for it. Use something you’ve already used. It’s tried and true. You know it’s going to be comfortable. You know how to wash it. You know it works and it works up well.

So those are my tips for substituting yarn. I hope you find those ideas helpful and are now confident in choosing the perfect yarn to use in your next crochet project. Do you have a go-to yarn that you use over and over? Comment below and share your favorites!

Tag me on social media @twobrothersblankets, especially if you find the perfect substitute yarn and make one of my patterns!

Pin it for Later!

Sharing is caring!