I love making beanies for my friends and family – especially as the weather gets colder. But choosing the right yarn can be a real challenge! I've spent hours agonizing over what will be warm, comfortable, and easy to care for. I know a lot of people swear by fancy wools, but are they really necessary for a simple, warm beanie? That's the question I set out to answer.
Recently, I wanted to crochet a beanie for a friend. I started thinking hard about the yarn. Should I splurge on something luxurious, or would acrylic do the trick? I remembered hearing that acrylic wasn't the best for warmth, but it's so affordable and easy to find. The price difference was significant, and I needed something practical and budget-friendly. I was torn!
I started researching different types of yarn, and the more I looked, the more confused I became. Everyone seemed to have a strong opinion. Some said acrylic was a terrible choice, while others defended it as a perfectly acceptable option. I needed to cut through the noise and figure out what would work best for my project.
To make an informed decision, I decided to experiment. I crocheted a few sample swatches using different types of yarn. Here's what I discovered:
One thing I realized is that acrylic yarn has a lot going for it. It's not "fancy," as some might say, but for a practical beanie, it's a great choice. It's warm enough for most situations, incredibly durable, and you can throw it in the washing machine without a second thought. Plus, you can find really soft acrylic yarns these days at a reasonable price. The downside, I found, is that it can trap odors if exposed to a lot of sweat, which is something to consider depending on how active the wearer will be.
I even heard from a friend who crocheted a beanie for her husband with acrylic years ago, and he still wears it all the time! It's held up beautifully, and he's never complained about it being uncomfortable or making his head sweat. That gave me a lot of confidence in my choice.
Speaking of beanies, I recently saw a really cute Beanie Hat Lace Beret Cap over at WholeCustomDesign that had pearl decorations. It reminded me that beanies can be fashionable as well as functional! It's made with a pleated bubble yarn, and the brimless design is very trendy. If you're looking for something stylish and unique, that's worth checking out.
While I was leaning towards acrylic, I also considered superwash wool. It's a great alternative because it offers the warmth and softness of wool with the convenience of being machine washable. However, it can be more expensive than acrylic. Lion Brand Wool-ease is a popular option that's relatively soft, especially if you use fabric softener when washing it.
I also learned a trick for making wool beanies more comfortable. Some wool yarns can be a bit itchy, so I thought about sewing fleece bands into my wool hats, on the part where the skin would touch the yarn. This would make the hat much warmer and prevent any itching. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a great solution!
Here's a quick summary of the pros and cons of using acrylic yarn for beanies: