22+ Pro Tips for crocheting with fuzzy yarn

Don’t become frustrated while crocheting with fuzzy yarn, here are my BEST TIPS and TRICKS for crocheting with fuzzy yarn!!!

What are Fuzzy Yarns?

Any yarn with varying texture or yarn with a fluffy feel with no definitive outline of the components is classified as fuzzy yarn. Items or projects made with them have a characteristic look with a rather very soft feel. These include fluffy blends of yarn, chenille, eyelash yarn, and fur faux yarns.

Crocheting with fuzzy or fluffy yarn can be daunting but this post is aimed at providing tips that I have tested and found useful while designing and making projects with fuzzy yarns.

It can be a challenge to crochet with this kind of yarn, but on the other hand, these yarns make the best and very soft finished project. The finished project is definitely worth the effort.

When time is of the essence, chunky yarns are needed! But sometimes, it is challenging to define the stitches with some of these yarns. In this post, you would learn my pro tips for crocheting with fuzzy yarns.

Yarn in these categories

Have you ever crocheted with any of the fuzzy yarns pictured below?

Fuzzy yarns – Feels Like Bliss Yarn – Spun with a modern “chainette” construction, which has a hollow, airy core that creates a lightweight and lofty yarn, Feels Like Bliss is great for stitching up cozy accessories like cowls and scarves, as well as snuggly home décor projects. This is a super soft and fuzzy yarn that works up quickly, it is classified as #5, a worsted weight.

Fur faux yarn – These yarns are soft and thick. You actually need fewer balls of yarn when using fur faux yarn, because of its loft. Examples include the Go for faux

Go For Faux® Thick & Quick® Yarn – Another great soft and furry yarn. I promise you that any project made using this yarn would make you want to curl up with it immediately. 
LB Collection® Go For Faux® Yooge Yarn – Faux Fur just got BIGGER! This is a Jumbo sized yarn perfect arm knitting to crocheting. It makes the softest throws. This yarn is classified as a #7 Jumbo.

Fleece yarn- These are bulky weight yarns with finished projects resembling fleece fabric. Example includes

Snuggle Snowflake chunky yarn – This yarn is perfect for baby items. It took about 2 hours to complete this baby beanie pattern.

Go For Fleece Sherpa Yarn – The Go for Fleece is perfect for projects that are soft and squishy. Think big and think cozy. This jumbo yarn begs to be squished and stitched into projects meant to keep you warm and snuggly. Try it out in scarves, cowls, hats, accent trims on sweaters and jackets, pillows, or even giant blankets. The 100% polyester fiber allows this yarn to be machine washed. This yarn is classified as a #7 Jumbo and works up pretty quickly.

Eyelash yarn also called Tinsel

Fuzzy yarns are forgiven – They hide almost all errors that would almost always happen when you are crocheting with these yarns. You do not need to be perfect when crocheting with these kinds of yarn as it hides errors. Examples include a skipped or missed stitch. While this would be glaring if you were crocheting with smooth yarns, no one would notice this error when you crochet with fur faux or fuzzy yarns.

These yarns can be difficult to crochet with and most people would usually shy away from working with that kind of yarn. The truth is, these yarns make the best-finished project. And it can never be over-emphasized that they work up pretty quickly. Fuzzy yarns are perfect for the last-minute crochet gift items as you can complete even a large project within a few hours.

My BEST tips for crocheting with fuzzy yarns

After a few projects, most of these tips would be incorporated together. You can use more than one tip at a time for just a project.

1. Feel your stitches with your fingers as you crochet – With your non-dominant hand, trace your work, using this when inserting your hook each time.
2. Combine fuzzy yarn with another type of yarn and use contrasting colors – Two is better than one, when crocheting with a fuzzy yarn, combine it with a smooth yarn. When doing this, you can use contrasting colors for ease. This would help locate each stitch for better placement of your stitches.
3. Use a larger hook size – Most of the time, the yarn would recommend the appropriate hook size, if you are unable to find the yarn details, always remember to use a large size hook. This loosens up your stitches and you are able to see or feel the next stitch.
4. Use simple crochet stitches when working with fuzzy yarns -These yarns have poor stitch definition, as such, use the basic crochet stitches when crocheting with yarns in this category. Example of simpler crochet stitches includes – single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet.
5. Make projects that do not require any major shaping with fuzzy yarns – Projects with a consistent stitch count throughout the whole project are easier to make with fuzzy yarns. It would be easier to crochet a square than a circle as you would need to increase or decrease at some point when making a circle or working in rounds to reduce and create a shape. Making a blanket in these yarns would be easier than making a dress or sweater.
6. Opt to always use stitch markers in any form – They are your friend. Use stitch markers generously. Place markers at intervals to minimize counting. If you are crocheting over a hundred stitches, place stitch markers at intervals of 20. It would be easier to count between these stitches. You could also place stitch markers after each row or round to keep track of the numbers you have done.
7. Use stitch/row counters – These would help you keep track of how many stitches or rows you have worked.
8. Do not rush, be relaxed and go slow! Enjoy every stitch and make it count. Go at your pace, crochet a stitch at a time, it might be challenging to unravel (frog) certain fur yarns!
9. Crochet into the spaces between the stitches rather than into each stitch – It can be challenging to locate each stitch, crocheting into the spaces between the adjoining stitches is much easier and faster.
10. Do not crochet in the dark – While it is advisable to trace your stitches while crocheting, one can not emphasize the importance of a good light source. It would simply save you lots of stress and cursing. The light source can be a bright lamp or a light-up hook. It could be crocheting during the day or even close to a window.
11. Practice, practice, and more practice – Believe me, I once had so much hatred for fuzzy yarn, and eyelash yarn but since I love the feel of the finished projects, I developed an interest in crocheting with these yarns and it has been a different story for me. I now love crocheting with these yarns.
12. Use the best tools for your next project when crocheting with fuzzy yarn – Use the most comfortable crochet hooks you own. Yarn bowls would prevent your yarn from tangling. A comfy chair would make you relaxed.
13. Weave in ends with smaller hook sizes – The ends have to be properly tucked in to prevent them from easily unraveling. When you are weaving in the ends, opt for a smaller hook size or use a darning needle.
14. Go for patterns that give measurements rather than a number of repeats when working with fuzzy yarns – It is so much easier to continue the repeats until a certain measurement than to follow a pattern that goes up to row 27. For example, when making a blanket with faux fur yarn, it is easier when the pattern says to continue in the stitch pattern until your work measures 50″ rather than repeat rows 2 – 5 12 more times. Measuring makes it easier to follow the flow than to keep counting after every row.

15. Make your Swatches – Before you start your next project with a fuzzy yarn, check your gauge. Not only are you familiarising yourself with the pattern, but this is also creating a form of relationship with your yarn! You’d get to know if you are comfortable with the hook and so on.

16. Beginners are warned – While I don’t want to discourage beginner Crocheters from using these yarns for their first projects, I would strongly advise beginners to follow the above suggestions when and if they want to use fur yarns.

17. Counting is your friend – Yes, you have to count every stitch! Either when you are working in rows or in rounds, you have to keep counting. This would save you lots of stress from looking for a missed stitch.

18. Work in rounds and keep it in a spiral! It’s easier to crochet in the rounds (especially when you do not need to increase your stitches) when using fuzzy yarn than in rows. Most people struggle with having a straight edge when crocheting with a smooth yarn, this becomes even more challenging when crocheting with fuzzy yarn. When you crochet in rounds, however, you can skip the beginning chains and also skip the joining after each round. Simply continue in rounds and move your stitch markers after each row of rounds.

19. Leave a long tail of yarn before cutting off – Because the yarn is fuzzy, they tend to pull into 19. pieces if not properly tucked in. As suggested in point 13 above, make sure to weave in your ends with a much smaller hook size or tapestry/darning needles.

20. When weaving in ends, go in a zigzag pattern – This would prevent your ends from pulling out easily.

21. Use simpler techniques – Whenever you are making a project with fuzzy yarn, and there are different methods of doing things, always go for the similar and easy one. For example, when decreasing use regular instead of the invisible decrease, remember no one can see your stitch definition. Also, instead of using the magic ring/magic circle, go for Ch 4, and start in the round in the first chain.

22. Join with smooth yarn – If you have a project made in fur faux yarn that requires joining/sewing, use smooth yarn to join. Makes it easier to see the stitches.

23. Do not pull too hard when working with fuzzy yarn – Be gentle as much as possible. A tight tug can result in the yarn separating, leaving you with lots of mess to deal with. Try as much as possible to maintain similar tension when making a project.

24. Fluff off your finished project – Yes, this step makes a huge difference. A wire pet brush would do a good job of bringing out the fluff in your project.

Examples of projects that are perfect with these yarns.

Fuzzy yarns make pretty, soft, and fluffy projects. Think of projects that scream softness, cuddles, and fluff.

Amigurumis – Toys

Beanies and cowls

Scarfs

Blankets, Throws, Pillow covers

Baby projects – I made this beautiful sleeping bag with faux fur yarn and my baby loves it! It was the perfect blanket for him as he used it mainly during our pram walks.

I hope this post has been able to give you all the necessary tips on how to crochet with Fuzzy, faux fur, and eyelash yarn like a pro. Let me know which of these tips you find handy and if you have other tips that can benefit others, do comment below.