Best Yarn for Chunky Blankets: 5 Labels Compared by Grams per Yard

The best yarn for chunky blankets depends on one number most product pages bury: grams per yard. “Chunky,” “jumbo” and “blanket yarn” get printed on yarns that differ six times in thickness, and the thick ones and the thin ones need completely different tools. I lined up the labels of five popular blanket yarns, did the math, and sorted them by what you actually want to make.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Every spec below comes from the maker’s label or listing, and I link to each one in the sources.

Best Yarn for Chunky Blankets: The Labels Side by Side

Grams per yard is my math from the label: skein weight divided by length. Everything else is quoted from the maker or retailer page linked in the sources.

Swipe the table sideways on a phone. Alize Puffy is sold by the meter: about 9 m is 9.8 yards.

The table splits cleanly into two groups. The top three sit between 8 and 10 grams per yard and are made for hands. The bottom two sit around 1.5 grams per yard and are made for needles or a hook, even though both are sold as blanket yarn.

Source check: “chunky blanket yarn”

What the product titles say: chunky, jumbo, super bulky, blanket yarn, often all at once.

What the labels say: Bernat Blanket is “600 g/21.2 oz, 394 meters/431 yards” and “#6 Super Bulky,” knit on 8 mm needles. Bernat Blanket Extra Thick is “600 g/21.2 oz” and “66 meters/72 yards,” “#7 Jumbo,” knit on 25 mm needles. Same weight of yarn, six times the length, and needles three times as thick.

What I’d do: divide grams by yards before you add anything to the cart. Around 8 grams per yard or more means hands. Under 2 means needles or a hook, whatever the title says.

Check Any Yarn Label in 10 Seconds

Type in the two numbers from any skein, even one that is not on this list, and pick your blanket size. My cutoffs come from the five labels above: 5 grams per yard and up behaves like the hand yarns, under 3 like the needle yarns.

Full instructions for the hands-only method, plus a size-by-size yardage table, are in my guide on how to make a chunky knit blanket.

The 4 Blanket Yarns I'd Actually Buy

All four are polyester, and the three with a published care label can go in the washing machine, which matters for something that lives on a sofa. The Puffy retailer page does not state care, so check the band on the skein. Prices on Amazon change daily, so I only quote the maker's list price where one is published.

1. Bernat Blanket Extra Thick: the benchmark jumbo yarn

This is the yarn Bernat writes its jumbo blanket patterns for, which is why its numbers are the most useful on this page: "600 g/21.2 oz," "66 meters/72 yards," "100% polyester," "#7 Jumbo." The care label says machine wash cold on a permanent press cycle and tumble dry low. One catch: Yarnspirations now lists it as "discontinued," so buy what you need for the whole blanket in one order while sellers still have it.

Worth it if: you want the yarn the yardage math is based on, and 3 balls for a 40 x 60 inch throw. Skip it if: you need more later, since a discontinued color will not come back. Then a 240 g jumbo chenille is the safer pick.

See Bernat Blanket Extra Thick on Amazon

2. A 240 g jumbo chenille skein: the easy-to-find choice

The generic jumbo chenille sold for hand knitting is the yarn most people end up with. The listing I checked gives "240g per skein," "25.6 meters long" and "100% polyester." That is 28 yards and 8.6 grams per yard, practically the same thickness as Bernat Extra Thick, so the same 200 yards make a throw: 8 skeins. Brands come and go on these listings, so check grams and length on the one you pick.

Worth it if: you want lots of colors and a yarn that will still be sold next year. Skip it if: the listing does not state grams and length. Without them you cannot work out how many skeins you need.

See jumbo chenille yarn on Amazon

3. Alize Puffy: for a blanket without any knitting

Puffy is a loop yarn: the loops are already made and you pull one through the next. A yarn retailer describes it as "100% hypoallergenic polyester," with "Each skein weighs 100 grams and has a running length of approx. 9 meters," and says "A 150×200 cm blanket requires about 20 skeins (2 kg)." For a 40 x 60 inch throw that works out to about 11 skeins (my math).

Worth it if: you, or a child you are making it with, find even finger knitting fiddly. Skip it if: you want the classic big-stitch chunky look. Loop yarn gives a tighter, bumpier texture.

See Alize Puffy on Amazon

4. Bernat Blanket: the best value if you use needles

The original Bernat Blanket is the yarn most "Bernat chunky yarn" searches land on, and it is a different animal: "#6 Super Bulky," "600 g/21.2 oz, 394 meters/431 yards," knit on "8 mm (US 11)" needles or crocheted with an 8 mm hook. It washes cold on delicate and tumble dries low. Yarnspirations lists the 600 g ball at $29.99.

Worth it if: you knit or crochet with a pattern and want a soft, washable blanket with a finer stitch. Skip it if: you planned to knit with your hands. At 1.4 grams per yard it is far too thin for that.

See Bernat Blanket on Amazon

When Not to Use Chenille

• You want a bit of wool warmth. Polyester chenille is soft but not wool. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick is "80% Acrylic; 20% Wool" in most colors and still goes in the machine, per its label. It is a needle yarn, though, at 1.6 grams per yard. For care of real wool, see how to wash a wool blanket.
• You want a full bed blanket by hand. A twin blanket takes about 490 yards of jumbo yarn, which at 8.3 grams per yard is roughly 4 kg, about 9 pounds (my math). That is a lot to knit on a table and to lift out of a washer. I would make a throw and lay it across the foot of the bed.
• You would rather not make it at all. Fair enough. My ultra-soft throw blankets and luxury faux fur throws roundups are the ready-made route, and my best chunky knit blankets guide covers the knit ones.
• Your plush blanket has already gone stiff. Polyester pile mats with heat and softener. Before you replace it, try the steps in how to make a blanket soft again.
• You need warmth more than texture. Big stitches leave big gaps. If the goal is a warm sofa, a heated throw costs a few cents an evening to run.

Questions People Ask

Is Bernat Blanket Extra Thick discontinued?

Yarnspirations, Bernat's own shop, marks it "discontinued" and "Out of Stock." Some sellers still have balls, so if you find your color, buy enough for the whole blanket at once, plus one spare.

How heavy is a chunky knit throw?

A 40 x 60 inch throw uses about 200 yards of jumbo yarn. At 8.3 grams per yard that is about 1.7 kg, or 3.7 pounds (my math), so it has real weight on your lap.

Can I put a chenille blanket in the dryer?

Both Bernat labels say tumble dry low, Extra Thick on a permanent press cycle and Bernat Blanket on delicate. Low is the key word: polyester pile does not like high heat.

Can I mix two yarns in one blanket?

Yes, if the grams per yard are close, for example Bernat Extra Thick at 8.3 and a 240 g chenille at 8.6. Mixing a hand yarn with a needle yarn gives stripes of very different thickness. Knit a test row with both first.

Making it as a Christmas gift?

A chunky throw is an evening or two of work, so it fits easily into the holidays. My free Christmas countdown checklist spreads the season over six calm weeks, so ordering the yarn and knitting the blanket each get a slot. US Letter, free for personal use, no signup.

The Bottom Line

Start with grams per yard, not the word on the label. For a hands-only chunky blanket, a #7 jumbo chenille at 8 to 9 grams per yard is the right yarn: Bernat Blanket Extra Thick while you can still find it, or a 240 g jumbo chenille that lists its length. Plan on 200 yards for a 40 x 60 inch throw and buy one spare skein. If you knit with needles, Bernat Blanket gives you 431 yards per ball for a finer, softer blanket.

Keep reading

• How to Make a Chunky Knit Blanket (+ How Many Skeins)
• 9 Best Ultra-Soft Throw Blankets for Cozy Nights
• 9 Luxury Faux Fur Throws That Feel Insanely Soft
• How to Make a Blanket Soft Again
• How to Wash a Wool Blanket
• Heated Throw vs Electric Blanket: Cost to Run and Safety

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