Bulky & Chunky Yarn: A Guide to Quick, Cozy Knits
Bulky yarn, the #5 weight, is also commonly known as chunky yarn. Bulky weight yarn is thick, warm, and fastworking, so it’s great for making cozy hats, cowls, and blankets.
Bulky yarn has an undeniable appeal: you get to use big needles, see your progress quickly, and you can finish a whole hat before the tea kettle goes cold. In this guide, we’ll explore what bulky yarn actually is; how it compares to some other yarns; what to make with it; and what’s different about bulky yarn when it’s hand-dyed.
What Is Bulky Yarn? (and Is Chunky the Same Thing?)
What is bulky weight yarn exactly? The short answer: Bulky yarn is the #5 on the Craft Yarn Council scale — the thick, fastworking weight that can make you a hat in just one evening. It’s typically 12–15 stitches per 4 inches on US 9–11 needles. We often get asked: Is chunky yarn the same as bulky? Absolutely, it is! "Chunky" is the UK and Canadian description for the same category. So if a pattern says "chunky," fret not: it’s just the same yarn speaking a different accent. "Super bulky” is #6, the next size up.
Bulky vs Super Bulky vs Worsted: Which Do You Need?
Here’s a quick-and-easy comparison you can work off of — even if you’re a beginner:
Worsted yarn (#4) is excellent for everyday garments like hats, mittens, cowls, scarves, blankets, and sweaters. Want to dive a little deeper? We made this Worsted Yarn Guide just for you
What size knitting needles for worsted yarn? US 7–9
What size crochet hook for worsted yarn? I-9 to K-10
Bulky yarn (#5) is wonderful for warm accessories and cozy sweaters you want to make as quickly as possible.
What size knitting needles for bulky yarn? US 9–11
What size crochet hook for bulky yarn? K to M
Super bulky (#6) is ideal for arm-knit blankets and those whimsical yarn-wrapped Christmas trees you saw on Instagram.
What size knitting needles for bulky yarn? US 11–17
What size crochet hook for super bulky yarn? M to Q
Note that needle and hook sizes can vary slightly and have a little wiggle room depending on your project; that’s why we always recommend swatching before you begin. For our stitchers who want something lighter than bulky yarn and its friends — take a peek at our helpful DK yarn guide.
What to Make with Bulky Yarn
We’ve given our time estimates below to help you plan ahead, whether you want to make a simple hat (which needs roughly one 100-gram skein of our bulky weight yarn; 106 yards), or a chunky scarf (two to three skeins).
New stitchers often ask us: how many yards of bulky yarn for a blanket? A lap blanket will need several skeins — and the actual amount will vary depending if you’re crocheting or knitting. We recommend using a reputable yardage calculator to help you estimate.
Here are some of our favorite chunky yarn creations, in order of how quickly you can make them:
- One evening: a hat (one skein)
- One to two evenings: yarn-wrapped Christmas tree ornaments (12 ornaments will require less than 1 skein; this is also a great opportunity to use up some yarn scraps, since a little goes a long way!)
- Two evenings: a cowl (one to two skeins) or a chunky scarf (two to three skeins)
- One weekend: mittens (two skeins) or a cozy blanket (11-18 skeins).
Working with Hand-Dyed Bulky: What’s Different
We’re sweating over dye pots day in and day out, so we know a thing or two about how hand-dyed yarn shows up differently on bulky weight projects. Keep in mind that big stitches show color shifts more than small stitches, so a variegated yarn (multiple colors in repeating or irregular sections) can read as broad stripes or pools — while a tonal yarn (one color shifting in shade) can read as a soft wash.
Simple, color-forward stitches (stockinette, garter, linen stitch, single crochet, Tunisian) work best with variegated yarn, since these beautiful skeins are doing the bulk of the visual work. (Remember our rule: busy yarn = quiet stitch!) Tonal yarn creates a gorgeous gradient effect and doesn’t have the spunky unpredictability of variegated yarn, so you can try more complex stitches if you’d like, though simple stitches still look great.
Because hand-dyed yarns vary skein to skein, we recommend alternating skeins if you’re making anything larger than a hat — so the variegation flows seamlessly in a wide piece. For small accessories worked in the round, you usually don’t need to alternate.
Oh, and buy one extra skein than you think you’ll need: it’s always better to be safe than short a skein when you want it most! Check out this guide we made for more helpful insights: How to work with variegated hand-dyed yarn
Our Bulky: 106 Yards of 3-Ply Superwash Merino
The base of our bulky yarn is 100% fine superwash merino, 3-ply, 106 yards (97 meters) per 100 grams — it is soft, silky, beginner-friendly, and machine-washable because it’s superwash.
Feel free to browse our beautiful bulky yarn collection — we make everything from whispering pastels to boisterous neons to moody earth tones and more.
If you’re interested, you can also check out our fiber information page for more specs on yardage, weight, needle and hook sizes, and more.
We hope this guide helped you feel inspired and excited to make something new and cozy for the cold months ahead. So when you’re ready: pick a colorway, cast on as soon as your skeins arrive, and make something wonderful to wear (or share) by the following weekend.
FAQ
Is chunky yarn the same as bulky yarn?
Yes, chunky weight yarn is the same as bulky weight yarn — "chunky” is just the UK and Canadian description for the same yarn category (#5).
What size needles and hook do I use for bulky yarn?
Use US 9–11 knitting needles or a K to M crochet hook. Just remember needle and hook sizes can vary slightly and have a little wiggle room depending on your project, so we recommend swatching before you begin.
How many skeins of bulky yarn do I need for a hat?
You need one skein of bulky yarn to make a hat, which should take one evening to complete.
Leave a comment