Store brands vs. name brands · Prices checked by hand
Save on yarn across stores
Craft stores sell their own yarn brands next to the names you know. Skeinstead puts them side by side: Michaels' Loops & Threads and Big Twist, Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee and I Love This Yarn, LoveCrafts' Paintbox, and comparable yarns from Red Heart, Caron, Lion Brand, Knit Picks, Hobbii and more. We compare price per 100 yards, and every price has a date and a source.
Medium (#4) acrylic, per 100 yards
Lowest store brand: Big Twist Value (Herrschners, lowest online price found) at $0.92 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Red Heart Super Saver (solids) (Yarnspirations) at $1.65.
Checked Oct 22, 2026. See how we get each price.
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Compare yarn by category
Each category puts store-brand yarns next to comparable name-brand yarns of the same weight and fiber.
Medium (#4) acrylic
Everyday worsted and aran acrylic for blankets, hats and garments.
Lowest store brand: Big Twist Value (Herrschners, lowest online price found) at $0.92 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Red Heart Super Saver (solids) (Yarnspirations) at $1.65.
Medium (#4) cotton
Cotton for dishcloths, market bags and summer pieces.
Lowest store brand: I Love This Cotton (Hobby Lobby) at $2.49 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Dishie (Knit Picks) at $2.63.
Medium (#4) chenille and velvet
Thin, velvety chenille for garments and amigurumi.
Lowest store brand: Loops & Threads Petite Purl (Shipt (Michaels store), lowest online price found) at $2.16 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Bernat Future Hope (Yarnspirations) at $3.60.
Bulky and super bulky (#5–#6) chenille
Plush blanket and amigurumi yarns.
Lowest store brand: Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth (Hobby Lobby) at $6.86 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Cover Story Posh Twist (Lion Brand) at $4.31.
Hooks, stuffing and notions are coming soon.
How we handle prices
- A date and a source on every price. Each row says whether the price came from a retailer feed, a check by hand, or the lowest online price we could find.
- Unverified means unverified. If we can't confirm a price, we say "not yet verified" instead of guessing.
- Price per 100 yards and per 100 grams. Skeins come in very different sizes, so we compare the yarn, not the skein.
- No Amazon links. We link to yarn makers and craft retailers directly.
Guides
Practical crochet guides you can keep open next to your hook, plus yarn comparisons like Petite Purl alternatives.
Store-brand yarn, explained
Who owns Loops & Threads, Big Twist, Yarn Bee and Paintbox, and how to compare them with name brands.
Yarn weights explained
What the numbers 0 to 7 on a yarn label mean, and which hook goes with each.
Crochet hook sizes
Millimeters, letters and numbers, and why the mm size is the one to trust.
Working with chenille and plush yarn
How to keep velvety yarn from worming, shedding, or hiding your stitches.
How to read a yarn label
Fiber, weight, yardage, gauge, care symbols and dye lot, decoded.
Gauge swatches without the dread
Why a 4-inch square saves big projects, and how to make one.
Beginner crochet supplies
The short list of what you actually need for your first project.
Caring for crochet projects
Washing, drying and storing finished pieces so they last.
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