Price tracker · Store brands vs. name brands
Yarn price tracker: save on yarn across stores
Last checked: . Each row also shows its own check date and price source.
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Big craft retailers sell their own store-brand yarns. This tracker lines them up against comparable name-brand yarns of the same weight and fiber, so you can see the cost per 100 yards and per 100 grams before you buy. Store brands are listed first in each table.
Yarn
Medium (#4) acrylic
Everyday worsted and aran acrylic for blankets, hats and garments. Category page →
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.
| Yarn | Where | Fiber · weight | Skein | Price | Per 100 yd | Per 100 g | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Twist Value Store brand Big Twist (Michaels; formerly JOANN) |
Michaels | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
170 g (6 oz) 380 yd / 347 m |
$3.49 sale · reg. $4.49 | $0.92 | $2.05 | Lowest online price found Herrschners, . Shipping/delivery not included. Replaced by Michaels' feed once approved. |
| I Love This Yarn Store brand I Love This Yarn |
Hobby Lobby | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
198 g (7 oz) 355 yd |
$4.99 | $1.41 | $2.52 | Checked by hand Hobby Lobby, |
| Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran Store brand Paintbox Yarns (LoveCrafts' own brand) |
LoveCrafts | 100% acrylic 4 Medium (Aran) |
100 g (3.53 oz) 201 yd / 184 m |
$2.93 sale · reg. $4.50 | $1.46 | $2.93 | Checked by hand LoveCrafts, |
| Loops & Threads Impeccable (solids) Store brand Loops & Threads (Michaels) |
Michaels | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
127.5 g (4.5 oz) 285 yd / 260 m |
$4.99 | $1.75 | $3.91 | Lowest online price found Instacart (Michaels store), . Shipping/delivery not included. Replaced by Michaels' feed once approved. |
| Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek Store brand Yarn Bee (Hobby Lobby) |
Hobby Lobby | 100% low-pill acrylic 4 Medium |
142 g (5 oz) 232 yd |
$5.49 | $2.37 | $3.87 | Checked by hand Hobby Lobby, |
| Crafter's Square Acrylic Yarn Store brand Crafter's Square (Dollar Tree) |
Dollar Tree | 100% acrylic Not stated on label |
60 g (2.1 oz) 132 yd / 120 m |
Price not yet verified | — | — | Price not yet verified. Dollar Tree's website didn't list this yarn when we checked, and it has no product feed. Needs an in-store or online manual check. |
| Red Heart Super Saver (solids) Comparable Red Heart |
Yarnspirations | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
198 g (7 oz) 364 yd / 333 m |
$5.99 | $1.65 | $3.03 | Checked by hand Yarnspirations, |
| Brava Worsted Comparable Knit Picks |
Knit Picks | 100% premium acrylic 4 Medium (Worsted) |
100 g 218 yd |
$3.99 | $1.83 | $3.99 | Checked by hand Knit Picks, |
| Caron Simply Soft Comparable Caron |
Yarnspirations | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
170 g (6 oz) 315 yd / 288 m |
$6.99 | $2.22 | $4.11 | Checked by hand Yarnspirations, |
| Vanna's Choice (solids) Comparable Lion Brand |
Lion Brand | 100% acrylic 4 Medium |
100 g (3.5 oz) 170 yd / 156 m |
$4.99 | $2.94 | $4.99 | Checked by hand Lion Brand, |
Medium (#4) cotton
Cotton for dishcloths, market bags and summer pieces. Category page →
Lowest store brand: I Love This Cotton (Hobby Lobby) at $2.49 per 100 yd. Lowest comparable: Dishie (Knit Picks) at $2.63.
| Yarn | Where | Fiber · weight | Skein | Price | Per 100 yd | Per 100 g | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Love This Cotton Store brand I Love This Yarn |
Hobby Lobby | 100% cotton 4 Medium |
99 g (3.5 oz) 180 yd |
$4.49 | $2.49 | $4.54 | Checked by hand Hobby Lobby, |
| Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran Store brand Paintbox Yarns (LoveCrafts' own brand) |
LoveCrafts | 100% cotton 4 Medium (Aran) |
50 g (1.76 oz) 93 yd / 85 m |
$3.09 sale · reg. $4.75 | $3.32 | $6.18 | Checked by hand LoveCrafts, |
| Dishie Comparable Knit Picks |
Knit Picks | 100% cotton 4 Medium (Worsted) |
100 g 190 yd |
$4.99 | $2.63 | $4.99 | Checked by hand Knit Picks, |
| Lily Sugar'n Cream The Original (solids) Comparable Lily Sugar'n Cream |
Yarnspirations | 100% cotton 4 Medium |
71 g (2.5 oz) 120 yd / 109 m |
$3.99 | $3.33 | $5.62 | Checked by hand Yarnspirations, |
Medium (#4) chenille and velvet
Thin, velvety chenille for garments and amigurumi. Category page →
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.
| Yarn | Where | Fiber · weight | Skein | Price | Per 100 yd | Per 100 g | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loops & Threads Petite Purl Store brand Loops & Threads (Michaels) |
Michaels | 100% polyester 4 Medium |
250 g (8.75 oz) 537 yd / 491 m |
$11.59 | $2.16 | $4.64 | Lowest online price found Shipt (Michaels store), . Shipping/delivery not included. Replaced by Michaels' feed once approved. |
| Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth Aran Store brand Yarn Bee (Hobby Lobby) |
Hobby Lobby | 100% polyester 4 Medium |
99 g (3.5 oz) 161 yd |
$5.49 | $3.41 | $5.55 | Checked by hand Hobby Lobby, |
| Bernat Future Hope Comparable Bernat |
Yarnspirations | 100% recycled polyester 4 Medium |
170 g (6 oz) 333 yd / 305 m |
$11.99 | $3.60 | $7.05 | Checked by hand Yarnspirations, |
| Toucan Fine Comparable Hobbii |
Hobbii | 100% polyester 4 Medium |
100 g (3.53 oz) 196.85 yd / 180 m |
$7.70 | $3.91 | $7.70 | Checked by hand Hobbii, |
| Go Handmade Bohème Velvet Double Comparable Go Handmade (sold by Hobbii) |
Hobbii | 100% polyester 4 Medium |
50 g (1.76 oz) 76.55 yd / 70 m |
$7.20 | $9.41 | $14.40 | Checked by hand Hobbii, |
Bulky and super bulky (#5–#6) chenille
Plush blanket and amigurumi yarns. Category page →
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.
| Yarn | Where | Fiber · weight | Skein | Price | Per 100 yd | Per 100 g | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth Store brand Yarn Bee (Hobby Lobby) |
Hobby Lobby | 100% polyester 5 Bulky |
99 g (3.5 oz) 80 yd |
$5.49 | $6.86 | $5.55 | Checked by hand Hobby Lobby, |
| Cover Story Posh Twist Comparable Lion Brand |
Lion Brand | 100% polyester 5 Bulky |
200 g (7.05 oz) 232 yd / 213 m |
$9.99 | $4.31 | $5.00 | Checked by hand Lion Brand, |
| Premier Parfait Plush Comparable Premier (sold by Mary Maxim) |
Mary Maxim | 100% polyester 6 Super Bulky |
200 g (7 oz) 174 yd |
$7.99 | $4.59 | $4.00 | Checked by hand Mary Maxim, |
| Honey Bunny Comparable Hobbii |
Hobbii | 100% polyester 6 Super Bulky |
100 g (3.53 oz) 131.23 yd / 120 m |
$7.70 | $5.87 | $7.70 | Checked by hand Hobbii, |
| Bernat Blanket (300 g) Comparable Bernat |
Yarnspirations | 100% polyester 6 Super Bulky |
300 g (10.5 oz) 220 yd / 201 m |
$14.99 | $6.81 | $5.00 | Checked by hand Yarnspirations, |
| King Cole Yummy Comparable King Cole (sold by Knit Picks) |
Knit Picks | 100% polyester 5 Bulky |
100 g 131 yd |
$9.26 | $7.07 | $9.26 | Checked by hand Knit Picks, |
| Cover Story (1000 g) Comparable Lion Brand |
Lion Brand | 100% polyester 6 Super Bulky |
1000 g 547 yd / 500 m |
$39.99 | $7.31 | $4.00 | Checked by hand Lion Brand, |
Waiting on retailer feeds
Some retailers only allow prices from their own affiliate product feed. These rows stay empty until that feed is connected.
| Listing | Retailer | Price | Program | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarn sold at Target | Target | Waiting on retailer feed | Target Partners (Impact, not applied) | Target only allows prices from its Impact Merchandiser Datafeed, and scraping its website is banned. No Target prices appear until that feed is connected. Target's own craft brand, Mondo Llama, sells crochet kits and craft twine, not a yarn line. |
| Loops & Threads and Big Twist at Michaels | Michaels | Waiting on retailer feed | Michaels (CJ, not applied) | Once Michaels approves us on CJ, its product feed becomes the main Michaels price source and replaces the lowest-online baseline. |
How we get each price
Every price is for one skein, in US dollars, before tax and shipping. Each row shows where the price came from and the date we checked it. We use the best source we have, in this order:
- Retailer product feed. When a retailer approves us for its affiliate product feed, the feed price is used first. Michaels' feed (through CJ) will replace our current Michaels prices once we're approved. Target prices will only ever come from Target's own product feed, so Target shows no prices until that feed is connected.
- Checked by hand. We read the price on the seller's own product page. Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree and LoveCrafts are checked this way, as are the name-brand yarn shops.
- Lowest online price found. When a retailer's site blocks price checks (right now, Michaels), we list the lowest price we could verify from any online seller for the same yarn, and name that seller and the date. Amazon prices may be used as a reference, but we never link to Amazon. Delivery and shipping fees aren't included unless we say so. This price is replaced as soon as a feed or hand-checked price is available.
"Comparable" yarns are the same weight and fiber as the store brands. They include name brands like Red Heart, Caron and Lion Brand, and the in-house yarns of online yarn shops like Knit Picks and Hobbii, which we can link to through their affiliate programs.
If we can't verify a price, the row says so. We never estimate. Per-100-yard and per-100-gram costs make different skein sizes easier to compare.
Coming soon
The same store-brand vs. name-brand tracking will cover crochet hooks, stuffing and notions. See compare by category.
Raw data: yarns.json. Spotted a price that changed? Email hello@skeinstead.com.