The picks
Best Crochet Thread
Mercerized cotton, size 10, and a hook small enough that your first reaction is that it cannot be right.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 12, 2026
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The short answer
Buy size 10 mercerized cotton. It is what almost every thread crochet pattern in circulation assumes, it has the sheen and the stitch definition the finished object depends on, and it is strong enough to be worked at the very tight tension thread crochet uses. Pair it with a steel hook bought on its millimeter size, not its number.
| # | Product | Best for | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoAunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread Size 10Size 10 mercerized cotton - the thread almost every thread pattern was written for. | Doilies, edgings and every vintage pattern in circulation | Size 10 thread | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoClover Amour Steel Crochet Hook SetSteel hooks with the grip - the only ergonomic concession available at this size. | Long sessions at very small scale | Steel hooks | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoSusan Bates Steelite Steel Crochet Hook SetSix nickel-plated steel hooks with the sizes published in millimeters. | Finding out which size you actually use | Steel hooks | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoLion Brand 24/7 CottonMercerized cotton, in worsted weight - the same sheen, at a scale you can see. | The finish of thread without the hours | Worsted cotton | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 5 | No photoLouet Euroflax LinenWet-spun linen, sport weight - crisper than cotton, and it softens with every wash. | Lace with a different hand entirely | Sport linen | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 6 | No photoLily Sugar'n CreamKitchen cotton is not crochet thread, and the pattern will not work. | Dishcloths, where it is the standard | Worsted cotton | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread Size 10
Aunt Lydia's · Best for doilies, edgings and every vintage pattern in circulation
The size 10 mercerized cotton thread almost every doily, edging and thread-crochet pattern in print assumes.
- Fiber
- 100% mercerized cotton, 3-ply
- Weight
- Crochet thread weight 10
- Yardage
- White, ecru and natural 400yd; solids 350yd; shaded colors 300yd
- Also made as
- Large and jumbo put-ups of the same thread
Who it suits
Anyone starting thread crochet, and anyone working a pattern that says 'crochet thread' with no further detail.
Why it is here
100% mercerized cotton, 3-ply, thread weight 10. Yardage runs 400yd in white, ecru and natural, 350yd in solid colors and 300yd in shaded colors. Mercerization is what gives it the sheen, the strength to be worked at very tight tension, and the smooth surface that stops the hook fuzzing it.
What you give up
The yardage swing across colors is 25 percent within one product, so buy on yardage rather than ball count. Size 10 is also genuinely small - a first thread project is slower than people expect.
Specifications from Yarnspirations - Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread Size 10. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Clover Amour Steel Crochet Hook Set
Clover · Best for long sessions at very small scale
The same elastomer handle fitted to steel thread hooks, sized for crochet cotton rather than yarn.
- Sizes
- Steel hooks, sub-2mm range (No. 10 is 0.75mm)
- Grip
- Elastomer rubber, latex free
- Shaft
- Steel
- Intended yarn
- Crochet thread, not worsted or DK yarn
Who it suits
Anyone whose hands ache at thread scale, which is most people after an hour.
Why it is here
Steel hooks in the sub-2mm range with the same molded elastomer rubber handle as the yarn-weight Amour hooks, latex free, on a steel shaft, intended for crochet thread rather than yarn. A thread hook is otherwise a thin metal rod, and gripping a thin metal rod for an hour is exactly what makes hands hurt.
What you give up
Their No. 10 is 0.75mm, which is not the same as another brand's No. 10 - buy on the millimeter size. The grip also makes the hook bulkier, which some thread crocheters dislike at this scale.
Specifications from Clover USA product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Susan Bates Steelite Steel Crochet Hook Set
Susan Bates · Best for finding out which size you actually use
Six nickel-plated steel thread hooks in the sub-2.6mm sizes that yarn hook sets never reach.
- Material
- Nickel-plated steel
- Sizes
- 6 hooks: 0 (2.55mm), 1 (2.35mm), 7 (1.5mm), 8 (1.4mm), 9 (1.25mm), 10 (1.15mm)
- Intended use
- Crochet lace, doilies, tablecloths and edgings
- Head
- In-line, in the Susan Bates house geometry
Who it suits
Anyone starting thread work who does not yet know which size their tension wants.
Why it is here
Six nickel-plated steel hooks - 0 (2.55mm), 1 (2.35mm), 7 (1.5mm), 8 (1.4mm), 9 (1.25mm) and 10 (1.15mm) - with an in-line head in the Susan Bates house geometry, stated for crochet lace, doilies, tablecloths and edgings. The in-line head goes into a tight thread stitch more easily than a tapered one.
What you give up
A bare steel shaft with no grip. At thread scale and thread tension, that is felt within the hour - which is the argument for the gripped set above.
Specifications from WEBS - Susan Bates Steelite crochet hook set. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
Lion Brand · Best for the finish of thread without the hours
Mercerized cotton with a sheen and a stiff hand. Stitch definition is the best on this page, which is why amigurumi people keep buying it.
- Fiber
- 100% mercerized cotton
- Weight
- Worsted
- Skein
- 3.5oz / 100g, 186yd / 170m
- Gauge
- 19 sts x 26 rows on 5mm (US 8)
- Hook
- 5.5mm (US I/9), 16 sc x 18 rows
- Care
- Machine wash, water not above 105F; medium heat dryer
Who it suits
Anyone who wants the crisp mercerized look but is not ready to work at 1.5mm.
Why it is here
100% mercerized cotton, worsted, 186yd per 100g, knitting to 19 sts x 26 rows on 5mm and crocheting to 16 sc x 18 rows on 5.5mm. It is the same treatment that gives thread its sheen and stitch definition, applied to a yarn-weight cotton.
What you give up
It is not thread and will not produce thread lace - a doily in worsted cotton is a placemat. It is also heavier and less drapey than an unmercerized cotton.
Specifications from Lion Brand product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Louet Euroflax Linen
Louet · Best for lace with a different hand entirely
Wet-spun long-line linen in sport weight - stiff off the ball, and softer after every single wash for years.
- Fiber
- 100% linen
- Weight
- Sport
- Hank
- 100g, 270yd
- Gauge
- 6 sts to 1in on US 2-4
- Spinning
- Wet spun from long line flax - the fibers are not cut
- Care
- Machine wash regular
Who it suits
Anyone making lace they intend to wear rather than display.
Why it is here
100% linen, sport weight, 270yd per 100g hank, at 6 stitches to 1in on US 2-4, wet spun from long line flax so the fibers are not cut, and machine washable. Long uncut fibers are why it is strong enough to work at fine gauge without fuzzing.
What you give up
Linen is stiff and unforgiving out of the hank and it is hard on the hands for the first few hours. It relaxes considerably with washing, which means the swatch you judge it on is not the fabric you end up with.
Specifications from Louet Euroflax linen yarn - retail specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lily Sugar'n Cream
Lily · Best for dishcloths, where it is the standard
Unmercerized cotton in a small 2.5oz ball. Absorbent, hard-wearing, and the reason every dishcloth pattern ever written specifies it.
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Weight
- 4 Medium / worsted
- Ball
- 2.5oz / 71g, 120yd / 109m
- Gauge
- 20 sts x 26 rows on 4.5mm (US 7)
- Hook
- 5mm (US H/8), 13 sc x 14 rows
- Care
- Machine wash not above 86F delicate, tumble dry low
Who it suits
Not thread crocheters. For a dishcloth or a potholder it is exactly right.
Why it is here
100% cotton, worsted, 120yd per 71g ball, crocheting to 13 sc x 14 rows on a 5mm hook. It is a genuinely good, cheap, absorbent kitchen cotton.
What you give up
It is worsted weight, it is not mercerized, and it fuzzes. A pattern written for size 10 thread worked in this comes out several times the intended size with none of the sheen or crispness - and it will not block into lace, because the fiber has no stiffness to hold. See [best yarn for dishcloths](/yarn-by-project/best-yarn-for-dishcloths) for where it belongs.
Specifications from Yarnspirations product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Why mercerized cotton dominates
Nearly all crochet thread is mercerized cotton, and it is not tradition for its own sake. Mercerization treats cotton under tension in a caustic solution, and it changes three things that matter at this scale.
- Strength. Thread crochet is worked at a tension that would break a soft yarn. Mercerized cotton takes it.
- Smoothness. An unmercerized cotton fuzzes as the hook works it, and at 1.5mm that fuzz is a large proportion of the stitch.
- Sheen. The reflective surface is a genuine part of why finished thread lace looks the way it does - it is not a neutral property.
That third point is the one people underrate. Work the same doily in unmercerized cotton and the pattern is there and the object looks wrong. Cotton yarn pros and cons covers the fiber in general.
Which size for what
| Size | Thickness | Typical project |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Thickest in common use | Shawls, accessories, anything worn |
| 10 | The standard | Doilies, tablecloths, edgings, coasters |
| 20 | Fine | Small lace, snowflakes, fine edgings |
| 30 | Finest commonly stocked | Very fine lace, miniatures |
Start at size 3 if you have never worked thread. Everything about the technique is identical and the scale is visible, which is the difference between learning it and giving up on it.
The hook is half the purchase
- Steel, not aluminum. Below about 2mm, aluminum hooks are not made - the shaft would not be stiff enough.
- Buy on millimeters. Steel hook numbers are not standardized: one brand's No. 10 is 1.15mm and another's is 0.75mm.
- In-line heads help, because thread tension is tight and an in-line head goes into a tight stitch more easily.
- A grip matters more here than in yarn work, not less - a thin metal rod is the hardest thing to hold for an hour.
Best steel crochet hooks is the full hook roundup, and hook size chart has the scales side by side.
What thread crochet is actually like
It is worth setting expectations, because the gap between thread and yarn crochet is larger than the gap between any two yarn weights.
| Size 10 thread | Worsted yarn | |
|---|---|---|
| Stitches per 4in | 32-42 double crochet | About 11-14 |
| Hook | 1.15mm to 2.25mm | 5mm to 5.5mm |
| Visible progress | Slow | Fast |
| Mistakes | Hard to see, hard to unpick | Obvious |
| Hand strain | High - tight tension, small tool | Moderate |
| Blocking | Transforms the piece | Tidies it |
The stitch count comes from the Craft Yarn Council's category 0 row, which covers lace yarn and 10-count thread together - roughly three times the stitches per inch of worsted. Everything follows from that ratio.
Blocking is not optional
A thread doily off the hook is a crumpled disc. Blocked, it is the thing in the photograph. This is the largest single difference between an amateur and a finished-looking piece of thread crochet.
- Wash it first. Handling leaves oils that stop the piece taking a crisp shape.
- Pin every point. Thread lace blocks to its points, and an unpinned point stays soft.
- Measure as you pin. Round pieces need to be round; a pinned circle drifts oval very easily.
- Starch if you want it to stand, and understand that starched pieces need re-blocking after washing.
- Dry completely before unpinning. Impatience here undoes the whole job.
The method transfers directly from how to block your knitting, and blocking wires and T-pins do the pinning better than pins alone - see best blocking wires and pins.
Things that are not crochet thread
- Kitchen or dishcloth cotton. Worsted weight, unmercerized, and it fuzzes. Different fiber job entirely.
- Sewing thread. Far too fine and not built to be worked into loops.
- Embroidery floss. Divisible, loosely twisted, and it separates as you crochet.
- Lace weight yarn. Closer, and still not the same - it is soft where thread is crisp, and it will not hold a blocked point.
What we would buy
- The thread: size 10 mercerized cotton.
- The hook, if your hands complain: steel hooks with a grip.
- The hook, to find your size: a six-hook steel set.
- The mercerized look at yarn scale: worsted mercerized cotton.
- Lace to wear rather than display: wet-spun linen.
- Not thread: kitchen cotton.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best crochet thread for beginners?
Size 10 mercerized cotton, which is what almost every thread pattern assumes. If you have never worked thread at all, start at size 3 - the technique is identical and the scale is visible, which is the difference between learning it and giving up.
Is crochet thread the same as cotton yarn?
No. Crochet thread is much finer, mercerized, and spun to take very tight tension. Kitchen cotton is worsted weight and unmercerized, so a thread pattern worked in it comes out several times the size with none of the sheen, and it will not block into lace.
What size crochet thread should I use?
Size 10 unless the pattern says otherwise - an unqualified 'crochet thread' means size 10. Size 3 is thicker and suits shawls and accessories; sizes 20 and 30 are finer and suit small lace.
What hook do I use with crochet thread?
A steel hook, bought on its millimeter size rather than its number - steel hook numbering is not consistent between brands. For size 10 thread the Craft Yarn Council puts you at a steel 6, 7 or 8, which is 1.6mm to 1.4mm, or a regular B-1 at 2.25mm.
Why does my thread crochet look nothing like the photo?
Almost always blocking. A thread doily off the hook is a crumpled disc; washed, pinned to its points and dried completely, it becomes the piece in the picture. Thread lace depends on blocking far more than yarn crochet does.
What does mercerized mean on crochet thread?
The cotton has been treated under tension in a caustic solution, which makes it smoother, stronger and lustrous. At thread scale all three matter - the strength takes the tight tension, the smoothness stops the hook fuzzing it, and the sheen is a real part of how the finished piece looks.
Sources
- Yarnspirations - Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread Size 10
- Yarnspirations - Aunt Lydia's crochet thread range, by size
- Clover USA - Amour Steel Crochet Hooks specification
- WEBS - Susan Bates Steelite crochet hook set
- Lion Brand - 24/7 Cotton specification
- Louet Euroflax linen yarn - retail specification
- Yarnspirations - Lily Sugar'n Cream specification
- Craft Yarn Council - Standard Yarn Weight System