The picks
Best Wool Yarn
The treatment matters more than the breed. Superwash goes in the machine; untreated wool blocks, blooms and holds a cable.
By Sawyer V. · Published October 17, 2026
Disclosure: we earn a commission when you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend or how we rank it - read the full disclosure.
The short answer
Decide on the treatment before the breed. Untreated wool - Patons Classic Wool, Cascade 220, Fishermen's Wool - has intact fiber scales, which is what makes it block into shape, bloom when washed, grip its neighbors in colorwork and felt on purpose; it must be hand washed. Superwash wool like Cascade 220 Superwash Merino has had those scales smoothed, so it goes in a machine, feels softer and is the right call for anything made for a child or given as a gift - at the cost of growing when wet and being less forgiving in stranded work. For a first 100% wool, Patons Classic Wool at 194 yards to a 100g ball is the cheapest honest introduction. And a yarn with 20% wool in it is not a wool yarn.
| # | Product | Best for | Fiber | Yards per 100g | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patons Classic Wool Worsted100% untreated wool at supermarket money - 194 yards to a 100g ball, and it does everything wool is supposed to do. | Sweaters, hats, mittens, cables, colorwork | 100% wool, untreated | 194yd | $11.79 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of October 20, 2026 |
| 2 |  Cascade 220 Superwash MerinoSuperwash merino at 220 yards to a 100g skein - the standard answer when a pattern says worsted and the recipient will not hand wash. | Anything that has to survive a washing machine | 100% superwash merino | 220yd | $19.00 - View on Amazon |
| 3 |  Cascade 220The untreated 220: 220 yards of Peruvian Highland wool per 100g, in more than 150 shades. | Stranded knitting, steeks, anything that needs to stick | 100% Peruvian Highland | 220yd | $11.95 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of October 20, 2026 |
| 4 |  Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool465 yards of undyed virgin wool in one eight-ounce skein - the cheapest serious wool per yard on an American shelf. | Outerwear, felting, big projects | 100% virgin wool | 205yd per 100g | $32.65 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of October 20, 2026 |
| 5 |  Berroco Ultra AlpacaHalf alpaca, half Peruvian wool - the blend that adds alpaca's warmth to wool's structure. | Cold-weather accessories and winter garments | 50% alpaca, 50% wool | 219yd | $17.00 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of October 20, 2026 |
| 6 |  Lion Brand Wool-Ease80% acrylic and 20% wool. A useful yarn, and it is not a wool yarn - do not buy it expecting wool to happen. | People who want wool behavior without wool care | 80% acrylic, 20% wool | 232yd per 100g | $11.77 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of October 20, 2026 |
Patons Classic Wool Worsted
Patons · Best for sweaters, hats, mittens, cables, colorwork
100% non-superwash wool at supermarket money. It blooms when blocked, holds a cable, and it will felt if you put it in the machine.
- Fiber
- 100% wool (not superwash)
- Weight
- 4 Medium / worsted
- Ball
- 3.5oz / 100g, 194yd / 177m
- Gauge
- 20 sts x 26 rows on 4.5mm (US 7)
- Hook
- 5mm (US H/8), 14 sc x 17 rows
- Care
- Hand wash, lay flat to dry, do not machine wash
Who it suits
Anyone knitting a garment they will hand wash, and anyone who wants to find out what wool actually does before spending more.
Why it is here
100% wool, not superwash, category 4 worsted, 3.5oz/100g balls at 194yd/177m, published gauge 20 sts x 26 rows to 4in on 4.5mm (US 7), hand wash and lay flat. Untreated is the specification that matters: the scales on the fiber are intact, so the fabric blooms and evens out when you block it, holds a cable crisply and grips its neighbors in stranded colorwork. It is also the cheapest 100% wool most American shops stock.
What you give up
It will felt if it goes in a machine, and it is not the softest wool here - next to the skin some people find it scratchy. Hand wash and lay flat is the whole care instruction, and that is a genuine commitment on a child's sweater.
Specifications from Yarnspirations product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Cascade 220 Superwash Merino
Cascade Yarns · Best for anything that has to survive a washing machine
Machine-washable merino at 220 yards to the 100g skein - the standard answer when a sweater pattern says worsted and you want to be able to wash it.
- Fiber
- 100% superwash merino wool
- Skein
- 3.5oz / 100g, 220yd / 200m
- Gauge
- 20 sts x 28 rows in stockinette on US 7
- Weight class
- DK to light worsted
- Care
- Superwash treated - machine washable
Who it suits
Anyone knitting for a child, a gift, or themselves realistically.
Why it is here
100% superwash merino wool, 3.5oz/100g skeins at 220yd/200m, published gauge 20 sts x 28 rows in stockinette on US 7, machine washable. Two hundred and twenty yards per 100g is a strong yards-per-gram figure for merino, so you get more fabric per skein than most superwash in the price bracket. The superwash treatment smooths the fiber scales, which is what makes it machine safe - and it also makes it softer than untreated wool of the same micron count.
What you give up
Superwash wool grows when wet and does not spring back the way untreated wool does, so a garment can stretch out over time - [blocking superwash wool](/fiber-guide/blocking-superwash-wool) has the technique for managing it. Stranded colorwork is also less forgiving, because smoothed fibers do not grip each other.
Specifications from Cascade Yarns product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Cascade 220
Cascade Yarns · Best for stranded knitting, steeks, anything that needs to stick
The untreated version of the 220 everybody knows: 220 yards of Peruvian Highland wool that blocks, holds a colorwork float and does not grow.
- Fiber
- 100% Peruvian Highland Wool
- Weight
- Worsted
- Skein
- 100g (3.5oz), 220yd (200m)
- Knit gauge
- 18-20 sts to 4in on US 7-8 (4.5-5.0mm)
- Crochet gauge
- 13-14 sc to 4in on H-J (5.0-6.0mm)
- Care
- Hand wash cold, lay flat to dry
- Shades
- More than 150, including heathers
Who it suits
Anyone knitting a Fair Isle yoke, a stranded hat, or anything where the colors need to blend at the edges.
Why it is here
100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 100g (3.5oz) at 220yd (200m), published gauge 18-20 sts to 4in on US 7-8 (4.5-5.0mm), hand wash cold and lay flat. Two things make it the colorwork choice. The scales are intact, so floats grip and the fabric knits together into one surface when blocked. And Cascade publishes more than 150 shades including heathers, which is the practical requirement for colorwork that nobody mentions - you need a palette, not a yarn.
What you give up
Hand wash only, and it felts if you get that wrong. It is also a crisper, less squishy wool than merino, which is right for colorwork and less lovely against a neck.
Specifications from Cascade Yarns - Cascade 220 specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool
Lion Brand · Best for outerwear, felting, big projects
An eight-ounce skein of undyed virgin wool at 465 yards - the cheapest serious wool per yard on an American shelf, and it still felts.
- Fiber
- 100% pure virgin wool (Birch Tweed: 90% wool, 7% acrylic, 3% rayon)
- Weight
- 4 Medium / Worsted
- Skein
- 8oz (227g), 465yd (425m); prints 6oz (170g), 348yd (318m)
- Knit gauge
- 16 sts x 22 rows to 4in on US 9 (5.5mm)
- Crochet gauge
- 16 sc x 16 rows to 4in on H-8 (5mm)
- Care
- Hand wash, lay flat to dry, no bleach, no machine drying
- Shades
- 6
Who it suits
Anyone knitting a hard-wearing outer layer, anyone felting, and anyone who needs a lot of wool without a lot of money.
Why it is here
100% pure virgin wool, category 4 worsted, 8oz/227g skeins at 465yd/425m, published gauge 16 sts x 22 rows to 4in on US 9 (5.5mm) and 16 sc x 16 rows on H-8 (5mm), hand wash and lay flat, six shades. The skein size is the point: 465 yards in one put-up means a hat is a fraction of a skein and a sweater is two, with no dye-lot joins in between. Untreated and lanolin-rich, so it sheds rain better than any superwash and felts reliably when you want it to.
What you give up
Rustic rather than soft - this is outerwear wool, not next-to-skin wool. Only six shades, all natural, so if you want color you are dyeing it yourself.
Specifications from Lion Brand - Fishermen's Wool specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Berroco · Best for cold-weather accessories and winter garments
Half alpaca, half Peruvian wool - the blend that gives alpaca's warmth and halo the structure alpaca on its own does not have.
- Fiber
- 50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian wool
- Weight
- Worsted
- Hank
- 3.5oz / 100g, 219yd / 200m
- Gauge
- 5 sts to 1in; 20 sts x 26 rows over 4in on US 8 (5mm)
- Care
- Hand wash in cool water, lay flat to dry
- Made in
- Peru
Who it suits
Anyone knitting for genuine cold, and anyone who finds pure wool itchy but does not want acrylic.
Why it is here
50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian wool, worsted, 3.5oz/100g hanks at 219yd/200m, published gauge 20 sts x 26 rows over 4in on US 8 (5mm), hand wash in cool water and lay flat, made in Peru. Alpaca is hollow-cored and warmer than wool by weight; on its own it has no memory and grows. Half and half keeps the warmth and borrows wool's springback, which is why this blend has outlasted most.
What you give up
Hand wash only, and alpaca blooms a halo over time that softens stitch definition - fine on a hat, less good on a crisp cable. It costs noticeably more than the pure wools here.
Specifications from Berroco - Ultra Alpaca. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand Wool-Ease
Lion Brand · Best for people who want wool behavior without wool care
An 80/20 acrylic-wool worsted that machine washes and dries, and is the single most sensible first step away from all-acrylic.
- Fiber
- 80% acrylic, 20% wool (solids, heathers, twists)
- Weight
- 4 Medium / worsted
- Skein
- 3oz / 85g, 197yd / 180m
- Sold as
- Single skein on the listing we link
- Gauge
- 18 sts x 24 rows on US 8 (5mm)
- Hook
- J-10 (6mm), 13.2 sc x 16 rows
- Care
- Machine wash, water not above 105F; machine dry
Who it suits
Nobody shopping for wool specifically, which is why it is here.
Why it is here
80% acrylic, 20% wool, category 4 worsted, 3oz/85g skeins at 197yd/180m, published gauge 18 sts x 24 rows on US 8 (5mm), machine wash and dry. It is genuinely the most sensible first step away from all-acrylic and it is on this page as a warning: at 20% wool content it does not block into shape, does not bloom, does not felt and does not breathe the way wool does. People buy it because the name says Wool and then wonder why the cable they knitted went flat.
What you give up
If machine washability is non-negotiable, buy superwash merino rather than a 20% blend - you keep wool's behavior and lose only the dryer. [Wool-acrylic blends](/fiber-guide/wool-acrylic-blends) covers where blends genuinely win.
Specifications from Lion Brand product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Superwash or untreated: the decision that matters
Every other property of a wool yarn - breed, micron, ply, origin - matters less than whether it has been superwash treated. The treatment coats or strips the microscopic scales on the fiber surface, and nearly everything wool does well depends on those scales.
| Untreated wool | Superwash wool | |
|---|---|---|
| Machine wash | No - it felts | Yes |
| Blocking | Blooms and sets permanently | Blocks, then relaxes back |
| When wet | Springs back | Grows, and can stay grown |
| Colorwork floats | Grip each other, edges blend | Stay separate, edges stay sharp |
| Felting | Felts reliably | Will not felt |
| Softness | Depends on the breed | Softer than the same wool untreated |
Superwash vs non superwash goes into the chemistry and the trade-offs in full, and why is superwash wool bad covers the treatment chemistry specifically. The short answer for a shopping decision: buy superwash for things that get washed by other people, and untreated for things you will look after.
Yards per 100g, because that is the honest price comparison
| Yarn | Fiber | Put-up | Yards per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool | 100% virgin wool | 227g (8oz), 465yd | 205yd |
| Cascade 220 | 100% Peruvian Highland Wool | 100g, 220yd | 220yd |
| Cascade 220 Superwash Merino | 100% superwash merino | 100g, 220yd | 220yd |
| Berroco Ultra Alpaca | 50% alpaca, 50% wool | 100g, 219yd | 219yd |
| Patons Classic Wool Worsted | 100% wool | 100g, 194yd | 194yd |
| Lion Brand Wool-Ease | 80% acrylic, 20% wool | 85g (3oz), 197yd | 232yd |
Comparing price per skein is meaningless when the skeins are 85g, 100g and 227g. Work in yards per 100g, then in price per yard, and the picture usually changes - a cheap small ball is often the expensive option.
Wool is not one fiber
- Merino is fine-micron and soft enough for next to the skin, and it pills more readily than coarser wools because the fibers are short and fine.
- Peruvian Highland wool is the crisp mid-range workhorse - springy, hard-wearing, excellent for colorwork and cables.
- Virgin wool means it has not been reclaimed from previously spun or woven fabric; it says nothing about breed or softness.
- Alpaca is not wool, though it is sold alongside it. It is warmer by weight, has no memory of its own, and grows under its own weight - alpaca vs merino has the comparison.
- Lanolin content is what makes untreated wool shed light rain. Most commercially scoured yarn has little left; Fishermen's Wool keeps more than most.
Merino vs regular wool is the page on breed softness, and what makes yarn itchy explains why micron count rather than fiber type is what your neck reacts to.
What to buy for what
- A sweater you will hand wash - Patons Classic Wool or Cascade 220. Untreated, blocks properly, holds its shape for years.
- A sweater for a child - Cascade 220 Superwash Merino. Soft, machine washable, and worth the money because the alternative is a felted gift.
- Stranded colorwork - Cascade 220, for the intact scales and the 150-plus shade range.
- Hats, mittens, outerwear - Fishermen's Wool. Hard-wearing, sheds rain, and cheap by the yard.
- Real cold - Berroco Ultra Alpaca, for the alpaca warmth with wool's springback.
- Felting on purpose - any untreated wool. Superwash will not felt, by design. Best yarn for felting covers the technique.
Caring for wool, briefly
- Felting is heat plus agitation plus moisture. Two of the three are survivable; all three together is a doll's sweater.
- Wash in cool water with a wool-safe detergent, squeeze rather than wring, roll in a towel and lay flat.
- Wool does not need washing often. Airing removes most odours because the fiber is naturally antimicrobial.
- Moths eat animal fiber only. Store wool clean, dry and dark - best yarn storage solutions covers the stash problem.
- Superwash can be machine washed but rarely machine dried. Read the ball band; most say reshape and dry flat.
Caring for hand knits is the full routine, and does wool yarn shrink answers the question people usually have after an accident.
How we picked
Ranked on published fiber content, superwash status, yards per 100g and the maker's own gauge and care instructions. We did not knit these yarns against each other; the comparison is a reading of what each manufacturer publishes, and every figure is cited below. Prices come from the live price layer and carry the date they were checked.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best wool yarn for a sweater?
Patons Classic Wool if you will hand wash it - 100% untreated wool at 194 yards to a 100g ball, which blocks into shape and holds a cable. Cascade 220 Superwash Merino if the sweater has to survive a machine, at 220 yards per 100g. The decision is really about who will wash the finished garment.
What is the difference between superwash and regular wool yarn?
Superwash wool has had its microscopic fiber scales smoothed or coated so it will not felt in a machine. That makes it washable and softer, and it also means it grows when wet, blocks less permanently, and grips less in stranded colorwork. Untreated wool keeps the scales and keeps all of those behaviors.
Is merino the best kind of wool yarn?
It is the softest widely available one, not the best for everything. Merino's fine micron count is what makes it comfortable next to the skin, and the same fineness makes it pill faster than a crisper wool like Peruvian Highland. For cables, colorwork and hard wear, a mid-range wool outperforms it.
Can you machine wash wool yarn?
Only if it says superwash. Untreated wool felts with heat, agitation and moisture together, and a machine supplies all three. Superwash wool can usually be machine washed and should still be dried flat - check the specific ball band, because most do not permit a tumble dryer.
What is the cheapest real wool yarn?
Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool, by yardage. It publishes 465 yards in an 8oz (227g) skein of 100% virgin wool, which works out around 205 yards per 100g at a price well below the hand-dyed shelf. It is rustic rather than soft, so it suits outerwear rather than next-to-skin garments.
Is Wool-Ease a wool yarn?
Not really. Lion Brand Wool-Ease publishes 80% acrylic and 20% wool, so it behaves largely like acrylic: it will not block permanently, will not bloom and will not felt. It is a good machine-washable workhorse, and if you want wool behavior with machine washability, superwash merino is the yarn to buy instead.
Does wool yarn keep you warm when wet?
Better than most fibers, yes - wool holds a large proportion of its weight in water before it feels wet and retains loft while damp. Untreated, lanolin-rich wool like Fishermen's Wool does it best. Cotton does the opposite, which is why it is a poor choice for cold weather.
Which wool yarn is best for colorwork?
An untreated wool with a wide shade range - Cascade 220 is the usual answer, with more than 150 published shades. Intact fiber scales make the floats grip each other so the pattern blends into one fabric when blocked, and superwash wool, with the scales smoothed, does not do that.
Sources
- Craft Yarn Council - Standard Yarn Weight System
- Yarnspirations - Patons Classic Wool specification
- Cascade Yarns - 220 Superwash Merino specification
- Cascade Yarns - Cascade 220 specification
- Lion Brand - Fishermen's Wool specification
- Berroco - Ultra Alpaca specification
- Lion Brand - Wool-Ease specification