Crochet Thread – 5 things you need to know

Most people think that crochet thread is just yarn that is used to make doilies. But there is a lot more to it than that. In fact there 5 things that you should know about crochet thread.

1) You Can use crochet thread like yarn

Crochet thread is a specially formulated thread, usually made from mercerized cotton, that is used for crafting decorative crochet items such as doilies or, in the case of Lyn’s crochet patterns, flowers and fine home décor. Crochet thread produces fabric of finer gauge that may be stiffened with starch or, when used with wires, shaped to make petals, leaves, etc.

2) Crochet Thread sizing is different from yarn

The sizing for thread is different than the sizes for yarn.

Crochet threads come in many sizes, ranging from size 3 to size 100. Some are nearly as thick as yarn, while others are as thin as sewing thread. The key to understanding thread size is that the larger the number the thinner the thread.

For example: Size 3 is much larger than size 30. Conversely, size 10 is thinner than size 8 and so on.

Common crochet thread sizes are:

Size 3, 5, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 .. up to size 100

For more information about thread sizes see our

3) It is usually made from mercerized cotton

What is mercerization? Mercerization is the process of treating cotton thread in a caustic solution (usually sodium hydroxide) under tension, which causes the fibers to swell. Using this process dyes are better able penetrate the fibers. This increases the luster while also strengthening the thread. Mercerized yarns and threads have a silky, vibrant look that sets them apart from non-mercerized materials.

The main benefit of using 100% mercerized cotton crochet thread is the luster and vibrance you get.  When you compare projects made with non-mercerized yarn to those made with mercerized crochet thread, the colors of the thread based projects are much more vibrant. If you want you projects to pop use a mercerized crochet thread for the best results.

4) You can make more than doilies

Everyone thinks that crochet thread is only good for doilies. This could not be further from the truth. Since you use the same stitches as do you with yarn, you can make the same types of items.

Crochet thread can be used for apparel, home decor’, accessories, mask, earrings, etc.

Check our our blog post The 10 best projects for crochet thread for more ideas on what you can do with crochet thread.

5) Fewer brands of threads crochet thread than yarn

While crochet thread remains very popular there are fewer brands of thread than there are for yarn. Since most thread is mercerized it is only made by larger manufactures. You won’t find many home made crochet threads on the markets.

However, don’t let that stop you from trying thread. The vendors that do supply crochet thread are all very well established and have been marketing their products for many years. We did a blog post called The Top 5 crochet threads for 2021 that you read for more more information what is available in the market place.

Thanks for reading our blog. I hope you found this information helpful as you explore using crochet threads.