Chenille Yarn
Plush-pile chenille from #5 bulky to #6 super bulky — the softest route to amigurumi and blankets that look and feel store-bought. All four shed a little at the cut ends, the way every pile yarn does; stitch a touch tighter, go down a hook size, and it stays where you put it.
Which chenille for which project?
| Yarn | Weight | Skein | Hook | Shades | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velvety Chenille | #5 Bulky | 100 g / 87 yds | 4.0–6.0 mm | 77 | Amigurumi and plush toys — the densest pile we make, and the widest shade range |
| Cloud-Soft Bulky | #5 Bulky | 180 g / 131 yds | 4.0–7.0 mm | 57 | Blankets and throws — the most yards per skein, so the fewest ends to weave in |
| Cloud-Soft Super Bulky | #6 Super Bulky | 90 g / 46 yds | 6.0–10.0 mm | 46 | Chunky throws and cushions that grow a row at a time |
| Shimmie (Sparkle Chenille) | #6 Super Bulky | 100 g / 38 yds | 8.0–10.0 mm | 33 | Party and holiday makes — a sparkle filament runs through the pile |
For a blanket, yardage per skein matters more than the price on the label. Cloud-Soft Bulky gives you 131 yards a skein against Super Bulky's 46 — the same throw takes roughly a third as many skeins, and leaves you a third as many ends to hide.
Does chenille yarn shed?
A little at the cut ends — that's the nature of a pile yarn — but how much depends on how tightly the pile is anchored to the core. Two habits keep it to a minimum: crochet a bit tighter than you would with a smooth yarn, and go down a hook size. Tight stitches also prevent worming, where loose loops of pile work themselves out of the fabric. Knot and weave ends firmly rather than relying on friction.
How do you wash chenille?
Mostly by hand, so it's worth checking before you start rather than after. Velvety Chenille is hand wash in cold water, laid flat to dry. The two Cloud-Soft blanket chenilles are hand wash recommended, dried flat in the shade. Shimmie is the one that takes a machine — cold, up to 30°C. The pile survives a machine either way, but agitation is what encourages it to shed and worm over time, so hand washing is what keeps chenille looking new for years rather than seasons. Skip the dryer on all of them: the polyester won't felt like wool, but heat crushes the nap and crushed pile doesn't come back.
More on how chenille differs from velvet, and how to choose a weight for a blanket, in our chenille yarn guide.