Tips for Crocheting with Faux Fur Yarn

When I released my pattern for my amigurumi Koala: Kaya Koala, I kept hearing the same questions over and over:  “Is it hard to work with that yarn?”, “I’ve had troubles working with fur yarn in the past, any tips?”,  “How do you keep track of your stitches with faux fur yarn?” , “Can you even SEE the stitches?”.   

So I decided to share my tips for crocheting with faux fur yarn to help take the fear out of working with faux fur yarns so that you can feel confident to try working with it for your next project.

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Tips for Crocheting with Faux Fur Yarn

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Tip #1: Feel the Stitches

The biggest issue that I hear prevents people from working with faux fur yarn is not being able to see the stitches and to be honest, I was a bit nervous about that at first.  My favourite faux fur yarn right now is this Fable Fur yarn from crochet.com. 

This yarn has a thick strap on the back of the yarn which I found made it easy to feel where my stitches were with the tips of my fingers. Although the stitches aren’t visible, feeling the stitches enables you to count stitches and figure out where you should be putting your hook.

Tip #2: Use a Bigger Hook

If you are struggling to feel where your stitches are located try going up a hook size (or two) and/or loosening your tension until you can feel the stitches.

Once you can feel the stitches, you’ll feel more confident in where you’re putting your hook/stitches and be less likely to get frustrated.

Tip #3: Use a Stitch Marker

Since you can’t really see the stitches, using a stitch marker (ideally in a contrasting colour) is a HUGE help.  I use fur yarn primarily for amigurumi projects so this is a biggie for me.

Even if you aren’t using faux fur yarn for amigurumi, I still recommend using a stitch marker to mark your first stitch (and any other important stitches your pattern may need you to track). It will prevent you from going back later and hunting to find them.

Using a running stitch marker (a piece of yarn that you weave through the end of each round/row of your work) will help you to keep track of your rows. This way, if you need to frog some of your work back, it’s easy to keep track of how many rows you have frogged and how many remain.

Tip #4: Take Your Time

Although faux fur yarn is INCREDIBLY forgiving, you still want your project to come out looking amazing so take your time.

You’ll build up speed (and confidence) the more you crochet with faux fur yarn so take your time.

Tip #5: Count Your Stitches as You Crochet with Faux Fur Yarn

When I’m working with faux fur yarn, I count the stitches in my head as I’m crocheting. This is where taking your time comes in to play. 

You can get frustrated if you keep having to go back and feel your stitches to make sure your count is correct.  Counting as you go will actually help speed up the process.

Free Patterns to Crochet using Faux Fur Yarn

• Otis the Owl
  
  
• Rustic Fur Slippers – In Sizes for the Whole Family!
  
  
  
• Seth the Sloth

Tip #6: Don’t Pull Too Hard on The Yarn

If you need to frog a part of your project or you encounter a tangle, be patient and tug gently or else the yarn will snap.

Tip #7: Don’t Crochet Over the Yarn Tail With Crocheting Into a Magic Circle (Adjustable Ring)

If your project requires making a magic circle DO NOT crochet over the yarn tail.  The yarn will not glide as well with all that fur in there so you will likely be unable to close your magic circle.

If you get frustrated (like I did), you’ll end up snapping your yarn.  Instead, after you create your magic circle, push the yarn tail behind your work and just crochet around the ring part instead. 

Below you see me doing the magic circle with fur yarn. Rather than crocheting over the tail and into the circle, pull the tail (as seen in the last image below), up and out of the circle, holding it out of your way while you work into the magic circle.

Tip #8: Show the Wrong Side

Since you can’t see the stitches, the general right side/wrong side rules of crochet don’t really apply.

So show the side that looks better! In most cases, the traditional “wrong side” will be to give you a fuller, furrier look.

Tip #9: Use a Wire Pet Brush To Fluff Up the Fur

If you want your project to look it’s best, I recommend using a wire pet brush like the one in the image below. If you crochet a project back and forth in rows like my Not-So-Guilty Pleasure Cowl or my Parker the Penguin pattern, then you may notice subtle lines where your rows are worked in your fabric.

Use a pet brush to brush the fur and it will help to fluff it up and eliminate those lines. It’s also great for amigurumi projects crocheted with fur yarn.

So those are my tips for working with faux fur yarn.  I hope they help to give you the confidence to give this kind of yarn a try.  I’d love to hear from you. 

If you have any questions or any tips of your own for working with faux fur yarn, let me know in the comments below!