I'm just starting to learn knitting and want to pick up some decent yarn without spending a fortune. I've heard merino wool is nice but also kind of pricey. What brands or types should I look for that won't be frustrating to work with as a total beginner?
Merino's actually not the worst choice for beginners even if it costs a bit more - it's way more forgiving than people think, and you'll have less frustration overall since it doesn't split as easily. That said, you don't need to start with it. A good acrylic blend or even 100% acrylic in a medium weight works fine for learning the basics. Look for brands like Caron, Red Heart, or Lion Brand - they're cheap enough to mess up without feeling wasteful, and they come in tons of colors so you won't get bored.
Here's a practical hack nobody mentions: buy a single skein of whatever catches your eye, then actually *knit a swatch* before committing to like five more skeins. I know it sounds obvious but most beginners just grab yarn and hope it works. Spend 15 minutes making a little test piece - it tells you if the texture feels good in your hands, if it shows your stitches clearly (important for spotting mistakes), and if you actually like working with it. Some yarn is technically fine but just feels like crap to knit with, and you won't know until you try.
Skip the super thin or delicate stuff for now. Bulky or worsted weight is genuinely your friend because you'll finish projects faster and see results sooner, which keeps you motivated. Avoid dark colors too if you can - trying to see your stitches in charcoal gray is a pain. Once you've got a few projects under your belt and know what you're doing, then experiment with the fancy stuff.
What kind of projects are you thinking of making first - scarves, hats, blankets?
For beginners, you want yarn that's forgiving, and that usually means something in the worsted or bulky weight range. Thicker yarn moves faster, which keeps motivation high, and mistakes are way easier to spot and fix. Skip the fingering weight stuff for now - it's tedious when you're still learning tension control. Cotton blends and acrylic are genuinely solid choices here. They're cheap enough that frogging (ripping back) doesn't feel like a tragedy, and they hold their shape well while you're learning. Brands like Caron, Red Heart, and Lion Brand have options around $3 - 6 per skein, and honestly, beginners can't tell the difference between a $5 worsted and a $15 one yet anyway.
Merino does feel nicer on the needles, but save that for when you've got a few projects under your belt. Right now, focus on something that won't make you want to quit - and that's usually about yarn that shows your stitches clearly without being slippery. A medium gray or cream colored yarn in acrylic actually teaches you more about your own technique than variegated stuff does, since you can see exactly what your tension's doing. Hit up your local craft store (or online if that's easier) and grab a couple of skeins in different weights to experiment. You'll probably waste maybe 20 - 30 bucks learning what feels right in your hands, and that's time and money well spent before you commit to anything pricey.
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