Approved Yarns for Magic Yarn Project Beanies & Wigs
The Magic Yarn Project uses more than a thousand skeins of yarn each month! In order to produce wigs that are ultra-soft, hypoallergenic, machine washable, easy for volunteers to style, and true to each character’s familiar colors, we ONLY accept yarns in certain brands and shades. See each section below for our accepted colorways.
Due to hospital regulations, we can only accept NEW donated yarn! If you have old yarn that you would like to donate to a good cause, we love sharing donations with Project Linus.
***Please only use yarn from SMOKE-FREE homes and pet-hair-free environments.***
Approved Yarns For Wig "Hair"
For all wigs except Jack Sparrow, Rainbow, and “beanie-style” Elsa and Rapunzel, the color and brand of the hair MUST match the color and brand of the beanie.
Anna
- Lion Brand Heartland “Yosemite”
- Caron Simply Soft Party “Snow Sparkle” Yarn (or other approved white yarn) for Anna’s white streak
Ariel
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red”
- Caron Simply Soft Party Sparkle “Red” (for sparkle strands at a 1:3 ratio)
Aurora
- Caron Simply Soft “Sunshine”
Belle
- Caron Simply Soft “Chocolate”
Captain Marvel
- Caron Simply Soft “Sunshine”
Elsa
- Caron Simply Soft “White”
- Caron Simply Soft Party Sparkle “Snow” (for sparkle strands at a 1:3 ratio)
Jack Sparrow
Jack uses multiple hair colors, including black and additional “highlight” colors. As you purchase and cut your yarn, plan for at least half of all strands to be black. All colors on the same wig should come from the same brand/texture.
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick “Black,” “Obsidian,” “Constellation,” “Graphite,” “Metropolis,”
- Lion Brand Hometown “South Dakota Black,” “Little Rock Granite,” “El Paso Autumn,” “Billings Chocolate,” “Chicago Charcoal”
- I Love This Chunky “Cool Black,” “Heathered Brown,” “Heathered Charcoal”
Jasmine
- Caron Simply Soft “Black”
- Caron Simply Soft Party Sparkle “Black” (for sparkle strands at a 1:3 ratio)
Moana
- Lion Brand Homespun “Black”
Rainbow
- Caron Simply Soft “Oceana,” “Rainbow Bright,” “Times Square”
Rapunzel
- Caron Simply Soft “Sunshine”
Wonder Woman
- Caron Simply Soft “Black”
- Caron Simply Soft Party Sparkle “Black” (for sparkle strands at a 1:3 ratio)
Average Yarn Needed per Wig
Wig Style Average Ounces Length Cut To
Anna 7 60”
Ariel 6-7 60”
Aurora 8 40”
Belle 8 40”
Captain Marvel 8 40”
Elsa 8-9 80”
Jack Sparrow 7-8 30”
Jasmine 7 80”
Moana 7 40”
Rapunzel 10 100”
Rainbow 6-7 60”
Wonder Woman 8 40″
**Refer to our winding board diagram here for instructions on how to wind and cut yarn**
Approved Yarns for Wig Beanies
Anna
- For Anna wig with a tiara: Lion Brand Heartland “Yosemite”
- For Maroon and Blue “beanie style” Anna wig: Red Heart Soft “Berry” and “Royal Blue,” Caron Simply Soft Party “Royal Blue Sparkle” and “Fuschia Sparkle,” Red Heart with Love “Boyenberry” and “Peacock”
Ariel
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red”
Aurora
- Caron Simply Soft “Sunshine”
Belle
- Caron Simply Soft “Chocolate”
Captain Marvel
Refer to the yarns listed in the pattern directions for Captain Marvel’s beanie on our Character Beanies page.
Elsa (white beanie)
- Caron Simply Soft “White”
Elsa (blue beanie)
Can be striped in different shades of light blue/turquoise and white yarn, or a solid light blue/turquoise color.
- Caron Simply Soft “Robins Egg,” “Blue Mint,” and “White”
Jack Sparrow
- Caron Simply Soft “Autumn Red” [preferred]
- Red Heart Soft “Wine”
Jasmine
- Caron Simply Soft “Black”
Moana
- Caron Simply Soft “Black”
Rainbow
- Caron Simply Soft “Blue Mint,” “Iris,” “Robins Egg,” “Soft Pink,” “Orchid,” “Strawberry,” “Limelight,”
Rapunzel (yellow beanie)
- Caron Simply Soft “Sunshine”
Rapunzel (purple beanie)
- Caron Simply Soft “Lilac” or “Orchid,”
- Red Heart Soft “Lilac” or “Lavender”
Wonder Woman
- Caron Simply Soft “Black”
Approved Yarns for Character Beanies
For a visual list of each character’s approved yarn options, pattern details, and more, visit our Character Beanies page here.
Batman (Striped)
- Caron Simply Soft “Black,” “Grey Heather,” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Black,” “Heather Gray,” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Black,” “Fog,” and “Butter”
Batman (Solid Beanie)
- Caron Simply Soft “Black” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Black” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Black” and “Butter”
Captain America
- Caron Simply Soft “Royal Blue,” “Harvest Red,” and “White”
- Red Heart Soft “Royal Blue,” “Really Red,” and “White”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Bright Blue,” “Red,” and “White”
Flash
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Really Red” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Red” and “Butter”
Green Lantern
- Caron Simply Soft “Kelly Green” and “White”
Hulk
- Caron Simply Soft “Pistachio,” “White,” and “Black”
- Red Heart Soft “Guacamole,” “White,” and “Black”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Avocado Green,” “White,” and “Black”
Ironman
- Caron Simply Soft “Autumn Red” and “Gold”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Garnet” and “Honey”
Mickey Mouse
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red,” “Black,” and “White”
- Red Heart Soft “Really Red,” “Black,” and “White”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Red,” “Black,” and “White”
Minnie Mouse
- Caron Simply Soft “Watermelon” or “Soft Pink,” “Black,” and “White”
- Red Heart Soft “Pink,” “Black,” and “White”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Pink” or “Soft Pink,” “Black,” and “White”
Paw Patrol – Chase
- Caron Simply Soft “Royal Blue,” “Chocolate,” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Royal Blue,” “Chocolate,” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Bright Blue,” “Cocoa,” and “Butter”
Paw Patrol – Marshall
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Really Red” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Red” and “Butter”
Paw Patrol – Rocky
- Caron Simply Soft “Pistachio,” “Grey Heather,” and “Soft Pink” or “Victorian Rose”
- Red Heart Soft “Guacamole,” “Heather Gray,” and “Pink”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Avocado Green,” “Fog,” and “Pink”
PJ Masks – Catboy
- Caron Simply Soft “Royal Blue” and “Blue Mint”
- Red Heart Soft “Royal Blue” and “Turquoise”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
- Red Heart Soft “Guacamole;” Caron Simply Soft “Pistachio;” or Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Avocado Green” or “Olive”
- Michelangelo: Red Heart Soft “Tangerine,” Caron Simply Soft “Neon Orange,” or Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Hot Orange”
- Leonardo: Red Heart Soft “Royal Blue,” Caron Simply Soft “Royal Blue,” or Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Bright Blue”
- Raphael: Red Heart Soft “Really Red,” Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red,” or Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Red”
- Donatello: Red Heart Soft “Lavender,” Caron Simply Soft “Purple” or “Iris,” or Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Violet” or “Hot Grape”
Spider-Man
- Caron Simply Soft “Harvest Red,” “Black,” and “White”
- Red Heart Soft “Really Red,” “Black,” and “White”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Red,” “Black,” and “White”
Superman
- Caron Simply Soft “Royal Blue,” “Harvest Red,” and “Sunshine” or “Lemonade”
- Red Heart Soft “Royal Blue,” “Really Red,” and “Lemon”
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret “Bright Blue,” “Red,” and “Butter”
Yarn FAQs
Why Be So Choosy About Yarn Fibers?
- Many hospitals do not accept donations of products with animal fibers. The Magic Yarn Project only uses hypoallergenic, machine-washable, 100% acrylic yarn. Wool, alpaca, or homemade yarn blends are not approved, including for accessories.
- Cotton yarn is not stretchy enough to suit head sizes of children of various ages, and it is too scratchy for tender post-chemo children’s scalps. It also does not retain its shape or sizing well after machine washing. Cotton yarns are not approved, including for accessories.
- Bamboo, rayon, and other blended yarn fibers, although they have a silky feel, typically have too much stretch to stand up to hours of wear during play and sleep. They also tend to have greater color variations between dye lots, making it more difficult for us to match donations from all over the country. They also often don’t represent a cost-friendly option for our volunteers. Bamboo, rayon, and other blended yarns are not approved, including for accessories.
- In order to produce the most beautiful, durable, and consistent wigs, we ask that all crocheted accessories are made with soft yarn. This includes all crocheted tiaras, snowflakes, starfish, flowers, ringlets, character beanie parts, etc.
Not All Soft Yarn Is Created Equal
- Caron Simply Soft and Red Heart Soft are nearly identical in their thickness and sheen and make beautiful beanies. Based on its color consistency, durability, and wide availability, Caron Simply Soft is our preferred yarn for all beanies.
- Yarn Bee Soft Secret and Loops and Threads Soft & Shiny are also beautifully soft and sleek, but they have a lot of stretch and do not hold up well.
- I Love This Yarn, Red Heart Soft Essentials, and Red Heart With Love are also soft yarns, but their thickness does not align as well with our standard yarns. Their gauge does not typically work up to match our beanie pattern, and beanies made with these often have too much stretch and gapping. They are not approved; if you have questions, please contact your Magic Yarn Leader.
What About Yarns Outside of North America?
- Generally speaking, all yarn used for The Magic Yarn Project must be 100% acrylic (no cotton or animal fibers), ultra soft, and ideally sleek/shiny with very little stretch.
- For all beanies and accessories and most wig “hair,” we recommend an aran/worsted weight (#4, or 8/8 fibers) yarn thickness. For Jack and Moana hair, we recommend a textured bulky (#5) or super bulky (#6) yarn thickness.
- Yarn color matching does not have to be exact, but it should be as close as possible to our North American approved yarns. Search for images of brand names online to compare colors carefully, or contact your Magic Yarn Leader for advice.
- All crafters wishing to use non-approved yarn types, including international crafters, should work with their Magic Yarn Leader to determine appropriate matches.
- International crafters who would like to help us develop more information about preferred yarns outside North America should contact our Program Director, Laurie Campbell, at laurie@themagicyarnproject.com .
