Hobbii Amigo vs Stylecraft Special DK

Technical verdict: Hobbii Amigo vs Stylecraft Special DK

Weight category, yardage and value per ball

Hobbii Amigo and Stylecraft Special DK are both Light (CYC 3) yarns, so on paper they are interchangeable in the same patterns. The weight class only tells half the story, though: the ball band data below shows how much they really differ in thickness, yardage and behaviour once they are on the hook.

Hobbii Amigo is the longer yarn per gram, with 350 m per 100 g against 295 m per 100 g for Stylecraft Special DK, a difference of 19 %. For the same 1,000 m of yarn, the project weighs about 286 g in Hobbii Amigo and 339 g in Stylecraft Special DK. A lower m/100 g figure means a thicker or denser strand, so the heavier yarn will also make a slightly thicker, warmer fabric.

Per ball, Hobbii Amigo holds 175 m in 50 g and Stylecraft Special DK holds 295 m in 100 g. Five balls of Hobbii Amigo (875 m) are replaced by 3 balls of Stylecraft Special DK, and five balls of Stylecraft Special DK (1,475 m) by 9 balls of Hobbii Amigo. Always convert by length, never by weight or by number of balls.

Drape, fibre and texture

Both yarns share the same fibre family: Hobbii Amigo is 100 % acrylic and Stylecraft Special DK is 100 % acrylic, so they wash, block and wear in a similar way. Acrylic is light, affordable and machine-washable; it hides small tension changes and suits blankets and everyday pieces, but heat relaxes it permanently, so it should not be ironed.

Within the same weight class, Hobbii Amigo has noticeably more meters per gram, so its fabric will be lighter and drape more softly, while Stylecraft Special DK will feel denser and more structured. Choose the lighter one for shawls, tops and baby items, and the denser one for bags, amigurumi and pieces that must hold their shape.

They also share the same construction (Plied), so stitch definition and the way the yarn behaves on the hook should feel familiar when you switch.

Hook size and gauge

Both ball bands recommend the same hook, 4 mm, so you can start your swatch with the hook size the pattern already calls for.

At least one manufacturer does not publish a reference gauge, so work a 12 × 12 cm swatch with your usual hook before comparing sizes.

Verdict: can you swap them?

Stylecraft Special DK can replace Hobbii Amigo with some adjustments (Match Score 75 %). Expect small differences in gauge or drape: swatch first and be ready to change the hook by half a size.

Stylecraft Special DK gives more meters per ball, so you will usually buy fewer balls. Hobbii Amigo makes the lighter fabric; Stylecraft Special DK makes the denser one.

Whichever you choose, buy all the balls for a project from the same dye lot and keep the ball band for its care instructions.

Full Hobbii Amigo data sheet → Full Stylecraft Special DK data sheet → Calculate yarn for a whole project →