Yarn Bases

We strive to offer a versatile and sustainable selection of plant-based yarns! Currently, we carry nineteen fully vegan yarn bases, ranging from light fingering weight through bulky, and containing primarily organic cotton, tencel, and linen fibers.

For pattern ideas, view our makers' Ravelry projects using our yarns!

Our priority is to empower you to craft a wide variety of projects, while offering fibers that meet a high sustainability standard for plant fibers. When we choose a new yarn, we strongly prioritize low-impact yarns - plant fibers that can be grown with fewer pesticides and less water, whose manufacturing employs recycling and regenerative systems, whose supply chains are traceable and ethical, and whose end result is a lovely and sturdy yarn that will help you create long-lasting, heirloom pieces.

If you have a question about one of our bases that is not answered here, please feel free to get in touch via the contact form at the bottom and we'll do our best to find an answer for you! 

Update 11/22: We will be discontinuing a few bases in January 2026 to make room for other things, so if you want to try them, now is the time! The bases that are retiring will be:

-Anacostia Worsted

-Atlantic Light Fingering, DK, and Worsted

-Chesapeake Aran

-Monocacy Fingering & Worsted

a photo of all 16 terrapin fiberworks yarn bases



Anacostia Vegan Sock - $27

  • Weights: Heavy Fingering: 377 yds/100g; Worsted: 188 yds/100g
  • Fiber Content: 40% lyocell/tencel, 40% organic cotton, 20% elastic
  • Origin: Taiwan
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Sizes: Sock Weight: US 1-1.5 for socks/hats; US 3-6 for other projects. Hooks B-C for socks, or F-H for other projects. Worsted Weight: US 8-10; Hooks H-K
  • Care: Machine wash cold/delicate cycle, lay flat to dry.
  • Similar Yarns: Vegan Yarn Pleiades & Hyades, LeRoo Cotton Vegan Sock
  • Sustainability: Tencel and other lyocells require less water to produce than cotton fibers. Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a chemical process in which 99% of materials are recovered and recycled. This process uses up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers. Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds, and some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton.
  • Characteristics: Sock lovers, this one's for you! Anacostia is our only base recommended for socks, hats, and other negative-ease projects. Its elastic content give is the memory, so projects will retain their shape. Anacostia has a bouncy texture with lots of body that knits up into itch-free next-to-skin pieces. It's truly unlike any other yarn we've tried, but such a cool blend! The elastic does not take dye, so solids and darker colors have a marled look that softens somewhat with wear.


Atlantic Mercerized Pima Cotton - $28

  • Weights: Light Fingering: 437 yds/100g (4 ply); DK: 218 yds/100g (4 ply); Worsted: 181 yds/100g (6 ply)
  • Fiber Content: 100% conventional mercerized pima cotton
  • Origin: Peru
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Sizes: Fingering Weight: US 1.5-3; Hooks B-E. DK Weight: US 5-7; Hooks E-H. Worsted Weight: US 8-10; Hooks H-K.
  • Care: Machine wash cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Typically does not shrink.
  • Similar Yarns: LeRoo Pima Cotton, BzyPeach Pima Cotton, Hobbii Friends Cotton 8/4 and 8/8
  • Sustainability: Cotton is native to Peru, where the growing conditions are suited to the crop; this reduces environmental pressure, but conventional cotton is grown with standard pesticides. Pima is typically harvested by hand rather than by machine. It is an extra-long staple fiber with noticeably more longevity than other cottons, especially thanks to the mercerization. Projects made with pima cotton resist pilling and last for years, which helps reduce contributions to fabric waste.
  • Characteristics: Atlantic is extremely silky to the touch, with a luxury shine from the mercerizing process that makes the yarn smoother and slightly accentuates the depth of color. The mercerization also helps colors strike more quickly on the fiber, leading to crisper speckles and color changes. Compared to Chesapeake cotton, it has more drape, but also less hold because of its silky texture, so it is a better choice for shawls, lacework, hot-weather garments, or anything where a bit of drape and silkiness will make your project stand out. 


Chesapeake Organic Cotton - $26

  • Weights: Fingering: 437 yds/100g (4-ply); DK: 246 yds/100g (4-ply); Aran: 164 yds/100g (4-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 100% GOTS-certified organic Tanguis cotton (note: our dye process is not organic.)
  • Origin: Peru
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: Fingering Weight: US 3-4; Hooks C-F. DK Weight: US 5-7; Hooks E-H. Aran Weight: US 7-9; Hooks I-K
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity. Slight vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: KnitPicks Simply Cotton Fingering; LeRoo Organic Cotton; Hobbii Baby Cotton Organic & Organic Midi
  • Sustainability: Cotton is a thirsty crop, although some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton, and conditions in Peru (where cotton is native) are ideal for farming it. Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds.
  • Characteristics: This is not your craft store cotton! Chesapeake is a well-spun, beautifully soft fiber that is comfortable for all skin types. It does not have elasticity and will not hold its shape for items like socks or negative-ease garments, but the matte fibers have good hold for a plant fiber and will cooperate for cables, colorwork, shawls and garments, as well as baby items. Tends to have a softer and slightly less saturated color when compared to Atlantic Pima or Severn Tencel.

Harbor Organic Cotton-Linen - $27


  • Weights: Fingering: 437 yds / 100g (4-ply); DK: 246 yds / 100g (4-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 70% GOTS-certified organic Tanguis cotton, 30% unbleached linen
  • Origin: Peru & Belgium
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Sizes: Fingering Weight: US 2-4; Hooks C-F. DK Weight: US 5-7; Hooks E-H.
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity. Slight vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: KnitPicks Cotlin (DK), LeRoo Cotton-Linen, Ritual Dyes Undine (Harbor has higher cotton content and a softer hand).
  • Sustainability: Cotton is a thirsty crop, although some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton, and conditions in Peru (where cotton is native) are ideal for farming it. Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds. Flax (from which linen is spun) is an ancient classic for a reason! It requires much less water than cotton crops and can be grown on poor soil that is not suitable for grazing or other crops.
  • Characteristics: Harbor marries the classic, versatile 4-ply twist of our Chesapeake line with a dash of summer-light unbleached linen for the perfect hot weather fiber! It feels very similar to Chesapeake when skeined, with the linen primarily showing itself through better hold and drape once you begin working with the yarn. The unbleached linen blended with organic cotton makes it one of our most sustainable fiber options! Harbor is a light biscuit color when undyed so is not available on our lightest colorways, but it adds a moody, warming character to all the others.

Kent Cotton-Tencel Light Fingering - $28

  • Weight: Fingering: 437 yds / 100g (4-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 60% organic Pima cotton, 40% Tencel
  • Origin: Peru
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Sizes: Fingering Weight: US 2-3; Hooks C-E.
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity.
  • Similar Yarns: Expression Fiber Arts Ephemeral Fingering, LeRoo Cotton/Bamboo Fingering, Vegan Yarns Albireo
  • Sustainability: Cotton is a thirsty crop, although some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton, and conditions in Peru (where cotton is native) are ideal for farming it. Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds. Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a chemical process in which 99% of materials are recovered and recycled. This process uses less water and up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Characteristics: Kent is your new summer-soft favorite! It is lusciously silky to the touch with subtle sheen, marrying the buttery feel of cotton with Tencel's watery drape as it glides through your hands. It is a lighter fingering weight than Chesapeake and Harbor, but a bit more substantial than Atlantic, keeping it in the versatile light fingering weight range. The fabric will drape and fall enough to make a beautiful shawl, but contains enough cotton to still serve as a knockout for your next summer garment!

Monocacy Domestic Cotton Boucle - $25


  • Weights: Fingering: 440 yds / 100g (2-ply); Worsted: 164 yds / 100g (2-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 100% US-grown conventional cotton
  • Origin: United States
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: Fingering Weight: US 2-4; Hooks C-F. Worsted Weight: US 7-9; Hooks I-K
  • Care: Hand-wash for best longevity and lay flat to dry. Slight vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: KnitPicks cotton boucle (lighter than our worsted)
  • Sustainability: Monocacy is grown and milled right here in the US, shipped to us from nearby North Carolina! Conventionally grown cotton is grown using standard pesticides and typically uses more water than organic cotton, though it has higher yield per acre, which results in more efficient farming.
  • Characteristics: If you want baby-soft cotton, Monocacy is your base! This light and bouncy 2-ply has instant next-to-skin softness and more body than any of our other bases, resulting in an effortlessly cozy fabric. It makes a really nice weft for weaving, but is not recommended for warp. Though loosely-spun yarns are overall more likely to pill, we find that Monocacy holds its own against wool yarns in this regard. Try it out in a simple stitch to let the slightly nubby texture shine--this texture is more pronounced on the worsted weight than the fingering weight. The depth of color is comparable to our Chesapeake line.


Sandy Point Organic Pima - $28

  • Weights: Sport: 328 yds / 100g (2-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 100% organic pima cotton (note: our dye process is not organic.)
  • Origin: Peru
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: US 4-6; Hooks E-H
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity. Some vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: LeRoo Organic Pima Sport, Knomad Sunny
  • Sustainability: Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds. Some studies suggest it requires less water to grow than conventional cotton. Pima is an extra-long staple fiber with more longevity than other cottons, which helps reduce contributions to fabric waste.
  • Characteristics: Sandy Point brings all the softness and sustainability of organic cotton to the table with a touch of subtle luster from the long-staple pima fibers, which increase durability. The firm 2-ply twist resists splitting and the yarn has a soft but grippy hand. It is appropriate for any project that would also suit Chesapeake Organic Cotton. It does not have elasticity and will not hold its shape for items like socks or negative-ease garments). The color comes out similar to our Chesapeake line, but with a touch of glow.


Severn Tencel - $27

  • Weights: Light Fingering: 437 yds/100g (4-ply); Sport: 246 yds/100g (4-ply)
  • Fiber Content: 100% certified Tencel
  • Origin: Italy
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: Light Fingering Weight: US 1.5-3; Hooks B-E. Sport Weight: US 4-6; Hooks E-H
  • Care: Machine wash on cold/delicate, or hand wash to reduce shrinkage. Lay flat to dry. Piece will stretch substantially with use regardless of wash method.
  • Similar Yarns: LeRoo Tencel, BzyPeach Tencel
  • Sustainability: Tencel and other lyocells require less water to produce than cotton fibers. Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a chemical process in which 99% of materials are recovered and recycled. This process uses up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Characteristics: Severn has dreamy shine and drape! Think mulberry silk, but vegan. (The shiny stuff--not bourette silk, such as Knitting For Olive's Pure Silk). Knitters who have struggled with cotton in past may find Severn more approachable, since it is less drying on the hands, but it does tend to have less give than our other yarns. Tencel does not have memory, and is a rayon, so it grows with time and blocking--we wouldn't recommend it for colorwork, heavy garments, or similar projects, but it makes an incredible shawl or lightweight ruana! Colors come out noticeably more saturated and a bit warmer on this base.

Tributary Chainette - $25


  • Weights: Worsted 218 yds/100g, Bulky 110 yds/100g
  • Fiber Content: 50% organic Tanguis cotton, 35% modal, 15% recycled nylon
  • Origin: Peru
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: Worsted US 8-10, hooks H-J; Bulky US 9-11; Hooks I-K
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity. Slight vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: Vegan Yarn Taika Worsted 
  • Sustainability: Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds. Some studies suggest it requires less water to grow than conventional cotton. Tanguis is an extra-long staple fiber similar to Pima with more longevity than other cottons, which helps reduce contributions to fabric waste. Modal is a regenerated fiber similar to Tencel, made mainly from beech and with a somewhat softer hand. The solvents are slightly less eco-friendly than Tencel, but the fiber is still quite earth friendly! The 15% nylon added for strength and light wearing is recycled.
  • Characteristics: This chainette yarn is plied like a small i-cord, eliminating risks of splitting and adding surprising loft and lightness to this heavier weight cotton! It is very soft to the touch with good drape, and works up with a touch of bounce and give, making it easier on the hands for those new to plant based yarns. The ply and the fiber blend take color in a slightly softer and more blended way than our 100% cottons. This yarn is ideal for blankets, garments, and home goods that won't see direct heat (the nylon content makes it unsuitable for potholders).

 

Wicomico Linen Blend Fingering - $27

  • Weights: Fingering: 382 yds/100g
  • Fiber Content: 50% bleached linen, 30% cotton, 20% lyocell/tencel
  • Origin: Italy
  • Suggested Needle/Hook Size: US 2.5-4; Hooks C-F
  • Care: Machine washable on cold/delicate; lay flat to dry. Hand-wash for best longevity. Slight vertical shrinkage may occur on first wash.
  • Similar Yarns: Isager Trio 2
  • Sustainability: Flax (from which linen is spun) requires much less water than cotton crops and can be grown on poor soil that is not suitable for grazing or other crops. The bleached linen in this yarn is treated to achieve its white color. Conventionally grown cotton is grown using standard pesticides and typically uses more water than organic cotton, though it has higher yield per acre. Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a chemical process in which 99% of materials are recovered and recycled. This process uses less water and up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Characteristics: This multi-plied yarn has the handfeel of linen but so much more depth! The various strands of bleached linen, cotton, and tencel take dye slightly differently, adding a subtle marling to solids and big dimension to variegates. It has a sturdy and initially crispy feel, much like our old Deer Creek blend, but this softens with work and wear. The drape is very good and the high linen content makes for a breathable garment. Enough tencel is present to add shine without encouraging too much growth. Colors come out somewhat more saturated on this base, and we are excited that it is our only linen blend on which we are able to offer our full color library!