In March, I spent a bunch of time traveling in Europe. Starting in the Netherlands, then making my way through Germany and finally to Switzerland, I saw so many sights and heard all about the latest news and innovations going on in the craft industry. Aside from teaching classes at shops, festivals, and with indie dyers, I also attended a trade show and stopped for some shopping along the way. I'm blogging about the entire experience on my Instagram account but also want to provide an article rounding out some of the interesting trends for the craft industry coming up now that will only grow in 2027.

Xandy's 2027 Yarn and Crafts Trend Report

Projects and Styles

My focus at the show was really not aimed at the fashion side of things. as in most years, the actual clothing trends follow pretty closely with what's going on in mainstream fashion. 

Sweater Trends

While unisex styles remain dedicated to Nordic knits and après-ski vibes, women's looks are becoming more structural and refined. the oversized, cozy look isn't going anywhere, but shaping is coming back into style. Look for a reemergence of closely fitted ribbed sweaters and more detail at the waist. There were a lot of knitted jackets on display in boucle, fur, and other fleece like textures - but you'll hear more abut that soon.

Beginner Friendly 

Clothing silhouettes remain simple and accessories remain small. The minimalist Nordic aesthetic still has a stranglehold on so many, but I do not attribute its popularity to the aesthetics of minimalism. Instead, I believe the prominence of simple silhouettes and classic motifs is from a wave of beginners who are just now maturing into garment makers after learning to knit and crochet during the pandemic. They're able to follow patterns, ready to make a simple sweater, or to try a new technique in the context of a small scarf. Many have tried stranded colorwork and are becoming curious about more advanced techniques like duplicate stitch and intarsia as they attempt to copy garments and styles from high end fashion brands.

The Total Package

There were a lot of exciting crochet kit options for quick, intermediate level projects. Not just little amigurumi, but sweaters and lined bags too. high level knit kits are less common, but for the same reasons, you won't only see super simple projects turning up. I think it's much easier to learn to read a pattern than it is to learn how to substitute yarn. These fully packaged products aren't just good for those getting started. There's a demand for fully compiled intermediate and even advanced level projects because most crafters don't want to deal with finding the correct materials for a pattern or vice versa.

Crafts as Therapy

In recent years, the therapeutic benefits of crafting have become increasingly recognized and celebrated. People are picking up their hooks and needles - some for the first time. Crafting also offers a healthy escape from the constant stimulation of screens and digital life. It's a screen-free activity that engages your hands and mind in a way that feels restorative. the popularity of craft retreats of all types is soaring. For many, it's become an essential tool for managing the stress and overwhelm of modern life.

Color 

If you've been reading my my blog for a while, you know that I pay attention to color trends. In the last few years we've seen a lot less bright color, with the trend honing in on warm neutral shades. With Pantone's color of the year being a shade of off-white, a lot of vendors at the show felt as if they were left with a lack of guidance. Some even claimed that it was an indication that the market is cooling down. 

Natural Luxury

But trend forecasters are sending a different message. Customers want to spend their money on luxurious, natural fibers. Trend focused Central area of the show had displays dedicated to cloud dancer. Many of the materials played with natural tones and created contrast and texture. White and brown are trend colors because, with so many synthetic options available in the market, people associate natural tones with luxury. But even synthetic materials are hopping on the trend, so customers should beware of polyester dyed to look like unbleached linen.

Bejeweled Hues

If you're bored with neutralized and de-saturated palettes, there is another color trend emerging centered around the WGSN /Coloro version of what's popular. This is the color look for those who are bored of neutrals, although the driving force behind this trend is the same pursuit of luxury. There were plenty of examples to be seen of rich royal blue, emerald green, and warm jewel tones of amethyst and Garnet. All of these colors stood beside black, white, and champagne gold. In most cases, these bold colors were used in a monochromatic palette but paired up with the novelty yarn trend or highly textured stitches to create interest.

Magical Mixes

For those who are still obsessed with rainbows and having all the colors in your hands at once, there's a loud minority of yarn companies who are creating multi-color yarns which still read as neutrals from a distance. My favorite was the new opalescent heathers from Biches & Bûches. I grabbed some photos of these colors at the trade show but also witnessed a few of my students at Swiss Yarn Fest excitedly sharing about these yarns when I asked what they had bought in the marketplace. People want to recreate the depth of color that they've experienced when they mix in a strand of mohair with their yarn, but without having to put the yarns together themselves. This optical mixing trend is a great way to capture the attention of customers who gravitate towards bright colors and those who prefer neutrals at the same time.

Novelty Textures 

I have been personally waiting for the return of fur yarn and highly textured novelty materials for a few years now. Right before the pandemic, yarn color was the peak of creativity - there was nowhere else to go in terms of brightness and loudness. But in the last few years, as colors have become less of a focus and we've returned to more natural hues, crafters have started to use texture as a new outlet for their unbounded creativity.

There has always been a slight cultural difference between regional styles, one of them being that North America endured nearly a decade of Fun Fur trauma and is  thus far less tolerant of novelty textures and fur yarns than Europeans. The issue is not really with novelty yarns as a whole, but the cheapness of the stringy fur. The question has come up about whether Americans would ever tolerate a fur yarn trend if it swung back around a second time. 

We are about to find out because furry fluffy textures were everywhere. Lana Grossa, Lang, Katia, and Rico are all promoting all sorts of fur textures in a rainbow of colors. Many of these yarns look like a faux fur coat or fleecy texture when knit up. The stitches in this case are almost invisible. Other fuzzy yarns have the same sort of feeling as a brushed mohair sweater, but they might use wool or synthetic fibers instead to create the fuzzy effect. They do not require brushing and are therefore a much lower risk product for crafters who want the look of a brushed sweater but don't want to risk destroying a hand-knit. This fur trend seems to be related to the popularity of boucle yarn and which has been observed in crafting as well as mainstream fashion and housewares. 

Cage yarn

After realizing that a strand of mohair yarn held with anything else will give it a much lighter, airier touch people are still loving this trend. But with the cost of yarn, many customers want to get that look without purchasing multiple strands that are held together. Cage yarns are a tube of knitted thread, almost like an i-cord, with fluffy fibers blown into the tube. They tend to be warmer than regular yarns because of all the air and have pretty good yardage per skein because of the lightweight construction. 

Aside from its unique, luxurious texture, cage yarn has a few other benefits. It tends to behave equally well for knit and crochet projects. Some yarns can bias or become dense and stiff when used with the wrong craft. Cage yarns tend to stay pretty light and bouncy no matter which way they are wrapped and regardless of the technique forming the stitches.

Most of these yarns are in the same weight range of DK to bulky. It's very hard to create thinner blown yarns because of the construction. Beginners who are just dipping there toes into the world of pattern reading have been introduced to the popular Snefnug yarn through the patterns of Petite Knits. The prevalence of these simple Nordic knitting patterns has definitely boosted the global popularity of cage yarns, but people living in warmer regions should note: these yarns are much warmer than a regular worsted weight yarn. If you want the feel without the warmth, there are some great cotton based options that have the same look.

Sequins

The sequin trend is exploding right now. I've seen it grow over the last 6 months. It's everywhere from Western Europe to the Western United States. Without getting too philosophical about the origins of this trend, people are depressed. They are looking for a little bit of fun and excitement in life -nothing too risky or mentally taxing- and so they are adding a little sparkle to their crafts. In projects, these yarns are being held with other fibers or sometimes worked alone. There are even some mohair sequin blends that hand dyers are using. They claim that the soft halo keeps the plastic pieces from being uncomfortable for the wearer.The variation in different yarns is wide, with sequins being the only common denominator. Some yarns are consistent color, size, and placement while others offer a more varied and textured look. 

Overview

Whether you're shopping for personal use or for a retail shop, I hope you found this list of trends inspiring. The beauty of handmade is that trends are just inspiration. There's much more freedom than with ready-to-wear fashion, so choose the trends that excite and inspire you. Pair a simple silhouette with a textured yarn, combine neutral colors with unexpected embellishments, or stick with the timeless classics that never go out of style...but make them sparkle with sequins.

As with all handmade goods, the trendy side of crafting always comes second to the heirloom and classic styles and materials. The pieces that will matter most are the ones you love enough to wear for years. The sweaters that fit perfectly, scarves that are easy to wear, the colors that make you happy, and the textures that feel good against your skin.