Wonderland Yarns: Complete Guide to This Discontinued Luxury Hand-Dyed Collection

Looking for beautiful hand-dyed yarn that doesn’t break the bank? Wonderland Yarns brought luxury colors to everyday crafters. This former Joann-exclusive line gave you the rich, unique look of expensive indie-dyed yarn at craft store prices. Whether you’re making your first shawl or your fiftieth pair of socks, Wonderland Yarns turned simple projects into colorful works of art.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything about Wonderland’s different collections, which weights work best for your projects, and where to find similar yarns now that Wonderland is no longer available at Joann.

What Makes Wonderland Yarns Special

Wonderland Yarns launched in 2019 as Joann’s answer to expensive hand-dyed yarns. The brand took inspiration from Alice in Wonderland, naming each collection after beloved characters. What made these yarns stand out was simple: they looked hand-dyed but knit up with the consistency of commercial yarn.

Hand-Dyed Look, Commercial Reliability

Real hand-dyed yarn can be unpredictable. Colors might pool strangely or run out mid-project. Wonderland Yarns solved this problem. Each skein showed beautiful color variations, but they were dyed in controlled batches. This meant you could buy multiple skeins knowing they’d match.

The semi-solid and variegated colorways mimicked what independent dyers create. You got deep, saturated colors that shifted gradually through the skein. But unlike true hand-dyed yarn, you wouldn’t find wild inconsistencies between skeins.

Where to Buy Wonderland Yarns Now

Wonderland Yarns was sold exclusively through Joann, but with Joann’s closure, this yarn is no longer available through its original retailer. While you might find remaining stock in local stores during liquidation sales, this is unreliable and temporary.

Your best option now is Amazon, where you can find similar superwash merino yarns with the same colorful, self-striping look that made Wonderland popular. Amazon offers:

Consistent availability of similar yarn types
The ability to reorder the same yarn later if your project needs more skeins
Reliable shipping and customer service
Customer reviews to help you choose quality alternatives

Affordable Luxury Pricing

Here’s where Wonderland Yarns shone. Independent hand-dyed yarn typically costs $28-35 per skein. Wonderland Yarns ran $8-12 per skein at regular price. During Joann’s frequent sales, prices dropped to $6-9 per skein.

Similar yarns on Amazon now offer comparable pricing, typically ranging from $10-15 per skein for superwash merino blends with beautiful colorways.

Wonderland Yarns Collections Explained

Wonderland Yarns offered four main collections, each named after Alice in Wonderland characters. Every collection featured different yarn weights and color styles, giving you options for various projects.

Alice Collection (Fingering Weight)

The Alice collection used fingering weight yarn, the thinnest in the Wonderland lineup. These skeins contained approximately 437 yards of 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon. This blend made Alice perfect for socks that needed durability in the heels and toes.

Fingering weight works beautifully for:

Socks (the most popular use)
Lightweight shawls
Delicate cowls
Baby items

Alice colorways leaned toward self-striping designs. Colors transitioned every few yards, creating automatic stripes as you knit or crochet. Popular shades like “Down the Rabbit Hole” showed deep purples flowing into soft pinks, while “Tea Party” blended warm browns and cream.

Use US size 1-3 needles (2.25-3.25mm) or a B-1 to D-3 crochet hook. Gauge runs about 28-32 stitches per 4 inches. Projects take longer with fingering weight, but the fine fabric drapes beautifully.

Similar fingering weight options on Amazon include self-striping sock yarns with superwash merino blends.

Cheshire Cat Collection (DK Weight)

Cheshire Cat brought you DK (double knitting) weight yarn in tonal colorways. Each 246-yard skein contained 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon, matching Alice’s fiber content in a thicker strand.

DK weight sits between fingering and worsted, making it versatile for:

Lightweight sweaters
Scarves and cowls
Baby blankets
Hats and mittens

The “tonal” description meant colors stayed in the same family throughout the skein. You’d see depth and variation, but not dramatic color changes. “Cheshire Grin” showed varying shades of purple-pink, while “Invisible Cat” shifted through grays.

Work Cheshire Cat on US size 4-6 needles (3.5-4mm) or an E-4 to G-6 crochet hook. Expect 22-24 stitches per 4 inches. This weight knits faster than fingering but still produces refined fabric.

Find similar DK weight tonal yarns on Amazon with the same soft merino blend.

Mad Hatter Collection (Worsted Weight)

Mad Hatter offered worsted weight yarn with bold, variegated colors. These 218-yard skeins featured 80% superwash merino wool and 20% nylon. The slightly different blend ratio affected nothing practical—the yarn still washed easily and wore well.

Worsted weight serves as the “standard” yarn weight. Most patterns use it, and it works for nearly everything:

Sweaters and cardigans
Afghans and throws
Accessories
Home decor items

Mad Hatter’s variegated colorways showed the most dramatic color changes in the Wonderland lineup. “Mad as a Hatter” swung from bright orange to deep purple. “Riddle” blended teal, purple, and pink. These multi-color skeins created visual interest even in simple stitch patterns.

Use US size 7-9 needles (4.5-5.5mm) or an H-8 to I-9 crochet hook. Gauge typically runs 18-20 stitches per 4 inches. Projects work up quickly—a simple scarf takes just a few evenings.

Amazon has excellent worsted weight variegated options that recreate the Wonderland look.

Queen of Hearts Collection (Luxury Blends)

The Queen of Hearts collection featured special luxury fiber blends that changed by release. Past versions included cashmere blends, silk blends, and mohair mixes. These limited-edition skeins cost slightly more ($12-15 regular price) but offered ultra-soft luxury.

Availability was always spotty with Queen of Hearts. Joann released small batches that sold quickly. These colorways rarely restocked.

Weights and fiber contents varied, so checking the label was essential. Some Queen releases used DK weight silk blends perfect for shawls. Others featured worsted weight cashmere mixes ideal for cowls worn close to the skin.

For luxury fiber blends, Amazon offers silk, cashmere, and mohair options from various quality brands.

Complete Wonderland Yarns Color Guide

Wonderland Yarns released new colors seasonally, retiring older shades as new ones arrived. At any time, you could find 30-40 active colorways across all collections. Popular shades stuck around, while experimental colors came and went.

Current Bestselling Colorways

Certain Wonderland colors sold out faster than others. These popular shades got restocked more frequently:

Alice Collection Favorites:

Down the Rabbit Hole (purple to pink gradient)
Tea Party (browns and creams)
Curiouser (blue to green shift)

Cheshire Cat Favorites:

Cheshire Grin (purple-pink tonal)
Invisible Cat (gray tones)
Mischief (deep teal)

Mad Hatter Favorites:

Mad as a Hatter (orange-purple variegated)
Riddle (teal-purple-pink)
Unbirthday (rainbow variegated)

Discontinued & Hard-to-Find Colors

Wonderland discontinued many colorways since 2019. Crafters hunt these down on resale sites like Mercari or in destash groups. Some sought-after retired shades include:

“Jabberwocky” (dark, moody blues and purples)
“White Rabbit” (soft neutrals)
“Painting the Roses Red” (red gradient)

If you find a discontinued color you love on resale sites, buy extra. These won’t return, and resale prices climb to $15-20 per skein.

Seasonal & Limited Releases

Joann dropped seasonal Wonderland colors around major holidays. Spring brought pastels, fall featured rich jewel tones, and winter showcased deep, cozy shades. Summer releases leaned toward bright, cheerful colors.

Limited releases sold fast and rarely returned.

Alice in Wonderland Theme Inspiration

All Wonderland color names referenced the Alice stories. This theming helped you remember which shades appealed to you. Love whimsical pastels? Look for names like “Tea Party” or “Wonder.” Prefer bold, dramatic colors? Try “Queen of Hearts” or “Off with Their Heads.”

The naming also made gift-giving fun. Knitting for a friend who loves Alice in Wonderland? Choose colors that match her favorite characters or scenes.

Why Choose Wonderland-Style Yarns

Deciding between yarn brands gets overwhelming. Here’s when Wonderland-style yarns make the most sense for your project.

Best for Color-Focused Projects

Wonderland-style yarns excel when color takes center stage. The rich, complex colorways do the design work for you. Simple patterns like basic stockinette or single crochet look impressive because the yarn provides visual interest.

Save these yarns for projects where you’ll see the color shifts:

Shawls (especially triangular styles that show gradients)
Socks (self-striping creates automatic patterns)
Scarves and cowls (worn where people notice them)
Simple sweaters (let color be the feature)

Skip variegated yarns for heavily textured patterns. Complicated cable work or intricate lace hides color changes. Save money by using solid-colored yarn for those projects

When to Choose Wonderland-Style Over Indie Dyers

Independent hand-dyers create stunning yarn, but they come with challenges:

Price: Indie yarn costs $25-35 per skein. Wonderland-style yarns cost $10-15 per skein on Amazon.

Consistency: Hand-dyed batches vary wildly. One skein might differ noticeably from another, even in the same colorway. Commercial hand-dyed-style yarns maintain consistency.

Availability: Indie dyers often work alone or in small teams. Popular colors sell out in minutes during updates and don’t restock for months. Amazon restocks regularly.

Customer Service: Buying from small businesses means limited return policies and longer response times. Amazon offers easy returns and exchanges.

Choose Wonderland-style yarn when you need reliable color matching across multiple skeins, can’t afford indie prices, or want the security of shopping with Amazon’s customer protection.

When Indie Yarn Wins

True hand-dyed yarn still beats commercial alternatives in some areas:

Uniqueness: No two indie-dyed skeins match exactly. Your project becomes one-of-a-kind.

Fiber Options: Indie dyers experiment with exotic blends like yak, qiviut, or bamboo silk. Commercial yarns stick to standard merino-nylon blends.

Supporting Small Business: Your money goes directly to artists and small-business owners, not a large corporation.

Color Depth: Expert hand-dyers achieve color saturations and transitions that commercial dyeing can’t match.

If budget allows and you want truly special yarn for a once-in-a-lifetime project, indie yarn justifies the cost. For everyday luxury at accessible prices, commercial hand-dyed-style yarns fit the bill.

Best Projects for Wonderland-Style Yarns

Wonderland-style yarns work for many projects, but certain makes showcase these colorways perfectly.

Shawls That Showcase Gradient Colors

Triangular shawls display gradient color shifts beautifully. As you knit from the center point outward, you’ll see colors gradually change across the entire width. The increasing row length means each color section gets larger as the shawl grows.

Popular shawl patterns for gradient yarns:

Find Your Fade (uses multiple colors for dramatic gradients)
Hitchhiker (sideways construction shows color in interesting ways)
Simple triangular garter stitch (lets color be the star)

One skein of fingering or DK weight makes a small shawlette. Most full-size shawls need 2-3 skeins. Choose colors from the same family for subtle blending, or pick contrasting shades for bold statements.

Worsted weight’s bolder variegation creates more dramatic shawls. The color pops work well in stockinette, which keeps the fabric smooth and lets colors shine.

Socks in Self-Striping Fingering Weight

Fingering weight with nylon content creates durable socks that survive many wearings and washings. Self-striping colorways produce automatic patterns—you just knit in stockinette and watch stripes appear.

A typical adult sock uses 400-450 yards, meaning one fingering weight skein makes one pair. Buy two skeins from the same dye lot if you want matching socks. Some knitters deliberately use different colorways for fun, mismatched pairs.

The superwash treatment means you can throw finished socks in the washing machine. They’ll come out soft and maintain their colors. Regular merino requires hand-washing, but superwash handles machine cycles on gentle.

Beginner sock knitters love self-striping yarn because it forgives tension issues. Color changes hide slight variations in stitch size that would show in solid colors.

Lightweight Sweaters and Cardigans

DK and worsted weights both work for sweaters. DK weight creates lighter sweaters perfect for layering or spring wear. Worsted weight produces standard-warmth sweaters for fall and winter.

Choose patterns with minimal texture. Stockinette cardigans, basic pullovers, and simple raglan constructions let colors show. Avoid heavy cables or complex colorwork—these fight with the variegation.

Buying enough yarn for sweaters requires planning. Check your pattern’s yardage requirements carefully. Adult sweaters typically need:

DK weight: 1,200-1,800 yards (5-8 skeins)
Worsted weight: 1,000-1,500 yards (5-7 skeins)

Critical tip: Buy all skeins from the same dye lot. Even small dye lot differences show in large projects like sweaters. Amazon sellers typically indicate dye lot information in product listings.

Cowls and Infinity Scarves

Quick, satisfying projects work perfectly in hand-dyed-style yarns. A simple cowl uses 200-400 yards (1-2 skeins) and knits up in a weekend. The small size means you can splurge on colors you love without huge investment.

Chunky cowls benefit from held-double techniques. Use two strands of fingering or DK weight together for super-bulky fabric that works fast. This approach shows off two complementary colors simultaneously.

Infinity scarves (long cowls you wrap multiple times) take 400-600 yards. The extra length displays color transitions beautifully as the scarf drapes around your neck.

Current Availability Status

With Joann’s closure, Wonderland Yarns is no longer available through its original retailer. While you might find some remaining inventory through:

Local Joann liquidation sales (very limited and temporary)
Resale sites like Mercari, Poshmark, or eBay
Yarn destash groups on Facebook or Ravelry

The most reliable option for similar yarns is now Amazon, where you can find:

Superwash merino sock yarns with self-striping patterns
DK weight tonal colorways
Worsted weight variegated options
Luxury fiber blends

Amazon provides consistent availability, reliable shipping, easy returns, and the ability to reorder matching yarn if you need more for your project.

Working with Wonderland-Style Yarns

These superwash merino blends behave differently than acrylic or cotton yarns. Understanding their characteristics prevents frustration and helps you get professional results.

Gauge Swatching is Essential

Always, always knit a gauge swatch before starting projects. Superwash treatment makes the yarn stretchy and drapey. Your gauge will likely differ from non-superwash yarn at the same weight.

Make your swatch at least 6×6 inches. Wash it the same way you’ll wash the finished project (machine or hand), then dry it flat. Superwash yarn grows and relaxes significantly after its first wash. Your pre-wash measurements mean nothing.

Measure gauge on the dried, blocked swatch. If you’re off by even half a stitch per inch on a sweater, the final garment could be several inches too large or small.

Many knitters find they need to go down a needle size with superwash merino compared to regular merino. The superwash processing makes fibers slippery, creating looser fabric than expected. Test different needle sizes in your swatch.

Managing Color Pooling

Variegated yarn sometimes “pools”—colors stack on top of each other creating unintended blotches instead of pretty gradients. Quality hand-dyed-style yarns generally resist pooling due to long color repeats, but it can happen.

Preventing pooling:

Use stitch patterns with varying row lengths (like garter or seed stitch)
Alternate skeins every two rows for large projects
Choose projects that work in the round (circular knitting distributes colors better)
Size up your needles for looser fabric with different stitch counts

If pooling happens, don’t panic. Sometimes ripping back a few rows and restarting shifts the pattern just enough to fix it. Other times, you need to switch to a different stitch pattern entirely.

When pooling looks good: Planned pooling creates intentional patterns. Some knitters work hard to make colors pool into argyle or plaid designs. If your “pooling problem” looks interesting, consider keeping it.

Best Stitch Patterns for Hand-Dyed-Style Yarns

Simple stitches showcase colors best:

Use these:

Stockinette stitch: The classic smooth fabric lets colors flow without interruption. Use for shawls, sweater bodies, and sock legs.
Garter stitch: All-knit rows create subtle texture without hiding color. Perfect for scarves and blanket borders.
Basic ribbing: 1×1 or 2×2 ribs work for cuffs and hems without fighting the variegation.

Avoid these:

Heavy cables (hide color changes completely)
Complicated lace (too much visual competition)
Intricate colorwork (your yarn already has colors)
Heavily textured bobbles or popcorn stitches

If you love complex patterns, save them for solid-colored yarn where the texture becomes the feature. Let variegated yarn be the visual interest through color alone.

Care Instructions for Finished Projects

Superwash merino tolerates machine washing, but that doesn’t mean you should wash carelessly. Follow these rules to keep projects looking new:

Washing:

Machine wash on delicate/gentle cycle
Use cool or warm water (never hot—it can still felt superwash slightly)
Choose wool-friendly detergent (regular detergent works, but wool wash is gentler)
Place items in mesh bags to prevent snagging
Wash with similar colors (deep dyes can bleed slightly)

Drying:

Lay flat to dry on towels (maintains shape best)
If you must use a dryer, choose low heat and remove while slightly damp
Never high-heat dry (causes pilling and can slightly shrink even superwash)
Block projects after first wash to set final dimensions

Storage:

Fold heavy items like sweaters (hangers cause shoulder droops)
Store in breathable containers, not plastic bags
Keep away from direct sunlight (fades colors over time)
No moth protection needed (moths don’t eat superwash-treated wool)

Wonderland Yarns vs. Similar Options

How did Wonderland compare to other popular hand-dyed-style yarns? Here’s the honest breakdown.

Wonderland vs. True Indie Hand-Dyed

Price: Wonderland wins. At $8-12 per skein ($6-9 on sale), it cost 60-70% less than indie yarn.
Color Consistency: Wonderland wins. Commercial dyeing creates matching skeins. Indie batches vary, requiring careful planning.
Color Saturation: Indie yarn wins. Expert hand-dyers achieve deeper, richer colors through techniques commercial dyeing can’t replicate.
Uniqueness: Indie yarn wins. Your project becomes truly one-of-a-kind with colors nobody else has.
Availability: Commercial yarns win. Amazon restocks regularly. Indie dyers sell out in minutes and restock sporadically.
Customer Service: Amazon wins. Easy returns and reliable shipping. Indie businesses often have strict no-return policies.
Supporting Crafters: Indie yarn wins. Money goes to small business owners and artists, not corporations.
Verdict: Choose commercial hand-dyed-style yarns for everyday projects where consistency and budget matter. Choose indie yarn for special, once-in-a-lifetime makes where uniqueness justifies the cost.

Wonderland vs. Frabjous Fibers (Original Wonderland)

Plot twist: Frabjous Fibers created Wonderland Yarns for Joann. The company still sells premium hand-dyed yarns under the Frabjous name at higher prices.

Wonderland Yarns (formerly Joann exclusive):

Commercial dyeing for consistency
$8-12 per skein (when available)
No longer widely available
Standard merino-nylon blends

Frabjous Fibers (Direct from dyer):

True hand-dyed
$26-32 per skein
Limited availability (small batch drops)
Exotic fiber options (yak, qiviut, cashmere)
Completely unique colorways

If you loved Wonderland and want to “upgrade,” check out Frabjous Fibers’ website. You’ll get the same company’s aesthetic with true hand-dyed quality. But expect to pay triple the price.

Wonderland vs. Knit Picks Stroll

Knit Picks Stroll offers self-striping fingering weight yarn similar to Alice collection:
Price: Tie. Both run $7-9 per skein.
Colorways: Wonderland wins slightly. Deeper, more complex colors.
Availability: Knit Picks wins. Online-only company stocks inventory better than discontinued Wonderland.
Yardage: Stroll wins. 462 yards vs. Alice’s 437 yards per skein.
Fiber Content: Stroll wins. 75% merino, 25% nylon—same blend.
Shopping Experience: Knit Picks is online-only with potentially better stock than what remains of Wonderland.
Verdict: Nearly identical products. Knit Picks now offers more reliable availability for this style of yarn.

Pro Tips & Tricks for Hand-Dyed-Style Yarns

Experienced crafters share these insider strategies for getting the most from hand-dyed-style yarns.

Buy Complete Project Amounts Immediately

Never buy partial amounts planning to “get more later.” Dye lots sell out. Even if the same color restocks, different dye lots won’t match perfectly. This matters most in large projects like sweaters where color differences show.

Calculate your project yardage, add 10% for safety, and buy all skeins at once from the same dye lot. When ordering from Amazon, check if the seller can confirm dye lot matching for multiple skeins.

Alternate Skeins in Large Projects

Even within the same dye lot, slight variations occur. Minimize visible differences by alternating skeins every two rows in large projects like blankets or sweaters.

Work two rows from skein A, two rows from skein B, two rows from skein A, continuing this pattern. The alternating blends any small color differences invisibly across the fabric.

This technique requires managing two working yarns simultaneously, but it prevents obvious color breaks where you switched skeins.

Test Color Combinations Before Committing

Thinking about using multiple colorways together? Buy one skein of each color first. Knit small swatches and place them side by side. Colors that look great separately might clash together.

Good combinations typically fall into two categories:

Analogous colors: Shades next to each other on the color wheel (blues with purples, oranges with reds)
Tonal variations: Different saturations of the same color (light purple with deep purple)

Avoid high-contrast combinations unless going for bold statements. Hot pink next to lime green creates visual shock that might not wear well long-term.

Store Superwash Merino Properly

Superwash merino doesn’t attract moths like regular wool, but it still needs proper storage:

Short-term (current projects):

Keep in project bags away from pets
Avoid direct sunlight (fades colors)
Don’t store in plastic (traps moisture)

Long-term (stash storage):

Use clear plastic bins so you can see colors
Add silica gel packets to control moisture
Keep bins in climate-controlled areas (not hot attics or damp basements)
Organize by color family for easy selection

Take photos of your yarn stash and keep them on your phone. When shopping for new colors, you’ll know what you already own and avoid buying duplicates.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even great yarn comes with occasional challenges. Here’s how to solve common problems with superwash merino blends.

Splitting While Knitting

Some knitters find superwash yarns split more easily than other brands. The superwash treatment makes individual plies slippery, so needles catch them separately instead of going through the whole strand.

Solutions:

Use needles with rounded, blunt tips (avoid sharp, pointy tips)
Insert needles carefully, looking to confirm you’ve caught the whole strand
Try bamboo or wood needles (more grip than metal)
Go up a needle size (slightly looser gauge prevents splitting)

If splitting persists, the issue might be tension. Holding yarn too tightly causes plies to separate. Relax your grip slightly.

Color Bleeding in First Wash

Occasionally, deep colors (especially reds and purples) bleed slightly during the first wash. This usually happens only once excess dye washes out, then the yarn becomes colorfast.

Prevention:

Wash dark colors separately from light colors initially
Use cold water for first wash
Add color catcher sheets (available near laundry detergent)
Hand wash first time, machine wash afterward

If bleeding stains your project, try color remover products designed for fabric. Test on a small section first. Sometimes rewashing with color catchers removes dye transfer

Knots in Skeins

Machine-wound skeins sometimes contain knots where breaks occurred during production. Quality control usually catches these, but occasionally knots slip through.

Finding a knot mid-project frustrates everyone. Here’s how to handle it:

Don’t cut near the knot. You’ll create yarn waste and need to join anyway.
Untie the knot if possible. Many commercial knots untie easily.
If untying fails, cut the knot out. Accept you’ll need a join.
Use the Russian join method or your preferred joining technique.
Weave ends carefully so the join doesn’t show.

If you find multiple knots in one skein, contact the Amazon seller. One knot is normal, but several indicates poor quality control.

Skeins That Won't Wind

Hand-dyed-style yarns often come in hanks (twisted loops), not center-pull balls. You must wind them before knitting. Sometimes hanks tangle during winding, causing bird’s nests.

Winding tips:

Place the hank on a swift (wooden tool that holds yarn while winding)
No swift? Ask a friend to hold the hank on their hands while you wind
Wind loosely—tight balls stretch yarn
Pause if you feel resistance (you’ve hit a tangle)
For tangles, stop winding and carefully loosen the snarl before continuing

Consider buying a ball winder and swift. The $40-50 investment pays off quickly if you regularly use hanked yarn. Many local yarn stores wind skeins free for customers—call and ask if they’ll wind purchased yarn for a small fee.

Yardage Shortages

Rarely, skeins contain less yardage than labeled. This becomes obvious only when you run out of yarn before finishing.