HATE RHSS? Here's how to get it really super soft!

[Ninn]

Since everyone seems to feel that this yarn is just too scratchy to gift, I thought I'd share my little secret publicly. I didn't come up with this, a friend on diapertraders.com told me about it when I was making soakers for Marky.

 

Whatever you have crocheted in the RHSS, hand wash it in the bathtub with baby soap or baby shampoo. Rinse well and soak in a tub of just enough water to cover the item and 3 or 4 good squirts of cheap hair conditioner. I buy up the VO5 and Suave when they are 79 cents and use that. "Sozzle" the conditioner through the item several times and let soak for a good 30 minutes. Rinse well, roll in towel to press extra water out of it, block and dry. Most items can be fluff dried on the air only cycle till near dry, then blocked and dried flat to finish.

 

I have never used this trick and NOT had the item in question come out soft enough to put next to a newborn baby's skin. (unlike those nasty hospital blankets that never get fabric softener. lord, those are stiff!)

 

Good luck. Bet you find out that you can make almost everything that soft! I include these instructions with everything I make from RHSS, so that when it gets laundered, it will stay soft!

[alibra]

What a great tip, thank you so very much for sharing it, I will have to give it a whirl...thanks again!!

[CrochetinMama]

Thank you..I have some things I'm going to try that on...

[texasredhead]

I just wash my project on delicate in the washer and use liquid fabric softener, on cold using no soap. It makes the yarn butter soft. My problem with RHSS is just crocheting with it in the first place. I don't like the scratchyness going across my fingers. If I have to use it, I put some tape over my left finger that it goes over so it won't hurt so much.

[nicolep]

I just wash my project on delicate in the washer and use liquid fabric softener, on cold using no soap. It makes the yarn butter soft. My problem with RHSS is just crocheting with it in the first place. I don't like the scratchyness going across my fingers. If I have to use it, I put some tape over my left finger that it goes over so it won't hurt so much.

 

That is also my problem with RHSS. It softens up quite well once washed. However, it seriously irritates my fingers when I work with it. There are some much softer yarns that are nearly as inexpensive. The problem is that RHSS has so many more colors. Still though, it's not often that I have to use RHSS. Knowing the tape thing might change that for me. I do like all of the colors.

[Titus2woman]

*THANK YOU!* (((((HUGS))))) sandi

[TaleWeaverLA]

There is a quicker and cheaper way.

 

I was able to take a class from Lily Chin last year in Portland; she recommended "killing" the yarn (that's what the garment trade calls it!) with an iron. People brought samples of their scratchiest, tightest yarn, and they ALL softened up beautifully with a quick touch of the iron on very low heat. She also explains this technique in Couture Crochet Workshop.

 

WARNING: The technique is NOT UNDO-ABLE! Once you've killed it, no amount of blocking, washing, starching, etc. will stiffen it up again.

[KER828]

I just wash my project on delicate in the washer and use liquid fabric softener, on cold using no soap. It makes the yarn butter soft. My problem with RHSS is just crocheting with it in the first place. I don't like the scratchyness going across my fingers. If I have to use it, I put some tape over my left finger that it goes over so it won't hurt so much.

 

My mom uses those rubber finger stalls (look like a finger cut off a latex or rubber glove) as she has the same problem.

[sandra2469]

My problem with RHSS is that I'm allergic to something in it before it's washed. I either have to wash it first before I work with it or I have to work with it for only 1-2 hours/day and then go on to a different project. This is one reason I have so many WIPs. I love the RH colors, but I just can't work with it for long periods of time.

[MaryPat]

There is a quicker and cheaper way.

 

I was able to take a class from Lily Chin last year in Portland; she recommended "killing" the yarn (that's what the garment trade calls it!) with an iron. People brought samples of their scratchiest, tightest yarn, and they ALL softened up beautifully with a quick touch of the iron on very low heat. She also explains this technique in Couture Crochet Workshop.

 

WARNING: The technique is NOT UNDO-ABLE! Once you've killed it, no amount of blocking, washing, starching, etc. will stiffen it up again.

 

I was taught years ago to block all afghans using a steam cloth and a hot iron. It does kill the yarn, but it makes even the scratchiest afghans so flat and soft. Not a good technique if something has a raised pattern like popcorns or bobbles.

[TaleWeaverLA]

I was taught years ago to block all afghans using a steam cloth and a hot iron. It does kill the yarn, but it makes even the scratchiest afghans so flat and soft. Not a good technique if something has a raised pattern like popcorns or bobbles.

 

Actually touching it with the iron WILL kill it, but it will also make it soft. In the class demonstration, it didn't seem to flatten the bobbles permanently, but I haven't tried it on a raised fabric.

[thedragon1186]

Sounds like a great suggestion! I'll have to try that. Thanks!

~Nina

[HappyOldCro]

My problem with RHSS is that I'm allergic to something in it before it's washed. I either have to wash it first before I work with it or I have to work with it for only 1-2 hours/day and then go on to a different project. This is one reason I have so many WIPs. I love the RH colors, but I just can't work with it for long periods of time.

 

Same here!!!!

[faedragon]

I have found that just tossing the finished item made from RHSS in the washer with a regular load of laundry and fabric softener, then drying in the dryer makes it nice and solft. I use RHSS for just about everything, it washes up very nice, has wonderful stitch definition, last forever and is the right price.

[CroJulee]

When I first designed my "Winter Rose Sampler Square" I tried to iron it cause I thought it might help flatten it out a bit but I was really dissappointed in how it made my front post stitches look horrible. I was really careful with the iron (I actually used the steam setting). So be careful if you use an iron on something crocheted!!

 

Julee

[TX CrochetLover]

Thanks for all the info! Interesting!

[JoBug]

Thanks for the tip!! Well, i MUST be living in the dark ages..lol...I was taught on RHSS and always used it, and thought it was fine..but since carons super soft came out, it turned into my NEW favorite yarn, yes, I know it can tend to split, but I just LOVE it. And still use RHSS for anything else....well in my town, we dont got no specialty yarn stores, I would have to order it online, and well, finance, as you ALL know in these times, just dont allow for that. I got an idea.............I will psot it aftrer this....lol

[PamSing]

Thanks for the tip. Just finished a jacket in RHSS and am looking forward to having a soft jacket now! Thanks again:clap

[crazycrochet]

I have found that just tossing the finished item made from RHSS in the washer with a regular load of laundry and fabric softener, then drying in the dryer makes it nice and solft. I use RHSS for just about everything, it washes up very nice, has wonderful stitch definition, last forever and is the right price.

 

That is exactly what I do and it works wonderful. I use RHSS for the majority of my projects and I have never found it to be scratchy at all.

[Ladykats]

I normally just wash and dry an afghan to get it to soften up. I even make some baby items that I gift in RHSS. I always get ohs and ahhs over them.

[ArielManx]

RHSS always gets nice and soft for me just with a normal wash and dry with my regular detergent and dryer sheets. I just finished up a baby blanket made with RHSS and it came out of the dryer cuddly soft.

[bethintx1]

Be careful. Too much heat will melt the acrylic fibers and eventually it will become scratchy. So only do the suggested technique once!