I am so disappointed with inexpensive yarns!

[magiccrochetfan]

I recently visited my stepdaughter, for whom I made an granny square afghan Christmas 07, using Caron Simply Soft (I posted about it here http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70192 ). She has the afghan on the back of her couch, and uses it to wrap up in when it's cold. With a toddler and a 4-year old, I wanted to give her something that would be easy to care for and my thought was that if it only lasted a few years, that would be okay. But...I was not really surprised, but still disappointed, to see how worn it looks. the yarn has become very fuzzy and is kind of stretched in places. She said she hasn't washed it yet, but I think that will just make it look more worn. Maybe the kids have been making tents out of it and such (and that is FINE with me) but I still think it should have held up better.

 

I also made an afghan with I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby and I don't know how it is holding up, but I really don't like the way that yarn feels (AFTER WASHING) unless you use a LOT of liquid fabric softener in the wash.

 

I will not be using Red Heart because I just realy dislike the way it feels when working with it.

 

I guess i will try some Plymouth acrylic or superwash next time I want to make an afghan.

[crochetqueen]

I have the same problem with Caron yarn in general. It pills quickly and doesn't wear well. I am thinking maybe I am just picking the bad lot because I talk to others who swear by Caron yarn and tell me it never pills ???

[ChayaSar]

Sorry you are disappointed with your afghan looking worn. My dd was made a starghan with caron ss when she was born (she's now 2 1/2) and this blanket has gone through the ringer and is holding up really well, it only gets softer with each wash.This thing goes EVERYWHERE with this kiddo, she can't sleep, eat or play without it!

 

May I suggest Bernat Super Value yarn for you to try... I'm using it to make a blanket right now, and I got a GREAT price on it at knitting-warehouse.com.... it's REALLY REALLY soft, and feels great to work with, and it's not too much more than Red Heart...

[Angeleyz14]

I understand completely about the caron ss. I have made my oldest dd a hat out of caron 1lb and a knit kimono for baby from same skein...they have been washed at least a 1/2 dozen times and the hat has been worn and played with hard and they have held up amazingly well. Though I bought a caron perfect match skein in orchid and it went from the perfect match yarn to ss and back again throughout the whole skein, was terrible. For cheap yarn I prefer RHSS since it takes all my dh and dd can dishout and still looks good (made ami's and washed them many times and they still look great).

Plymouth Encore is a great ww acrylic though and their Jeannee is a really nice cotton/acrylic mix that drapes well and is a bit shiny. Lionbrand woolease is also nice and soft to work with and holds up after washing.

[DebbyQ]

I have to agree with you about the SS. I made a baby blanket for my daughters best friend out of it when she found out she was pregnant. That blanket became her babies best friend and she drags it everywhere. I have to say that I am very embarrassed every time I see her with it. It looks like a rag. It's all faded and stretched out and not even close to being as soft as it was when I first made it. I have since made her another bigger blanket with ILTY and I am hoping she will eventually replace the "ratty" one with the new one and I sure hope this one holds up much better than the first one did.

 

 

Debby

[Lisaizme]

I personally would NOT use fabric softener on afghans. It has been known to make things much more susceptible to catching fire. Maybe not so much of a concern this time of year.. but build up over time and when winter rolls around.. uh oh.

http://www.healthrecipes.com/fabric_softeners.htm

 

Also fabric softener is horrid for the environment.

 

A much better alternative is baking soda or white vinegar.

[Gran]

I've found that too with Caron one-pounders and Simply Soft.

 

Anyone know of an acrylic yarn that doesn't get fuzzy and worn after one washing?

[dianejerry]

delete

[RoseRed]

It can be really surprizing how an afghan can 'bounce back' once it gets thrown in the wash. It might be worth trying.

 

Beautiful ghan, btw.

 

My Mom has one of those 'pill shavers' for her sweaters and it works wonders.

[oliveoil]

First of all, that afghan you made is "beautiful"!!!!! I made my two daughters and grandkids round ripples using RHSS yarn last Christmas and they still look good. I did make a shawl using Caron Simply Soft, and after "one" wash, it looked rather "fuzzy". I was going to give it to a friend. But when I took it out of the dryer, it had that "used" look to it!! Since I live in a small town that only has one store for choice of yarn(Wal-Mart), I don't have much choice in selection of yarn. We do have a LYS, but she is way to expensive for me!!! I don't mind spending money when it comes to small crochet/knit items or wearables. But when it comes to afghans, I draw the line there!! (unless of course it's for a "special" someone)

[Katie G]

I am also kind of disappointed by Caron SS. I have been buying skeins whenever I find a color I like, or find it on sale, because I thought I would want to use it for baby items for brand new Grandaughter, and also plan on making a rainbow round ripple someday. I've found that some colors split so badly that it is a real pain to crochet with. Wish I'd figured that out before I collected a huge tote bin full of it! Oddly, the skein of varigate that I bought (I've lost the label but it is a peach varigate with shades of purple and some other colors in it) did not split at all. It was more like ILTY than Caron SS, & it was a joy to work with. I may go back to using RHSS for most things, as I can't afford the more expensive yarns for most projects.

 

BTW, that afghan you made for your stepdaughter is absolutely gorgeous.

Have a good day, all.

 

___________________

Katie

[Craw]

I made a gorgeous afghan with Caron SS but don't know how it's held up. I gave it to my niece in Ohio. I've not had any luck with RHSS. Either it's too stiff or it pills and stretches. The afghan I made for myself with it looked a hundred years old after it had been washed only a few times. I made an afghan for myself with Lion Brand Wool Ease and it looks 200 years old. It pilled and then the pills kind of felted in the dryer. It stretched out pretty bad too. So now I'm looking for different WW acrylic yarns that are inexpensive as well. I just got quite a few of the Caron Pounders. Haven't made anything with them yet but that's my next try. I've worked with Bernat Super Value and it's pretty soft but don't know how it washes up or lasts. Hobby Lobby's ILTY is also on my list of things to try. I love Vanna's Choice but it's not inexpensive, that's for sure.

[grrlsmom]

Someone else mentioned washing it and it would 'snap back' - this is soooo true! They look great after you wash and dry them.

[magiccrochetfan]

I appreciate all the replies, and sharing your experiences and ideas for solutions and alternatives. Thank you for the compliments on the afghan; I enjoyed making it:crocheting

 

Good to know that several people have had good results with Bernat Super Value. I will have to see if I can find some to try; looking at the stores in my state listed on the Bernat website, it looks like it would require a road trip. Will have to weigh the cost of that versus shipping cost if I order it online.

 

I saw Plymouth Encore at a local store (now closed unfortunately) and got some Dreambaby to swatch and LOVED the way it worked up, so I'd be confident ordering Encore, esp if I could get a color card:yarn. Good to know about the Jeannee as well.

 

Sounds like Woolease gets mixed reviews:(

 

I personally would NOT use fabric softener on afghans.

A much better alternative is baking soda or white vinegar.

I never use liquid softener normally, but that was the only way I could think of to get the ILTY afghan to regain any of the silkiness that was lost completely when I washed it. I guess vinegar or soda are worth a try.

 

It can be really surprizing how an afghan can 'bounce back' once it gets thrown in the wash.

A good idea, it really might help the stretched areas....but the whole thing was just really fuzzy, like it had been brushed.....maybe you could use a shaver on the fuzz? But I really didn't want to tell her to wash it, and I'd hate to have to suggest shaving the whole thing after only a few months of use...that is what is so disappointing:worried

 

I am also kind of disappointed by Caron SS. I've found that some colors split so badly that it is a real pain to crochet with. Oddly, the skein of varigate that I bought (I've lost the label but it is a peach varigate with shades of purple and some other colors in it) did not split at all. It was more like ILTY than Caron SS, & it was a joy to work with.

I don't have a problem with it splitting in crochet, but I could not knit with it at all, it constantly split. I had the same experience with variegated (embroidery print) feeling totally different, mine was like scratchy Red Heart!

 

Hobby Lobby's ILTY is also on my list of things to try. I love Vanna's Choice but it's not inexpensive, that's for sure.

Hope you like the ILTY better than I did! Vanna's Choice has really nice colors, but it seemed more like bulky than worsted weight to me, and I agree about the price...might as well spring for the Plymouth!

[Angeleyz14]

I am also kind of disappointed by Caron SS. I have been buying skeins whenever I find a color I like, or find it on sale, because I thought I would want to use it for baby items for brand new Grandaughter, and also plan on making a rainbow round ripple someday. I've found that some colors split so badly that it is a real pain to crochet with. Wish I'd figured that out before I collected a huge tote bin full of it! Oddly, the skein of varigate that I bought (I've lost the label but it is a peach varigate with shades of purple and some other colors in it) did not split at all. It was more like ILTY than Caron SS, & it was a joy to work with. I may go back to using RHSS for most things, as I can't afford the more expensive yarns for most projects.

 

BTW, that afghan you made for your stepdaughter is absolutely gorgeous.

Have a good day, all.

 

___________________

Katie

 

 

the varigate is probably the pastel baby ombre which I just used for a top for ddM. and it looks great after 2 washings. Did notice it and the embroidery print feel different than the other ss skeins.

[Carol]

I have used CAron SS for a number of years, but I gave all the items away (baby hats for charity, etc.). So I haven't kept anything for myself that I would wash so that I could see the result.

 

A year ago, I made a very special baby blanket for someone, and now I'm really sorry to hear that it may be pilling and stretching and fuzzy. I wonder how I could find out. Should I just ask? Would she tell me the truth? Darn. I'm feeling kind of bad about this now...

[Aelita]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with Caron SS and Red Heart. I myself use both when making things for my god daughters and godson. They wear what I make them all the time and they get washed over and over and no pilling from any of it. Their mom is shocked by how good everything still looks after all the washings. I'm still wanting to try the I LOve This Yarn but haven't gotten it yet.

[Real Deal]

I'm not fond of Simply Soft at all. Despite the fact that is is labeled medium weight, anything you make with it will come out considerably smaller than with other worsted weights. It really is much thinner, and ought to be labeled as a DK weight yarn.

 

I've had a lot of Simply Soft that splits. Some of it is almost like string and some is nice and soft. Some has a shine to it and some doesn't. It's very inconsistent.

 

I think this yarn is vastly overrated, and I haven't had nearly as many problems with Red Heart Super Saver.

[magiccrochetfan]

I have used CAron SS for a number of years, but I gave all the items away (baby hats for charity, etc.). So I haven't kept anything for myself that I would wash so that I could see the result.

 

A year ago, I made a very special baby blanket for someone, and now I'm really sorry to hear that it may be pilling and stretching and fuzzy. I wonder how I could find out. Should I just ask? Would she tell me the truth? Darn. I'm feeling kind of bad about this now...

 

I know exactly how you feel and i don't know how to find out either, short of seeing the blanket for yourself. I don't think many people would tell you if there were problems...just think how bad the recipient would feel telling you it looked worn.

 

It is really interesting how different people have such different experiences with the same yarn. There must be a myriad of factors that go into that. I wonder how much of it is that we each have different expectations. I really want my things to look brand new after a few months of use:yes

[ldyer1]

I have used CAron SS for a number of years, but I gave all the items away (baby hats for charity, etc.). So I haven't kept anything for myself that I would wash so that I could see the result.

 

A year ago, I made a very special baby blanket for someone, and now I'm really sorry to hear that it may be pilling and stretching and fuzzy. I wonder how I could find out. Should I just ask? Would she tell me the truth? Darn. I'm feeling kind of bad about this now...

 

I have asked friends this question, usually framed as "I am making another baby blanket for someone and I was wondering how well it wore before I make another in that yarn". People seem more likely to be honest in this situation I find.

[Katie G]

the varigate is probably the pastel baby ombre which I just used for a top for ddM. and it looks great after 2 washings. Did notice it and the embroidery print feel different than the other ss skeins.

 

Yes, that is the one. It feels totally different than the other SS skeins. To me, it feels more like I Love This Yarn, and it seems to be just a tiny bit thicker than the solids.

________________

Katie

[yarn_monkey]

That really stinks. I have an afghan that my grandmother made me from CSS when I was about 8 or 9 (15-16 years ago) and it still sits with me on the sofa. It's been washed probably a million times and it's held up fine. I guess it could be a difference between older SS and the newer, but you never know!

[Elle]

Caron Simply Soft is a yarn that I have not yet figured out. I love the way it feels, but about 50% of the skeins are so splitty that it's miserable to work with. It seems to me like it's those splitty skeins that don't hold up well to wear once they're crocheted or knitted into something, and after washing, instead of just feeling real soft and cuddly, the item just loses all of its shape and kind of hangs there.

 

Red Heart, on the other hand, washes and wears like iron, and the more you wash it, the nicer and softer it gets. Some of it can be kind of rough when it's new and being worked up, but once it's finished and washed it will give you years of service. I have heard a lot of people say that it's so rough that it hurts their hands when they crochet or knit, but I have never had that problem. I guess my hands are not as sensitive as some.

[magiccrochetfan]

That really stinks. I have an afghan that my grandmother made me from CSS when I was about 8 or 9 (15-16 years ago) and it still sits with me on the sofa. It's been washed probably a million times and it's held up fine. I guess it could be a difference between older SS and the newer, but you never know!

 

Oh, what a good point! I hadn't thought about the changes in manufacturer or whatever it was that happened to cause the white yarn to be gray and all that. Maybe that explains some of the current problems versus good past experiences.

[Ellie 13]

Use cold water, the gentle cycle and Woolite. I never put an afghan in the dryer. I hang over 4 or 5 lines of the clothes line. It's like laying it flat, but both sides dry evenly. It smells great dried outside too .

Ellie 13