How can I soften my acrylic yarn?

Question

A few days ago I bought 2 skeins of Red Heart 100% acrylic yarn in maroon and gold to make my friend a scarf (if you must know it is a gryffindor house scarf =P) . I am about 1/3 of the way done and I have noticed that the finished product is really stiff and not soft at all. I am not going to start over, so I would like to know a way that I can soften the scarf after it is done so it is a nicer texture. I am a beginning/intermediate knitter and I don't know a lot, so any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading this and taking the time to answer if you so chose. =)

Answer 1

After you have finished knitting the scarf, wash it in the washing machine and dry it in a dryer on "medium." That should get it soft enough to use. It will continue to soften as it is washed again and again.



If that does not get it soft enough for you, you can steam it. Use a steam iron and hold the iron ABOVE the scarf as steam pours from the iron onto (and through) the scarf. Or cover the scarf with a dampened towel and press it with a medium-hot iron. That should soften it enough to use as well.



Over-steaming will cause the yarn to go limp. That's called "killing" the yarn. Sometimes, killing the yarn will provide the desired softness, but usually it's not necessary to use that much heat.

Answer 2

Softening Acrylic Yarn

Answer 3

I wouldn't start over. Your friend will love the scarf . Working with the yarn is alot different than wearing it. Washing and then using some fabric softener may help. Pure cotton yarns will not stretch and recover like acrylic. It doesn't have the "bounce back" effect. Cotton yarns tend to fade when washed. Many times cotton will be blended with acrylic for softness and less fading. When purchasing acrylic look for those labeled "soft yarn". When I purchase wool, the merino wools are softer and have less of the itch factor. 100% wool is necessary if you plan on felting the project. Look for a wool blend for easy care. This can be hand washed without the concern of shrinkage and less pilling.

Answer 4

Sometimes yarn softens in the wash but it doesn't make much different.

The dye can affect the feel of a yarn and make it hard. Maroon is one of those. Black can often be coarser than pale colours too.

If the gold you refer to is lurex then that also makes the knitting stiff and being metal will never soften.

Answer 5

Red Heart yarn is generally like that, but it does get softer with washing. After you've finished the scarf just run it through the washer & dryer as normal and it will be much softer. And the more your friend washes it, the softer it will the softer it will get.