Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted Solids
Review Date: December, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Spring 2011

We’re all familiar with legendary quests for the Holy Grail, Golden Fleece, Golden Bird, Fountain of Youth, and the perfect man. Many knitters and crocheters have embarked on a personal search for easy care yarn that is soft and pill resistant. Manufacturers long ago succeeded in creating synthetic fibers that did not shrink when dropped in the washing machine, either accidentally or on purpose. Unfortunately, early synthetics were scratchy, stiff and inelastic.

Techniques were developed to soften the feel of the yarns, but some of the more loosely spun fibers pilled easily, spoiling the hours of effort that went into creating complicated afghans or sweaters. Pilling occurs when loose fibers work their way out of the ply and are rubbed or abraded. The ends of the fiber roll up into tiny balls, sticking to the surface of the knitting. When the individual fibers are very strong as acrylics are, the little balls don’t break away. They cling to the surface of the knitting and continue to accumulate. Soon the garment looks like the Cookie Monster emptied the cookie jar and didn’t brush away any of the evidence. These tiny balls won’t wash away and can barely be scraped off. Many projects are tossed to the curb because of this unsightly pilling. Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted is a soft acrylic yarn that has anti-pilling properties. It is very soft with a velvety feel and bright finish. The anti-pilling feature will make Everyday Soft Worsted an in-demand yarn for projects that demand the easy care of machine washing and drying.

The Look

Everyday Soft is a standard 4-ply medium weight yarn dyed in fresh bright solid colors with natural looking luminescence. Some acrylics have a detracting dull sheen reminiscent of plastic. In addition to the magic tricks to reduce pilling and increase softness, the manufacturers managed to create a lustrous finish too.

The Feel

Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted is snuggly and cuddly. It lives up to its claim of softness and ranks #8 on the softness scale.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

Ideas abound for this class of medium weight worsted spun yarn. Every ball of Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted includes a free pattern inside the label. Premier Yarns offers dozens of other free patterns on its website for both knit and crochet. Patterns for socks, afghans, and sweaters for man and dog are available. Search around the Premier site for other ideas using yarns of similar weight and gauge. One such pattern is the easy hoodie in sizes to fit entire family (child to 2X). Coats and Clark is the US Distributor for Premier Yarns; you will find many other project ideas for knitting and crochet on the Coats and Clark site. Often retailers who sell yarn will offer free patterns for those yarns.

Color Range

Everyday Soft Worsted is available in 12 bright solids in colors that will please all ages, including full range baby pastels with pink, blue, yellow and pink plus adult colors like aubergine, pine green and chocolate. Kids will go for really red royal blue. A nice range of neutral shades including inky black completes the color selection. Everyday Soft perfectly matches up with 24 companion prints for an even wider range of color choice.

Working It

Success in creating an exceptionally soft yarn sometimes means sacrificing body and elasticity for the hand knitter or crocheter. Due to the soft spin, Everyday Soft does not put extra stress on the hands. Stiffer yarns require more manipulation of the needle or hook to make each stitch and thus cause hand strain. Test knitting produced no such strain; the yarn knits to recommended gauge in a nicely elastic and bouncy fabric. Ribbing and stockinette alike were nicely defined and kept their shape without need for significant blocking. The resilient yarn worked into elastic ribbing and consistent stockinette stitch.

What I’d Like to Make with It

Baby blankets, car seat covers and garments for active toddlers all get a lot of rugged use in their short life cycle. Babies and kids grow rapidly, creating heaps of laundry due to spills, burps and messes. For everyday practicality that busy moms will appreciate, knit or crochet a cheerful baby blanket in Everyday Soft Worsted.

Knitting Outside the Box

Many charity knitting and crochet projects insist on machine washable and dryable materials because the recipients of these goods often live in circumstances that make special care difficult. Many organizations need your help. Look into knitting for a local hospital or shelter or a national program like Warm Up America, Caps for Kids, Project Linus, or Chemo Caps to name just a few. Take inspiration Mandi, a volunteer coordinator who signs her messages with an inspiring quote adapted here for knitters and crocheters: "You have not lived (knitted/crocheted) until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."

Blocking It

May be tumble dried. Do not apply heat; too high heat can flatten acrylic yarn and remove all elasticity from the knitting.

Washing It

Machine washable using a gentle cycle.

Wearability

Everyday Soft is made with extra soft pill-resistant acrylic, a fiber that resists pilling and exclusive to Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted. Anti-pilling creates less fuzz on the surface of the project making the yarn resistant to forming fuzz-balls due to stress or wear and washing. With fewer or no pills, projects maintain that “just finished” look. Pill-resistant acrylic fiber is exclusive to Everyday yarn. Sample knits passed the washer and dryer test beautifully.

Overall Recommendation:

For easy care machine washable and dryable yarn, Everyday Soft Worsted earns a #9 rating.