How to Soften Acrylic or Wool Yarn - What’s the Best Way? 

I really like the scientific method of this experiment, though to be more scientific, another set of samples that were just soaked in water without any additive would have need useful. I’m a long time yarn crafter (now age 62). I began crocheting in elementary school with acrylic yarns, then wool-acrylic blends in college. In my early 30s I learned to knit, and even worked part-time in a local independent yarn store for a few years. My primary yarn craft is now knitting and I nearly always choose wool and other natural fibers though occasionally I work with natural fiber blends with a small small amount of synthetic fiber. I also spin fiber into yarn and make felt from unspun wool. Wool and other natural fibers almost always soften up and relax at least a little after a soak in water, however, the degree of increased fiber relaxation and softness can depend heavily on the breed of sheep that produced the wool. Merino wool is quite soft and wearable next to the skin for most people. Breeds like Suffolk produce wool that is more coarse and/or scratchy and not really suitable to be worn next to the skin. And there are many sheep breeds and cross-breeds that produce fiber textures in between coarse and soft, allowing for a range of wools suitable for any purpose - strong and hard-wearing outerwear to medium softness for garments worn over a base layer (Icelandic, Shetland, etc.) to extra-fine small micron count wool (merino) for next-to-skin wear. Wool yarn and fabrics that are just labeled generically as as “wool” generally tends to be cheaper and likely less comfortable on the skin than wool that is specified as a breed that produces softer fiber (merino, Blue-Faced Leicester, etc.) In my 30+ years of knitting and spinning a variety of wool breed types, I have found the fibers and the overall fabric quality benefit greatly from blocking (a short but thorough soak, then laid flat and pinned to shape and dried). I nearly always soak and block my gauge swatches before beginning a project, even though the swatches will not be part of the project. The stitches even out, the fabric edges straighten out, and the stitch/row count is more accurate than unblocked. Blocked swatches also help predict how a finished fabric will behave after washing - will it hold its shape, stretch out, etc.

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Super helpful thank you! I’m making shawls for my bridesmaids and need to soften some scratchy wool!

thank you for doing this... I have some wool [from the farmer!] which is very scratchy. it is now going in a bucket of water + cup of vinegar to try and save it!

Thank you very hellpful!

Thank you so much!!❤

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Could I substitute distilled vinegar for white vinegar? Thanks!

how long did you soak? 😊

This is super helpful! Thank you so much for doing this! I love when people thoroughly ghly explore options like this. One quick question, was there any smell of vinegar left on the last two swatches? Also, do you think combining two (softener and vinegar) would be effective so you get a mixture of a nice smell but extra softening effect?