I love mainstay yarn 🧶! I can’t always afford that fancy expensive type so that’s my go to yarn🥰 I personally prefer mainstay vs red heart, but have crochet with both 👍🏽
Crystal, I'm not sure you will receive my comment as this video is 10 months old. I haven't tried Mainstay, but I now plan to. Maybe I missed it, but is there a yarn review on Bigtwist Value yarn. I find it extremely soft, but haven't seen anyone else mentioning something about it. Super Saver is very hard (literally) to knit or crochet with. Merry Christmas you and may your new house bring you lots of joy and happiness. Love all your videos. 💚💛❤💚💛❤
I love the mainstay because it is softer, but I do regret that they don’t have more colors. Well Crystal thank you for sharing, I love you and I pray that you and your beautiful family have a blessed night🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶
Finally !! a commenter who washed it. Red Heart takes a few washes to pill, Hobby Lobby ILTY pills almost immediately . How does the Mainstay come out wash after wash?? ty
I prefer Mainstay yarn for all the reasons you mentioned; it's softer. less expensive, and more yardage ! The only downside is the limited colors, as opposed to Red Heart. 🎉
Always informative. I've never tried Mainstays yarn next time I need yarn I will try some. My son worked at Walmart many years ago and told me once that all Walmart brands are actually made by name brand companies they just put the Walmart's label on it. Thanks for the info Crystal🧶
I have never used mainstay. At those prices, I'm going to try them with my next yarn purchase. I like the colors you showed and if more people buy them, maybe they will expand the color choices.
I love Mainstay yarn! It’s my go to yarn. So soft and squishy when worked up. I love the new Crafters Secret at Hobby Lobby. I get the large balls of it and it’s as soft as Mainstay now, what I’ve worked with. Thank you for the review!
Main Stay is great - so soft! I do hope they get lots more variegated colorways! Thanks so much for coming by for a visit on my live! What a blessing you are!!! Love you, dear friend!
I buy main stay yarn whenever they have the colors that I need. When they first came out with it, it was $1.97 and this past year they went up .50 cents on the price for the same amount. But it’s still the cheapest yarn that doesn’t feel funny on my hands. I like it and will keep using it. Just wish that they would come out with more colors. Thanks Crystal. Stay safe and healthy
I wonder if the price change is due to that yarn now being made in Turkey rather than China. The quality certainly went up when they switched to Turkey.
It is 3 years later, and you still can't order Mainstay yarn online. I love their cotton yarn, and I am lucky to find a couple of skeins in stock when at the store. I wish they had more colors, too.
I’ve always have issues with red heart super savor. It splits a lot. Mainstay looks better . I started using big twist from Joanna. I think it big twist is a good quality yarn
Me too. I prefer Big twist and mainstay over rhss. They are both much softer and big twist has a nice sheen. I just got a dozen skeins on sale at Joann for under $20. Can't beat it.
I love mainstay yarn. It is my go to because I can afford it. It holds up well through washing and drying in the machines. I so appreciate you sharing all the yarns with your yarny peeps! You are so fun to watch when you are sharing the fun colors and sharing the money saving is so good to know. I do not get out much to compare prices but my Husband was thankful to hear this from you as well. You are loved❣️
I am so excited!!! As someone who has crocheted Mile-A-Minute Afghans for years until I just could not use the Red Heart anymore even though they were one of the only yarn companies where you could match the colors of the variegated Yarns to the solid Yarns. I can see some Mile-A-Minute Afghans in my future! These colors match beautifully!!!
Thanks Crystal !!! I've never tried Mainstays yarn.... thanks for the review. I love how excited you always are about yarn. It's like sitting in my living room with a good friend talking about pretty yarns and pretty colors and how much we love them and what we can make with them. And then I watch your tutorials and you and I sit and crochet together. Love all the Yarny Peeps and our Queen of the Yarny Peeps !!!! Thanks for all that you do.....
I Love Mainstay! I have made a bajillion hats celebrating my favorite quarterback (won't say which one, but he won the Super Bowl last year) and Mainstay has come.out BEAUTIFULLY!
I love watching all the vids where you chat to us as if we are part of our families. I enjoy watching the interaction between you and Erik when you are opening boxes of yarns together. It is fun to see you together.
Thanks for the review Crystal. Love finding yarn that's cheap but still soft. I find that mostacrylics get softer with washing/drying anyway. I wonder if the Mainstay gets even softer after washing/drying?
I ordered RH Retro Stripes online from Walmart & was shipped Mainstays… which has more distinct colour lines; I was disappointed. I made a pocket shawl with it on my CKM & ended up with two custom orders. So I'm not upset… except it's out of stock. 😆 Mainstays & RHSS are priced the same for a few colours right now in Canada ($3.97 141g skein; March 2024).
Wait until you work with it. It's so amazing... You have more colors than my Walmart carry... Plus my local store doesn't offer it online... I made my cousins Granddaughter a poncho with the pink, pink variegated & white and she loved it. She kept hugging me saying "thank you Sissy"... She's knit & crochet worthy lol...
@@nancyranels9499 yes I agree. I recently sent a baby dress & blanket to a friend of my daughters and her & her husband loved them, so that baby girl will be getting more dresses.
Boy, I love the way you are when it comes to yarn. You are like a child in a toys store when it comes to yarn. :) I love yarn too. Thank you for insights on yarn, Crystal.
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it! The yarn section at my Walmart is only about 1/4 of an isle. The have RH, LB, some Bernat. That’s about it. Thanks for the info. I was at Walmart today & almost bought some Mandala. And did buy some RH Metallic for a new project. Never saw a single skein of Mainstay. Maybe it’s online only 🤷🏼♀️
I purchased a dark brown Mainstay long ago & there was *nothing* soft about it. It was so rough I wound up throwing it away. I'll have to give it another go. Thanks for the info!
I’m making this crazy blanket with red heart. I love watching your channel and thank you. I’m currently on medical leave and crocheting has been my rehab. I want to learn the basics on lower cost yarns but I enjoy it!!
I love Mainstay yarn! I made lots of Christmas gifts with it. My Walmart in Deptford NJ is very limited in colors and online it says "in store purchase only" 🙁
My daughter and I used a lot of the main stay yarn. We made over a hundred hats for her church to give to those in need over Christmas. It worked up great and was soft to use. I’m using the black variegated yarn to make a web blanket for my grand son now. The price is great too! Love it!
When I first started crocheting about 10 yrs ago, I thought Red Heart was walmart brand 🤷😂. I was surprised when I found it at JoAnn and realized it wasn't a walmart brand 🙄😂
I like them both. I love to pick by color. I love how my Walmart places them on the shelf with a varigated in between the solids that match. That was a good selling point for me. Thanks for the comparison.
I’ve used both and prefer Mainstays. It’s softer and in my opinion, washes better. I’m so glad they’re expanding their colors. Thanks for another great video! Stay safe. 💙
You are the "SKEIN" Crystal. Your personality is soft, colorful and you have a huge heart generous heart. I'm hooked on your videos. Keep 'em coming. I really like Mainstay yarn. I think other yarny peeps are on to them too because everytime I go to Walmart there isn't much Mainstay yarn in stock. I too hope that Walmart comes out with more colors.
Don't like Red heart won't even use it. I fell in love with Stitch Studios yarn. If I need yarn I'll buy anything but Red Heart. I'll have to give Mainstays a try. Thanks for the info.
Craftsmart yarn is very nice. A lot of the colors are softer and thicker than you think, some feel rough but most do not. Great deal, lots of yards too.
I concur about craftsmart. It used to be horrible. It made rhss feel soft by comparison. But they have recently switched to making it in Turkey and it is softer. It is still a value yarn, let's be clear about that. But it is softer than red heart. And they have some yummy tweed colors. And it is cheaper than rhss. Another value yarn that is REALLY soft is: bernat super value. It's one of the softest value yarns I've felt. And it is cheaper than I love this yarn (but just about as soft). Caron jumbo (variegated colors) is also REALLY soft. I have NO idea why they can't make the one pound yarn as soft as the jumbo variegated yarns. It is a mystery.
Crystal is it my imagination or not that Red Heart yarns are very inconsistent in the weight of the yarns. Also I agree that it isn’t very soft. I think I’m going to give Mainstay a try. In your opinion what’s the softest acrylic yarn?
The softest acrylic yarns are NOT the value yarns like these. But...of the value type acrylics, I would say hobby lobby I love this yarn is the softest. Next, craftsmart from Michael's. It used to be worse than red heart but they've given it a makeover (used to be made in China, but now made in Turkey) and it is reasonably soft. I would say mainstays is nearly as soft as the craftsmart but craftsmart has more colors, including tweeds. Then red heart is after that. Some colors are softer than others, however. Caron one pound is about in line with some of the red heart super saver colors. However, caron jumbo (their variegated colors) is REALLY soft. Probably as soft or almost as soft as I love this yarn. Oh...I forgot: probably the very softest "value" yarn (maybe tied with I love this yarn) is bernat super value. It is so much softer than other value yarns. But it is harder to find in stores, for me. And I don't see many color options when I do find it. But it would be my go to value yarn, if I could get it more readily. For basic acrylic yarns that aren't "value" yarns but are still fairly "basic": my faves are Premier everyday anti pilling and Lion Brand basic stitch anti pilling. Hobby Lobby also has "soft and sleek anti pilling" which is really nice and comes in worsted weight and chunky weights. And they have some really nice colors. They also have a "dk weight" version but it is really more of a sport or fingering weight in reality. But it is GORGEOUS and the coloring is wonderful and looks stonewashed, even if the colors are limited. Until last year, I would have included sprightly acrylic worsted yarn as a wonderful basic yarn. Sadly, it isn't available any more. But if you see some for sale online, grab it. Its soft and has a wonderful bounce to it.
I love Crystal’s enthusiasm over yarn. Even over the most basic yarn. I didn’t know that Mainstays changed manufactures. I looked at it once when it first came out and never looked at it again. I might give it another look because of you!
Until the past couple of years, I would have agreed with you. For the most part, red heart super saver has gotten softer in the past few years. Some colors are almost soft. And some colors are still wretched. So they've improved at least.
I love Mainstays. I've used it for blankets and it washes up very nicely without fuzzing up. It's a good match to other brands' standard lines, so it's great to cut costs on a larger projects. I keep a lot on hand to mix and match with variegated/patterned/striping/whatever yarn since it comes in the basics. I was really surprised with it given the price, but it's one of those yarns I keep on hand now. I've also been similarly pleased with Mainstays cotton which I also used for blankets; it's washed up perfectly without the little nibs forming as happens on a lot of cotton yarns. I'm pretty impressed with both their acrylic and cotton lines, to be honest. For the price, it's a lot better than expected.
I really like the Mainstay also, I have both Red Heart and Mainstay in my stash. I really like how the Mainstay works up. I wish they would get more colors my 3 walmarts are very limited on the colors they have. Thanks Crystal for your time and for spending the time with us. We love you always stay safe ❤❤
Thank you for this review & all you do, Crystal! You are the BESTEST! 😉👏🏼🤸🏼♀️ I love your excitement! 🙀😆 I have yet to try Mainstay, but definitely will now! Stay healthy & safe all! 😷
Thank you. I noticed the new Mainstay colors last Friday when I was at my local Walmart. They didn't have the jumbo skeins though...yet😊. Thank you for sharing.💙😊🙏🌻🦋😊💙
I know a lot of people have trouble with a red heart and the central knitting machine but I love it and I thought I'd leave it helpful tip that all you need is looser tension on it
Thank you for this video. I’ve never have bought Red Super Savor yarn. It wasn’t ever soft. It’s been over 20 years since I tried it. It wasn’t my soft brand. But after your Main Stay yarn I will order 1 spool when I place my Walmart order. If I’m not happy I could always make Shae a blanket for her babies. Again thank you for brooding my visions of yarn. Your details give all of the information & your special details make all of my yarn that I buy on line. Thank you Crystal for sharing the details for us. Your amazing & have a great evening. Smooches xoxo 😘
I learn so much from you! I’ve never really paid much attention to brands and such. Never realized that yarns were numbered by thickness. Never knew terms like “roving” and “fingering weight”. Crystal, all I have to say is: MIND BLOWN!
Thanks for the info on the yarn Crystal. Maybe we should start a petition to Walmart to get more colors in main stay yarns. The pink solid and the pink varigated and white would make an awesome blanket or shawl or anything for Valentine day. Hope everyone has a awesome day today.
It’s nice to see yarn companies upping their game. I love the colors of the Mainstays. They look nice and bright. This helps people that are on a budget to enjoy the craft of crocheting! Thank you for sharing this. I feel it is very helpful. 🤩
Mainstay is good too I use both. I found out that mainstay had more yarn in it. I have problems with it when it first came out due to being knoted alot but now not have that problem anymore. I used it last year for the hats due to the softess of the yarn and yardage. Love you Crystal and BOD family. Have a blessed night
Wow, Crystal thx for this update on yarn , have used Mainstay yarn in the past so glad that bringing new colors & solid matching variegated colors 👏 thx again Crystal 😃❤
I love mainstay yarn 🧶! I can’t always afford that fancy expensive type so that’s my go to yarn🥰
I personally prefer mainstay vs red heart, but have crochet with both 👍🏽
I really love watching how excited you get when you're explaining all the yarny stuff!
I haven’t tried the Mainstays yet, but I’m going to. I love that I’m not the only one that gets crazy excited about new yarns 🧶🤓🤓
I’m actually using it now to make the wife a mini skirt. I got it because it was only 4.50 versus 6$ for red heart.
@@lorddraylon yes!!! I have used it since this comment, and I have zero complaints over that yarn. It’s delightful to work with 😊
Good to know, didn't know about the mainstay yarn. Thank you so much for sharing....
@@rondiefenbacher3478 Crystal has a vast knowledge of all things yarny 🥰🥰
Crystal, I'm not sure you will receive my comment as this video is 10 months old. I haven't tried Mainstay, but I now plan to. Maybe I missed it, but is there a yarn review on Bigtwist Value yarn. I find it extremely soft, but haven't seen anyone else mentioning something about it. Super Saver is very hard (literally) to knit or crochet with. Merry Christmas you and may your new house bring you lots of joy and happiness. Love all your videos. 💚💛❤💚💛❤
I love the mainstay because it is softer, but I do regret that they don’t have more colors. Well Crystal thank you for sharing, I love you and I pray that you and your beautiful family have a blessed night🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶
I like Mainstay. It's even softer after washing and makes beautiful afghans. Thanks for the update!
Finally !! a commenter who washed it. Red Heart takes a few washes to pill, Hobby Lobby ILTY pills almost immediately . How does the Mainstay come out wash after wash?? ty
@@janaweaver1235 I honestly can't answer that question because I usually give away everything I make. I haven't had any complaints though!
Mainstay is a lot softer! I’m so glad that they are adding more colors! Thank you so much for all the research you do for us. Love watching you!
I love mainstay yarn. Just wish they had more colors. It's good yarn.
Red heart is best the other threads come apart.
I like all the Mainstays yarn. The sparkle metallic yarn is gorgeous, especially the deep, deep teal color.
Mainstays is awesome. They have made it better. When it first came out it was really thin. Now it's just about like red heart
That’s exactly why I never bought it after my first experience with it. It was thin.
I might try it again, but I’m still a bit skeptical.
I prefer Mainstay yarn for all the reasons you mentioned; it's softer. less expensive, and more yardage ! The only downside is the limited colors, as opposed to Red Heart. 🎉
Always informative. I've never tried Mainstays yarn next time I need yarn I will try some. My son worked at Walmart many years ago and told me once that all Walmart brands are actually made by name brand companies they just put the Walmart's label on it. Thanks for the info Crystal🧶
I have used Mainstay in my afghans for charity. When combining with Red Heart scraps, you can certainly tell a difference.
I have never used mainstay. At those prices, I'm going to try them with my next yarn purchase. I like the colors you showed and if more people buy them, maybe they will expand the color choices.
Love Mainstays. I use both, but I agree that on the long run Mainstays is the way to go
I love Mainstay yarn! It’s my go to yarn. So soft and squishy when worked up. I love the new Crafters Secret at Hobby Lobby. I get the large balls of it and it’s as soft as Mainstay now, what I’ve worked with. Thank you for the review!
Main Stay is great - so soft! I do hope they get lots more variegated colorways! Thanks so much for coming by for a visit on my live! What a blessing you are!!! Love you, dear friend!
I buy main stay yarn whenever they have the colors that I need. When they first came out with it, it was $1.97 and this past year they went up .50 cents on the price for the same amount. But it’s still the cheapest yarn that doesn’t feel funny on my hands. I like it and will keep using it. Just wish that they would come out with more colors. Thanks Crystal. Stay safe and healthy
I like them both but I guess mainstay is better except for colors. Do like rhss in ombre.
I wonder if the price change is due to that yarn now being made in Turkey rather than China. The quality certainly went up when they switched to Turkey.
they also not so full of knots
@@SilverIchimaru ironically, it is no longer made in Turkey but in India. Otherwise, I would say "maybe"
I just picked up the purple, yellow, pink and white.
I wish they would make the Mainstays yarn available to order online for shipping.
I just looked and yep its in store pick up only gesh what idiots it a pandemic and its light wt and not liquid why will they not ship it? lol
It is 3 years later, and you still can't order Mainstay yarn online. I love their cotton yarn, and I am lucky to find a couple of skeins in stock when at the store. I wish they had more colors, too.
Thank you so much for your wisdom! 😜 you and your Family stay well and healthy!
I’ve always have issues with red heart super savor. It splits a lot. Mainstay looks better . I started using big twist from Joanna. I think it big twist is a good quality yarn
Me too. I prefer Big twist and mainstay over rhss. They are both much softer and big twist has a nice sheen.
I just got a dozen skeins on sale at Joann for under $20. Can't beat it.
Thanks Crystal! I appreciate your reviews of yarn.
Love how excited you get about yarns.
I love mainstay yarn. It is my go to because I can afford it. It holds up well through washing and drying in the machines. I so appreciate you sharing all the yarns with your yarny peeps! You are so fun to watch when you are sharing the fun colors and sharing the money saving is so good to know. I do not get out much to compare prices but my Husband was thankful to hear this from you as well. You are loved❣️
I am so excited!!! As someone who has crocheted Mile-A-Minute Afghans for years until I just could not use the Red Heart anymore even though they were one of the only yarn companies where you could match the colors of the variegated Yarns to the solid Yarns. I can see some Mile-A-Minute Afghans in my future! These colors match beautifully!!!
Thanks Crystal !!! I've never tried Mainstays yarn.... thanks for the review. I love how excited you always are about yarn. It's like sitting in my living room with a good friend talking about pretty yarns and pretty colors and how much we love them and what we can make with them. And then I watch your tutorials and you and I sit and crochet together. Love all the Yarny Peeps and our Queen of the Yarny Peeps !!!! Thanks for all that you do.....
I like mainstay, glad they are adding more colors.
I love mainstay. Tried and still use. I go for the jumbo too
I Love Mainstay! I have made a bajillion hats celebrating my favorite quarterback (won't say which one, but he won the Super Bowl last year) and Mainstay has come.out BEAUTIFULLY!
I love Mainstay yarn and I'm glad to see they are getting more of a variety
Love Mainstay 💙💙💙💙. The colors are awesome 🎉. I love your hat
I love mainstay. And glad they have a few more colors. Our dollar tree just started having yarn. Yea. Love your tutorials💓
Same as well. I got excited
The downside to the Dollar Tree yarn is ow few yards you get or $1. But it's great for small projects.
I love watching all the vids where you chat to us as if we are part of our families. I enjoy watching the interaction between you and Erik when you are opening boxes of yarns together.
It is fun to see you together.
I'm so excited!!! I use to just get white and black due to that's all they ever had. I'm going to have to go and check it out. Thanks so much 🌹🌹🌹
You showed the two colors I need. I never heard of mainstay. It looks softer and easy on the wallet. I’ll give it a try.
Thanks for the review Crystal. Love finding yarn that's cheap but still soft. I find that mostacrylics get softer with washing/drying anyway. I wonder if the Mainstay gets even softer after washing/drying?
I ordered RH Retro Stripes online from Walmart & was shipped Mainstays… which has more distinct colour lines; I was disappointed. I made a pocket shawl with it on my CKM & ended up with two custom orders. So I'm not upset… except it's out of stock. 😆 Mainstays & RHSS are priced the same for a few colours right now in Canada ($3.97 141g skein; March 2024).
I wish Walmart would do some 5 weight yarns too.
They do have 5 in mainstay
I think they have a yarn called puzzle by mainstays that 5 weight. Its $6 for 300 ish yards I think.
@@noellesantiago9117 that is by Premier. I have used it and love it.
I love Crystal’s enthusiasm! I haven’t used much Mainstays, but if I ever get my stash whittled down, I’ll definitely give it another chance.
I wish we had Walmart here in Australia so we could try the yarns. The colours look amazing. Thank you for another great video
Would be great Carol. I would love to try them.
Hi Carol, I'm the same here in England, but find myself hooked on Crystal's excitement.
@@shirleycarter2451 I love how excited she gets about the yarn too!
@@katrobinson3539 I hope one day they can bring a Walmart over here I think I would have more yarn than i need if they did hahahaha
I know I would have a bigger stash.
Thank you Crystal, I’ve used Mainstay, and I’m satisfied with it! Just , as you said, not enough colors!!
Wait until you work with it. It's so amazing... You have more colors than my Walmart carry... Plus my local store doesn't offer it online... I made my cousins Granddaughter a poncho with the pink, pink variegated & white and she loved it. She kept hugging me saying "thank you Sissy"... She's knit & crochet worthy lol...
I agree! It is very nice to work with
You are so lucky to have a recipient love their gift and tell you! It’s worth every stitch! This comment is for GrammieWilliams.
@@nancyranels9499 yes I agree. I recently sent a baby dress & blanket to a friend of my daughters and her & her husband loved them, so that baby girl will be getting more dresses.
I love that you remind people to try something new when we have a chance. Thanks for comparisons and suggestions!!
Wish we had something like Walmart in the UK. They have such a selection.
I agree with you. Limited over here and expensive in some places over here
I made my 3 year old nephew a scarf and hat out of mainstay yarn at Christmas and it worked out great. I liked using it a lot.
Love Mainstays! My WM didn't have a great choice today, but then, they don't have a great choice of any of their yarn. : /
Boy, I love the way you are when it comes to yarn. You are like a child in a toys store when it comes to yarn. :) I love yarn too. Thank you for insights on yarn, Crystal.
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it! The yarn section at my Walmart is only about 1/4 of an isle. The have RH, LB, some Bernat. That’s about it. Thanks for the info. I was at Walmart today & almost bought some Mandala. And did buy some RH Metallic for a new project. Never saw a single skein of Mainstay. Maybe it’s online only 🤷🏼♀️
I purchased a dark brown Mainstay long ago & there was *nothing* soft about it. It was so rough I wound up throwing it away. I'll have to give it another go. Thanks for the info!
i freaking love mainstays. they even have variegated yarns too
I’m making this crazy blanket with red heart. I love watching your channel and thank you. I’m currently on medical leave and crocheting has been my rehab. I want to learn the basics on lower cost yarns but I enjoy it!!
I love Mainstay yarn! I made lots of Christmas gifts with it. My Walmart in Deptford NJ is very limited in colors and online it says "in store purchase only" 🙁
My daughter and I used a lot of the main stay yarn. We made over a hundred hats for her church to give to those in need over Christmas. It worked up great and was soft to use. I’m using the black variegated yarn to make a web blanket for my grand son now. The price is great too! Love it!
When I first started crocheting about 10 yrs ago, I thought Red Heart was walmart brand 🤷😂. I was surprised when I found it at JoAnn and realized it wasn't a walmart brand 🙄😂
lol that's funny, but did JoAnn's have more colors?
I love the change walmart has made with their yarns!!!!! Will definitely be buying more. 😁😁😁😁😁😁
I like them both. I love to pick by color. I love how my Walmart places them on the shelf with a varigated in between the solids that match. That was a good selling point for me. Thanks for the comparison.
I’ve used both and prefer Mainstays. It’s softer and in my opinion, washes better. I’m so glad they’re expanding their colors. Thanks for another great video! Stay safe. 💙
I use it a lot. I am on a fixed income so to me it is wonderful.
Your enthusiasm about yarn is so refreshing ! When I see you I like yarn even more and it's like watching myself because I'm a ''yarn-a-holic'' too.
I would love to try the mainstay. But we dont have a Walmart in Ireland 😢
Everything is softer than Redheart. I love Walmart yarns. Hi Crystal have a beautiful evening and ty ❤
Hello to our Yarny 🧶 Peep 🐥 Queen 👑
Thank you so much for this description of Mainstay. Wal-Mart is the only place I have closer than 100 miles. You are such a wonderful arm host.
If I can’t get to Hobby Lobby, Walmart Mainstay is my second choice.
Also with Red Heart I've noticed that the softness varies from color to color.
I buy MAINSTAY when they have it in stock easy on my pocket book.100% great review ❣️
You are the "SKEIN" Crystal. Your personality is soft, colorful and you have a huge heart generous heart. I'm hooked on your videos. Keep 'em coming. I really like Mainstay yarn. I think other yarny peeps are on to them too because everytime I go to Walmart there isn't much Mainstay yarn in stock. I too hope that Walmart comes out with more colors.
Don't like Red heart won't even use it. I fell in love with Stitch Studios yarn. If I need yarn I'll buy anything but Red Heart. I'll have to give Mainstays a try. Thanks for the info.
Craftsmart yarn is very nice. A lot of the colors are softer and thicker than you think, some feel rough but most do not. Great deal, lots of yards too.
I concur about craftsmart. It used to be horrible. It made rhss feel soft by comparison.
But they have recently switched to making it in Turkey and it is softer. It is still a value yarn, let's be clear about that. But it is softer than red heart. And they have some yummy tweed colors. And it is cheaper than rhss.
Another value yarn that is REALLY soft is: bernat super value. It's one of the softest value yarns I've felt. And it is cheaper than I love this yarn (but just about as soft).
Caron jumbo (variegated colors) is also REALLY soft. I have NO idea why they can't make the one pound yarn as soft as the jumbo variegated yarns. It is a mystery.
Love the stripe colors in your jacket
Thank you for your review on these yarns
Crystal is it my imagination or not that Red Heart yarns are very inconsistent in the weight of the yarns. Also I agree that it isn’t very soft. I think I’m going to give Mainstay a try. In your opinion what’s the softest acrylic yarn?
The softest acrylic yarns are NOT the value yarns like these.
But...of the value type acrylics, I would say hobby lobby I love this yarn is the softest.
Next, craftsmart from Michael's. It used to be worse than red heart but they've given it a makeover (used to be made in China, but now made in Turkey) and it is reasonably soft.
I would say mainstays is nearly as soft as the craftsmart but craftsmart has more colors, including tweeds.
Then red heart is after that. Some colors are softer than others, however.
Caron one pound is about in line with some of the red heart super saver colors.
However, caron jumbo (their variegated colors) is REALLY soft. Probably as soft or almost as soft as I love this yarn.
Oh...I forgot: probably the very softest "value" yarn (maybe tied with I love this yarn) is bernat super value. It is so much softer than other value yarns. But it is harder to find in stores, for me. And I don't see many color options when I do find it. But it would be my go to value yarn, if I could get it more readily.
For basic acrylic yarns that aren't "value" yarns but are still fairly "basic": my faves are Premier everyday anti pilling and Lion Brand basic stitch anti pilling. Hobby Lobby also has "soft and sleek anti pilling" which is really nice and comes in worsted weight and chunky weights. And they have some really nice colors. They also have a "dk weight" version but it is really more of a sport or fingering weight in reality. But it is GORGEOUS and the coloring is wonderful and looks stonewashed, even if the colors are limited.
Until last year, I would have included sprightly acrylic worsted yarn as a wonderful basic yarn. Sadly, it isn't available any more. But if you see some for sale online, grab it. Its soft and has a wonderful bounce to it.
I love Crystal’s enthusiasm over yarn. Even over the most basic yarn. I didn’t know that Mainstays changed manufactures. I looked at it once when it first came out and never looked at it again. I might give it another look because of you!
Rug yarn is softer than red heart
Until the past couple of years, I would have agreed with you.
For the most part, red heart super saver has gotten softer in the past few years. Some colors are almost soft. And some colors are still wretched.
So they've improved at least.
well its a workhorse yarn if its too soft it will lose its durability
I love Mainstays. I've used it for blankets and it washes up very nicely without fuzzing up. It's a good match to other brands' standard lines, so it's great to cut costs on a larger projects. I keep a lot on hand to mix and match with variegated/patterned/striping/whatever yarn since it comes in the basics. I was really surprised with it given the price, but it's one of those yarns I keep on hand now. I've also been similarly pleased with Mainstays cotton which I also used for blankets; it's washed up perfectly without the little nibs forming as happens on a lot of cotton yarns. I'm pretty impressed with both their acrylic and cotton lines, to be honest. For the price, it's a lot better than expected.
I love and buy mainstay yarn all the time. I've made blankets,pumpkins,scarfs.....lots of things
When I first started to crochet I used Red Heart Super Saver I never tried Mainstay yarn but I’m willing to try it if I find it in my Walmart.
Thanks for this review Crystal. I gotta love the Red Heart -- because of ALL the color choices!
I've used both, if mainstay has color I need its 1st choice. 💕🙏
I really like the Mainstay also, I have both Red Heart and Mainstay in my stash. I really like how the Mainstay works up. I wish they would get more colors my 3 walmarts are very limited on the colors they have. Thanks Crystal for your time and for spending the time with us. We love you always stay safe ❤❤
Thank you for this review & all you do, Crystal! You are the BESTEST! 😉👏🏼🤸🏼♀️ I love your excitement! 🙀😆
I have yet to try Mainstay, but definitely will now!
Stay healthy & safe all! 😷
Thank you. I noticed the new Mainstay colors last Friday when I was at my local Walmart. They didn't have the jumbo skeins though...yet😊. Thank you for sharing.💙😊🙏🌻🦋😊💙
Thanks for sharing Crystal. So glad Mainstays are coming out in jumbo size balls. Washes and wears well.
I'm on a budget Mainstay is awesome yarn. I still like red heart. N Hobby I love this yarn💐
I love that you share your excitement and yarny info! Thank you, you make me smile 😊😁 🤗
I know a lot of people have trouble with a red heart and the central knitting machine but I love it and I thought I'd leave it helpful tip that all you need is looser tension on it
Im crocheting with mainstay yarn while you are talking about it. I love mainstay yarn. Thanks Crystal for looking out for us
That is so awesome you know I'm so glad you're around It wasn't for you I would go nuts you make my day thank you very much stay safe
Thank you for this video. I’ve never have bought Red Super Savor yarn. It wasn’t ever soft. It’s been over 20 years since I tried it. It wasn’t my soft brand. But after your Main Stay yarn I will order 1 spool when I place my Walmart order. If I’m not happy I could always make Shae a blanket for her babies. Again thank you for brooding my visions of yarn. Your details give all of the information & your special details make all of my yarn that I buy on line. Thank you Crystal for sharing the details for us. Your amazing & have a great evening. Smooches xoxo 😘
I was at my local Walmart the other day and they've started coming out with a velvet yarn to dupe the bernat velvet yarns
I have never tried Mainstays but I will. I learned how to knit so I think I will knit a hat
I love the new Mainstay softness. The colors are great too. Blessings
I did try it last year when I was making hats for the troops. I’m glad they are getting new colors in. Thanks for letting us know.
I learn so much from you! I’ve never really paid much attention to brands and such. Never realized that yarns were numbered by thickness. Never knew terms like “roving” and “fingering weight”. Crystal, all I have to say is: MIND BLOWN!
Thanks for the info on the yarn Crystal. Maybe we should start a petition to Walmart to get more colors in main stay yarns. The pink solid and the pink varigated and white would make an awesome blanket or shawl or anything for Valentine day. Hope everyone has a awesome day today.
I love mainstay. And it is even better washed. Perfect when you are making big blankets. Makes them so much more affordable.
It’s nice to see yarn companies upping their game. I love the colors of the Mainstays. They look nice and bright. This helps people that are on a budget to enjoy the craft of crocheting! Thank you for sharing this. I feel it is very helpful. 🤩
I started crocheting with red heart, but tried mainstay Love it love it love it and for the main reasons you stated. Thanks for being You.
Hi Crystal I went to Walmart the other day and I bought the mainstays yarn in pink making a blanket and it's so soft love them thanks for sharing
I like them both for different reasons. I like the color availability for red heart and the texture of mainstays.
Mainstay is good too I use both. I found out that mainstay had more yarn in it. I have problems with it when it first came out due to being knoted alot but now not have that problem anymore. I used it last year for the hats due to the softess of the yarn and yardage. Love you Crystal and BOD family. Have a blessed night
Mainstay yarn is such a great value. So glad they are coming out with more colored. Thanks for this video.
Wow, Crystal thx for this update on yarn , have used Mainstay yarn in the past so glad that bringing new colors & solid matching variegated colors 👏 thx again Crystal 😃❤