When i was a kid, my grandma babysat me. Our daily routine waa to go to kmart, eat something in their little cafeteria...i usually got chocolate pudding....then she would grab more super saver yarn. I never really understood how she needed all that yarn....until now..40 years later.
Great video. In the "old days" Super Savor was extremely soft and squishy in all of the colors. In fact, I would dare to say, that it rivaled the higher end wool blend yarns. Then, for whatever reason, they changed it and for the last several years it has been absolutely horrible. I too got rug burns on my hands trying to use it. I hope that Red Heart has finally listened to their customers and went back to making great yarn again. And HOPEFULLY, they will make it great in ALL of the colors.
In the 'old days' I did not find ss at all 'extremely soft...'.never thought it 'great'....maybe dif parts of the country had something to do with it? Anyway I stopped knitting because of it because back then we didn't have massive craft stores & indie dyers on line. I'm back to knitting but still won't bother with it :D
I totally agree, Jackqulyne. I have some SS from the 80s that was silky and soft whereas today, the yarn is scratchy and rough. So I don't know how far back Yay for Yarn went with respect to "old" SS.
Jacqulyne I have to put mine in the washer and use fabric softener and here lately when I am using it it breaks mid stitch even when my stitches are not tight
My sister is 71 and has used Redheart forever. All of her projects are soft. Redheart has a coating to prevent damage from so much handling by the time it is purchased and handled so much. Once it is washed the coating is removed and it softens up. We all have tons of items over the reasons from my sister and we love it. The softest blankets ever.
I do concur. Last year I started to notice that the newer RHSS yarns felt softer. It's almost as soft as their RH With Love yarns. It's great that they listened to their customers because Hobby Lobby's ILTY had become my yarn of choice.
I’m glad someone else noticed this. I thought that I was seeing or feeling something that really wasn’t there. I agree that the yarns are softer. I like the array of colors.
I miss the patterns they used to print on the label. It gave me an idea on how much yarn to buy for a project if I accidentally left my pattern at home.
piper Maisie Mae I use it all the time. Doesn’t bother me. In fact I don’t actually like softer acrylic yarns they tend to get ratty on me, pill and generally look like a dog got to them after repeated washing and wearing. Super Saver tends to look like it just came off the needles no matter what you do to it.
I'm late to the party, but thanks for this video. I used to buy super saver years ago, but I noticed the yarn was just so rough, and felt uncomfortable while I knitted it, so I switched to "I love this yarn" brand. But, I'll probably try red heart super saver again.
I love the red heart super saver the old and the new kinds. Never experienced a rug burn using this yarn. And I have used different colors old and new,
This is the best bet for beginners. It unravels fairly easily. It washes and drys fine. If you want it soft, wash your finished project in liquid fabric softner. I mean use the softner in the wash cycle instead of detergent.
Looong ago, Red Heart was for us crafty girls. We made things we loved to make and usually gave them as gifts BUT the item was so hard and stiff and scratchy (and took the skin off your fingers) that nobody actually wore or used the crocheted items made w this yarn. That is why you always see the beautiful granny afghans displayed over the backs of sofas! So, even the old was way better than the VERY old. We must be thankful we are living in this age of yarn choices.🤗
I noticed the difference too. I didn't like the texture of the old one but they always had good colors. I bought some recently and noticed that it felt much better and was questioning my memory! So thank you for letting me know I'm not just imagining things!
Hello, I would like to say that I totally agree with your opinion of super saver. It changed for the better, I no longer get rug burn using it. I actually look for the new ones now.
Yup! I wouldn’t have dreamed about making a sweater out of super saver until I saw the exact colors I needed at Walmart. I was shocked at how much softer they are than what I had at home
Rub-burns! Yes, that's the perfect word to describe why I didn't use Red Heart SuperSaver in the past. I have used some of the new improved formula yarn, but the softness is still not consistent across all colors. So I don't order it online - I've got to give it the touch test in the store before I invest time & money on it. But HobbyLobby's I Love This Yarn in soft in all colors!! It's my favorite yarn!!
Hobby Lobby ILTY was my favorite yarn until I tried Michael's Loops& Threads Impeccable (specifically Impeccable). It doesn't offer nearly the same number of colorways, but I very much enjoy crocheting with it
I just recently was introduced to I Love This Yarn and Was impressed by color and softness. I also noticed that Super Saver is softer especially when I compare it to the older Super Saver from my stash.
Thank you,nobody else is talking about this. I used super saver when I started 40 years ago. I hated it,but it was cheap and I didn't know much about yarn. I see red heart has made better yarns but not at the same price. I'm happy to hear super saver has changed for the better. I will have to feel it myself. And they need consistency with colors. Thanks😊
I recently began knitting again after not doing it for years, and I agree. I remember the old Supersaver was plasticy feeling and the finished product looked cheap. I bought some last week to practice with and I was amazed! I love it! I got half a dozen skeins in black and half a dozen in white for $2 each on Amazon and I am amazed at the improvement! The only one I've had a problem with is the Mexicana color, which my Sentro machine hates and will not work with. I've tried maybe 10 other colors and they're beautiful.
The texture has changed, but I still soften it up by soaking it in the wash with cream hair conditioner. Works beautifully. I use it to make baby blankets and everyone is amazed at how soft it is. Try it, you will love how even softer it is after conditioning it.
When I first started crocheting I used the Red HeartSS and I HATED it. I almost thought I would quit because I didn't realize at first that there were better options elsewhere. Thankfully I didn't and I discovered craft stores. I recently was browsing Walmart for kitchen cotton yarn and I felt some of the Super Saver yarn and I was surprised how soft it was. I am really glad they changed it. I still have some skeins of the old version that I don't want...
It might also have something to do with the fact that Yarnspirations bought out Red Heart and instigated the changes. The one bad thing about the Yarnspirations take over is that they have radically changed some dye lot colors of the same color of other brand yarns.
I bought some Red Heart WITH LOVE on clearance for $1 a skein at walmart last month. I've never used it before. was afraid it was just like red heart super saver. but for $1 I got it. I love it almost as much as I LOVE THIS YARN!!!'I'm glad to hear SS is softer now. I think red heart realized in order to stay competitive and not lose out to ILTY they had to do something!
I think I Love This Yarn is a bit different from both of those. It is just as soft as Caron (if not softer), but it is a different texture. The Caron Simply Soft is more silky feeling, whereas the ILTY has a plush, lofty, squishy feel when you squeeze it. Hope this helps!
This is the yarn I grew up crocheting on. You are correct it’s so much better. When I was a beginner crocheting at 8 yrs old, this was sturdy enough to mess up on then pull apart and still hold up. But I have noticed I over the meany years of crocheting I moved away from it. I’m glad it’s back and enjoy again working with it again. Thanks for the video.
Interestingly, I recently bought a skein of the "camo" to supplement a knitting machine sweater that I was making. The original camo that I had, manufactured in the mid-90's, was pretty scratchy. The new batch is nice and soft, just like the other colors. I was pleasantly surprised!
The Hunter Green is like sandpaper. Even after washing several times. I’m very disappointed because I was going to gift a super long scarf to my dad for Christmas but who would want sandpaper next to their neck no matter how pretty!
I went to Walmart today to grab a few different colors for a blanket I'm working on, I usually go for Hobby Lobby ILTY like you mentioned. I thought I was going crazy when I ended up buying Super Saver yarn after disliking it for so long. I have a handful of Super Savers that are several years old and never use because they are soooo scratchy!! I'm excited that it's so much softer now! However, I think I might still be on the crazy side because I bought the yarn, came home to later watch some TH-cam and this very video was recommended to me on my home page when I logged in. I hear people talk about how they will get ads for things they talk about, like say you were talking with your SO about needing a new fridge and then FB suddenly refrigerator ads. That's creepy enough but I was by myself and never said anything about it. Hahaha, surely just a coincidence. Or TH-cam is watching me. Either way... thank you for sharing!!!
Long ago I was taught to very lightly steam block your finished item.... use a fabric steamer, not an iron, and very very carefully steam. Not too much or you will "kill" the red heart (or any acrylic yarn). This will soften it a lot, and it stays soft, washes and wears wonderfully.
I got a few skeins of "bad" Super Saver a few years ago, it had lots of acrylic fibers that shed off it and caused itching and irritation while knitting. I'm not allergic to acrylic, this was specific to this 3 pack I got. I washed it and it was better but it was still "hard". I just now got a black skein and it has the same issue. It's like it's spun badly, and crunchy feeling.
Thanks for the update/review. I have not seen any of the new yarn. I don't buy it all that often so maybe it's time to go and check it out and see if Michaels has any of the newer version yet.
I have used red heart for many years,very good for wear and lasts for ever. I have read some of the comments.When I am done making mittens and worn and ready for the wash. I first wash as normal to get the dirt or whatever out,then I add 2 times the softer or 2 sheets and it comes out very soft. I did try the large super saver and yes it is softer but also I found it less wound somewhat more tread like...so not sure but for sure it is not as scratchy as the old. When my aunt knitted she always had consistent color and that when you are buying this yarn the lot number is the same ( 2 rolls) or more,this way it should always be the same hue. An example I pick up white lot 9471 the next one has to be also white 9471 not white 6831. Thank you for the you-tube and yes it is different.
Hi that’s all that I used to use is red heart but now that I picked up the new red heart I love it more better so thank you for your tutorial God bless
Working on a project, I had to go purchase more carrot color redheart yarn. I noticed the gauge is smaller in the new redheart yarn. I purchased 2 skeins of supersaver. The original yarn I started with was a skein of supersaver jumbo and it is so much thicker than the new yarn skwin. I noticed this when I worked 4 rows on my project. This is not good for my project. I could tell the difference immediately. Stuck with what to do I'll purchase a supersaver jumbo skein to see if there is a difference.
Recently I found 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver at the local thrift store-- one red & one yellow for $2.97. The yellow is as you noted--it is softer than previous purchases. The red is not as soft, but softer than previous purchases of Red Heart Super Saver yarn. I will be using the red to make a couple of Christmas stockings for some children. The yellow I will use to make something for myself.
Several years ago I crocheted a multi colored blanket using super saver yarn. I ran out of one of the colors and to my surprise, the new yarn wasn't the same color even though there's no dye and the text was different. Fortunately because of the blanket pattern, the difference in texture and color weren't noticeable unless pointed out. Yarns do change over the years which I have found out.
I feel like I already knew about this years ago before hand considering I get my yarn mainly from thrift stores, but this makes me want to actually go somewhere else to buy yarn seeing that most yarns I know come from good places at a great price
I must be spoiled by the Caron brand bc RH still feels scratchy and awful to me even with the new packaging. It gets better with washes but I still prefer a different brand for gifts and things that will be worn often like Caron or the Lion brand. I like RH for practice work or when I was first starting out and needed really affordable yarn though. It's a great beginner yarn.
I too prefer Lion Brand and Caron yarns. They are much softer. My absolute favorite acrylic yarn is Premier (Deborah Norville) Everyday yarn. It is so soft and doesn't pill but is a bit more expensive for large projects. Definately a yarn to get on sale our with coupons on the whole order. I am making a gorgeous afghan in queen size for my daughters. She felt part of the blanket without it being washed and said wow mom this is so soft. It was the Northern Lights color. I like the Caron simply soft for baby gifts.
I started crocheting a little over a year ago and I mainly shop at Joann. After feeling up all the cheap skeins, lol, I pretty much exclusively bought Big Twist (Joann brand) to learn on. It was way softer and actually cheaper than RH. I also have a Caron One Pound in Lace to make my pug hats (perfect fawn color) and it's night and day. I have one skein of RHSS I got to make Little Hats Big Hearts donation hats and I rarely touch it because it's just so unpleasant to hold. I may try chucking the whole thing in the wash with fabric softener and then rewind it. I wouldn't even recommend it for beginner just because it's so unpleasant to hold. I actually butted in on an employee who was helping a woman trying to learn crochet and steered her toward the Big Twist.
Oh, the Premiere Everday is my favorite too....works up beautifully. I use the Redheart Super Saver on handbag projects...very sturdy but for gifts, Premiere or Caron Cotton Cakes are Fab!!!
I took a couple years off of knitting, I had the same issue with super saver. I’m back in it and I’ve avoided super saver because of previous experience. Now I think I’ll buy some. I’m going to give it a feel...Afghans galore.
I'm late here, but I noticed the positive difference, too. Thought it was my imagination because I didn't have an old skein to compare it to. But I recall thinking, I thought this yarn was rougher/scratchier. lol
I just ran into this same problem. I don't have any new yarn at the moment to crochet (waiting for pay day) so I looked through my old stock and ran across 3 skeins of super saver white. The first is really rough (old label), the next seemed thinner but a little softer, and the 3rd started rough and then changed into thinner and softer texture?????? I thought it was just a bad batch, and am glad I watched your video. I am looking forward to trying the new label. Thank you (Also I have tried a cheap hair conditioner in the washer with warm water to soften this rough stuff. It works. Have also tossed this brand in the dryer as well.
I actually noticed this yesterday at Joann Fabrics. They had Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo for $4.99 per skein. I noticed the gold color in the regular size ( last day of sale. I think") was soooo soft, so I started feeling them all. :-) Gold was the softest I found, no jumbo roll, but I thought the other colors were also softer, except red. Got several jumbos but will wait for a sale for the other size to go on sale.
I know this is an older video but I recently just started crocheting again. I bought a new skein of a pink super saver and I immediately noticed the difference while crocheting. I thought it was my imagination. :O
I use Super Saver for most projects, but....I wash it in the washer on gentle and then always lay it out to dry. If I put it in the dryer, I tend to get "nubs" or "pills" and I don't like that. Usually the spin cycle on the washer gets it near to dry and tossing it over the back of the couch it's dry in about 30 mins.
Lol i am knitting a hat with 100% merino wool and it felt like rug burn on my index finger. Im knitting the 2x2 ribbing flat on size 2 U.S needles and its taking forever. Great video thanks for posting tbis as i have so much red heart that i dont know what to do with
I stopped crocheting for about a year and I never purchased this yarn for the same reasons you described, I started again this past fall and had to buy red heart super saver and to my surprise it felt different! Right away I noticed how much softer it feels! I guess I wasn’t imagining it! 😊
Yes ,I thought the same thing .You hit it on the nail .And I used to buy this all the time .but have found another brand .I hate that they changed ....the brighter the color I have found is the Rougher..Thanks
you know what, it IS softer. I have been avoiding super saver because of how rough it was. I can't use wool or angora so I've been sticking to Caron and Bernat but I will have to try Red Heart again soon 😍
Wow, this is interesting! I haven't gotten any Super Saver in a few years, despite using it a little more frequently for just fun, simple projects. But I'll definitely try out the new "recipe"!
I buy RHSS for my amigurumi projects where softness is not a concern. Thank you for your review. Good to know it's softer now and can be used for other items.
I only used red heart yarn for many decades, until it became like sand paper. I had some skeins given to me 2 years ago and I made a grocery bag and a yarn caddy. I think the skeins I was given were old, very rough. I haven't bough super saver yarn for more than ten years. I make hats, scarves, gloves and sweaters, so I buy the softest yarns I can find. I'll have to revisit red heart super saver yarn and feel it. Thanks for sharing
I've noticed lately when I've bought Red Heart Super Saver that some colors don't seem to have as much in them as others. Do you have any idea what causes this to happen? Yes I agree with it has gotten softer. Thank you.
Hi! I have not noticed any difference in the amount included in each ball between colors, other than that the printed, striped, or variegated colorways come in smaller skeins. Perhaps you could try weighing the skeins before you begin using them to see if they are the correct weight given on the label. Hope this helps! Thanks!
Judy Wray I've also noticed that both variegated and the solid colors have less yarn in general than it used to. I used to buy large solids that were 8oz skeins and variegated skeins were 6oz. They are now 7oz solids and 5oz variegated. No price change though. Less product for the same price.
I've noticed this also. I'm working up a striped blanket and some skeins will do 6 complete rows, some do 7 and I've even gotten 8 rows out of the supposed same weight/length skeins.
You are so right I just bought some and was pleasantly surprised by the softness. In the past, I was disappointed but had to work with a budget. But being on a budget doesn't mean rough yarn any longer😁
I have stopped crocheting and knitting because of RHSS's inconsistent yarn colors and thickness. I do a lot of red, white and blue projects and the last time I made a project I had to go back to the store 4 different times just to match the Royal Blue color. I have also found that some of the colors are not the same thickness as the rest. I can't deal with inconsistent colors and thickness!
I thought I was the only one with this problem. It drove me nuts! Some colors I won't even use because they're too stringy despite supposedly being a size 4.
I also do a lot of red, white and blue knitting and crocheting, the inconsistency of the yarn itself. The red seems to be more plump than the blue but then the white is just stringy.
I bought a skein of RHSS blue once and there was 3 feet of bright red yarn in the center of the skein. Didn't see it until the project was halfway finished. Had to buy another skein just to replace those three feet lost. I was not happy
Wow this is great information to have, Thank you! I will be careful not to mix any old skeins I have with any new ones on projects. Any texture differences within a project would jump out and annoy me.
Totally agree! There is a definite change to the yarn. I love it after washing even more. I noticed it seems to be less than it was, though you say it is the same. Maybe the wrap is tighter now and it just looks smaller. Good video.
Interesting - what I am finding is the yarn is so soft it is shedding! I use it to make hook rug designs & usually wash before giving away but lately it is shedding so much I cannot give this to anyone! I have wasted time & $ - wondering if I should switch to wool or something else.
You said it in your video - I Love This Yarn is so wonderfully soft. I think when Hobby Lobby came out with their brand, Red Heart sales dropped off considerably. Red Heart was forced to improve their yarn in order to get back in the market.
the older red heart super saver i notice in sweaters i have made got way less nubs then the newer I am so unhappy about that part! but i love the price and more shades and yes softer but it seems its way less durable for really hard wearing items so buy accordingly : ) still looking for a yarn that wears like mohair but man made and machine washable for durable long wearing items( sweaters hoodies skirts) what yarn do you use guys?
I have the dusty grey colorway and I agree that it's soft. Some colors I've noticed are still a little scratchy like soft navy and white while the brown shades are soft. Can't figure it out. But I only use SS for afghans/lapghans so it's not a big deal to me as they soften up in the wash. At JoAnn Fabrics it goes on sale for $2.59 a skein and that's when I stock up.
I bought some RHSS today and it's much softer but also a lot thinner. 7oz vs 8, and my projects with the same pattern, same hook, are MUCH much smaller. I'm upset.
Stiffness can be caused by the amount of dye it takes to get the colors, and also the amount of steam treatment that the yarn is given in their process. Comparing Red Heart to Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn is like comparing apples to oranges. But for the price point, I guess Red Heart wins. I don't use it much, opting for a nicer yarn just because if I spend my time making something for someone, I feel like I want it to look, feel and be better. Maybe that's not the most frugal attitude, but hey, to each his own. Nice comparison video. Always helps to get other people's opinions. If we all agreed, there would be no other products to choose from.
This reply is coming in 5 months late, but I wanted to say you aren't alone in feeling that way. I splurge sometimes on 100% merino wool for a project, and I won't work with a yarn that doesn't feel nice. Especially since the move to Germany, my eyes have been opened to the whole wide world of yarn out there. I keep finding these amazing feeling yarns in all types of fibers, and the millions of color options that RH just doesn't have. I don't think I could ever go back to Red Heart Super Scratchy ever again!
I usually go for the natural fiber yarns, but I did find a Caron acrylic that I like. I guess I can check out some of the red heart stuff again, but the last time I used it, it was just horrible. I am glad to know that a change has been made though. The merino that I usually buy online is much more pricey than acrylic. Does red heart make natural fiber yarns, or are they all acrylic?
Hi Janet! Red Heart does make yarns from other fibers, and in my opinion, most of them are much better quality than super saver. Pretty much all of their other yarns cost more than super saver, but they are higher quality as well. Many of their other yarns are acrylic / natural fiber blends, but there are a few pure natural fiber yarns. This one www.redheart.com/yarn/chic-sheep-by-marly-bird is 100% merino wool, at $9.99 for 100g / 3.5 oz. Hope this helps!
I agree! The largest percentage of my yarn stash has always been RHSS, because of the amazing array of beautiful colors. I just put up with the "rug burn" on my finger. There is definitely a difference in texture lately. Thank you Red Heart. My finger is much happier.
I’ve heard this from others. I hope it is softer. I rarely use it. I love Red Heart Soft and other 4 weights. There are many reasonably priced yarns out there. Thanks for sharing this. I’ll take another look. I have some left over for many years so I will be able to compare!
I really love the super save Love , it is the softest yarn from super saver. I do have some of the old stuff and it is definitely hard and scratchy . Thanks for the update. This is very helpful...and for that reason I will start buying Red Heart again.
When i was a kid, my grandma babysat me. Our daily routine waa to go to kmart, eat something in their little cafeteria...i usually got chocolate pudding....then she would grab more super saver yarn. I never really understood how she needed all that yarn....until now..40 years later.
Basically my life story. Lol ❤️
💕What a lovely memory💕
I thought this was going to be a video about how the yarn got worse. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this. Thank you for this review.
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Millions complained and sales plumeted..they listened!!! Yay for public opinion..welcome back super saver
Great video. In the "old days" Super Savor was extremely soft and squishy in all of the colors. In fact, I would dare to say, that it rivaled the higher end wool blend yarns. Then, for whatever reason, they changed it and for the last several years it has been absolutely horrible. I too got rug burns on my hands trying to use it. I hope that Red Heart has finally listened to their customers and went back to making great yarn again. And HOPEFULLY, they will make it great in ALL of the colors.
In the 'old days' I did not find ss at all 'extremely soft...'.never thought it 'great'....maybe dif parts of the country had something to do with it? Anyway I stopped knitting because of it because back then we didn't have massive craft stores & indie dyers on line. I'm back to knitting but still won't bother with it :D
I totally agree, Jackqulyne. I have some SS from the 80s that was silky and soft whereas today, the yarn is scratchy and rough. So I don't know how far back Yay for Yarn went with respect to "old" SS.
Jacqulyne I have to put mine in the washer and use fabric softener and here lately when I am using it it breaks mid stitch even when my stitches are not tight
I’ve only been knitting since the late 90’s but it’s always been scratchy since I’ve been knitting. I don’t use it for anything.
@@jenniferford2067 I just started crocheting a year ago & I learned right away not to use the SS.
My sister is 71 and has used Redheart forever. All of her projects are soft.
Redheart has a coating to prevent damage from so much handling by the time it is purchased and handled so much.
Once it is washed the coating is removed and it softens up.
We all have tons of items over the reasons from my sister and we love it. The softest blankets ever.
O wow I didn’t know about the coating! Ty sooo very much! I knew that washing it made it softer but didn’t know y! U r a gem! Ty again
So unusual for a new version to actually be better than the original these days!
I do concur. Last year I started to notice that the newer RHSS yarns felt softer. It's almost as soft as their RH With Love yarns. It's great that they listened to their customers because Hobby Lobby's ILTY had become my yarn of choice.
I’m glad someone else noticed this. I thought that I was seeing or feeling something that really wasn’t there. I agree that the yarns are softer. I like the array of colors.
I miss the patterns they used to print on the label. It gave me an idea on how much yarn to buy for a project if I accidentally left my pattern at home.
I’m pretty sure they still do that, I have some with patterns on the inside on the label that I have bought more recently
If you want an Afghan to last 30 years you use super saver. It’s indestructible.
Cockroaches and Red Heart Super Saver....they will be all that is left someday. LOL
Possibly because it's so rough no one will ever use it🤐🙃
MelodyCrochet I saw a mug with that something similar to that printed on it.
piper Maisie Mae I use it all the time. Doesn’t bother me. In fact I don’t actually like softer acrylic yarns they tend to get ratty on me, pill and generally look like a dog got to them after repeated washing and wearing. Super Saver tends to look like it just came off the needles no matter what you do to it.
@@MelodyCrochet fleas too, don't forget fleas! ;-)
I'm late to the party, but thanks for this video. I used to buy super saver years ago, but I noticed the yarn was just so rough, and felt uncomfortable while I knitted it, so I switched to "I love this yarn" brand. But, I'll probably try red heart super saver again.
I love the red heart super saver the old and the new kinds. Never experienced a rug burn using this yarn. And I have used different colors old and new,
This is the best bet for beginners. It unravels fairly easily. It washes and drys fine. If you want it soft, wash your finished project in liquid fabric softner. I mean use the softner in the wash cycle instead of detergent.
The lighter the color, the softer the yarn.
Yes!
My yellow feels so different from my dark purple!
True. The Red(my fav color in anything) is the worse in my experience.
@@redgingerbreadpam Crazy. i bought some red yarn the other day and instantly noticed how stiff and scratchy it felt.
Emily Summer Didn’t know this, but it totally makes sense!
Looong ago, Red Heart was for us crafty girls. We made things we loved to make and usually gave them as gifts BUT the item was so hard and stiff and scratchy (and took the skin off your fingers) that nobody actually wore or used the crocheted items made w this yarn. That is why you always see the beautiful granny afghans displayed over the backs of sofas! So, even the old was way better than the VERY old. We must be thankful we are living in this age of yarn choices.🤗
I noticed the difference too. I didn't like the texture of the old one but they always had good colors. I bought some recently and noticed that it felt much better and was questioning my memory! So thank you for letting me know I'm not just imagining things!
Yup, I agree with the 'rug burn' while crocheting with the old yarn! I noticed that, too!
Made a king size blanket with RHSS 30 years ago. My mother still uses it as her winter blanket every year. She LOVES it. Truly a long lasting yarn.
Hello, I would like to say that I totally agree with your opinion of super saver. It changed for the better, I no longer get rug burn using it. I actually look for the new ones now.
Yup! I wouldn’t have dreamed about making a sweater out of super saver until I saw the exact colors I needed at Walmart. I was shocked at how much softer they are than what I had at home
Rub-burns! Yes, that's the perfect word to describe why I didn't use Red Heart SuperSaver in the past. I have used some of the new improved formula yarn, but the softness is still not consistent across all colors. So I don't order it online - I've got to give it the touch test in the store before I invest time & money on it. But HobbyLobby's I Love This Yarn in soft in all colors!! It's my favorite yarn!!
Yes, I love Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn too!
Hobby Lobby ILTY was my favorite yarn until I tried Michael's Loops& Threads Impeccable (specifically Impeccable). It doesn't offer nearly the same number of colorways, but I very much enjoy crocheting with it
I just recently was introduced to I Love This Yarn and Was impressed by color and softness. I also noticed that Super Saver is softer especially when I compare it to the older Super Saver from my stash.
Thank you so much that really helped me a lot I stopped buying the yarn due to the texture and after your review I placed my order Thank you 💐
Glad to hear that this yarn has been improved on quality & not gone down on quality instead.
Thank you,nobody else is talking about this. I used super saver when I started 40 years ago. I hated it,but it was cheap and I didn't know much about yarn. I see red heart has made better yarns but not at the same price. I'm happy to hear super saver has changed for the better. I will have to feel it myself. And they need consistency with colors. Thanks😊
I love Super Saver. I have used both old and the new. I never had rub burns from using it. I have always loved it, but I love it more now.
I recently began knitting again after not doing it for years, and I agree. I remember the old Supersaver was plasticy feeling and the finished product looked cheap. I bought some last week to practice with and I was amazed! I love it! I got half a dozen skeins in black and half a dozen in white for $2 each on Amazon and I am amazed at the improvement! The only one I've had a problem with is the Mexicana color, which my Sentro machine hates and will not work with. I've tried maybe 10 other colors and they're beautiful.
3 Cheers for improved soft quality worsted yarn in the super economy market.
YES!!!
The texture has changed, but I still soften it up by soaking it in the wash with cream hair conditioner. Works beautifully. I use it to make baby blankets and everyone is amazed at how soft it is. Try it, you will love how even softer it is after conditioning it.
When I first started crocheting I used the Red HeartSS and I HATED it. I almost thought I would quit because I didn't realize at first that there were better options elsewhere. Thankfully I didn't and I discovered craft stores. I recently was browsing Walmart for kitchen cotton yarn and I felt some of the Super Saver yarn and I was surprised how soft it was. I am really glad they changed it. I still have some skeins of the old version that I don't want...
It might also have something to do with the fact that Yarnspirations bought out Red Heart and instigated the changes. The one bad thing about the Yarnspirations take over is that they have radically changed some dye lot colors of the same color of other brand yarns.
I love the red heart hombre yarn for scarfs...hard to find on the shelves.😢
It’s so much better! I noticed this to. Much softer. I always use this yarn for making Amigurumi.
I bought some Red Heart WITH LOVE on clearance for $1 a skein at walmart last month. I've never used it before. was afraid it was just like red heart super saver. but for $1 I got it. I love it almost as much as I LOVE THIS YARN!!!'I'm glad to hear SS is softer now. I think red heart realized in order to stay competitive and not lose out to ILTY they had to do something!
I really like the RSWL & with so many other options out there I have no reason to bother with RHSS since it's just a little...some better :D
shady Lnu I’ve always used Caron Simply Soft. Is ILTY more comparable in softness to Caron or Red Heart?
I think I Love This Yarn is a bit different from both of those. It is just as soft as Caron (if not softer), but it is a different texture. The Caron Simply Soft is more silky feeling, whereas the ILTY has a plush, lofty, squishy feel when you squeeze it. Hope this helps!
I agree with you. I to would look for a softer acrylic yarn to use for my projects. I’m glad that they made a change in their yarn.
Totally agree. I noticed the difference, but didn't know why. Thanks for the heads up on looking for the new logo!
This is the yarn I grew up crocheting on. You are correct it’s so much better. When I was a beginner crocheting at 8 yrs old, this was sturdy enough to mess up on then pull apart and still hold up. But I have noticed I over the meany years of crocheting I moved away from it. I’m glad it’s back and enjoy again working with it again. Thanks for the video.
You are so right! I got a red color that was soft and nice. But also I got a orange and it was so rough and scratchie.
Yes, colour makes a huge difference in their texture. Scratchy one is the "camo"
I have a Paddy Green that feels really scratchy
Got a white one feels like sand paper
The black burned me!! So bad.
Interestingly, I recently bought a skein of the "camo" to supplement a knitting machine sweater that I was making. The original camo that I had, manufactured in the mid-90's, was pretty scratchy. The new batch is nice and soft, just like the other colors. I was pleasantly surprised!
The Hunter Green is like sandpaper. Even after washing several times. I’m very disappointed because I was going to gift a super long scarf to my dad for Christmas but who would want sandpaper next to their neck no matter how pretty!
I went to Walmart today to grab a few different colors for a blanket I'm working on, I usually go for Hobby Lobby ILTY like you mentioned. I thought I was going crazy when I ended up buying Super Saver yarn after disliking it for so long. I have a handful of Super Savers that are several years old and never use because they are soooo scratchy!! I'm excited that it's so much softer now!
However, I think I might still be on the crazy side because I bought the yarn, came home to later watch some TH-cam and this very video was recommended to me on my home page when I logged in. I hear people talk about how they will get ads for things they talk about, like say you were talking with your SO about needing a new fridge and then FB suddenly refrigerator ads. That's creepy enough but I was by myself and never said anything about it. Hahaha, surely just a coincidence. Or TH-cam is watching me. Either way... thank you for sharing!!!
Long ago I was taught to very lightly steam block your finished item.... use a fabric steamer, not an iron, and very very carefully steam. Not too much or you will "kill" the red heart (or any acrylic yarn). This will soften it a lot, and it stays soft, washes and wears wonderfully.
I got a few skeins of "bad" Super Saver a few years ago, it had lots of acrylic fibers that shed off it and caused itching and irritation while knitting. I'm not allergic to acrylic, this was specific to this 3 pack I got. I washed it and it was better but it was still "hard". I just now got a black skein and it has the same issue. It's like it's spun badly, and crunchy feeling.
I have a lot of skeins of the old Super Saver and haven't had to buy any more. But, will check out the new yarn.
Thanks for the update/review. I have not seen any of the new yarn. I don't buy it all that often so maybe it's time to go and check it out and see if Michaels has any of the newer version yet.
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful to you!
The material (acrylic fiber) is made and dyed elsewhere before colored material bales are shipped to the spinning plant in Georgia
I haven't seen the new Super Saver yet. But will certainly check it out.
I have used red heart for many years,very good for wear and lasts for ever. I have read some of the comments.When I am done making mittens and worn and ready for the wash. I first wash as normal to get the dirt or whatever out,then I add 2 times the softer or 2 sheets and it comes out very soft. I did try the large super saver and yes it is softer but also I found it less wound somewhat more tread like...so not sure but for sure it is not as scratchy as the old. When my aunt knitted she always had consistent color and that when you are buying this yarn the lot number is the same ( 2 rolls) or more,this way it should always be the same hue. An example I pick up white lot 9471 the next one has to be also white 9471 not white 6831. Thank you for the you-tube and yes it is different.
Hi that’s all that I used to use is red heart but now that I picked up the new red heart I love it more better so thank you for your tutorial God bless
Working on a project, I had to go purchase more carrot color redheart yarn. I noticed the gauge is smaller in the new redheart yarn. I purchased 2 skeins of supersaver. The original yarn I started with was a skein of supersaver jumbo and it is so much thicker than the new yarn skwin. I noticed this when I worked 4 rows on my project. This is not good for my project. I could tell the difference immediately. Stuck with what to do I'll purchase a supersaver jumbo skein to see if there is a difference.
Recently I found 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver at the local thrift store-- one red & one yellow for $2.97. The yellow is as you noted--it is softer than previous purchases. The red is not as soft, but softer than previous purchases of Red Heart Super Saver yarn. I will be using the red to make a couple of Christmas stockings for some children. The yellow I will use to make something for myself.
I agree with you. Much softer and easier to use.
Several years ago I crocheted a multi colored blanket using super saver yarn. I ran out of one of the colors and to my surprise, the new yarn wasn't the same color even though there's no dye and the text was different. Fortunately because of the blanket pattern, the difference in texture and color weren't noticeable unless pointed out.
Yarns do change over the years which I have found out.
I got some yesterday I'm now making a scarf feels good
I have used Red Heart Super Saver yarn for about 40 years and never noticed a problem with it.
At Joanns someone said the difference is the rinsing with water as opposed to rinsing with chemicals.
I agree. I gave my old super saver yarn to my friend who does plastic canvas.
I feel like I already knew about this years ago before hand considering I get my yarn mainly from thrift stores, but this makes me want to actually go somewhere else to buy yarn seeing that most yarns I know come from good places at a great price
Go figure a company listened to its customers and changed something that needed to be changed.
Walmart's Mainstay brand has improved since they started getting it from Turlush factories instead of China factories. Thanks for this review !
I must be spoiled by the Caron brand bc RH still feels scratchy and awful to me even with the new packaging. It gets better with washes but I still prefer a different brand for gifts and things that will be worn often like Caron or the Lion brand.
I like RH for practice work or when I was first starting out and needed really affordable yarn though. It's a great beginner yarn.
I too prefer Lion Brand and Caron yarns. They are much softer. My absolute favorite acrylic yarn is Premier (Deborah Norville) Everyday yarn. It is so soft and doesn't pill but is a bit more expensive for large projects. Definately a yarn to get on sale our with coupons on the whole order. I am making a gorgeous afghan in queen size for my daughters. She felt part of the blanket without it being washed and said wow mom this is so soft. It was the Northern Lights color. I like the Caron simply soft for baby gifts.
I started crocheting a little over a year ago and I mainly shop at Joann. After feeling up all the cheap skeins, lol, I pretty much exclusively bought Big Twist (Joann brand) to learn on. It was way softer and actually cheaper than RH. I also have a Caron One Pound in Lace to make my pug hats (perfect fawn color) and it's night and day. I have one skein of RHSS I got to make Little Hats Big Hearts donation hats and I rarely touch it because it's just so unpleasant to hold. I may try chucking the whole thing in the wash with fabric softener and then rewind it. I wouldn't even recommend it for beginner just because it's so unpleasant to hold. I actually butted in on an employee who was helping a woman trying to learn crochet and steered her toward the Big Twist.
After discovering Caron that is my brand of choice. A little more $ but projects are beautiful.
Oh, the Premiere Everday is my favorite too....works up beautifully. I use the Redheart Super Saver on handbag projects...very sturdy but for gifts, Premiere or Caron Cotton Cakes are Fab!!!
I took a couple years off of knitting, I had the same issue with super saver. I’m back in it and I’ve avoided super saver because of previous experience. Now I think I’ll buy some. I’m going to give it a feel...Afghans galore.
I'm late here, but I noticed the positive difference, too. Thought it was my imagination because I didn't have an old skein to compare it to. But I recall thinking, I thought this yarn was rougher/scratchier. lol
I totally agree and can tell the difference when I’m crotcheting.
I just ran into this same problem. I don't have any new yarn at the moment to crochet (waiting for pay day) so I looked through my old stock and ran across 3 skeins of super saver white. The first is really rough (old label), the next seemed thinner but a little softer, and the 3rd started rough and then changed into thinner and softer texture?????? I thought it was just a bad batch, and am glad I watched your video. I am looking forward to trying the new label. Thank you (Also I have tried a cheap hair conditioner in the washer with warm water to soften this rough stuff. It works. Have also tossed this brand in the dryer as well.
Thanks for the review, I will have to check it out.
I actually noticed this yesterday at Joann Fabrics. They had Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo for $4.99 per skein. I noticed the gold color in the regular size ( last day of sale. I think") was soooo soft, so I started feeling them all. :-) Gold was the softest I found, no jumbo roll, but I thought the other colors were also softer, except red. Got several jumbos but will wait for a sale for the other size to go on sale.
I bought that gray one about a week ago at Walmart and wasn't soft at all to me it was still rough to me.
I know this is an older video but I recently just started crocheting again. I bought a new skein of a pink super saver and I immediately noticed the difference while crocheting. I thought it was my imagination. :O
I use Super Saver for most projects, but....I wash it in the washer on gentle and then always lay it out to dry. If I put it in the dryer, I tend to get "nubs" or "pills" and I don't like that. Usually the spin cycle on the washer gets it near to dry and tossing it over the back of the couch it's dry in about 30 mins.
I love red heart I started crocheting 50 yrs ago with RH and still using it today
Lol i am knitting a hat with 100% merino wool and it felt like rug burn on my index finger. Im knitting the 2x2 ribbing flat on size 2 U.S needles and its taking forever. Great video thanks for posting tbis as i have so much red heart that i dont know what to do with
Jessica Collins I’ve experienced the finger rug burn! Quick stitches.
Hi you are so right about the yarn. I'm glad for the change.
I stopped crocheting for about a year and I never purchased this yarn for the same reasons you described, I started again this past fall and had to buy red heart super saver and to my surprise it felt different! Right away I noticed how much softer it feels!
I guess I wasn’t imagining it! 😊
I’ve been looking for warm brown color forever. Can’t find it anywhere
Yes ,I thought the same thing .You hit it on the nail .And I used to buy this all the time .but have found another brand .I hate that they changed ....the brighter the color I have found is the Rougher..Thanks
you know what, it IS softer. I have been avoiding super saver because of how rough it was. I can't use wool or angora so I've been sticking to Caron and Bernat but I will have to try Red Heart again soon 😍
Wow, this is interesting! I haven't gotten any Super Saver in a few years, despite using it a little more frequently for just fun, simple projects. But I'll definitely try out the new "recipe"!
I buy RHSS for my amigurumi projects where softness is not a concern. Thank you for your review. Good to know it's softer now and can be used for other items.
I only used red heart yarn for many decades, until it became like sand paper. I had some skeins given to me 2 years ago and I made a grocery bag and a yarn caddy. I think the skeins I was given were old, very rough. I haven't bough super saver yarn for more than ten years. I make hats, scarves, gloves and sweaters, so I buy the softest yarns I can find. I'll have to revisit red heart super saver yarn and feel it. Thanks for sharing
I've noticed lately when I've bought Red Heart Super Saver that some colors don't seem to have as much in them as others. Do you have any idea what causes this to happen?
Yes I agree with it has gotten softer. Thank you.
Hi! I have not noticed any difference in the amount included in each ball between colors, other than that the printed, striped, or variegated colorways come in smaller skeins. Perhaps you could try weighing the skeins before you begin using them to see if they are the correct weight given on the label. Hope this helps! Thanks!
Yes ma'am it helps. Thank you for answering my question I appreciate it. I'll try to remember to do that next time I buy yarn.
You're welcome!
Judy Wray I've also noticed that both variegated and the solid colors have less yarn in general than it used to. I used to buy large solids that were 8oz skeins and variegated skeins were 6oz. They are now 7oz solids and 5oz variegated. No price change though. Less product for the same price.
I've noticed this also.
I'm working up a striped blanket and some skeins will do 6 complete rows, some do 7 and I've even gotten 8 rows out of the supposed same weight/length skeins.
I had noticed that it was softer too. Definitely has improved.
You are so right
I just bought some and was pleasantly surprised by the softness. In the past, I was disappointed but had to work with a budget. But being on a budget doesn't mean rough yarn any longer😁
I have stopped crocheting and knitting because of RHSS's inconsistent yarn colors and thickness. I do a lot of red, white and blue projects and the last time I made a project I had to go back to the store 4 different times just to match the Royal Blue color. I have also found that some of the colors are not the same thickness as the rest. I can't deal with inconsistent colors and thickness!
I thought I was the only one with this problem. It drove me nuts! Some colors I won't even use because they're too stringy despite supposedly being a size 4.
I also do a lot of red, white and blue knitting and crocheting, the inconsistency of the yarn itself. The red seems to be more plump than the blue but then the white is just stringy.
I bought a skein of RHSS blue once and there was 3 feet of bright red yarn in the center of the skein. Didn't see it until the project was halfway finished. Had to buy another skein just to replace those three feet lost.
I was not happy
I agree super saver is softer, for sure!
Wow this is great information to have, Thank you! I will be careful not to mix any old skeins I have with any new ones on projects. Any texture differences within a project would jump out and annoy me.
Totally agree! There is a definite change to the yarn. I love it after washing even more. I noticed it seems to be less than it was, though you say it is the same. Maybe the wrap is tighter now and it just looks smaller. Good video.
Wow I was wondering the same thing and thank you for the review
Interesting - what I am finding is the yarn is so soft it is shedding! I use it to make hook rug designs & usually wash before giving away but lately it is shedding so much I cannot give this to anyone! I have wasted time & $ - wondering if I should switch to wool or something else.
You said it in your video - I Love This Yarn is so wonderfully soft. I think when Hobby Lobby came out with their brand, Red Heart sales dropped off considerably. Red Heart was forced to improve their yarn in order to get back in the market.
the older red heart super saver i notice in sweaters i have made got way less nubs then the newer I am so unhappy about that part! but i love the price and more shades and yes softer but it seems its way less durable for really hard wearing items so buy accordingly : ) still looking for a yarn that wears like mohair but man made and machine washable for durable long wearing items( sweaters hoodies skirts) what yarn do you use guys?
I have the dusty grey colorway and I agree that it's soft. Some colors I've noticed are still a little scratchy like soft navy and white while the brown shades are soft. Can't figure it out. But I only use SS for afghans/lapghans so it's not a big deal to me as they soften up in the wash. At JoAnn Fabrics it goes on sale for $2.59 a skein and that's when I stock up.
Thanks for the differences in red heart.
I bought some RHSS today and it's much softer but also a lot thinner. 7oz vs 8, and my projects with the same pattern, same hook, are MUCH much smaller. I'm upset.
I agree! Have had like pieces of small wood in the yarn before.
Stiffness can be caused by the amount of dye it takes to get the colors, and also the amount of steam treatment that the yarn is given in their process. Comparing Red Heart to Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn is like comparing apples to oranges. But for the price point, I guess Red Heart wins. I don't use it much, opting for a nicer yarn just because if I spend my time making something for someone, I feel like I want it to look, feel and be better. Maybe that's not the most frugal attitude, but hey, to each his own. Nice comparison video. Always helps to get other people's opinions. If we all agreed, there would be no other products to choose from.
This reply is coming in 5 months late, but I wanted to say you aren't alone in feeling that way. I splurge sometimes on 100% merino wool for a project, and I won't work with a yarn that doesn't feel nice. Especially since the move to Germany, my eyes have been opened to the whole wide world of yarn out there. I keep finding these amazing feeling yarns in all types of fibers, and the millions of color options that RH just doesn't have. I don't think I could ever go back to Red Heart Super Scratchy ever again!
I usually go for the natural fiber yarns, but I did find a Caron acrylic that I like. I guess I can check out some of the red heart stuff again, but the last time I used it, it was just horrible. I am glad to know that a change has been made though. The merino that I usually buy online is much more pricey than acrylic. Does red heart make natural fiber yarns, or are they all acrylic?
Hi Janet! Red Heart does make yarns from other fibers, and in my opinion, most of them are much better quality than super saver. Pretty much all of their other yarns cost more than super saver, but they are higher quality as well. Many of their other yarns are acrylic / natural fiber blends, but there are a few pure natural fiber yarns. This one www.redheart.com/yarn/chic-sheep-by-marly-bird is 100% merino wool, at $9.99 for 100g / 3.5 oz. Hope this helps!
I totally agree about Red Heart. I hated it, but still bought because of assorted colors.
I agree! The largest percentage of my yarn stash has always been RHSS, because of the amazing array of beautiful colors. I just put up with the "rug burn" on my finger. There is definitely a difference in texture lately. Thank you Red Heart. My finger is much happier.
Thank you for the review
I’ve heard this from others. I hope it is softer. I rarely use it. I love Red Heart Soft and other 4 weights. There are many reasonably priced yarns out there. Thanks for sharing this. I’ll take another look. I have some left over for many years so I will be able to compare!
You're welcome, Thea! I'm glad the review was helpful to you!
I really love the super save Love , it is the softest yarn from super saver. I do have some of the old stuff and it is definitely hard and scratchy . Thanks for the update. This is very helpful...and for that reason I will start buying Red Heart again.