My Honest Review of Caron Simply Soft Yarn (worth it?)

With acrylic yarn being the most affordable option out there in the yarn market, it’s always nice to find a high quality yet low priced yarn. It’s especially nice to find one that’s not only high quality and cheap, but one that’s soft as well. That’s where Caron Simply Soft (by Yarnspirations) comes in.

Caron Simply Soft is a high quality, cheap, sleek, worsted weight yarn that is extremely cost efficient. It has a lovely shine to it which makes it an ideal choice for amigurumi and accessories alike. It has a yardage of 315 and is 100% acrylic.

To add to its list of good things, its skeins barely knot within themselves. Its color choices are amazing, and it’s machine washable.

Not only that, but Simply Soft has many different varieties from solid colors to variegated to tweeds. Everyone is able to choose a yarn they enjoy with Simply Soft.

Caron Simply Soft Breakdown

Price$5.49
Yardage315 yards
Price/yard$0.02
Number of colorways51 (solids)
WeightWorsted (4) (but acts more like DK / 3
Fiber content100% acrylic
CareMachine wash and dry
How does it feel?Softer than regular acrylic, sometimes itchy

I have found that when people post their creations that use Simply Soft yarn, there are so many comments asking what type of yarn they use. The interwoven sheen the yarn has gives it a unique luster that regular acrylic yarn doesn’t have, making items irresistible.

A drawback of that sleek sheen are the woven ends’ tendency to slip out if they’re not tied down properly.

It doesn’t have the same catch as non-shiny, rougher acrylics do. With this yarn, take care to leave longer ends to weave in so you’ll have the length to tie knots to keep the ends in.

My recommendation for tying the ends would be to split the ends of the yarn, tie a knot with the split ends, then weave in one end one way and the other end opposite from that.

If you need a visual example, check out this blog post.

The ends, when woven in using this technique, will hold up over time, especially in wearables. With amigurumi, knotting it inside of the project works just fine.

More blog posts for amigurumi beginners:

While Simply Soft is advertised as a worsted weight (4) yarn, it is thinner than your average worsted yarn. Many people, myself included, agree that Simply Soft feels and acts more like a DK (light worsted) weight yarn.

If gauge is important with your project, you will need to do a swatch to ensure your measurements are correct. If gauge doesn’t matter, be warned that your project may come out a bit smaller than anticipated.

Like most acrylics, it is a yarn that pills. Pilling is where the threads loosen over time and create bits of fuzz on the surface of the item. The pilling happens more often when the ends have begun to unravel while I have been sewing.

While I’ve worked up multiple amigurumi and tapestries with this yarn, I haven’t created any wearables with it. This leads me to believe that it might pill with wearables throughout the years as they are worn, so keep an eye out for that if you are using it for a wearable.

Cockatrice (pattern from Crafty Intentions’ crochet book) made up of Simply Soft regular (grey belly, feet, and pink waddle), Heathers (green body and wings) and Tweeds (white head).

My experience using this yarn!

Before I get into the mechanics of Simply Soft, one of the things I enjoy about it is the amount of color choices you have.

While it doesn’t have limitless choices like some acrylic yarns, it still has a relatively decent amount that can cover nearly every project.

I’m not one to spin my yarn skeins into cakes before I begin using them. I tend to use my yarn skeins, balls, or cakes in the way I bought them (unless they come in hanks and need to be spun to be used).

I do like how Simply Soft’s skeins are spun together in a way where it doesn’t barf yarn when you least expect it.

It may be a bit tight (and tend to roll away more since it’s so compact), but I personally like that because it feels like I have more control over it. It might be very much a me-thing, but it’s just one more thing I like about Simply Soft.

Since it is an acrylic yarn, its threads are twisted together to form the yarn to work with. I have found that the threads split easily, especially when you are sewing your items together or when your hook slips into the middle of the thread. It’s an easy fix by simply twisting the threads back into place.

It happens more often towards the ends of the yarn, so take care to make sure it doesn’t unravel too much. As long as you’re not constantly sticking your hook into the middle of the yarn or unraveling the ends, it will stay in place.

A positive about how easily it splits means you’ll be able to embroider designs without relying on the stitches themselves. You’d be able to insert your needle into the middle of the yarn creating the stitch if need be.

While I do enjoy working with Simply Soft overall, I have found that some skeins are softer than others.

As with some yarns, the quality (and sometimes color shade) of the skein tends to vary from each batch. Some of my Simply Soft skeins from years ago are rougher or softer than skeins I bought a few months ago.

It’s sometimes the luck of the draw when it comes to the softness of this brand. I will say that most of the skeins are relatively soft.

In my experience, even its itchiest skeins are softer than your typical acrylic yarns. I would recommend Simply Soft over other rougher, typical acrylic yarns.

While it does have its drawbacks like any other type of yarn, I do enjoy working with it. If you use a smaller hook, it whips up some fantastic amigurumi with solid rounds that don’t collapse in on themselves easily.

What should you use this yarn for?

As with most acrylic yarns, Simply Soft is highly versatile. It can be used from hats, sweaters, amigurumi, blankets, potholders, tapestries, and more! The sky’s the limit with this yarn.

I personally like using it for amigurumi and tapestries. It gives amigurumi and other projects a unique sheen that makes them even more eye-catching.

What yarns can I substitute for Caron Simply Soft?

Caron has many different varieties of Simply Soft. As of this review, their current availabilities are Brites, Heathers, Marled, O’Go, Ombres, Paints, Party, Speckle, Stripes, and Tweeds.

Yardage, price, texture, and color choice may vary between each type. From my research, all of their variants have the same weight and hook size, but it’s always a good idea to double check by creating a swatch.

Personally, I have used Heathers and Tweeds. Heathers is thicker than regular Simply Soft and is closer to a regular worsted weight. I find that Heathers is a bit scratchier as well, but still works up nicely.

Tweeds has a design where bits of yarn are woven into the thread, but not too tightly. This may cause problems for beginners as sometimes the bits are annoying to work around. It is about the same size as regular Simply Soft, which makes it a thinner worsted weight yarn.

If you wish to use a different yarn that’s not Caron’s brand, you do have a few choices. My personal favorite is Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny.

Soft and Shiny isn’t an exact match. While it is labeled as a worsted (4) weight just like Simply Soft, it is slightly thicker, even though it has a smaller recommended hook of 3.5 mm (US size: E-4). It has 311 yards per skein with a cheaper price of $4.99.

In my opinion, it is slightly softer and shinier than Simply Soft and is a good substitute. Please note that Caron Simply Soft is slightly thinner than Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny and that difference may reflect in your project.

If you’re looking for a more exact match, Bernat Premium has the same worsted (4) weight and recommended hook size. The solid color skeins are slightly longer with 329 yards, but their ombre skeins are smaller with 236 yards. Both types are priced at $7.99 per skein at the time of this review.

3 Easy Simply Soft Patterns!

All Squared Away Baby

This blanket is made up of different sized granny squares to create this very cool look! There are videos linked in the PDFs for visual learners. There are also color design ideas listed, but you could easily create your own design as well.

Simple Scarf

Wanting to test out Simply Soft but don’t want to commit to buying more than one skein? This scarf is perfect for that! This super easy pattern repeats two rows until you hit the end of the skein, creating a beautiful scarf.

Pocket Fox

This incredibly easy pattern just takes two flat pieces crocheted, sewed (or single crocheted) together, then stuffed! You can make them any color you want, thanks to Simply Soft’s array of color choices. You’ll also be practicing color switches with this pattern.

More home decor crochet projects:

Commonly Asked Questions

What is the best crochet hook for Caron Simply Soft?

The recommended hook for Simply Soft is 5mm, or H-8 in US sizes. However, a 4mm, or G-6 hook, is my preference due to its thinner weight.

Is Caron Simply Soft Yarn DK?

While Simply Soft is advertised as a worsted weight yarn, some people claim that Simply Soft feels more like a DK weight yarn. DK (double knit) yarns are lighter worsted weight yarns, but they are both considered medium/worsted weight.

It is a bit thinner when compared to other worsted weight yarns. I have found better tension when using a hook smaller than 5mm when working on amigurumi. If you wish to use it for wearables, then I would suggest testing out different hook sizes to find the one that fits for your project.

Does Simply Soft hold its shape well?

Simply Soft holds its shape well with amigurumi. If you have a tighter tension, the shape of the amigurumi stays stiff and does not collapse or flop over as easily as some other yarns.

I have not tried it for wearables, but reviews talk about how lovely the drape is.

Is Caron One Pound the same as Simply Soft?

Caron One Pound is not the same as Caron Simply Soft. They both have the same recommended hooks (5mm / H-8), but Simply Soft is a bit on the thinner side. At the time of this review, One Pound runs $11.99 and 812 yards per skein.

I personally haven’t worked with One Pound, but based on reviews by other people, it seems that One Pound is scratchier but more durable. It can be softened with fabric softener, but it doesn’t have the same pretty sheen as Simply Soft.

Is Caron Simply Soft good for blankets?

Caron Simply Soft would work well for blankets. It is a thinner worsted weight yarn, so it would be easily able to create a throw blanket that could be used year-round.

Is Caron Simply Soft good for sweaters?

Simply Soft is good for sweaters thanks to its softness and affordability. Many reviews talk about how well it drapes when you use the right hook size; create a few swatches to see what works best for you! Sweaters don’t come out bulky or stiff as with some other acrylic yarns.

Some of its skeins can be a bit itchy, but Simply Soft works just fine for wearables. My personal preference would be to use the thicker Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny instead.