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Yarn Profile: Softig

First Impressions
It was love at first sight (and touch) with Softig. Already a great fan of Karabella's merino standby, Aurora 8, I was pleased to see that Karabella applies the same high standards to all its products.

Softig is a tubular yarn that's knitted instead of spun. It's similar in concept to Stahl Bandolino except that it's composed of two strands knit in the round, instead of one. Each strand is of a different thickness, which produces a consistent rippled effect in the yarn and finished garments.

Knitting Up
Softig presented no problems knitting up. Not even one snag presented itself. The only slight surprise was how much of a workout I got from the yarn's bulk. It was rather like trying to knit with shoelaces.

Softig produced thick and substantial swatches. Stitches were technically even, while the swatch surfaces had a dappled, almost bumpy look because of the yarn's texture.

Blocking / Washing
Even in a bath of bone-chillingly cold water, my red swatches bled faintly. They required no blocking, although they took what seemed like forever to dry.

Loose ends tended to fray from normal agitation, so you may want to weave them into your garment -- loosely -- prior to washing.

Despite the bleeding, there was no visible color loss when the swatches dried. Gauge remained constant as well.

Wearing
Knitted up, Softig has the heft and feel of a good washcloth. There's a hint of roughness to it, but at the core you're definitely working with soft material. As it aged, the knitted fabric became yet more soft and pliable.

It produces a thick garment with only moderate drape. To avoid the Attack of the Shapeless Sweater syndrome, you may want to stick with more tailored patterns.

During the stress tests, high-wear areas began to blur and pill after a moderate amount of friction.

From a structural perspective, Softig would survive many a rugby match before actually wearing through. It will, however, eventually lose its crisp stitch definition and pitted texture in favor of a softer, blurrier look.

Conclusion
The dense Karabella is particularly well-suited for heavier summer sweaters where you still need a little warmth. And its thick/thin knitted tube composition adds a subtle but classy effect even in simple stockinette stitch.

An average-sized woman's sweater will run you a little over $100. Yes, this is cotton, but it has a complex fabrication.

I doubt I'll ever get around to making anything for myself with Softig, but that's only because I like a little more drape in my sweaters. But if this doesn't bother you, if you live in a warmer climate, or if you simply enjoy knitting and wearing cotton, keep Softig in mind.