Supersoft Yarn Holst Garn Supersoft

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Suggested patterns for Supersoft

Supersoft is a 100% wool yarn made of 50% Merino and 50% Shetland wool, sourced from non-mulesed sheep farms in New Zealand and Australia. The sheep are shorn once or twice a year, yielding between 2 and 10 kilograms of wool depending on the breed.

Merino wool comes from Merino sheep and is notably finer and softer than many other types of wool. Shetland wool comes from Shetland sheep, a breed from the Shetland Islands (north of Scotland), and its fibres tend to be coarser than Merino’s, making it slightly more prone to itchiness.

Wool has many excellent properties -it’s temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and naturally antibacterial. Because Supersoft yarn is untreated, its self-cleaning behaviour is preserved, meaning you don’t need to wash your knitted garment very often. In many cases, it’s sufficient to air it outside for a while.

You can read more about how to wash your finished knitwear here.

The name “Supersoft”

Supersoft was originally developed as an alternative to traditional Shetland yarns. By incorporating Merino wool, the yarn achieves a greater softness than pure Shetland yarn — hence the name Supersoft. In this way, one can knit a sweater that maintains the same appearance as if made from pure Shetland, yet with a significantly softer feel. The combination of Merino and Shetland wool is therefore a perfect match.

These days, many different yarns in the market are even softer than Supersoft. One could argue that the name “Supersoft” is somewhat misleading; however, many people can wear Supersoft directly against the skin. Ultimately it depends on an individual’s sensitivity to wool.

One common method to assess yarn fineness is by measuring the wool fibres used, in units called microns (µm), which indicate the diameter of each fibre. The lower the micron count, the finer the wool. Supersoft has a micron count of 25.5, placing it in the mid-range of the scale. Wool yarns below 25 µm are particularly suitable for garments worn directly on the skin, whereas slightly coarser wools are often used for outer layers, blankets, or accessories.

As mentioned above, the yarn is constructed of two plies: one spun with an S-twist and the other with a Z-twist. These two plies, spun in opposite directions, are then plied together into a balanced single yarn - meaning the S and Z twists cancel each other out.

Worsted-spun vs Woolen-spun

Traditionally, there are two main kinds of yarn: worsted-spun and woolen-spun.

Worsted-spun yarns are generally denser and smoother. They tend to have more sheen and are heavier compared to woolen-spun yarns. Woolen-spun yarns, in contrast, contain a lot of air and are lighter and airier. They often have small fibre ends sticking out from the yarn’s surface. Because of the trapped air, woolen-spun yarns knit up into very warm, insulating knitwear. When the yarn is washed, the different sizes and lengths of fibres get a chance to relax, readjust, and mingle with each other. That’s what is meant when we talk about the yarn “blooming” after washing. Woolen-spun yarn is also quite elastic.

Worsted-spun yarns are generally made using the highest quality long-staple wool. The fibres are combed, aligning them parallel, and shorter fibres are removed. This gives a yarn with more consistent length and diameter of fibres. On the other hand, woolen-spun yarns are usually made from shorter fibres which vary more in size and length.

Before raw wool can be processed into yarn, it needs to be washed to remove dirt and other impurities. Worsted-spun yarn is then combed so that the fibres lie evenly; during this process shorter fibres are sorted out for consistency. After that, the yarn is spun and then dyed.

Woolen-spun yarn undergoes a similar washing process, then it is carded and finally spun. Unlike worsted-spun yarn, it is not combed in the same way, so the surface tends to be more uneven.

Our Supersoft yarn is woolen-spun. This means it is first washed, then carded, spun, and dyed using the woolen process. Because of this, Supersoft becomes very light and airy and has a slightly more irregular, woolly surface. Woolen-spun yarns also tend to “bloom” or expand after washing.

Supersoft is the most elastic yarn in our range and offers excellent wearing properties.

Dyeing process

The yarn is dyed using a technique known as the heather/melange method. This means that the fibres are dyed before being spun into the yarn we know as Supersoft. Supersoft Ecru is the raw, undyed wool upon which all other colours are based. The shade of Ecru can tend to be more or less yellow depending on what the sheep have eaten. The “summer cut” tends to be more yellow than the “winter cut”, since the sheep may have eaten more fresh grass as opposed to hay. Because of variations in the appearance of the raw wool, the other colours may also differ slightly from batch to batch. That is why you may notice subtle differences between dye lots. For this reason, it is important to purchase enough yarn from the same dye lot before beginning a new project.

Most Supersoft colours are melange shades, meaning the wool fibres are dyed in multiple tones before being spun, creating a rich and vibrant effect. Examples include colours such as Chiffon, Damask, Truffle and Robins Egg.

We have chosen to keep our yarn as “clean” as possible and to avoid unnecessary chemicals in production. To maintain Supersoft as a pure wool product, we limit our use of bleach. Over-bleaching can make fibres fragile, so it’s always a delicate balance. Hence, our Bleached White is not a pure, stark white.

Supersoft is an unwashed yarn - that is, after dyeing and spinning we do not subject it to further washing. As a result, there may still be small traces of excess dye or spinning oil from the production process. All colours comply with OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and the spinning oil used is vegetable-based, so the residuals are non-toxic.

It is well known that colours such as Carmine / Venetian Red and indigo based blues as Mariner may bleed more than, say, Calypso Green. This tendency is inherent to the nature of those dyes, and unfortunately cannot be completely eliminated.

If this is your first time working with Supersoft, we always recommend knitting or crocheting a small swatch first, then washing it. This lets you observe how the yarn behaves and “blooms” in use. Doing so gives you a much better sense of how your finished project will appear.

Machine knitting

Supersoft has been specifically developed with the furniture industry in mind, engineered to satisfy the high demands of durability, comfort, and efficiency required for large-scale textile and upholstery production. Because of this, it performs exceptionally well in machine knitting applications, making it the preferred choice for throws, blankets, scarves, cushions, and fabric panels.

Supersoft is supplied on cones that are optimized for machine feeding, thereby minimizing interruptions and downtime during production. Its woolen-spun structure, balanced twist, and resilient fibre blend help maintain consistent stitch formation and performance even under high mechanical stress.

Knitting Patterns Perfect for Holst Garn Supersoft

Supersoft is a highly versatile yarn that can be used in many different patterns. Supersoft can be used on its own or held together with a companion or contrasting strand for added texture or colour depth. A wide range of colours makes the yarn especially suitable for multicolour knitting, since there are endless colour combinations. Below you can see examples of patterns knitted in Supersoft. You can also view our inspiration catalogue of designs we’ve had knitted up right here.

Ravello by Isabell Kraemer
Slipstravaganza by Stephen West
Holsten by ANKESTRiCK
Wool & Honey by Andrea Mowry
Vinterfjell by Skeindeer Knits

All these patterns can be found on Ravelry.

Good to know before you order

Autumn Special - click to read more

Supersoft - Wool