When you're knitting, is there anyway to make acrylic yarn soften?

I'm still a novice knitter, but I'm making a scarf for someoneShe picked out the yarn for herself, thinking only of the colour (a really rather pretty shade of blue that fades into purple)The trouble is, it's one hundred percent acrylic and I don't like the way it feelsI've got about three, very-close-to-flawless feet so far, so it seems like it's too late to start overIs there a way to wash it so that it's softer? (Also, is knitting with natural fibers easier than knitting with synthetics/blends?)

Some people use the pot roast bags and place the meat, potatoes, carrots-baby, celery, onion, water and seasonings(lipton onion mix)? and bake at 350 for 4-5 hoursOr you can do the same in the crock pot all day for 8-10 hoursThe last 2 hours add the potatoes Use the drippings to make gravyBrown gravy packet.

I season the roast on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powderThen I dredge it in flour on all sides and brown it at medium high heat in a large, deep skillet or dutch ovenI add about a cup of water, two stalks of celery and a large onion both chopped into large pieces, cover and reduce heat to lowIt cooks on low about an hour (longer if it's 4-5 pounds)Then add three to five carrots cut if they're large and re-cover and cook about 30 minutes longerFinally add three or four potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters for the final 30 minutesTo tell if the roast is done and tender, lift the meat from the pan using a large forkIf the meat comes off the fork and slips back into the pan, it's doneIf it stays on the fork replace it into the pan and cook over low heat another 30 minutesWhen it's tender, remove roast and vegetables from the pan to a platter and let it rest while you make the gravyTo make gravy, remove excess fat from the liquid left in the pan with a large spoon, taste the liquid to check if it needs more salt and pepperKeep the pan over low heatPut two heaping tablespoons of flour into a 2 cup measure, stir in cold tap water and mix until smoothAdd to the simmering liquid, turn up heat to medium and stir constantly until it begins to thicken (should be just 2-3 minutes)Taste again for seasoning before serving alongside the pot roast and vegetables.

The key is in browning it firstCoat it with a light layer of vegetable oil, and then season it with salt, black pepper, and granulated garlicThen brown it on all sides at medium-high heat in the pot you're going to roast it in (actually you'll be braising it, which is simmering in liquid)It should be a nice dark brown sear all over, but not burntTurn the heat down to medium and add enough water to come about halfway up the sides of the meatThrow in a couple carrots and celery stalks (cut in half to make them fit is fine), and a peeled and quartered white, brown, or yellow onionCover the pot and BTB-RTS (Bring To a Boil - Reduce To a Simmer)Let this go for about 2-1/2 hours or until the meat is fork tenderWith about 45 minutes to go, you can throw in some potatoes cut into about 2-inch chunks or whole baby potatoes, if you want that with the pot roastYou can also cook this in the oven at about 350, but it takes a lot longer (more like 3-1/2 to 4 hours), because the heat doesn't transfer to the pot as fast as it does with a burnerWhen it's done, remove it to a platter or cutting board, cover with a tent foil (to keep it warm) and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before cuttingIf you want to make a jus (as in au jus) or a gravy, pour the liquid in the pot through a wire mesh strainer and use thatBut, if you make a gravy, you'll need to make a butter and flour roux (pronounced roo) where you basically simmer together equal parts - by volume - of flour and butter, and add the liquid to that while constantly whisking until it thickensIf you add the flour to the warm/hot liquid, it will totally lump up on you.

This is what I do: Heat some vegetable oil in a heavy pot, while it's heating, season both sides of the roast with salt and pepperBrown the roast on both sides, and remove to a plateThrow cut up onions and carrots into the same pot and toss around for a few minutes, until slightly softenedPut a few tablespoons of tomato paste and stir aroundThis adds a beautiful color and rich flavor, but doesn't make it too tomato-eyPlace the roast back on top of thisAdd a cup of red wine, and beef broth to come just near the top of the roastAdd a few bay leaves and some thyme (I use dried), about a teaspoonAt this point, you can either cover it and place it in a low 300° oven, or leave it on the stove, on low, for about 3 hoursWhen done, remove the roast to a plate and cover with foilStrain the veggies from the brothYou can serve the broth as is, or bring it to a boil and reduce to thickenSwirl a few chunks of cold butter in it just before serving to make it smooth and richSlice and serve the meat with pan gravy! So good!

I have probably knitted only about 5% compared to the 95% I've crocheted, but I think I can answer this anywayWhat others have said so far is basically correctI prefer natural fibers, like wool and cotton(Yes, you CAN knit and crochet with cotton, though it's not stretchy and you have to be careful.) I have two suggestions: 1) wash the finished article with fabric softener 2) (for next time) pre-wear the yarn by running it back and forth through some sort of tight rope loop or over the end of a wooden postthe same way you would work a tanned hide to break the fibers slightly and make it more manageable As I said, I haven't actually worked with acrylic so I don't know if the second suggestion would workYou might want to try on a scrap length left over I suppose you could try it with the finished article, but I'd be concerned as I wouldn't want to stretch it too muchLeather doesn't stretch, so there's no problem with thatGood luck! 25 JAN 08, 1253 hrs, GMT.