# Comparison of Caron Cakes, Sweet Rolls, Mandala, Pop



## janielha (Dec 20, 2012)

This was on my FaceBook feed this morning. Thought I would share since I have seen questions about this topic.


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## iluvcabernet (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks!


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## Torticollus (Dec 3, 2011)

That is great info!


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## hildy3 (Jan 29, 2011)

Thx for that. I have not found the Pop or Mandala yet.


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## grandmann (Feb 4, 2011)

Interesting!!!


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## rainie (Jan 12, 2013)

My WalMart had Pop but not Mandala. The cake seemed much larger than all the ads I seen.


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## Jes61 (May 17, 2012)

WalMart has Mandala but I also cannot find Pop.


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## tmvasquez (May 7, 2013)

Great info but I can't find any of them in my area. ????


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## gingalee (Jan 31, 2015)

I bought the Mandala at Walmart. Love knitting with it. No splitting. Easy on the fingers. It is keeping its shape also.


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## gmomgil (Feb 11, 2015)

Thanks for the info


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## skwise (Dec 2, 2014)

Thank you!


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## hilltopper (Jul 16, 2014)

Great and useful information. Thanks for posting this.


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## Paulaross (Feb 3, 2016)

I bought some sweet rolls on sale at Herschel for $3.97 a roll


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## Paulaross (Feb 3, 2016)

Sorry spell check changed word, it is supposed to be herschners


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## Temple (Jun 18, 2012)

janielha said:


> This was on my FaceBook feed this morning. Thought I would share since I have seen questions about this topic.


Thank you for sharing this info.


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## knit4ES (Aug 24, 2015)

Thanks, the visual and chart are clearer than I've seen before.


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## JennaO (Jul 12, 2012)

March 6: JoAnn has 50% coupons that expire today. My local little JoAnns has just gotten the Sweet Rolls. Makes that a good buy at $3! Of course more deals will come along, but if you are in/near JoAnns today ...


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## Nanxy (Feb 25, 2011)

Thank you. We have two places around here that are advertising the Mandala, but at $6.99. And no one her carries the Pop. It is so nice to see a comparison chart!


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## jberg (Mar 23, 2011)

Neat comparison chart. Thanks. I haven't jumped on this bandwagon yet but this is helpful info. Thanks again and Happy Needling. jberg


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## jmko (Dec 29, 2011)

Sweet Rolls has at least twenty five colors-not three! I have five here-two I have used and three in waiting.


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## dannyjack (Nov 5, 2013)

Thank you for this info, it will be very useful!


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## nonak (Sep 18, 2013)

thanks this is very helpful


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## nvnannie (Sep 21, 2016)

Great chart!! Thank you.


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## babsbarb (Dec 23, 2012)

I think it means x# of colors per cake. 


jmko said:


> Sweet Rolls has at least twenty five colors-not three! I have five here-two I have used and three in waiting.


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## Elin (Sep 17, 2011)

This is great! Thanks.


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## janielha (Dec 20, 2012)

babsbarb said:


> I think it means x# of colors per cake.


Yes, that's what I think, also. I believe there are at least 8-10 colors of Caron Cakes yarns. I'll have to check if there are five different colors in the cake of Red Velvet I have. Thanks for clarifying.


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## mombr4 (Apr 21, 2011)

that's great information

thanks for posting


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## GreatMary (Oct 14, 2015)

Although Caron Cakes states to Hand Wash and Dry Flat, many KPers (myself included) have successfully washed it on Delicate setting with Tap Water setting and Dryer setting low...comes out looking beautiful...no problems.


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## sdresner (May 31, 2014)

I had gone to Walmart for the pop but didn't like it..it was very rough to the touch


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## Maw Maw Judy (Dec 30, 2016)

Thank you for sharing. Good info for future purchases.


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## aknitter (Jan 25, 2011)

This is great! Thank you for posting it here.


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## Kathleen Gallagher (Jan 27, 2017)

Thank you so much! Very useful!


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## mlab (Apr 10, 2016)

Thank you.


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## cafeknitter (Apr 2, 2013)

janielha said:


> This was on my FaceBook feed this morning. Thought I would share since I have seen questions about this topic.


Oh that's handy!!! Thanks bunches ????


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## sabrinalee50 (Apr 1, 2011)

Thank you for sharing this. Very informative


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## slmhuffman (Apr 15, 2015)

Thanks for this comparison. Very interesting.


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## linpeters (May 23, 2015)

Awesome thanks :sm24:


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## dachsmom (Aug 23, 2011)

Nice to know all of the info! Thanks


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## tonyastewart (Sep 1, 2014)

Iceyarns has babycakes which I love and it's a #3 sport/dk weight in fact while I hate to admit this I like it better than the above mentioned yarns although of those I think it would be a tie for me between pop and sweet rolls this is of the ones I have tried that I can find Bernat is not being overly forthcoming where to find theirs and why you can't buy theirs on their website they just keep sending the same email even for different questions and don't even bother trying to get an intelligent answer out of walmart no offense to anyone that works there
These companies need to get it together more yarn weights i.e. worsted, sport etc and physical weights to make them balance the cost it costs them pennies on the dollar as most even some of redhearts comes from overseas so why are they gouging? I am going to start buying from ice yarns ultimately it's far cheaper and the quality as others have said is more than comparible!


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## Casper1 (Dec 17, 2013)

Thank you for sharing!


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## kathycapp (Sep 22, 2014)

Thanks for sharing.


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## ulrika (Jul 2, 2011)

Just waiting for Mandala and Pop to show up here in Canada. I did see on Yarnspiration Facebook site that Pop will be available here by the end of March. I hope tht's true


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## MMWRay (Dec 2, 2016)

The Caron Cakes come in more than 5 colors. And it does not have to be handwashed.


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## gramklm (Sep 8, 2011)

Thank you for the useful chart. I find it interesting that it does not list suggested knitting needle sizes.


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## ginnyfloyd (Jul 22, 2012)

????


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## roseknit (Apr 2, 2011)

Good information, interesting to see that Mandala has more yardage that Caron cakes


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## malfrench (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks for the great info.


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## shelindo (Jul 1, 2011)

Good information! Bookmarked!


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## Bubba24 (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I've tried 3 of the 4 and like them all. The one that I haven't tried is the mandala.


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## SandyLulay (Jul 31, 2016)

Thanks for posting this excellent chart!


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## dkmoyer (Aug 20, 2012)

Great information. Thanks!


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## Metrogal (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks for this


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## Debi55 (Jun 4, 2014)

Very good info to have. Thanks!!


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## mrleese (May 25, 2013)

Thanks for the info very interesting. Unfortunately for me no Pop or Mandala in my Walmart!!


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## ocdknitcase (Aug 18, 2015)

Thanks. Very informative.


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## susanmjackson (Feb 7, 2011)

Nice chart, thanks for sharing it.


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## thomsonact (Mar 30, 2014)

Thanks for posting!


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## Geeks Crotchet (Apr 3, 2013)

Thank you!! Great Information. I have not seen Mandala or Pop. Will be on the lookout for this yarn


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## SusaBelle43 (Feb 6, 2017)

EXACTLY the info I have been trying to glean for myself!...I had bought some Caron Cakes to make granddaughter's afghan...got them home, and saw the wool and washing instructions....HAND WASH!...took 'em bavk..I love Caron, but I think hey goofed with this one......thank you so much for the chart....????


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## sharmend (Feb 14, 2012)

babsbarb said:


> I think it means x# of colors per cake.


Ah! That makes sense. I am currently using Sweet Roll and am enjoying making a shawl from it and like the results. Only one knot so far.


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## sanchezs (May 19, 2011)

Thanks for the chart it's helpful to compare, there are more than 3 colors of Sweet Rolls. They show 18 on their site.


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## Harrietrae (Mar 1, 2015)

Thanks for the info.


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## sanchezs (May 19, 2011)

roseknit said:


> Good information, interesting to see that Mandala has more yardage that Caron cakes


i am surprised they are not the same weight, 3 vs. 4.


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## dhendrix (Jul 26, 2011)

Interesting and I am sure helpful to many!


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## dragonflylace (Jul 2, 2012)

Thanks so much...I cannot find anything other than Caron Cakes in my area in the stores. I would love to try Mandala, but alas...I can only find it online...$4.97 is a great price.


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## mirl56 (Dec 20, 2011)

sanchezs said:


> Thanks for the chart it's helpful to compare, there are more than 3 colors of Sweet Rolls. They show 18 on their site.


I think the chart means there are 3 colors in each 'cake' of yarn.

Handy chart, thanks for finding it.


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## peacefulknitter (Mar 30, 2013)

great information, thank you


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## SandeC (Feb 1, 2017)

Thanks for sharing this. I'm currently knitting a shawl with Mandala and love the feel of it. Saw Pops at my local Joanne's just last week. Bought the Mandala at my Wal-Mart here in Carson City
Sande


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## Frosch (Feb 5, 2014)

Thank you for the info.


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## missro007 (May 24, 2011)

I haven't tried any of them yet but this post has helped me decide to do so. Thanks for this!!


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## Gabriell (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks very interesting.


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## k2p3-knit-on (Oct 24, 2012)

To amend this: Sweet Roll comes in two sizes.


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## Artbarn (Aug 1, 2014)

The woman who created the chart is a crocheter, so that's why knitting needle sizes are not listed.

She has a blog that goes with the chart and it might answer some other questions, as she goes into a lot of detail about what she liked and didn't like about each of the yarns: 
http://www.5littlemonsters.com/2017/03/self-striping-yarn-cakes-comparison-of.html#more


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## Bpcrafty (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks! 
Great info. Filed and saved.


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## silkandwool (Dec 5, 2011)

Thank you. it's very interesting.


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## Bea 465 (Mar 27, 2011)

Thank you for the chart. However the only area I disagree with is the number of colors. Caron Cakes has 26 colors, not 5 and I'm certain the others also have a lot more colors than the numbers listed. Just read another member's comment that those numbers indicate the # of colors in each skein. That makes more sense.


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## theatermarye (Feb 8, 2017)

Thanks for the link. I will look at it. 
I have been wondering not only about the differences in the chart but also how people feel about using them. i.e. Splitting, knots, roughness, etc. I have seen a few comments that talk about this. I was horrified when my 1st project I bough 20 skeins and a few of them had multiple poorly done knots within the skein.


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## randiejg (Oct 29, 2011)

This is great! Thanks for posting.

I'd really like to try the Mandala yarn. It's not showing up on the Walmart site yet, and is full price on the Lion Brand site, so I'm waiting for a coupon I can use there. So far I've loved working with most of the "cake" yarns, but I'd have to say my least favorite is the Jelly Roll, mainly because they use too much white, rather than combinations of other colors. To me, it just breaks up the project into jarring stripes.


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## Patty Sutter (Apr 17, 2012)

Thank you!
This is helpful!


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## roalin (Oct 26, 2012)

Thanks. That's great info...


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## Becca (Jan 26, 2011)

Has anyone thrown a finished Caron Cakes project in the washer and dryer? What happened to the finished item? All the other cakes are machine washable and dryable though Bernat Pop doesn't specify about drying.


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## nwlouie (Jan 22, 2013)

I picked up a couple of the Mandala at my Walmart in the clearance section for $3 each. Bargain!!! Had already gotten one for $5 and I love how soft they are and the colors change gradually. Making a shawl. Can't wait till it's finished!


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## Never 2 Old (Mar 17, 2012)

has anyone made the Carron cakes pattern for a scarf & washed & dried it? I didnt realize it had 20% wool.
Thanks KP--


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## LadyBecket (Jun 26, 2012)

Good to know. I just bought two cakes and don't remember what brand they are. This will help me greatly!! Thank you very much!!


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## gigi61 (Feb 25, 2017)

Thank you for providing the comparison. I want to make baby afghans, can anyone tell me how to figure out how many I would need? 
Thank you


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## gigi61 (Feb 25, 2017)

I wonder are all stripes the same size? Within skein and by brand. If anyone knows please share.
Thank you


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## Becca (Jan 26, 2011)

Gigi61, Ravelry.com, free to join, will have blankets and such made from these different cakes which will give you the info you need. Take a look at the pictures. Also, "search" on this site will provide info about colors, lengths, etc. Since each brand is different in weight the color lengths and number of colors will be different. The color change is abrupt, there is no transition or fade from one color to the next. And depending on what you are knitting color length may or may not be the same. A corner to corner blanket starting with 3 stitches and ending at the center with 200 using a cake yarn will give various rows of color because each row is a different number count as compared to a constant number count blanket that starts and ends with 200 stitches.


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## Sarah Chana (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks alot! Great to have this.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

Thank you for sharing this useful reference.


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## Nanamel14 (Aug 4, 2016)

Great info )


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## katyasgrammy (Mar 1, 2015)

Thanks, bookmarked it.


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## Rescue Mom (Jul 28, 2011)

Great information - thanks!


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## kdpa07734 (Nov 10, 2015)

Some Walmart's have pop, some have mandala...ours has mandala (also avaliable at Lion brand online for a lot more $).


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## yotbum (Sep 8, 2011)

Great info. Thanks for sharing.


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## gigi61 (Feb 25, 2017)

Hi Becca, 
Thank you for taking time to share your info. I use Ravelry and I love their patterns. I will definitely check it out.


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## sharmend (Feb 14, 2012)

sanchezs said:


> Thanks for the chart it's helpful to compare, there are more than 3 colors of Sweet Rolls. They show 18 on their site.


It is number of colors in each skein.


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## riversong200 (Apr 20, 2014)

This is great! Thanks for sharing.


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## PauletteB (Mar 10, 2011)

Thanks I have not seen any of those at Walmart.


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## kathycam (Apr 24, 2012)

Thanks for posting. I like your quote too.


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## DeeDee107 (Oct 22, 2011)

thanks for sharing havent seen the two that walmart has Walmart close to me is a little one doesnt carry much


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## Veleria (Nov 26, 2013)

tmvasquez said:


> Great info but I can't find any of them in my area. ????


I aksed on our Walmart here in north central Florida and she told me they are inventoring March 22 and nothing new will be put on shelves until it is completed. Makes since. They probably inventory at different times in their stores. Maybe that is why not in some stores yet.


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## nannie343 (Aug 15, 2012)

Thank you for the info.


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## bp42168 (Jul 29, 2011)

I purchased 2 different colors of Sweet Rolls to makye top down sweaters for babies. Just wondering how the sleeves will look after picking up the stitches. Do you have to cut and save some colors so they match?


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## Geri44 (May 21, 2016)

Thank you for letting us see the comparisons, all in one place!


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## kippyfure (Apr 9, 2011)

Lion Brand Mandala is available on Lion Brand's website. I would think it will be available to other outlets that sell Lion Brand products.


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## cattrapper (Nov 5, 2014)

I found some this weekend at craft warehouse in gresham,oregon. They had it on sale for 7.99 (9.99 reg price) I only bought one cake but I think the color choices in it are much better than caron cakes or sweet roll. That was the mandala I found there.


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## Shintoga (Apr 8, 2014)

The Mandala one looks nice! The comparison chart is very handy too. I've bought a whole bunch of "Caron Cakes" from my local craft shop, that seem to be Caron Cakes under a different name, and much cheaper. They seem to be the same colours and type of yarn, at least. I think Wool Warehouse is getting Caron Cakes this month, I might get one and see if they really are the same.


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## Joanne5 (Feb 12, 2011)

THANKS FOR THE INFO.


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