56: Yarn Detectives Part 2

make good: a knitting podcast

In Episode 55 we talked about how to the weight of mystery yarn; this week we're talking about ways to identify its fiber content. Grab your notebooks, goggles, and adventurously scientific spirit.

Here we go!

Smell Test

• Animal fibers: it will smell like a wet sheep! Maybe a barn/hay smell too
• Silk: may have an earthy or fishy smell
• Synthetic fibers: generally no smell, maybe oily/artificial smell
• Plant fibers: generally no smell

Felting Test

• Animal fibers (including silk): will felt if non-superwash
• Synthetic & plant fibers: will not felt

Bleach Test

• Animal fibers: will fizz and dissolve in 12-24 hours
• Silk: will dissolve in approximately two days
• Synthetic & plant fibers: won't dissolve, may lose color

Acetone Test

• Synthetic fibers: will dissolve
• Animal fibers, silk, and plant fibers: will not react much at all

Burn Test

• Animal fibers: will burn slowly and curl away from orange flame, will smell like burning hair or feathers
• Silk: will burn slow and curl away, may char, may smell like burning hair or charred meat
• Plant fibers: burn fast & give off smoke, leave light colored ash * cotton has a yellow flame * hemp & jute has a very bright flame * linen, hemp, and jute ash will still be in the shape of the yarn
  • Synthetic fibers: will burn (or really, melt!) quickly and emit a strong, black smoke
  
  

What's on our needles this week:

• Felix Cardigan designed by Amy Christoffers
• Gresham Wrap designed by Michael Vloedman

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