Does anyone else ever go in crafting/project phases? I'll be really into sewing for a while, then I'll go to bird watching, then painting, then to card making, then to shooting glitter cans, then to underwater basket weaving, etc. I'll usually revisit crafts and projects later...but sometimes it takes a while to circle back. There are so many unfinished projects around my house. A recentish phase was the crochet phase. I have a drawer stuffed full of yarn. I started off buying the really cheap yarn...but I found quick that I didn't really like it. But it's cheap...so I bought it anyway. So now I have a drawer full of yarn I don't like that I have to figure out what to do with (especially now that I'm entering into a knitting phase...never thought I'd ever in my life say that). This Pinstrosity submission was right on time...only I hope things go a little different for me.
The Original Pin
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| http://agirlandherneedle.blogspot.ca/2012/03/soften-scratchy-yarn.html |
Genius, right?! I'm definitely going to give this a try. Takami saw this and decided to give it a go (way back in September...that seems so long ago now) so she'd be ready to crank out the Christmas gifts. Luckily she found yarn on sale and grabbed it up and ran home. She says, "I quickly scoured the house for some laundry bags, shoved the yarn inside, and put it in the washer. About 25 minutes later I opened up the top to find this:"
The Pinstrosity
"I have no idea what happened, the zipper broke on one of the bags but I still have no idea what happened to the other bag or how the yarn managed to push its way out. I wasn't too worried since I only spent a couple bucks on it so my sister and I decided to have fun with it."
One could argue that the yarn is still usable if it is untangled...and they would be right. Unless my life depended on it (or if the yarn was made of gold or something like that), I probably would just chuck it out (or maybe stuff a pillow with it?) and start over again. But...the yarn definitely looks soft and fluffy...so that part worked.
I've had issues with those lingerie laundry bags and their zippers before. They don't work fantastically well. I started safety pinning it closed with a giant safety pin (almost the size of a diaper pin, but not quite). This keeps the zipper from opening. Now...how the other skein did its Houdini act...that beats me, but it's funny. I'm so glad you girls have a great sense of humor!
Funny pictures!! I saw a Pin where you put glue on a rock and then wind yarn around it. You could always do that with your unused yarn!
ReplyDeleteHilarious! You've just gotta laugh...and take a picture like a lion.
ReplyDeleteI am a spinner and when I am finishing yarn I always give it a bath (though usually just a gentle soak since I spin wool, silk, and other delicate fibers). Most spinners put yarn into a skein first and tie the skein in several places to prevent it from tangling in the bath/wash. To do this we use a tool called a niddy-noddy (you can make one out of PVC) or you can wrap the yarn around something, like the backs of two chairs a foot or two apart. There are instrucions and a video on this site: http://joyofhandspinning.com/making-a-skein-of-yarn-with-a-niddy-noddy/ It takes a little time to make the skein (and then wind the yarn back into a ball when you're ready to use it), but it's less time than it takes to untangle the yarn. This site has lots of good info on skeins, making tools, and winding balls: http://www.squidoo.com/skeinyarn
ReplyDeleteIf you have Pampered Chef Twixit clips, they work great for holding lingerie bags!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip for Halloween costume(mane?)!!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I was thinking too. A really shabby lion...like Grizabella the Glamour Cat in the lion version of Cats. Maybe this is why nobody ever gets my halloween costumes...too complicated?
DeleteYou could always donate your drawer of cheap yarn to a school or art/craft program. You'd be surprised how handy yarn is in the classroom, besides just using it for art projects.
ReplyDeleteI wash yarn all the time and I don't use anything with a zipper. I use knee hi's.
ReplyDeleteLibraries like yarn too!! Or at least ones who do things like Storytimes or book clubs often do.
ReplyDeleteAs for lingerie bags, the one I use to keep things from getting so beat up is by Tide. It works better than the others I've tried. But before that I generally used a pillowcase tied shut.
You could always wash the finished project to prevent tangling.
ReplyDeleteMy mom loves Red Heart, but she washes the finished project. It does turn out nice and soft, like the pin shows.
ReplyDeleteI had a drink explode in a bag that I was carrying my current crochet project as well as the extra skein I was close to using. So, after work I stopped by Walmart and bought 2 of those lingerie bags since I had seen the post mentioned above as well. I spread my work and the other skein of yarn between the two bags. One thing I noticed about the bags is that they each had a wide band of elastic just above the end of the zipper, so that when you zip it close you push it up under that and it holds it securely. I washed it and it came out fine for me. Of course I do have a HE washer and not a top loading like pictured above. It also dried fine within an hour or two. I dried it on low.
ReplyDeleteI often use "scratchy" acrylic yarn when I crochet. Washing the finished piece softens it up perfectly, especially if I add liquid fabric softener. I once tried washing small amounts of yarn, one in ball shape, and another wound loosly and tied off. The ball one was soft on the outside and even scratchier than before in the middle. The loose one was nice and soft, except where I tied it with small pieces of yarn. There it was ascribed and scratchy, so that was a busy for me!
ReplyDeleteThis made my day! ;)
ReplyDeleteAw, so sad to see it didnt work for you. It actually worked for me!! I really hate the scratchiness of that yarn....I washed it up in the bag...didnt come out and it was softer...not a whole lot softer but way better :)
ReplyDelete