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:
Send us your letters! dearscratch@scratchsupplyco.com
Support make good: a knitting podcast
