Sheep Shots: Just Call Me Ms. Wiz!

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Just Call Me Ms. Wiz!

Does anyone remember Mr. Wizard? Didn't GE sponsor that show?

This morning, a question surfaced on one of the knitting lists involving how to tell the parentage of a certain yarn of known origin but unknown fiber content.

Starting with some known quatities top to bottom:

ABM Fluffy, Red Heart Shetland Chunky, Pinguoin Pingofrance II. All have some wool, all are mostly acrylic.

Lion Brand Kool Wool. 50/50 wool/acrylic.

Bernat Baby something or other 100% acrylic.

Let the pyrotechnics begin!

Since I'm always up for a little experimentation, and somewhat of a firebug, I immediately set out to get the facts.

We all know the "burn" test (google is your friend!) that essentially says, ack will melt into a hard little ball, animal fibers will form an ash instead.

But what about blends?

Blends form a hard little ball that crumbles to ash. And smell like burning hair as they burn. At least these did.

Next up: Chemical Diversion!

The bleach test.

Drop the samples in some chlorine bleach (Clorox in this case, but store brand is just fine).

With the 100% acrylic, nothing happens.

But lookie here at the ones with some wool! See that foamy crap?

There's something going on (technical term: chemical reaction between the bleach and the wool).

It's hard to tell from the photo, but the Fluffy and the Shetland Chunky seemed to be generating the most foam. I chalk that up to the hairiness of the strands (more surface, more reaction).

And post-experiment, the Kool Wool was thinner than the control strand (the one that didn't get dipped).

This is after about an hour in the bleach. Untreated strand on top.

100% wool will dissolve completely in bleach. Heads up: don't bleach your woolies! (At least not with chlorine bleach.)

Class dismissed!

// posted by Ann @ 3/12/2006 02:41:00 PM

Comments:

Dear Ms. Whiz:

Very cool of you to do the experiment and photograph the 'befores' and the 'afters.'

Very cool indeed. Please put me on your mailing list for future chemistry experiments.

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