Conversation with Howdy

I know I shouldn't laugh,but that's so funny ! Not least because that's exactly what would happen to me.

Oh, nooooooooo!! What about your other yarns? Are they OK??

Well bugger all!

So sorry about your yarn mishap. I read the study and noted the copyright date as 1982. Perhaps the 3-minute irradiation was recommended at a time when microwaves weren't as powerful as they are today.

Best of luck and hope the rest of your Closet of Doom stash is insect-free.

Oh my heavens! Sorry you toasted the yarn but this story is way too funny.

Sad, but very, very funny. There seems to be an epidemic of those critters around. I might get brave and check on the stash, just in case.

First of all... Karen is right... microwaves back then were far less powerful, and that would've been a big factor.

The other big problem, though, is the way microwaves work. They excite the molecules in water, sugar, and fats. Wool contains none of those. The microwaves had nothing to act upon. Honestly... you're lucky if you didn't burn out the microwave itself (Ask me how I know this. No wait, don't. Okay, fine... as a STUPID college kid, I figured I'd microwave some embossing powder rather than hold it over the burner on the oven, so the paper wouldn't get charred in the process. That microwave did not survive).

So, anyways... if there's ever a next time you need to try this, put a cup of water in with it, and that should solve your problem.

Holy gucamole batman.. smokin' fibers.. get the sour cream and skip the deep fryer.. this is a disaster!! Aren't you brave for trying such a technique !! Is there anything left?! thanks for an uplifting fun story.. the things we do for yarn...

I just about died laughing. I think the person who spoke of the power of microwaves is correct. The other factor is probably the volume of fabric/yarn in the quoted study vs the volume of yarn in your sample. There was much less fabric to absorb the energy in your sample, hence the conflagration (or its charring equivalent).

Ok, I had to laugh....sounds like something I would do :-)

Well, that sucks! I know you probably weren't amused, but it is kind of funny. Not the bug part, though. That's just plain scary. I hope they haven;t invaded anything else. ::shudder::

Yikes! But, hey, did you know one of your sock patterns was featured in the "free patterns" section of Threadbear's newsletter?

Oh the horror! Burnt yarn! I am never going to try that! My husband would have looked at me like I was crazy too.

Boy, do I feel your pain! I only nuked mine for about 1-2 minutes, but I do like the suggestion about putting a cup of water in. Probably would help. And my husband thought I was crazy too. Oh, the things we do for oour yarn. Dorothy (Missouri Star)

Hi Sockbug, I do a lot of fabric dyeing in a microwave; the fabric item must be wet! As soon as it dries, it will as you found out, start to burn. Dampen your yarn and then put it in the microwave for one minute intervals removing it before it is completely dry. Alternately freeze your yarn for three days; I keep my stash in the freezer in the summer when the freezer is mostly empty.

That is good to know, smoking yarn is not good.

This has happened to me and I didn't even know it was bugs! I bought some Koigu on a trip and didn't use it for about eight months, and it had break after break in it. I didn't even stop to consider it could be bugs. Ugh!

Oh, this is too funny! Thanks for researching for us. But bummer about the yarn.

Poor yarn. The things we do that "others" might think are crazy. In addition, I have an off-topic question that I know you can answer. I've been trying to knit two socks at once on two circulars and I CAN'T do it. It's been very frustrating but I'm not ready to give up just yet. Do you know of a site that has clear visual instruction that might help me. Thanks so much, you're always a big help.

A damp paper towel will also work, but you have to keep checking it, because if it dries out, it'll burn.

I, too, have tried to microwave yarn.

OMG!! That's terrible!! Hope you are able to rid yourself of this problem!

oh the irony... bugs in sock bugs sock yarn.

oh the irony... bugs in sock bugs sock yarn.

oh the irony... bugs in sock bugs sock yarn.

oh the irony... bugs in sock bugs sock yarn.

oh the irony... bugs in sock bugs sock yarn.

sorry for the multiple comments, Im internet impared, apparently

Probably not too healthy to be burning nylon- Regia has nylon or polyamide. I remember making down jackets in the early seventies and singhing the fabric and it had to be in a well ventilated area due to burning nylon putting off syanide gas. I'm just saying be careful.

happily, you are not the only one who has toasted fibre things in the microwave. I'd been trying to make a towel good and warm to soothe my partner's post-op pains (he's fine now) but managed to set the towel actually on fire. I quickly dumped it into the sink and turned on the taps, which made it smell even worse... The whole place reeked for days, and we have had burnt-towel scented microwave popcorn for a month!

3 minutes in the nuker. Thanks for sharing that tip. I actually really did want to know that number cuz...well, you just never know when you're going to have to kill some bugs from stash. Hopefully never, but best to be prepared.

Oh my... that's TOO funny... and I think I have issues with taking my camera into a bathroom for the sake of the blog ::laughing::

Knit on.. I hope to be a socknitter one of these days? Do you recommend any special method for newbie sock knitters? Magic loop? Two circs? DPNs? Which do you think is the easiest?