August 10, 2010
Thank you!
Thank you all for the good wishes for my speedy recovery, I'm definitely getting there.
The Blue blouse is done, and blocking right now. So I've been working on my Clapotis. I started this over a year ago, but was going to run out of yarn, so I frogged it, then restarted it fairly recently, making it narrower to ensure I wouldn't run out of yarn. And it's so pretty!
The yarn was purchased at the Bendigo Show 2 years ago, from Waratah Fibres. It's a 4ply (fingering weight) Polwarth. It's a bit too sticky for the Clapotis, I have to work to drop the stitches, but I'm pleased with it so far. 4ply yarn on 3mm needles is very slow going, however!
This afternoon the skein I was working with ran out, so I wound up the last skein.
There was swearing. I can't see any bugs or larvae, but I've put it back into the ziplock and tossed it in the freezer for now. Thankfully, it was in a ziplock and wasn't stored with the rest of the stash. It was a limted run yarn, and I can't get any more.
I've heard the freezer is an old wives tale, but my fingers are crossed!
Posted by Donna at August 10, 2010 07:38 PMComments
Oh, that's not nice. I believe you need to freeze, thaw, then freeze again to be sure that all the nasties have gone. There's a really good thread on Ravelry on this topic too which might help:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/yarn/1101764/1-25
Fingers crossed!
Posted by: Sherpa at August 10, 2010 09:25 PMErk - that is no good at all! Who would have thunk it? Did you have your suspicions?
Posted by: Nat at August 10, 2010 11:51 PMThose little critters are a knitter's worst nightmare. I work with grain insects and some of them are clothes moths. If you would like a chart on how long, and how cold it needs to be to kill them, email me and I'll send you a link. I'd really like to know if this works for you.
Posted by: Patty at August 11, 2010 01:57 AMGAHHHHHHH! The only good thing I can say is that you found it now, not in a few years when the nasty beasts might have gotten into other stuff. Hope the freezer works.
Glad to hear you are recovering well.
Posted by: Rose Red at August 11, 2010 07:24 AMEeek...At least they were isolated.
Posted by: jp at August 11, 2010 08:58 AMOh no, hope the freezing works.
Posted by: Suzanne at August 11, 2010 09:56 AMThe freezer thing definitely works. Leave it for a few days. It sounds as if it isn't live beasties anyway, or you'd see them, and the freezer will kill any eggs. The biggest danger with freezing is that the yarn gets damp when it's thawing; if it's left in the bag it can go mouldy, but as you're using it straight away that won't be a problem.
Very pretty clapotis, and I'm glad you're feeling better.
Posted by: M-H at August 11, 2010 11:08 AMLovely clapotis. I hate those insects too & I use all sorts of natural remedies in my stash & my hand knits to keep them away. Hope you will kill them in the freezer.
Posted by: Ann at August 11, 2010 11:31 AMIt's no old wives tale - it's a professional museum standard curation technique. Non-toxic and non-damaging (except what's already done). Put it in the freezer for about a week though, as the temperature fluctuates as it is regulated by the thermostat and it needs long enough at a low enough temperature. And put it in a ziplock or airtight bag and don't remove it from the bag until it comes back up to room temperature or it will get wet from condensation.
Posted by: Jenny at August 11, 2010 07:01 PMBet a bit of microwaving wouldn't hurt, either ;)
Posted by: Tam at August 12, 2010 12:06 AMLove the colour of the clapotis, and the blue top is looking pretty good. I am glad to hear you are on the mend.
Posted by: Annie at August 15, 2010 09:11 PMOh NOOOO!!! I hope the fridge fixes the little buggars!!!
Posted by: Cath at August 16, 2010 08:24 PM
gaaaaah horrid little beasties. if it were sunny id say put it out there in the ziplock and let the little buggers burn. technically speaking, they can 'unfreeze' but either way, that just really bites. thankfully, that lovely sticky polwarth spit splices very nicely. you got a bit of spitting to do there. it is such a lovely colour for the clappy too....
Posted by: drk at August 10, 2010 08:04 PM