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sdallenhou
New Pal
43 Posts |
 Posted - 03/09/2005 : 9:28:00 PM
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About a decade ago one of the yarn companies came out with a line of recycled wool and cashmere. It was great stuff--but smelled like hell. At the time I was actively involved in some of the first online knitting circles, and we were all trying to figure out how to get rid of the awful smell.
Someone said something about vanilla, and I happened to have some "white" vanilla from Mexico (white meaning it was actually clear as water). I opened my hanks of yarn but kept them still tied in their circle and then soaked them in a mixture of water and the vanilla. It really worked--and replaced the horrible odor with a delicious scent of vanilla.
Soon knitters from around the country were using this technique when they could find the vanilla (and I helped them out at the time). We were all thrilled with the results. There have been a few occasions since then that I found a yarn to be foul-smelling or (gasp) wearing one of my sweaters I found myself in a smoke-filled place from which I couldn't escape--and I simply repeated this process. It works wonders.
Cheers,
Steve in Houston |
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anderknit
Permanent Resident
USA
2556 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2005 : 9:39:26 PM
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Interesting tip - where do you find clear vanilla?
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.' " |
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fmarrs
Guardian angel
USA
9776 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 12:57:57 AM
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Clear vanilla is widely available at most grocery stores right next to the regular stuff. I never did this because you needed to get the yarn wet, so why not just wash it? Or have I just been lucky, because I have never had a smell that wouldn't wash out.
fran |
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pixie_day
Chatty Knitter
130 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 06:55:23 AM
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| Thanks for the tip. I have some yarn that I purchased that has a terrible odor to it and it won't wash out. I will definetly be trying this. |
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sdallenhou
New Pal
43 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 12:19:02 AM
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The problem with washing smelly yarn is that frequently doesn't help. The vanilla thing really does the trick. I get my white vanilla in Mexico, but I'm sure that lots of finer supermarkets carry it (for about 10 times the price in Mexico). If you know someone going to Mexico, promise them something nice in exchange for bringing you a bottle of white vanilla. It is sold by the quart for just a few dollars.
Steve in Houston |
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shaggy
Permanent Resident
USA
4125 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 08:54:39 AM
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Now that sounds interesting, I will keep this in mind
if I get ahold of smelly yarn
[img]http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/animal/1/animal60.gif[/img] [img]http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/animal/1/animal60.gif[/img] [img]http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/animal/1/animal60.gif[/img][img]http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/love/1/love62.gif[/img]
shaggy
Every day a peddler pulled his cart of wool from his home to the village market. It was a long trip. He had to travel around the perimeter of a large lake that was owned by the town tycoon, a modernday scrooge. One day during the winter the lake froze over. The peddler realized that he could cut off 2 miles from his trip if he crossed over the lake. He was spotted halfway across the lake by the tycoon. Scrooge came racing out of his mansion and screamed at the peddler, "I’ll be danged if I let anyone pull the wool over my ice!" |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 10:04:42 PM
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You can buy white vanilla extract here and I think it's cheaper than lauindry detergent on a per load basis. Check out the baking supply stores as they have it in 1 litre bottles.
"I firmly believe the Bible is the misinterpreted word of God." Mokey
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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janieboo
Chatty Knitter
USA
160 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 03:55:26 AM
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I'll have to try the vanilla. I also use lavender oil to remove the wet wool smell from my wool sweaters when I wash them.
Jane
www.sisterknitter.typepad.com |
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jade
Permanent Resident
USA
1543 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 12:50:54 PM
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I wonder what this clear vanilla is? If anyone has checked recently, the price of vanilla has skyrocketed due to a failure of the supply from Tahiti. Vanilla beans were around $6 -$7 apiece a month ago when I looked. Whole Foods no longer stocks it on the shelves, you have to ask at customer service for it.
This gives an idea of what the current costs are:
http://www.frontiercoop.com/shop/merchant.mvc?
I have to assume that the product which is selling by the quart is artificial?
Cheryl |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 1:49:51 PM
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It is vanilla extract, not the whole bean.
"I firmly believe the Bible is the misinterpreted word of God." Mokey
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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sdallenhou
New Pal
43 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 4:24:39 PM
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Cheryl,
The product I referenced is real vanilla from Mexico, not artificial. I've never understood why there is so much in one bottle, especially since it is so much stronger than vanilla extract. One quart lasts a lifetime, at least in my case.
Steve |
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sewserious
Warming Up
90 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2005 : 05:48:33 AM
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Steve,
I hate to be the one to break the news to you but the 'clear' vanilla you bought is SYNTHETIC, which is why it is so cheap. It is not real vanilla. Real vanilla is AMBER colored. Check out this link.
http://www.vanilla.com/html/facts-mexican.html |
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jade
Permanent Resident
USA
1543 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2005 : 07:31:31 AM
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I have to agree with Sewserious, any "clear" vanilla product is artificial. When vanilla beans are selling for around $400 per pound, I can't believe anyone can produce a pure extract for dollars a quart. Madagascar Bourbon, the only extract I use is currently selling for around $6 per 2oz bottle. My vanilla beans are saved for very special occasions.
Cheryl |
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sdallenhou
New Pal
43 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2005 : 12:03:21 PM
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Interesting comments. Whether real or synthetic, the clear stuff from Mexico is great at eliminating odors from smelly yarn.
Steve in Houston |
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