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LittleMousling
Permanent Resident
USA
1093 Posts |
 Posted - 10/11/2005 : 10:55:30 AM
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Hey all!
Does anyone have reason to believe it's detrimental to keep yarn not just in Ziplocs, but smooshed in them? That is, I put them in, zipper it most of the way closed, compress all the air out, and close it. I end up with quite flat bags that are super easy to store, but I haven't run across anyone else who seems to store this way (obviously, it doesn't work with hand-balled yarn - nothing to compress! - but it's fantastic for hanks and store skeins, etc).
Am I missing something? Could I be damaging my yarn, or is it just an uncommon choice? (Or a common choice, but not among people I know?)
Thanks for your input!
-Molly
Obsessive but not exclusive socknitter |
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kadiddly
Permanent Resident
USA
3076 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 11:11:11 AM
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That's what I do with my ziplocs. I generally only have current projects in bags (the rest of my slowly growing stash resides happily in a rubbermaid container or on the lovely shelf my bf made me). Highly convenient. I've heard once that storing the yarn in plastics don't let the yarn breathe, but since I usually am stuck with acrylics and I don't store them permanently there, I'm not too worried.
God created man before woman because it is always necessary to make a rough draft before creating the masterpiece!
Backstage Stitches |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 11:27:52 AM
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I used to do that until I got Space Bags. Same concept but I found the Space Bags stayed flat.
"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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azblueskies
Permanent Resident
2294 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 1:09:54 PM
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| I'm a smoosher, too. Makes sense to me. |
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booglass
Permanent Resident
Costa Rica
1987 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 2:13:11 PM
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How do you smoosh? Mine stay flat but re-inflate within 10 minutes. Clearly, my smooshing skills need some work. I am in the midst of an international move and it is imperative that it look to my hubby that I don't have as much yarn as I actually do!!!
Knittin' Fool |
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kadiddly
Permanent Resident
USA
3076 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 2:21:14 PM
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I zip it almost closed, then smoosh the air out and quickly finish closing it. A bit of air usually gets back in, but not too much.
God created man before woman because it is always necessary to make a rough draft before creating the masterpiece!
Backstage Stitches |
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LittleMousling
Permanent Resident
USA
1093 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 4:09:21 PM
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Ditto. About 30% re-inflate themselves, so I leave them out to wait before putting them away. Those 30% get re-smooshed, and if they continue to act up, I try a new bag.
But, Ishould really get around to trying those space bags, they seem much more reliable and longer-lasting.
-Molly
Obsessive but not exclusive socknitter |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 8:17:02 PM
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Insert a straw into the bag, seal the bag to where the straw is, suck out air, quickly remove straw and seal.
Ancient camper trick revealed!
"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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SR5Rfan
Permanent Resident
USA
1232 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 9:53:58 PM
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I hope "smooshing" doesn't hurt the yarn ... and thank goodness for Ziploc bags! 
Beth
"I never met a piece of chocolate I didn't like." |
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lemons
Permanent Resident
1692 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 07:06:50 AM
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Wouldn't it be like putting the yarn under something that presses it down for weeks at a time? Does it come out crimped, like yarn when you frog it (although obviously fewer crimps)?
lemons of missouri |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 08:39:40 AM
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I've had yarn smooshed for ages and there is no damage. Think of it as a marshmallow; if you extravt the air, it goes flat, but as soon as it gets air again it goes right back to normal.
"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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HellaHelen
Chatty Knitter
USA
344 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 11:28:37 AM
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I'm fairly certain it doesn't harm anything. After all, I've bought goosedown pillows that are sold in flattened bags. . . to inflate, just open the bag, give the pillow a shake, and voila! Big fluffy pillow. Same concept should work for yarn, don't ya think?
Helen |
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azblueskies
Permanent Resident
2294 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 12:49:16 PM
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| I made each of the kids a throw last year and put them each in a large plastic bag, drew all the air out (I remember kneeling on top of them to force the air out), and tied them off quickly. Then I wrapped them in gift wrap and sent them off in a box. My daughter said it was still flat when she opened the box and the wrapping paper hadn't torn so guess it worked. Didn't need a large box for either one of them. (I've also used the straw trick.) |
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Mermaid Knits
Permanent Resident
USA
1129 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 5:07:45 PM
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The large Packmate bags work great for the "buy yarn while travelling person". But I don't store wool in plastic longterm, as it is a natural fibre and should breath. Oh sure I have bags on the shelf, but they are all open or punched full of holes.
Arctic-mermaid |
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HopkinGreen
Chatty Knitter
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2005 : 8:07:21 PM
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Gosh - all the guys (meant in the generic way of all peoples everywhere) in the "General Techniques" forum went nuts at the idea of my husband using a spacebag for any of my yarns. Though I reassured them it was only my acrylic that he tried it on and that no fine fibers were hurt in the experiment.
I was talking about hanks vs. yarn ball rolling your stash - and they were very adamant that winding the yarn would "compress" the yarn and damage it and that keeping it in hanks is the only way to ensure the yarn stays "in balance".
I would think that if simply winding the yarn into a yarn ball is feared to "compress" it too much or damage it - that sucking all the air out of a bag 'till the yarn looks like a cartoon version of Wyle E Coyote after he fell off the cliff would be considered damaging as well...
But I'm sincerely not making comment on the "smooshing" storage technique. I'm probably a smoosher at heart too. I'm certainly not fancy enough to worry about whether my yarn is in "balance" or not. (I thought tires were in balance, not yarn...) But I'm probably just not as sophisticated as those other guys. I'm actually quite stunned by the level of expertise that I encounter here... it can be rather humbling. Please don't get me wrong... I do respect everyone's opinion here and at my LYS. I'm fairly new at knitting and I have a lot to learn. I'm grateful for their knowledge.
But at the same time, I know that I'll never be that serious. If I can manage to get a nice sweater every once in a while, I'll be happy - but I'm sure one of the more serious yarn connoisseurs who know all about the twist of fibers and such probably could tell that my yarn was unbalanced and that I hadn't blocked properly and hadn't sewn up the left sleeve when the moon was gibbous while holding the needle in my right hand with my left foot in a bowl of porridge.... Some people I come across in the local LYS and other places are so serious about their knitting, they kind of scare me...
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kitkatknit
Chatty Knitter
184 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2005 : 12:59:01 PM
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I just use the ample butt method of getting the extra air out of the ziplocks. I close them within an inch of full closure, sit on the bags and then reach under and close the bag the rest of the way. Stays sealed for a long time and with my ample butt method almost all the air is expelled. Which sounds bad considering it is under my behind......
http://spaces.msn.com/members/joyofspin/
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pjkite
Permanent Resident
1198 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2005 : 2:04:59 PM
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quote:
Some people I come across in the local LYS and other places are so serious about their knitting, they kind of scare me...
Knitting should NEVER be scary, HopkinGreen!
Very technical knitters can conjure images of the dreaded 'knitting police' at times, especially when you're a beginner. But at heart they envy you your free-wheeling ways. You see, knitting has a way of leading to spinning, which leads to dyeing, which leads to felting, which leads to... and the list goes on. Since all of those new hobbies immerse you even more deeply into the minutiae of fiber, you continue to learn, and learn, and next thing you know you're frightening new knitters with your seeming omniscience! But it's well-meant.
In fact, that's how you tell a fiber person from a member of the knitting police - true fiber people don't offer judgements, but do offer alternatives and even more knowledge, so you get even more nice sweaters. First thing you know you're at the point where all your sweaters are nice ones, and then you realize that you're a fiber person, too! And far from being serious, you're actually having quite a lot of fun!
Pamela Kite
East Tennessee
http://fiberlife.blogspot.com/
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crzyboutyarn
Seriously Hooked
USA
792 Posts |
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