Here's a question for ya'll....

[MarvieN]

Something I've noticed, but never thought to ask before until my friend asked me...

 

Why does, say and afghan for example, weigh *so* much more after it's worked up than the yarn you bought for the project?

 

She made a ghan for her hubby, bought 10 skeins of homespun, only used 6 of those. The box of yarn was feather light but the ghan weighs a ton rofl.

 

I had no clue what to say when she posed the question to me, other than "Hmmm, sounds like a question for the 'Ville to me!" So here I am, asking ya'll. Anyone have an answer? I'm sure there's some simple explanation that never would have occured to me lol

[Cuddlefish]

Huh, maybe it's because a finished object is more compact than skeins of yarn, so it weighs more pr square cm than the yarn does. That way it doesn't really weigh more, it just gives you that illusion. Also, you usually lift the skeins individually, it's not until you have the finished object that you feel their combined weight.

[Pink]

Because the finished project is full of love

 

(and blood, sweat and tears - but that's not such a nice image!)

[tween]

I like pink's answer!!

 

..but I think its becuz the weight is more compounded when its worked up into something. For example, if you took 5 pennies and lined them up on your finger, you hardly notice the weight, but if you stack 'em, it feels much heavier, but its the same 5 pennies. Oy...clear as mud huh? I'm not so good at 'splain'n stuff.. but I know what I mean!

[mythunderbird]

i agree with pink:manyheart

Because the finished project if full of love

 

(and blood, sweat and tears - but that's not such a nice image!)

[mbcabbie]

I've always wondered that too (but was afraid to ask)

[MarvieN]

Interesting answers =) I like Pink's response! Though I'm thinking it's probably Tween's answer that's correct. I might have to weigh my neighbor's blanket though just to test it all out! I swear it feels like it weighs five pounds!

[Gran]

Maybe for the same reason that when my hair is a smidgen too long it pulls on my head and feels like it weighs soooo much more. Gravity and the pull from the weight hanging from your hand(s). A physicist could explain it.

[jimbo]

Ok, here you go Marvie (btw... got some beauties for you!)

There is no difference in the weight because you've added nothing unless its moisture as Pink so wisely advised. Thus the answer is in the arrangement of the weight. Remember back in our statics and dynamics physics class where ole Dr. Leever showed us mechanical advantage? Me either. But what you got here is weight with its center of mass cantilevered (oh i love that word) due to the expanse of the afgan. An example: hold something with a long handle, say a double bit axe, up close to the head... feel the heft. Now slide your hand down the handle and hold the head out away from you. Feels heavier eh? I'm posing the afgan, since its mass is spread out further than it was in the yarn box, is acting like the axe when you hold it by the handle end.

or not

[dazy]

whoa, jimbo. don't make me think. it makes my little brain ache.

[purlycues]

whoa, jimbo. don't make me think. it makes my little brain ache.

:rofliits too funny

[threeolivemartini]

very nice example Jimbo.. i dont think i could have said it better myself !!

[jimbo]

Ha! I threw in the double bit axe after tossing out a wet mop as an example. Didn't want to loose any of that rugged woodsman image you know.

 

ooooh...... i'm a lumberjack and i'm ok... sleep all night and i work all day...

[threeolivemartini]

hahaha i havent heard the lumber jack song in years thanks for the laugh

[Gran]

Jimbo, that was beautiful!

[NancyCA]

I always compare it to a baby. When a baby is small and cannot hold itself up, when you carry it around it feels like it weighs so much as it gets bigger. When the baby learns to sit on your hip and can hold itself up, even though the child weighs more, it feels like it is lighter.

 

Okay...did ANY of that make any sense???

 

Yarn all by itself is all fluffy and holding itself up. When you crochet it, it compacts it and makes it like dead weight.

 

Okay...I've just read over what I wrote and I'm convinced...

 

I'M CUCKOOO!!

[cajunwhacko]

I always compare it to a baby. When a baby is small and cannot hold itself up, when you carry it around it feels like it weighs so much as it gets bigger. When the baby learns to sit on your hip and can hold itself up, even though the child weighs more, it feels like it is lighter.

 

Okay...did ANY of that make any sense???

 

Yarn all by itself is all fluffy and holding itself up. When you crochet it, it compacts it and makes it like dead weight.

 

Okay...I've just read over what I wrote and I'm convinced...

 

I'M CUCKOOO!!

 

I was trying to figure out how to say the same thing, at least we can be cuckoo together!

 

Now I have the lumberjack song stuck in my head...

[MarvieN]

See that all makes sense lol. Thanks for all the thoughts! It's been very entertaining to read!