Silly Question

[kariholtz]

Possibly a totally silly question but what kind of yarn is best for making potholders?

[emeraldmoon]

COTTON... wortest acrylic melts if you get a hot pan on it. as well as catches on fire faster..

[kariholtz]

Thanks! I really figured cotton but thought I'd better ask in case there was a special kind I hadn't heard about.

[threeolivemartini]

you could use a nylon ..i have to look for it in the latch hook or rug making section or you can purchase nylon rope from say lowes or home deopt ... its not as quick to melt as acrylic but its not as soft as the cotton..

[MarvieN]

I read somewhere that wool is good for potholders because it doesn't melt like acrylic and if you get it to close to the burner or whatever it only smolders and goes out... now I haven't tried this so I can't say if it's true or not lol. I read it recently though, if I remember the site I'll share the link.

[aliassak]

Marvie,

 

Using wool makes sense, since I think we all went through the learning process of what to do in case you find yourself on FIRE-- which is to roll around on the ground to smother it, or smother it with a wool blanket.

 

But, that doesn't mean that I'm going to hold up my lighter to a skein of Lamb's Pride to see if it works! LOL

[kariholtz]

:rotfl @ the thought of lighting skiens of yarn to see which burns faster.

Don't think I'll be doing that soon..

 

Thanks everyone for the answers. Been wanting to try pot holders for awhile but never got up the nerve think I will just get some cotton and jump in head first.

[Guest SamplerLady]

In order of best to worst for safety purposes the answer is wool, cotton, others. Wool just smolders and goes out, cotton burns but doesn't burn quickly or hotly, IOW, you can put it out before it does damage. Others of the more popular fibers available will ignite or melt. Both of which are not good things.

 

If you have some 100% wool, hold a match to it. Same with cotton. It's how "pros" check for fabric content for the "unknown yarn Aunt Hildegard left me in her will." And you'll have the knowledge to know the answer next time you're contemplating making pot holders. Wool disperses the heat more evenly keeping hot spots from happening. Cotton does a pretty good job of it, too, though.

 

I'd use superwash wool so they can be washed easily and not become doll house rugs after the first wash!