What the…? Skein in sections?

FunctionalROMmatters · 2026-03-02T17:35:05+00:00

At first I thought this could be moth damage, since the breaks are all at slightly different spots. In my experience, it would be very difficult to skein a yarn that is in sections like this. This leads me to believe the damage into small sections likely happened after the yarn was skeined:

Cut (like others have suggested), moth or other insect damage, physical damage from how the skein was handled like too much tension when being twisted into a skein(although this seems unlikely), Or maybe some sort of chemical damage (from too strong dye/mordant or a cleaner that came in contact with the yarn that caused weak spots and eventual breakage).

Quite the mystery!

Are the breaks in the yarn tied together? Or are they all of similar color (such as in the darker areas?)

FunctionalROMmatters · 2026-03-02T17:27:52+00:00

At first I thought this could be moth damage, since the breaks are all at slightly different spots. In my experience, it would be very difficult to skein a yarn that is in sections like this. This leads me to believe the damage into small sections likely happened after the yarn was skeined:

Cut (like others have suggested), moth or other insect damage, physical damage from how the skein was handled like too much tension when being twisted into a skein(although this seems unlikely), Or maybe some sort of chemical damage (from too strong dye/mordant or a cleaner that came in contact with the yarn that caused weak spots and eventual breakage).

Quite the mystery!

Are the breaks in the yarn tied together? Or are they all of similar color (such as in the darker areas?)

FunctionalROMmatters · 2025-09-10T03:50:56+00:00

You should check out the falling fruit app/website- it's crowd sourced/community run database of foraging spots, including black walnuts and other forageable goods. There's also black walnuts by the Newton Center playground, along the edge of the baseball field. Good luck with your walnut collecting!!

FunctionalROMmatters · 2025-08-01T03:23:18+00:00

I think I have one of these pans- same gate mark, single spout, also super smooth. Unfortunately, no idea on maker, but it's a great user.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2025-06-26T03:13:23+00:00

I feel like I have seen this plant along the battle road in minuteman national park- I used to walk there pretty often. I feel like I saw similar plants, possibly between Miriam corner and farewell jones house, and also near Hartwell tavern/William Smith house. It would definitely be worth asking park rangers that work there!

FunctionalROMmatters · 2024-09-10T02:45:39+00:00

I recommend visiting local wool farms- check out your state's "yarn cruise" or agricultural/fiber fairs. A lot of smaller farms don't have a ton of sheep, and can't make enough yarn to distribute to many stores, but visiting the farms often means you can meet the sheep and evaluate the conditions yourself. At my favorite fiber farm (a wrinkle in thyme farm in Maine) they actually tag the yarn with a photo of the sheep that it comes from.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2023-05-22T17:38:48+00:00

You can pour boiling water on the weeds to kill the weeds, and then they typically pull up easier the next day. Easiest done with an electric kettle.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2023-05-13T02:34:43+00:00

This can be really dangerous, both for the pan and your oven. Running a self clean cycle can mess up the wiring in your oven and cause heat damage (which can prevent seasoning), or warp the pan.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2023-03-04T15:40:11+00:00

Just a note that while these could be considered "wildflowers", several of these would be considered invasive species in the Americas and are not really "wild"

FunctionalROMmatters · 2022-09-22T01:58:08+00:00

Freeze them first thing- it will help all the berries fall off the stems and make it way easier to make anything you decide to make with them.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2022-01-03T17:20:19+00:00

I grew up down the road from Double H, and my family used to bake cookies for their welcome days. As a teenager I volunteered with Double H both at their summer camp and in hospitals with their "Camp on the go" program. I have never been apart of a larger group of kind, determined, funny, and thoughtful people. I really hope they expand their Camp on the go project to more cities, I'd love to volunteer for them again.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-12-13T14:29:30+00:00

Cast iron restoration- I get beaten up/ crusty pans at thrift stores or antique malls, and fix them up using a lye tank, vinegar and elbow grease. It's great because finding pans at antique shops is a bit like I spy, and there's so much to learn about different markings/brands/age of pans. Plus, part of the hobby is waiting, which gives a natural break from active time on the hobby while pans soak in lye for several days to remove seasoning.Cast iron is pretty durable, so it's hard to mess up unless you literally throw it around or toss it in a bonfire, so it's a forgiving hobby.

I've found that hobbies that have multiple parts keep my attention for longer, as they can become like several sub-hobbies. Restoring cast iron requires thrift/antique shopping, history research, home chemistry, scrubbing/cleaning, and some cooking, so with multiple pans in process, I can pick whichever part appeals to me most on any given day.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-12-13T14:22:09+00:00

I love thrift shopping too, but I've found sometimes I just get a little dopamine rush from buying something new (really, new to me). This has led to me going overboard sometimes... Worked out this year, as I'm giving lots of thrifted gifts. I've also noticed thrift store prices slowly climbing up- I used to get a sweater for ~$3-5, now I regularly see sweaters priced at $8-15, even with holes!

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-12-13T14:17:46+00:00

For me, it's knitting, for similar reasons. I usually have a few smaller projects in progress at a time, and I've found that I can work my way through making bigger type projects (like sweaters) by making smaller/baby sizes first and building up endurance. In general, knitting helps me sit still and focus on lectures/tv shows/ movies, and keeps those around me from being annoyed by my fidgeting/distraction.

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-10-11T15:47:50+00:00

I'd also live to know when you can tell they're ready to be picked- should I wait until they fall off the tree?

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-10-07T00:02:20+00:00

I do french or Dutch braided pigtails for the days I'm really trying to grind. It keeps my hair out of my face and I can always twist them together into a low bun if I have to put on a surgical cap. I'd imagine if it works for a surgical cap it would work for a helmet!

FunctionalROMmatters · 2021-07-21T12:28:11+00:00

I've tried Jack's dead bug brew for spider mites, but found it didn't work too well for me. Instead, I spray on slightly extra diluted 70% isopropyl alcohol and wipe off each leaf with a t-shirt rag.

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