Testing, testing…
August 30th, 2011
This is possibly the most boring post you are ever likely to read. It’s also possibly a slightly disturbing insight into the workings of my mind. Don’t say you haven’t been warned!
Acquiring a new appliance or gadget always comes with a mildly obsessive testing phase in this household. Earlier this year we bought a new iron and for the first few weeks, I ironed shirts and trousers and skirts and handkerchiefs as soon as they were dry. Ironing clothes is a fairly common chore so this probably doesn’t seem that extraordinary. However, we have a policy of minimal ironing so it was quite a strange phenomenon for this household. The iron still gets used relatively often, but not with quite the same amount of joy or frequency as when it was in its testing phase.
Recently I determined that some of my knits were looking a bit fluffy and/or pilled and the de-pilling comb I was using wasn’t really suitable for hand knits. After a bit more research than was probably necessary, an electric fabric shaver was purchased. It’s probably a bit more than I was expecting to pay, but I read a lot of good things about it on Ravelry, which had to count for something, right?
Today it arrived, and before you could say ‘please stop writing about de-pilling knits Emma, it’s disturbing’, I had taken the vest I was wearing off and was removing woolly fluff like it was my last opportunity to do so, ever.
For those wanting relief from the ins and outs of my pilling solutions journey, my first victim was my Grandfather Vest. This vest really deserves its own ‘where are they now‘ post, because it’s probably one of my most frequently worn knits. My initial misgivings about the fabric appearing uneven were soon forgotten. In fact, the only real issue I’ve had with it is that it looks a bit fluffy and daggy with all the wear it has had. This is what it looked like before I took to it with the fabric shaver:
And after:
The difference between the two photos probably isn’t that great, but I can assure you that it took off a *lot* of fluff. The vest probably doesn’t look completely brand new, but it’s looking a lot less daggy. Decidedly undaggy, even.
Now I’m assembling a mental list of all the items of clothing Matt and I have that need de-pilling. All in the name of testing.
August 30th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
I got one too and tried it a few days ago- amazing, heaps better than the dodgy battery-powered one i got at Lincraft… I’m getting a bit obsessive though, looking for new things to defluff ; )
xx
August 30th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
wow, that looks like it really does a great job. The pissy little one I have doesn’t, so I never use it. Not a boring post at all!
August 31st, 2011 at 8:46 am
Wow that’s fantastic! I want one too 🙂
August 31st, 2011 at 9:55 am
I didn’t think it was boring – I thought it was amusing!
I can see the difference in the before and after photos. I’m glad the vest has been getting a lot of wear and also glad that the new “toy” has made it look less “daggy”!
Enjoy the testing!
September 1st, 2011 at 6:32 am
De-pilling is awesome! I recently went from a battery powered one that didn’t work properly to a new battery one – and I hadn’t realised how bad the other one was til I got the new one. I love seeing the fluff build up in the catcher. And I love wearing things that have recently been de-pilled. So smooth.
September 1st, 2011 at 6:38 am
I agree with every other post here, de-pilling is fun, good times I say! Your posts are so funny, more please.
September 1st, 2011 at 12:59 pm
I love a good de-pill. Can totally understand where you are coming from here!
September 3rd, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Is it the same plug in depiller the man had at Bendi or is it a battery operated one. I was with Kate (knightlyknitter) and she had one sleeve done as a demo and it was fab! And I agree with the others, you can see the difference.
September 4th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
i have a little battery operated one of those and its not quite that effective. im so trading up! fantastically informative post, thank you 🙂
September 21st, 2011 at 10:44 pm
I also purchased one of these remarkable appliances and became equally thrilled with it and needed
to put it away every not and then to stop myself from removing fluff balls from my gardening pants!!
May 15th, 2012 at 10:46 am
I’m a little late to the party but Sonia was talking about this last night because she just bought one and I was wondering if it was the same one I got from the Melb show and it is. Your enthusiasm is understandable because I got a bit carried away with depilling all the test garments the stand lady had and Jen was all “Melanie, let the other children have a go” reluctantly I moved away…
Great post, I love your writing so much.