Our Woolgatherers group got a big bunch of donated yarn a while back. In it was a bag of several unfinished projects which I have been finishing. One of those projects was a pretty little lace baby coat. All the pieces were there plus nearly a full skein of the yarn. No pattern, no yarn band, just the finished pieces ready to be sewed together, so I did. I had the idea of giving it to someone or selling it and donating the proceeds. As I was sewing it last night it occured to me that knowing what the fiber content is would be a really good idea, so I cut off a strand and held it to a lighted match. OOPS! It is some kind of artificial fiber, no idea what, but it blazed up enthusiastically and also melted.

Now what do I do with this garment? It is not something I would want for a child of mine. It is very nice, but dangerous even if the chances of it burning are pretty remote. Any label or warning I would put with it might easily get lost. Still, I'm reluctant to just dump it in the trash. What to do?

Perhaps you could make a cloth label with a WARNING written in permanent ink and sew it in a prominent spot like the typical back of the neck. Ot if that might be scratchy, it could be sewn into the shoulder seam.

Would you be able to sell/raffle it as an item for a large doll?

It's really kind of sad, but I think the only thing to do is to discard it. I have two "medical" adult kids who are saying "Throw it out. There is no way you can guarantee that people will pay attention to a warning" I guess it's better to discard it that to take even the remote chance of barbecuing a small child. This experience will certainly remind me to be cautious with materials.

In ready-to-wear, flammability warnings only relate to sleepwear, as far as I've seen. Cotton play-clothes are sometimes labeled "not intended for use as sleepwear", because cotton flames up. But I've never seen a warning on a cotton *sweater*. I guess the idea is that sleep-time would be alone-time for the tot (not so for co-sleepers), while sweater-wearing-time would include adult-supervision. And supposedly an adult would be able to put out or remove a burning garment. . . ?

Your best guide is probably your own conscience and that of the recipient. It might be easier to tell someone face-to-face that the garment is not flame-resistant than to write it out in a label, then you'd be confident your concern got across. Especially if you'd continue to worry that a stranger wasn't properly informed in making their purchase decision.

Put it on a teddy bear. people seldom use "doll clothes" on kids.

I agree with your kids--I think I'd toss it.

Mt Mom, cotton (and other natural fibers) aren't very flammable. The synthetics that melt, like this yarn, are pretty scary, though. An adult wouldn't be able to remove the garment once it caught fire. And it can burn to the bone.

It's just not worth it.

This information comes from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's chart in Knitting Rules, pp. 40-41. Perhaps it will be helpful for future reference, whatever you decide in the current case.

Wool "doesn't ignite quickly and the flame goes out if wool is removed fromthe fire."

Cotton "lights right away" with a "large and steady yellow or amber flame". [Cotton is often used as wicking in candles, I believe.]

Linen burns "slower than cotton" with a "large and steady" flame.

Silk "burns slowly but is harder to put out than cotton or linen."

Acrylic "catches easily, will burn until extinguished" with a "white-orange flame that burns quickly."

Nylon "melts, than burns".

Rayon "lights and burns rapidly."

Your sample sounds like nylon and/or acrylic, which are blended in some soft baby yarns.

After reading others comments I would toss it out!