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Description
On the left we have my very first attempt at an amigurumi; and on the right we have a more recent attempt at the same pattern. Funnily enough, the new one is considerably larger even though it's the exact same pattern and hook.

And on the bottom we have what happens when you attempt to make a microwave heating pad using the wrong kind of corn.

I did dry the corn in the oven, for several hours. Water wasn't the problem - sugar was. The sugar in the corn combusted like a marshmallow in a campfire. Which naturally partially burned/oxidized the nylon sleeve it was in, producing a thoroughly acrid, probably toxic smoke that has now permeated my bedroom to the point where nobody else can stand to be in here. (side benefit???)

So, there in the bottom photo you see the resulting marks left on the once-white yarn of poor Mr Warm Owl's eyes.

What have we learned from this?

1 - Practice is good and so is trying new things.
2 - Trying new things often has catastrophic, sometimes hilarious, results.
3 - Corn grown for human consumption does NOT work as a microwave heating medium.
4 - Once water is removed, sugar-containing items oxidize/combust very quickly, not necessarily with a flame.
5 - Acrylic yarn softens and loosens when heated.
6 - My browser doesn't have 'combust' in its dictionary.

The meme blank is here

Description
On the left we have my very first attempt at an amigurumi; and on the right we have a more recent attempt at the same pattern. Funnily enough, the new one is considerably larger even though it's the exact same pattern and hook.

And on the bottom we have what happens when you attempt to make a microwave heating pad using the wrong kind of corn.

I did dry the corn in the oven, for several hours. Water wasn't the problem - sugar was. The sugar in the corn combusted like a marshmallow in a campfire. Which naturally partially burned/oxidized the nylon sleeve it was in, producing a thoroughly acrid, probably toxic smoke that has now permeated my bedroom to the point where nobody else can stand to be in here. (side benefit???)

So, there in the bottom photo you see the resulting marks left on the once-white yarn of poor Mr Warm Owl's eyes.

What have we learned from this?

1 - Practice is good and so is trying new things.
2 - Trying new things often has catastrophic, sometimes hilarious, results.
3 - Corn grown for human consumption does NOT work as a microwave heating medium.
4 - Once water is removed, sugar-containing items oxidize/combust very quickly, not necessarily with a flame.
5 - Acrylic yarn softens and loosens when heated.
6 - My browser doesn't have 'combust' in its dictionary.

The meme blank is here