Hey crafters,
I've been running loads lately. You know what I mean. Laundry loads.
Here’s my dirty little secret: I put my handknits in the washing machine. Yep. I do. All of them. The superwash and non-superwash alike. Insert gigantic frightened gasp here.
I run a delicate cycle on my top load (no agitator) machine, and add a little fancy/woolen specific soap, and start the cycle. Its not "appropriate", I know. Not recommended. But I do it anyway because I’m a rebel.
But lately, I’ve noticed that my hand knits have shrunk in the wash. My non-superwash/rustic woolen sweaters (that I don't put in the dryer) have felted, just a tiny bit. Just enough to see that maybe this isn’t the best idea.
As for my superwash sweaters? They’re fine when I pick them up clean from the washing machine but after I’ve tossed them in the dryer (guilty here of doing this too. I run them on the delicate cycle only, though), they’ve shrunk more than I’d like. The fabric feels more “stuffy”. Not felted, just denser. A little too plump.
So lately I’ve been knitting my sweaters a little longer, a little bigger in anticipation of this. Just saying it out loud makes me feel stupid for making arrangements in prevision of the sweater shrinking. It got me wondering : should I or shouldn’t I?
My new Marius came back full of pills from other sweaters, after just a few washes. I had to pull out my Gleener...
So, should I keep doing it? What's your take on this?
Machine washing your hand knits: yay or nay?
For our convenience, I've made a list of pros and cons below.
Reasons to wash your handknits in the washing machine:
- Time Efficiency: The most obvious benefit. If you’ve just finished a large project like the Sebastien Blanket, hand-washing in a tub and wrung out by hand can be a multi-hour (and physically taxing) ordeal.
- Consistent Water Temperature: Machines are usually better at maintaining a steady temperature than a kitchen sink. Sudden "shocks" in temperature (going from hot to cold) are what often cause wool to felt.
- Superior Spin Cycle: A machine's spin cycle removes more water than hand-squeezing or the stepping on the towel trick. This reduces the drying time, which prevents that "musty" smell that can happen when a thick knit stays damp for days.
- Even Detergent Distribution: On a delicate cycle, the machine ensures the wool wash is fully incorporated into the water before it hits the fibers, preventing soapy spots or residue.
- Convenience for "Superwash" Fibers: If you’ve used a treated superwash wool, these fibers are actually designed to be agitated slightly to "bloom" and snap back into shape, which the machine handles well.
Reasons NOT to wash your handknits in the washing machine:
- The Risk of Felting: Even on "Delicate," some machines have a central agitator or a rhythm that is too aggressive for non-superwash wool. If the scales of the fiber interlock, sweaters become a stiff, shrunken piece of felt that cannot be undone.
- High Mechanical Stress: The tumbling motion can cause "pilling" (those little fuzzy balls) much faster than hand-washing. It can also snag your delicate stitches on the drum holes or the edge of the door seal.
- Stretching and Distortion: The weight of a wet hand-knit is heavy. During the wash and spin, centrifugal force can pull at the shoulder seams or hemlines, potentially leaving you with a garment that is much longer or wider than when it started.
- Hardware Damage: If your item has delicate accessories like gemstone or crystal buttons, the machine can crack the beads or snag the yarn around the hardware.
- Lack of Control: Once you hit the "Start" button, you can't feel the fiber. When hand-washing, you can immediately tell if the dye is bleeding excessively or if the fiber is losing its "halo," allowing you to intervene instantly.
Tips if you like living on the edge like me (I should really start following them...)
- Use A Mesh Bag: Always place your knit inside a large, high-quality mesh laundry bag. This prevents the item from stretching and protects it from snagging.
- Check Your Fiber: If the yarn label doesn't say "Superwash," stay away from the machine. Pure Mohair, Alpaca, and non-treated Merino are almost guaranteed to felt. So maybe I can keep washing my superwash sweaters in the washing machine. Just not put them in the dryer...
- Color Catcher: Add a color catcher sheet or two to every delicate load when cleaning your handknits to prevent bleeding.
- Cold is Key: Ensure the machine is set to "Tap Cold" or 30°C. Warm water is BAD for shrinkage.
So, what's your take on this? What should I do moving forward? And what about you? Do you machine-wash your hand knits?
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