Hand Wash???

bargainsgirl · ‎01-13-2012

Has anyone hand washed one of the Aran Crafted merino wool sweaters? I avoid dry cleaning when I can. I had an aunt who used to wash all her woolens in mild shampoo instead of other kinds of soaps. So tempted to get the poncho...

LindaSal · ‎05-15-2014

I have never washed mine, I always have them dry cleaned.

It's a good question though, hopefully someone has done it and can share the results.

The poncho? How nice is that! I loved all of it yesterday

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

@bargainsgirl wrote:
Has anyone hand washed one of the Aran Crafted merino wool sweaters? I avoid dry cleaning when I can. I had an aunt who used to wash all her woolens in mild shampoo instead of other kinds of soaps. So tempted to get the poncho...

sure you can

sheep don't get drycleaned

get some Eucalan, it is made for knitters , it doesn't need to be rinsed out , I use it for all my woolens

cold water and let soak a bit,

don't rub the yarn together then it will felt and that isn't good

msgb · ‎08-30-2010

I am a knitter and well these knits are so beautiful. I have an Aran Crafted knit sweater that is longer. I actually washed it in delicate with cold water and gentle soap (and just a little bit of it) in the washer. I did however put it on a few towels to dry it. I did not put in the dryer.

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

I would NEVER attempt to wash a woolen sweater. You would have to make a paper pattern beforehand (or have a blocking board)....to block the item. It's too much of a "chance".......

How to block a sweater
Fill your sink or basin with lukewarm water and wool wash if desired.
Gently wet your sweater. I do this by submerging my knitting and pressing out the bubbles. You don’t want to agitate your knitting too much. Leave it for about 15 minutes to get it good and soaked. Some fibres (cashmere, silk) take longer to become saturated with water. If you are blocking a multi-coloured piece, you will want to prevent the colours from bleeding into one another in the soaking bath, so instead of wool wash, add white vinegar to the soaking bath, and take care not to leave the sweater to soak for too long (don’t forget about it overnight!).
Take your sweater out of the water and press out as much excess as you can. Do not wring your knitting, this can put it out of shape permanently.
Roll your sweater in a towel and stomp on it, this remove excess water. You may need to use two or three towels in a row if you’re drying out a larger or bulkier sweater, as the knit will have soaked up a lot of water.
Lay your sweater out on your blocking boards (or mattress, or carpet) and using your hands push it into shape. For a simple stockinette sweater, it may be sufficient to simply pat it into shape, with approximately the right body and sleeve width / length. For a patterned sweater, you may wish to block the piece aggressively, using blocking wires and pins to stretch out the body, sleeves, and yoke to open up a lace or cable pattern. If your finished garment turned out a little too short, or too skinny for your liking, you can also block ‘for length’ or ‘for width’, stretching the piece more aggressively in one or the other dimension to coax it into a better fit! This won’t work a miracle, but knit fabric (especially wool) is quite flexible, and as Alexa and I always say “when in doubt, block it out”!

♥Surface of the Sun♥

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

I hand wash all my wool sweaters. No problem. Would never use a dry cleaner, their solutions aren't the cleanest.

I do have an older Irish one that is still going strong.

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@Desertdi I nearly died of exhaustion reading the "block" instructions you posted.

I've always sent my wool items to the cleaners. Never an issue.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

@Mz iMac wrote:
@Desertdi I nearly died of exhaustion reading the "block" instructions you posted.

I've always sent my wool items to the cleaners. Never an issue.

@Mz iMac Me, too, Why risk ruining a $$$ sweater.......

♥Surface of the Sun♥

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

I have a Aran wool shawl that I bought many years ago. I wash it in cold water and woolite, roll in a towel to remove as much moisture as I can and lay it flat to dry.

It is over 15 years old and I have never dry cleaned it. I try to avoid dry cleaning garments when possible. Those chemicals are really toxic and cancer causing.