Washing handmade items
Practical guidance: washing handmade items.
Key principles
- Follow the yarn label and the test swatch.
- Avoid sudden temperature changes with wool.
- Dry in a way that does not stretch a heavy item.
Step-by-step process
- Record yarn, tool and project parameters.
- Make a small test and measure it without stretching.
- Compare the result with the target and change only one parameter at a time.
- Record the decision in the project journal so it can be reproduced.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is treating label or pattern data as a guarantee. Technique, fibre, stitch and washing can change the result.