How To Wash Wool Yarn: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wool is the best and most popular yarn choice when knitting or crocheting a project due to its warmth and durability. Caring for your wool yarn is a crafter's most essential and crucial step. However, washing the wool yarn can challenge beginners and experts.

Mishandling the yarn while washing can result in the shrinkage of your project or damage to woolen fibers. In this blog post, we will go through the methods of washing wool yarn to ensure it stays soft and beautiful for years. By taking care of a few simple steps and instructions, you can secure your yarn creations for many years.

Washing Your Yarn Projects: 

Washing a yarn piece is essential to caring for your knitted or crochet projects. Wool fibers tend to catch dirt, oil, or other particles, making them stiff and irregular. Projects made from wool or silk should be washed by hand. On the other hand, superwash wool yarn like Merino wool yarn by Symfonie Yarns can be washed in the washing machine with a gentle cycle as it is made so that it can be treated chemically. Symfonie Yarns has a comprehensive collection of hand-dyed superwash wool and silk DK yarns with beautiful and vibrant colors and textures.

Washing a yarn is something other than something a knitter has to deal with regularly. It is needed to straighten your old wool yarn from a previously crafted garment or if your crafted piece is stained. Do not agitate or twist the yarn, as this will damage the fibers, making your piece irregular.

Materials Required for Washing Wool Yarn:

• Wool wash or detergent.
• Sink or tub.
• Yarn or yarn project.
• A towel.
• Knit blockers.(have a look at them here)
• Blocking mats. ( You can find it here)

How To Wash A Yarn By Hand:

Once you select a woolen yarn, you should read the instructions on the label. The label mainly indicates whether the yarn can be washed in a machine or by hand and what the water's temperature should be. Usually, hand-dyed yarns require less water temperature for washing as it can damage the fiber texture and color.

1. Fill a sink or tub with cold water or lukewarm water according to the instructions given on the yarn label. It shouldn’t be hot as hot water leads to shrinkage in the yarn fibers, e.g., yarn like Merino DK yarn should wash by hand with mild soap or wool wash, and it requires a water temperature below 30°C.
2. Add a small amount of wool wash into the sink.
3. Carefully place your crafted piece into the water, and gently press it by hand to ensure it soaks completely. Avoid agitating or wringing the piece.
4. Soak your project for 8 to 10 minutes, then gently squeeze the water from the yarn fibers. Hold the weight of the project in your hands evenly to avoid the project from losing its shape.
5. Drain and refill the sink with fresh and clean water, rinse your crafted piece properly, and squeeze it to remove extra water.
6. Place your project on the towel and reshape it according to your preferences. You can use blocking mats to dry and reshape your hand-washed yarn project.

How To Wash a Superwash Wool Yarn In Washing Machine:

Superwash wool yarn is a particular type of yarn that can be washed in the washing machine. It won’t shrink or feel. Symfonie Yarns provides an extensive collection of superwash wool yarn with silk DK yarn combinations, which can easily be washed in the machine with an adequate cycle.

Steps By Step Guide For Washing:

1. Choose a good detergent specially designed for wool yarn. Avoid the use of bleach, fabric softener, or other chemicals.
2. Set your washing machine in gentle or delicate mode. You should ensure the machine's cycle is gentle so it won’t damage the fibers.
3. To avoid tangling your wool fibers, place them in a mesh bag. It will also protect your washing machine from clogging by the fibers.
4. Put a small amount of wool wash into the machine. Read the instructions on your wool wash's label to avoid any damage.
5. Set the timer and turn on the machine.

Your side of the work is done. Now you can do anything else until the buzzer calls you.

Drying of Wool Yarn: 

After washing, drying is the last but most important task.

Place your washed project on a towel and roll it to remove excess moisture. Once the moisture is removed, remove the towel, place it on a flat surface, and stretch its sides for the correct shape and size. It is done mainly for sweaters and blankets, which need a specific size and shape.

Allow your project to air dry completely. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight. Drying will take a couple of hours to a whole day, depending on the size and thickness of your project.