Cotton Yarn shrink?

[Jackie M.]

Has anyone ever had cotton yarn, such as Sugar n Cream or other cotton yarn, shrink? Should size be considered when using 100% cotton?

[Jan in CA]

What are you making? Cotton yarns can shrink a little, but if you're making a sweater they can also grow when wearing. Best thing to do is a swatch and then wash and dry it to see what happens.

[Jackie M.]

What are you making? Cotton yarns can shrink a little, but if you're making a sweater they can also grow when wearing. Best thing to do is a swatch and then wash and dry it to see what happens.

Thanks Jan. I made a beach bag and it seemed just right, but after putting towels in it, the bag stretched nearly to the floor! I hope it WILL shrink. I used 100% cotton yarn.

[suzeeq]

Cotton does stretch out with use or wear, but will shrink back to the knitted size when washed. The problem may not be with the bag so much as how you did the handles. If you just knit a strap, that's going to stretch and stretch. You could make it a lot shorter and that could work, or do a different type. With my bags I made them in the round from the bottom and when I got nearly to the top, cast off some sts at the beg of the round and halfway around, then cast on a few more sts on the next round so the handles were a bit larger, then worked a couple more rounds and bound off. If you want a shoulder bag, you could cast off only about 2-3" of sts, but cast on about 8" worth to make them longer. Then you would have the handles doubled and they're less likely to stretch as much as a single strap.

[Jackie M.]

...um......I'll read this a few more times. Thanks suzeeq.
.

Cotton does stretch out with use or wear, but will shrink back to the knitted size when washed. The problem may not be with the bag so much as how you did the handles. If you just knit a strap, that's going to stretch and stretch. You could make it a lot shorter and that could work, or do a different type. With my bags I made them in the round from the bottom and when I got nearly to the top, cast off some sts at the beg of the round and halfway around, then cast on a few more sts on the next round so the handles were a bit larger, then worked a couple more rounds and bound off. If you want a shoulder bag, you could cast off only about 2-3" of sts, but cast on about 8" worth to make them longer. Then you would have the handles doubled and they're less likely to stretch as much as a single strap.

[suzeeq]

I'd be happy to work you through it, step by step. It was just an example.... if you have a pattern in mind, post a link and I can help you modify it.