Ooops, I felted my sweater!!!

[Birdy]

I was very careful, and washed my wool sweater with cold water on the hand wash cycle of my washing machine. It appeared to be normal when I pulled it out. (I use this cycle for all my hand washing and never had a problem).

And I air dried it, but it is so cold in our country farm house, that I put it in the dryer after two days...

And it felted ! It won't even fit my 7 y/o son!

It said it was hand washable wool!

I had no care directions as it was a gift. But she said it was washable!!! There was a bit of Cashmere in it... I am so

Okay...

If in the future I get another wool sweater... How do I care for it?

I am not a happy person. I am seriously thinking of cutting up and sewing it into something because I don't want to get rid of it but right now it is sitting there laughing at me!

[Silver]

:( I'm sorry about your sweater! I guess on the bright side, it's a lesson learned, right?

To me, "hand washable" translates into "hand wash (and dry) only", which translates into no machine shall touch this, ever.

Felting happens when wool is subjected to temperature changes and/or agitation. If you put it in the dryer after 2 days, I assume it was still wet, and cold. In the dryer it was subjected to heat and agitation (the tumbling), therefore you were treated with a felted sweater.

If your washing machine will wash it gently enough on the hand wash setting, you can do that, so long as you know you are taking a risk. Even on cold, the agitation alone could felt your wool. And well, never, ever dry a wool sweater in the dryer.. that will ALWAYS felt a hand wash wool.

[Ingrid]

It's likelythat the dryer killed it. You can felt in a dryer, and possibly the agitation from the washer contributed. I hand wash and lay flat my wool sweaters. I keep flipping them over and I dry them on mesh racks.

[syndactylus]

there is a woman/some women (?) who make really cute, really expensive bags out of old felted sweaters.
you could try that?
wish I remembered the name, they are so very unspeakably cute.

[Kaydee]

there is a woman/some women (?) who make really cute, really expensive bags out of old felted sweaters.
you could try that?
wish I remembered the name, they are so very unspeakably cute.

Here's a link to do it yourself...it might be fun to try so at least it doesn't go to total waste.

[Jan in CA]

Maybe washable wool next time? Sorry about your sweater!

[efsaturn]

I did this too, only it was a sweater I had washed before in the machine on delicate. I got the sweater in Scotland, so it was special, not really expensive, but it was my souvenier. What happened was I have a new washing machine that uses less water and more agitation, well it must have a lot more agitation as there is no way I will ever be wearing that sweater again.

[Mulderknitter]

Ah, my dear I have been through this. My DH decided to do the wash one day and felted my favorite merino wool sweater. it wasn't expensive, but I loved it. I just looked at it for a while and then threw it out. I didn't want the reminder of the lovely sweater I USED TO HAVE

[Birdy]

I thought felting only occured with soap and washing in hot water...

I am lucky because the hand wash feature on our washing machine is very, very gentle.

It would have been the dryer.

I guess the next time I will go more dry clean method. Or not wear something like that in this weather where it won't dry.

Its a lesson learned and I am going to be very careful buying yarn myself. As a gift you can't do too much about it...

I'm going off to check the purses...

[syndactylus]

I think this was the woman I was thinking of:

http://www.susantodd.com/bags.html

I'm also sorry about your sweater. it's always sad to lose a sweater...