Washing and care instructions for pure wool garments: historical knitting.

I have been knitting and crocheting with wool yarn since 2013. Although I include a washing and care instructions sheet with all orders through my WorldWarKnits.com website, I decided to make a blog post as well so that I could include some more information. Keeping with the historical theme of my website, I adapted the instructions from two of my historical knitting books; one from 1910 and the other from 1942.

These instructions are from my 1910 knitting book.

These instructions are from my 1942 book.

The instructions I include on a printed sheet for my customers are as follows:

It is important to hand wash the wool item in cool or lukewarm water, not in hot water. (Hot water and/or excessive scrubbing of wool can cause shrinkage and felting.)

Use a small amount of soap or laundry detergent.

You can let the item soak if needed. Gently agitate, but do not scrub. Rinse in the same temperature as you used to wash. Squeeze, but don’t wring, the excess water out.

Roll the item up in a clean towel to squeeze out additional water.

Then place the item on a flat surface and reshape it. Let air dry. Turn it over a few times while it’s drying, so both sides can dry.

Never hang to dry. This will make it stretch.

For storage, fold the item. If it’s not going to be used often, it’s good to store it in a sealed container.

Sometimes after washing or wearing, a stray yarn end may poke out. This can just be cut with scissors. Never cut a loop though.

Here is the laundry soap powder I use for both the wool items I make and for my regular clothes as well. It is effective, fragrance-free, and dissolves in cold water. Also, there is no plastic laundry detergent jug like with so many brands.

*The above laundry detergent link is to the product on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I use anyway, regardless of commissions. Thank you for your support to me and the companies I share as well.*