https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:07:42 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118397 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 23:02:40 +0000 K. Period. 1118397@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If you are careful, you can also use a clothes steamer to effectively block them while they are dry. You have to take it slow, though. They will stretch rapidly, so you don't want to make too big a change too quickly. &nbsp;I've blocked a number of sweaters using a steamer and find it more effective than blocking while wet. However, you always run the risk of overstretching them if you aren't careful. Luckily, you can just re-wet them and try again.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118386 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 22:49:36 +0000 shiny 1118386@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Are they perfect skirt length sweaters Tanya?&nbsp;</p> <p>It'd be criminal to accidentally ruin them if they are. It's just so hard to find skirt length tops! I tossed a bunch thinking they were dated, before joining YLF, and I could just cry now...&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118342 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 21:16:25 +0000 carambola 1118342@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ooh, thanks for asking this. I just received a cashmere sweater that is a tad more fitted than I would like, but I'm afraid it will be too big and long&nbsp;if I size up.&nbsp;Will have to try out these suggestions. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118333 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 21:05:52 +0000 Lisa 1118333@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good question!&nbsp; Thanks for asking. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118092 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 16:01:51 +0000 Joyce B 1118092@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Blocking can help you a little if you need to stretch out your sweater in both directions. In general, when you block for length, you loose a little width<br /> And when you block for extra width you loose a little length. Since you need to block for both, you may get a little more in each direction, but not as much as if you were blocking for length only or width only. Of course the give also depends on the gauge of your garment.<br /> Good luck with your blocking and let us know if it works out for you. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118065 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:35:15 +0000 Anonymous 1118065@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think it works best when the sweater has been accidentally shrunk. It's then possible to stretch it back to its original size. I'm not sure how well it will work with a sweater that starts out smaller and shorter.&nbsp;If your sweaters have any spandex at all in them, they are likely to bounce back to their small size when fully dry. If you add a little hair conditioner to the rinse water, that might help. I seem to remember reading that somewhere. I have had varying degrees of success with this with thrifted sweaters, and it's certainly worth a try!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1118001 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 13:39:09 +0000 donnat 1118001@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Let us know the results. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117999 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 13:25:27 +0000 Nicole D 1117999@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good luck! &nbsp;I will be interested to see the results!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117989 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 12:52:06 +0000 Tanya 1117989@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you very much for the advice and instructions on blocking ladies!&nbsp; I will try to stretchthe sweaters the first chance I get and report the results. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117911 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:54:47 +0000 Dee 1117911@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ah, Diana beat me to the punch while I was composing my reply! Good luck with your blocking. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117910 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:53:35 +0000 Dee 1117910@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In knitting, blocking means uniformly sizing/shaping a garment. You would want it damp, but not dripping wet, and then you stretch each part gently until&nbsp;it reaches the size you want. For handknits,&nbsp;I usually&nbsp;pin it in place or put someting heavy on each end to keep it at that size until it dries. But that's a lot of work, so&nbsp;for sweaters&nbsp;I often just lay it over&nbsp;a drying rack, but (fair warning)&nbsp;it may stretch more than you want if you're not careful&nbsp;due to its own weight.&nbsp;It would keep most of the new size/shape once it dries, depending on the fiber. Most natural fibers block well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117909 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:49:28 +0000 Diana 1117909@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, it's definitely worth a try, although it doesn't always work, depending on how tightly knit the sweater is. &nbsp;A looser knit will stretch more. &nbsp;</p> <p>Basically, blocking just means reshaping a piece of knitwear when it is wet and laying flat. &nbsp;You can just lay it on a towel on the floor&nbsp;(after hand washing, or hand wash cycle in the machine - if you hand wash, it's better to press as much water out of it as possible before you block). &nbsp;Then just stretch it gently to the shape you want. &nbsp;If you want to block severely sometimes it helps to pin the sweater to the towel so it doesn't spring back.</p> <p>If that does not work, another possibility is to actually hang the wet sweater to dry. &nbsp;The weight of the sweater serves to stretch it.&nbsp; I don't really recommend this unless the previous method does not work, as it has the potential to stretch out the shoulders and armholes too much.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117900 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:20:28 +0000 catgirl 1117900@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I edit sweaters this way all the time! My fixation is with making the hem wider on a banded sweater but yes, gentle shaping or blocking should be fine. When they are wet I just pull evenly on the hem or sleeve or whatever I'm trying to alter. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/can-a-cashmere-sweater-be-stretched#post-1117897 Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:19:12 +0000 Tanya 1117897@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a couple of older, but pretty cashmere sweaters that are from fashion era when we wore them very fitted and on the shorter side, just reaching the hipbone.&nbsp; I was wondering if they could be carefully stretched when wet - both horizontally and vertically - and how exactly to do that.&nbsp; I have heard about "blocking" a sweater, though i am not sure what it exactly means and how it is done, and was thinking that it might be possible to apply that here. </p>